Health, Safety, Environment (HSE)

Influence of Individual Factors on Human Behaviour

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Fri, 6 Nov 2020 16:56:00 +0400

Reducing Error and Influencing Behaviour (HSG48) refers to Human Factors as,

“Human factors refer to environmental, organisational and job factors, and human and individual characteristics, which influence behaviour at work in a way which can affect health and safety.”

To simply understand the concept of influences of individual factors on human behaviour, different variables will be discussed with respect to their impact on people’s behaviour addressing health and safety.

The Individual: Individual factors are personal attitudes, skills, habits and personalities may be strengths or weaknesses depending on the job demands. These characteristics influence behaviour in complex and significant ways. Their effect may be positive or negative and may not always be mitigated by the job design. Some characteristics such as personality are largely – fixed and cannot be easily changed. Others, such as skills and attitudes, may more readily be changed or enhanced.

Personality: People do not change fundamentally from day to day; as personality is formed through a combination of mechanisms and environmental factors (nature and nurture). Each personality is unique. Cattell’s Trait theory suggests that personality is extremely difficult to change and management must consider any person’s personality when choosing people for a task because accident occurs as a result of mismatched personality and task is not the fault of the individual.

Attitude: “A mental and neural state of readiness, organized through experience, exerting a directive and dynamic influence upon the individual’s response to all objects and situations with which it is related.” (Malim & Birch, 1998)

Individual attitudes differ. They reflect an individual’s inclination to feel, think or act in a positive or negative way towards particular target, be that a person, an object or a concept.

“What is normal for a spider is a chaos for a fly.” (Charles Addams)

Different components of attitude are affective including feelings and emotions, cognitive including perceptions, beliefs and memories and behavioural including actions and intentions to act.

Aptitude: Ability is the capacity to perform a particular physical or mental function. Key abilities include physical, strength, manual dexterity, spatial acuity and conceptual thinking. Abilities may be learnt or developed in the workplace. Aptitude is an inherent ability or inclination for acquiring or developing ability.

Motivation: It includes the forces that will stimulate an individual to act or perform. Effective management requires motivation of individuals to achieve their stated goals and objectives. Well-motivated workers will be satisfied, energetic and will be delivering what has been assigned to him/her. On the other side poorly motivated worker will be apathetic, dissatisfied and will be under performing.

Key driving forces for a worker will be individual’s fulfillment of personal needs, psychological satisfaction and/or tangible rewards e.g. salary, benefits or promotion.

How to insert table in Ms Word

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Sun, 23 Dec 2018 01:04:00 +0400

https://youtu.be/4I1_nt_D6XE

Health, Safety, Environment (HSE): Tower Crane Safety

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Tue, 5 Jan 2016 22:51:00 +0400

Health, Safety, Environment (HSE): Tower Crane Safety

Health, Safety, Environment (HSE): Work at Height Safety

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 00:42:00 +0400

Health, Safety, Environment (HSE): Work at Height Safety

Work at Height Safety

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 00:41:00 +0400

Work at Height Safety

HAZOP and operability

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 00:19:00 +0400

Emergency Response Planning

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 00:17:00 +0400

Risk Assessment

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 00:14:00 +0400

Fifa WorldCup 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 10:06:00 +0400

Tower Crane Safety

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 09:19:00 +0400

Nebosh Important Questions Answers

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Thu, 12 Jun 2014 09:12:00 +0400

http://www.slideshare.net/hijaziosama/nebosh-important-qa

Work at height - HSE (Health and Safety Executive) update

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Tue, 20 May 2014 09:13:00 +0400

Scaffold Safety part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Tue, 20 May 2014 09:08:00 +0400

Scaffold safety part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Tue, 20 May 2014 09:07:00 +0400

Scaffold safety part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Tue, 20 May 2014 09:02:00 +0400

Scaffolding Safety English Pt. 1

10 Scaffold Safety Essentials

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Tue, 20 May 2014 08:37:00 +0400

A lot can go wrong when working on scaffolding. We talked to safety experts about some safety essentials when working from heights. Here are your top 10 tips for scaffolding safety.

1. Ensure everyone is properly trained. Safety regulations require that workers be trained in the design and operation of scaffolding. Training covers important safe work practices such as how to safely get on and off the scaffold (using an access ladder, not the scaffold frame — unless it is specially designed to be climbed and both hands are free to grab the rungs). It should also cover comprehensive fall protection training specific to the type of scaffolding, erecting and dismantling procedures for anyone involved in these activities, and a host of other lifesaving details.

2. Take the time for prep work. Before using scaffolding, make sure the base is sound, level and adjusted; that the legs are plumb and all braces in place; that locking devices and ties are secured; that cross members are level; and that planks, decks and guardrails are installed and secure. Check the location for ground conditions, such as slopes, and stay clear away from hazards such as overhead wires, obstructions and changes in surface elevation.

3. Keep it legal. CSA standard committees have identified “rogue employers” as a significant obstacle to scaffold safety. “These are employers who fly under the radar and operate without a license,” says Jeet Tulshi, a CSA project manager. “They get some pick-up truck, rent a unit and hope they don’t get caught. They might import material from offshore and put it together without having it surveyed or reviewed by a professional engineer.”

4. Know and respect the load capacity. According to the Ontario Ministry of Labour, failure to consider all the loads to which the scaffold may be subjected is one of the top things that go wrong at the design stage. The scaffold must be strong enough and capable of holding the desired weight, otherwise it could collapse. Don’t try to fit more workers on the platform than it can handle; don’t overload it with equipment and materials; and don’t rest anything on the guardrails.

5. Ensure the scaffold is properly secured. The scaffold must be adequately braced or tied to the building. If it is wrapped in a tarp for protection from the elements, it could blow over if it isn’t secured. According to the Construction Safety Association of Manitoba, “Bracing must be properly secured in place, otherwise scaffold movement may dislodge an end, reducing the stability of the scaffold. There are several different brace retention or locking systems found on scaffolds. These devices must operate freely for ease of assembly and dismantling, and also lock securely to prevent a brace from dislodging. Nails and other miscellaneous odds and ends should not be used in place of proper retention parts supplied by the manufacturer.”

6. Use guardrails. The design of the scaffold must incorporate guardrails on at least the three sides facing away from the building if the scaffold is more than 10 feet above ground. There should be a top rail, a mid rail and a bottom rail (toe board). If you must remove any guardrails while hoisting materials, replace them promptly. Wear fall protection at all times.

7. Inspect and maintain. Scaffolding must be routinely inspected by the supervisor and by a competent person — ideally a professional engineer or a person designated in writing by a professional engineer. In the case of a suspended platform, inspect and test all components including welds, stirrups, connecting pins, connecting plates, trusses, beams and working surface. Check that the lumber is of good quality. If any pieces get broken or damaged, replace them right away. Inspect frames, braces and other components for damage, bends and excessive rust or wear. Also check motors, platforms or wire ropes for damage from chemicals or corrosive material.

8. Good housekeeping. There isn’t much room on a scaffold, so it’s important to store tools and materials in an orderly fashion. Keep the platform free of obstructions. Place debris and waste material in a container or remove it from the platform immediately.

9. Keep your balance. A scaffold and its platform must be perfectly level (CSA standard says it mustn’t deviate from the vertical by more than 12 millimeters per three meters of height) to minimize the risk of workers losing balance and falling off. Particularly on swing stages, there must be an adequately weighted counterweight. Pay attention when working on a scaffold. Any sudden movements, or reaching too far from the platform, can cause a loss of balance.

10. Use appropriate PPE. This includes head protection, non-slip protective footwear and fall protection as required, in the form of a safety harness tied off to a solid structure, such as the building. Ontario’s construction safety regulations indicate that the harness can be tied off to the suspended platform or scaffold only “if all or part of the platform or scaffold has more than one independent means of support and the platform or scaffold is so designed, constructed and maintained that the failure of one means of support will not cause the collapse of all or part of the platform or scaffold.”

With all of these safety practices in place, working on a scaffold can be a high without the dangerous lows.

------------------
Michelle Morra is an award-winning freelance journalist based in Toronto. You may contact Michelle at writemorr@yahoo.ca

Hydrogen Sulfide (Different health effects on different concentrations)

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Tue, 20 May 2014 08:27:00 +0400

Hydrogen sulfide is the chemical compound with the formula H₂S. It is a color-less gas with the characteristic foul odor of rotten eggs; it is heavier than air, very poisonous, corrosive, flammable, and explosive. (Wikipedia)

Concentration in parts per million (ppm)*	Observations and health effects
Less than 1	Most people smell “rotten eggs.”
3 to 5	Odour is strong.
20 to 150	Nose and throat feel dry and irritated. Eyes sting, itch, or water; and “gas eye” symptoms may occur. Prolonged exposure may cause coughing, hoarseness, shortness of breath, and runny nose.
150 to 200	Sense of smell is blocked.
200 to 250	Major irritation of the nose, throat, and lungs occurs, along with headache, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. Prolonged exposure can cause fluid build-up in the lungs (pulmonary edema), which can be fatal.
300 to 500	Symptoms are the same as above, but more severe. Death can occur within 1 to 4 hours of exposure.
Above 500	Immediate loss of consciousness. Death is rapid, sometimes immediate.

* 1 ppm = 1 part of gas per million parts of air by volume

Back Injuries

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Sat, 3 May 2014 09:54:00 +0400

ISO 14001 revision is underway

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Sat, 3 May 2014 09:32:00 +0400

Katie Bird
(Head Communication and Content Strategies)
ISO
+41 22 749 0431
bird@iso.org

ISO 14001, the world’s most popular standard for environmental management, is now under review, with an update version due to be available in early 2015.

Over 250,000 organizations are certified to ISO 14001 and while it continues to be as relevant as ever, the revision will take into consideration a number of issues to ensure organizations are able to grow in a sustainable way.

ISO 14001, one of ISO’s most successful management system standards, is shortly to undergo its second revision to ensure that it remains relevant over the next two decades. Since it was first published in 1996, ISO 14001:2004, Environmental management systems – Requirements with guidance for use, has been adopted by well over 250 000 certified users in 155 countries worldwide.

Recently, over 40 experts from some 25 countries, members of ISO/TC 207, Environmental management, the ISO technical committee that developed ISO 14001, gathered at the Berlin headquarters of DIN, the German Institute for Standardization, to discuss key issues related to the mandate for WG 5, the working group responsible for the revision process. Following is a report of recommendations and early accomplishments.

Two significant actions

The mandate requires the WG to consider two significant pieces of work. First, the work of the ISO Technical Management Board (TMB) Joint Technical Coordination Group (JTCG) on the High Level Structure for Management System Standards (MSS), covering identical text, common terms and core definitions.

Its aim is to standardize the structure and core requirements of MSS to facilitate the integration of multiple MSS into an organization’s management system. Although new standards have been developed using this structure, the revision of ISO 14001 will be the first in which an existing MSS has been recast into the standardized format and text.

Second is the final report of the ISO/TC 207 SC 1, Environmental management systems, Future Challenges for EMS Study Group, which evaluated the potential implications of evolving stakeholder expectations and new developments in the field of environmental management systems (EMS) since 1996. Eleven themes were analyzed, including sustainable development, environmental performance improvement, legal compliance, strategic business management, conformity assessment and national/international policy agendas. The study group also analyzed the obstacles and opportunities to increase uptake of ISO 14001 in small organizations, to control environmental impact in the value/supply chain, engage stakeholders, and communicate externally. In addition to these two significant actions, the mandate requires the basic principles and existing requirements of ISO 14001:2004 be retained and improved.

Early accomplishments

The initial Berlin meeting of ISO/TC 207 summarized the ISO standards development process for WG members, established a timeline and code of conduct, reviewed details in the two key reports forming the basis for the revision, and provided guidelines on writing standards – particularly taking into account the needs of SMEs. Among early accomplishments of the meeting, the WG :

Developed draft operating principles

Began the process of integrating ISO 14001:2004 requirements into the JTCG MSS structure and text

Brainstormed key issues and concerns related to each clause. These will be discussed at future meetings and evaluated for inclusion in the next revision.

Working at height A brief guide by Health and Safety Executive

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Sat, 3 May 2014 09:18:00 +0400

This brief guide describes what you, as an employer, need to do to protect your

Following this guidance is normally enough to comply with the Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR).

Falls from height are one of the biggest causes of workplace fatalities and major injuries. Common causes are falls from ladders and through fragile roofs. The purpose of WAHR is to prevent death and injury from a fall from height. Work at height means work in any place where, if there were no precautions in place, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury. For example

you are working at height if you:

■ are working on a ladder or a flat roof;

■ could fall through a fragile surface;

■ could fall into an opening in a floor or a hole in the ground.

Take a sensible approach when considering precautions for work at height. There may be some low-risk situations where common sense tells you no particular precautions are necessary and the law recognizes this.

There is a common misconception that ladders and stepladders are banned, but this is not the case. There are many situations where a ladder is the most suitable equipment for working at height.

Before working at height you must work through these simple steps:

■ avoid work at height where it is reasonably practicable to do so;

■ Where work at height cannot be avoided, prevent falls using either an existing place of work that is already safe or the right type of equipment;

■ minimise the distance and consequences of a fall, by using the right type of equipment where the risk cannot be eliminated.

You should:

■ do as much work as possible from the ground;

■ ensure workers can get safely to and from where they work at height;

■ ensure equipment is suitable, stable and strong enough for the job, maintained and checked regularly; make sure you don’t overload or overreach when working at height;

■ take precautions when working on or near fragile surfaces;

■ provide protection from falling objects;

■ consider your emergency evacuation and rescue procedures.

Who do the Regulations apply to?

If you are an employer or you control work at height (for example if you are a contractor or a factory owner), the Regulations apply to you.

How do you comply with these Regulations?

Employers and those in control of any work at height activity must make sure work is properly planned, supervised and carried out by competent people. This includes using the right type of equipment for working at height. Low-risk, relatively straightforward tasks will require less effort when it comes to planning. Employers and those in control must first assess the risks. Take a sensible, pragmatic approach when considering precautions for work at height. Factors to weigh up include the height of the task; the duration and frequency; and the condition of the surface being worked on. There will also be certain low-risk situations where common sense tells you no particular precautions are necessary.

How do you decide if someone is ‘competent’ to work at height?

You should make sure that people with sufficient skills, knowledge and experience are employed to perform the task, or, if they are being trained, that they work under the supervision of somebody competent to do it.

In the case of low-risk, short duration tasks (short duration means tasks that take less than 30 minutes) involving ladders, competence requirements may be no more than making sure employees receive instruction on how to use the equipment safely (eg how to tie a ladder properly) and appropriate training. Training often takes place on the job, it does not always take place in a classroom.

When a more technical level of competence is required, for example drawing up a plan for assembling a complex scaffold, existing training and certification schemes drawn up by trade associations and industry is one way to help demonstrate competence.

What measures should you take to help protect people?

Always consider measures that protect everyone who is at risk (collective protection) before measures that protect only the individual (personal protection). Collective protection is equipment that does not require the person working at height to act to be effective, for example a permanent or temporary guard rail. Personal protection is equipment that requires the individual to act to be effective. An example is putting on a safety harness correctly and connecting it, via an energy-absorbing lanyard, to a suitable anchor point.

What measures should you take to help protect people?

What do you need to consider when planning work at height?

The following are all requirements in law that you need to consider when planning and undertaking work at height. You must:

■ take account of weather conditions that could compromise worker safety;

■ check that the place (eg a roof) where work at height is to be undertaken is safe. Each place where people will work at height needs to be checked every time, before use; stop materials or objects from falling or, if it is not reasonably practicable to prevent objects falling, take suitable and sufficient measures to make sure no one can be injured, eg use exclusion zones to keep people away or mesh on scaffold to stop materials such as bricks falling off;

■ store materials and objects safely so they won’t cause injury if they are disturbed or collapse;

■ plan for emergencies and rescue, eg agree a set procedure for evacuation.

Think about foreseeable situations and make sure employees know the emergency procedures. Don’t just rely entirely on the emergency services for rescue in your plan.

How do you select the right equipment to use for a job?

When selecting equipment for work at height, employers must:

■ provide the most suitable equipment appropriate for the work;

■ take account of factors such as:

■ the working conditions (eg weather);

■ the nature, frequency and duration of the work;

■ the risks to the safety of everyone where the work equipment will be used.

If you are still unsure which type of equipment to use, once you have considered the risks, the Work at height Access equipment Information Toolkit (or WAIT) is a free online resource that offers possible solutions. It provides details of common types of equipment used for work at height. HSE has also produced a guide on the safe use of ladders and stepladders (see ‘Further reading’).

How do you make sure the equipment itself is in good condition?

Work equipment, for example scaffolding, needs to be assembled or installed according to the manufacturer’s instructions and in keeping with industry guidelines. Where the safety of the work equipment depends on how it has been installed or assembled, an employer should ensure it is not used until it has been inspected in that position by a competent person. A competent person is someone who has the necessary skills, experience and knowledge to manage health and safety. Any equipment exposed to conditions that may cause it to deteriorate, and result in a dangerous situation, should be inspected at suitable intervals appropriate to the environment and use. Do an inspection every time something happens that may affect the safety or stability of the equipment, eg adverse weather, accidental damage. You are required to keep a record of any inspection for types of work equipment including: guard rails, toe-boards, barriers or similar collective means of protection; working platforms (any platform used as a place of work or as a means of getting to and from work, eg a gangway) that are fixed (eg a scaffold around a building) or mobile (eg a mobile elevated working platform (MEWP) or scaffold tower); or a ladder. Any working platform used for construction work and from which a person could fall more than 2 metres must be inspected:

■ after assembly in any position;

■ after any event liable to have affected its stability;

■ at intervals not exceeding seven days.

Where it is a mobile platform, a new inspection and report is not required every time it is moved to a new location on the same site. You must also ensure that before you use any equipment, such as a MEWP, which has come from another business or rental company, it is accompanied by an indication (clear to everyone involved) when the last thorough examination has been carried out.

What must employees do?

Employees have general legal duties to take reasonable care of themselves and others who may be affected by their actions, and to co-operate with their employer to enable their health and safety duties and requirements to be complied with. For an employee, or those working under someone else’s control, the law says they must:

■ report any safety hazard they identify to their employer;

■ use the equipment and safety devices supplied or given to them properly, in accordance with any training and instructions (unless they think that would be unsafe, in which case they should seek further instructions before continuing).You must consult your employees (either directly or via safety representatives), in good time, on health and safety matters. Issues you must consult employees on include:

■ risks arising from their work;

■ proposals to manage and/or control these risks;

■ the best ways of providing information and training.

Employers can ask employees and their representatives what they think the hazards are, as they may notice things that are not obvious and may have some good, practical ideas on how to control the risks.

What must architects and building designers do?

When planning new-build or refurbishment projects, architects and designers have duties under The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations, to consider the need for work to be carried out at height over the lifespan of a building, eg to clean, maintain and repair it. They should design out the need to work at height if possible.

Do the new Work at Height Regulations 2005 ban the use of ladders?

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Sat, 3 May 2014 09:02:00 +0400

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 do not ban ladders. They require that ladders should only be considered where a risk assessment has shown that the use of other more suitable work equipment is not appropriate because of the low risk, and short duration of the task or considerations of where the work is located.

HSC accepts the practicalities of the use of ladders for work at height, and the fact that they are commonly used in a wide variety of situations. Ladders are used in almost all employment sectors, sometimes for purposes other than those for which they were designed.

Schedule 6 of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 deals with the requirements for ladders and states:

’Schedule 6 Requirements for Ladders:

Every employer shall ensure that a ladder is used for work at height only if a risk assessment under regulation 3 of the Management Regulations has demonstrated that the use of more suitable work equipment is not justified because of the low risk and -
- the short duration of use; or
- existing features on site which he cannot alter.
Any surface upon which a ladder rests shall be stable, firm, of sufficient strength and of suitable composition safely to support the ladder so that its rungs or steps remain horizontal, and any loading intended to be placed on it.
A ladder shall be so positioned as to ensure its stability during use.
A suspended ladder shall be attached in a secure manner and so that, with the exception of a flexible ladder, it cannot be displaced and swinging is prevented.
A portable ladder shall be prevented from slipping during use by -
- securing the stiles at or near their upper or lower ends;
- an effective anti-slip or other effective stability device; or
- any other arrangement of equivalent effectiveness.
A ladder used for access shall be long enough to protrude sufficiently above the place of landing to which it provides access, unless other measures have been taken to ensure a firm handhold.
No interlocking or extension ladder shall be used unless its sections are prevented from moving relative to each other while in use.
A mobile ladder shall be prevented from moving before it is stepped on.
Where a ladder or run of ladders rises a vertical distance of 9 metres or more above its base, there shall, where reasonably practicable, be provided at suitable intervals sufficient safe landing areas or rest platforms.
Every ladder shall be used in such a way that -
- a secure handhold and secure support are always available to the user; and
- the user can maintain a safe handhold when carrying a load unless, in the case of a step ladder, the maintenance of a handhold is not practicable when a load is carried, and a risk assessment under regulation 3 of the Management Regulations has demonstrated that the use of a stepladder is justified because of -
  - the low risk; and
  - the short duration of use.’ Reference: Work at Height Regulations 2005. The Statutory Instrument can be downloaded from Her Majesty's Stationery Office website. HSE has produced a free leaflet entitledThe Working at Height Regulations 2005: A brief guide (INDG401). Alternatively, hard copies are available from HSE Books.

Job Safety Analysis vs Risk Assessment

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 09:37:00 +0400

JSA and a (Qualitative) Risk Assessment (QRA) are different hazard and risk management tools. When you're doing a JSA, you are not, in fact, performing a risk assessment, which is a completely separate tool in risk management tool box.

In a JSA, the work team goes through a fairly simple analysis by breaking a job down into task-steps and then running through a six-step process to identify the following information: 1) the hazards in each step; 2) the triggers that could release the hazards; 3) the incidents that could occur in each step should the hazard be uncontrollably released; 4) the potential consequences of an uncontrolled hazard; 5) the prevention controls to be used to control the hazard; and 6) the mitigation and recovery controls to be used to manage any emergency and recover control over the hazard. I call the above process "Think 6, Look 6" to describe what workers need to do to complete a JSA!

In QRA, a team assesses the risk (likelihood) of any given incident (identified in step 3 above) occurring, that results in a given consequence (in step 4 above), and taking account of the controls being used (identified in steps 5 + 6). This assessment provides what we call the "residual" risk - the risk "left-over" once our controls are in place. The "raw" or inherent risk is assessed by simply not factoring in the use of controls.

Taken from: LinkedIn Group Discussion by the courtesy of

Zahid

Zahid B.

EHS Head - Construction Vertical ( UAE, KSA, Qatar)

Top Contributor

Risk Control -- Hierarchy of Control

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Tue, 29 Apr 2014 09:31:00 +0400

You will need to introduce preventative and protective measures to control the risks you have identified by your risk assessment. To help you to identify the best way to control the risk, a ‘hierarchy of control measures’ has been developed. You need to adopt solutions from the top of the hierarchy before considering those lower down. The hierarchy begins with ‘elimination’, as eliminating the risk altogether will always be preferable to risk reduction.

1. Elimination – if possible, avoid the risk altogether- For example, do the work in a different way, taking care not to introduce new hazards; use mechanical pile cropping techniques to avoid piling.

2. Substitution - you could substitute a dangerous product or tool for one, which is less dangerous.

3. Control the risk at source - For example using manual handling aids when lifting heavy objects; fitting local exhaust ventilation to dusty processes; mechanising the process so the person is separated from the hazard; changing the system of work to one which involves less manual handling

4. Education and Training – ensure that workers and others understand the risk and know what they must do, for example by giving toolbox talks on health issues, or running through the method statement during induction training.

5. Personal Protective Equipment – this should only be used as a last resort as it is the least reliable form of protection. Where PPE is provided, it should be made available free of charge; suitable for the individual; provided with suitable storage and cleaning arrangements and regularly checked to make sure it is in good condition.

You should always give priority to those measures which protect the whole of the workplace and everyone who works there, i.e. give collective protective measures priority over individual protection). Some control measures, such as choosing a safer alternative substance, will provide a high degree of control and are reliable. Physical safeguards such as enclosing a hazardous process or providing local exhaust ventilation will need to be checked and maintained, and this imposes a longer-term cost.

You should develop a coherent approach to your risk reduction program which will progressively reduce those risks which cannot be eliminated. Where necessary, you should adopt a mix of the above protective measures in order to provide the best protection.

Managing Risk Control Systems:

The purpose of a ‘risk control system’ is to make sure that work place precautions are implemented and kept in place. The greater the hazard or risk, the more robust and reliable the control system should be.

You will need to decide what control systems are necessary. Further advice on managing risk control systems can be found in the HSE publication HSG 65- Successful health and safety management, available from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO100 6FS, Tel. 01787 881165.

What is OHSAS 18001?

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 09:29:00 +0400

Add caption

OHSAS 18000 is an international occupational health and safety management system specification. It comprises two parts, 18001 and 18002 and embraces a number of other publications.

For the record, the following other documents, amongst others, were
used in the creation process:

-BS8800:1996 Guide to occupational health and safety management systems
-DNV Standard for Certification of Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems(OHSMS):1997
-Technical Report NPR 5001: 1997 Guide to an occupational health and safety management system
-Draft LRQA SMS 8800 Health & safety management systems assessment criteria
-SGS & ISMOL ISA 2000:1997 Requirements for Safety and Health Management Systems
-BVQI SafetyCert: Occupational Safety and Health Management Standard
-Draft AS/NZ 4801 Occupational health and safety management systems -Specification with guidance for use
-Draft BSI PAS 088 Occupational health and safety management systems
-UNE 81900 series of pre-standards on the Prevention of occupational risks
-Draft NSAI SR 320 Recommendation for an Occupational Health and Safety (OH and S) Management System

OHSAS 18001 is an Occupation Health and Safety Assessment Series for health and safety management systems. It is intended to help an organizations to control occupational health and safety risks. It was devloped in response to widespread demand for a recognized standard against which to be certified and assessed.

Central to OHSAS requirements are strong policies and procedures. To assist in this respect, we can therefore offer the following code of practice:

Code of Practice for Contractors

GENERAL SAFETY REQUIREMENTS
Health * Safety * Security * Fire * Hygiene

CONTENTS

1.1 Health and Safety Management
1.2 Training
1.3 Risk Assessment
1.4 Housekeeping
1.5 Permits to Work
1.6 Working on or in the vicinity of high temperature hot water systems
1.7 Working in the vicinity of sprinkler systems
1.8 Protection against noise
1.9 Protection against fire
1.10 Hazardous substances and materials
1.11 Contractors general plant and equipment
1.12 Accident Treatment / Accident Reporting / First Aid Facilities
1.13 Abrasive Wheels
1.14 Excavations and Openings
1.15 Confined Spaces
1.16 Electrical Equipment
1.17 Cranes, Hoists, Platforms etc.
1.18 Working at Heights
1.19 Compressed Gas Cylinders
1.20 Welfare Facilities
1.21 Alcohol
1.22 Smoking
1.23 Safety Harnesses
1.24 Non English Speaking Personnel
1.25 Testing, Commissioning and maintenance of temporary plant and services
1.26 Personal Protective Equipment
1.27 Appointments by the Contractor
1.28 Manual Handling
1.29 Re-use of Metal Drums
1.30 Emergency Procedures
1.31 Provision and use of Work Equipment
1.32 Hygienic Maintenance

1.1 General Safety Requirements
Health and Safety Management
The contractor where appointed should note that, in accordance with conditions of contract, he is responsible for the safety of site operations.
The contractor shall comply with all the requirements described herein without detraction from his responsibilities under the contract.
The contractor shall throughout the progress of the works comply with his duties under all approved codes and all relevant health and safety legislation. Where no specific legislative requirements exist, the contractor shall comply with guidance provided by codes of practice or industry standards as a minimum standard of safety.
The contractor shall be responsible for ensuring compliance with this document throughout the project including the activities of his appointed sub contractors or temporary visitors.
The contractor shall submit with any tender, or if there is no tender required prior to any works commencing, the following:* Company Safety Policy Document
* Details of any prohibition or improvement notices and prosecutions by the enforcing authorities, during the last 5 years.* Risk Assessments and method statements
* Copies of employers liability and public liability insurance certificates
1.2 Training
The contractor shall ensure that all employees (including sub-contractors) are adequately trained to carry out their particular duties or tasks including driving plant and operating equipment.
1.3 Risk Assessment
Before any work commences on site the contractor shall nominate a competent person to be responsible for co-ordinating risk assessments of all operations where risk is foreseeable and ensuring that appropriate control measures are established and incorporated into safe systems of work. The contractor shall use these safe systems of work as the basis for the health and safety method statements. All method statements shall be developed in reasonable time to allow co-ordination of hazardous works.
The objective of risk assessment, is to highlight project related hazards and to develop methods to deal with those hazards.
These assessments shall be in writing and include but not restricted to the following activities:

Major Construction Elements
General public and third party safety
Location of site access/egress
Vehicle movements on and off site
Vehicle, Machinery and equipment hazards within the site
Vehicle/Pedestrian segregation
Temporary services distribution
Siting of static plant and equipment
Scaffolding
Trench/Ground works
Hazardous Chemicals
Services Clearances
Construction Materials
Storage, use and disposal of substances hazardous to health
Noise
Working at heights
Excavation and underground services
Manual Handling
Use of portable hand tools
Emergency procedures including evacuation routes
Fire
Materials storage
Site hoarding
Contaminated ground
Lifting new elements of structure

All risk assessments shall be reviewed and revised as necessary to accommodate any changes in methods of working, plant, equipment, material and/or site development. The management team will be available to liase on all matters of health and safety relevant to these risk assessments.1.4 Housekeeping
Housekeeping is of paramount importance. Contractors shall set down and make available to the management team their system for maintaining a clean, tidy and safe site. Contractors shall ensure the site is continuously monitored to ensure standards are maintained. The use of skips and disposal arrangements shall be agreed with Insert Your Company Name.
1.5 Permits to Work
The contractor shall ensure that when working within Insert Your Company Name all "Permits to Work" or authorisations have been obtained from the Project Manager for the type of work covered in the following clauses of this document.

Hot work permit
Confined spaces
Electrical equipment
Excavations and openings
Working at Height

Where the assessment conducted identify high risk activities which demand the strict application of an approved safe system of work, the contractor shall devise and operate appropriate control measures which may include a "permit to work" system under the direct supervision of an appointed competent person.
1.6 Working on or in the vicinity of high temperature Hot Water (HTHW) Systems.
The contractor shall conform to the requirements of engineering instruction when engaged in working on or near or where works affect the HTHW or steam installations under the control of Insert Your Company Name. All work must be carried out by competent persons.
1.7 Working in the vicinity of Sprinkler system.
The contractor shall comply with the requirements of the contract Engineers instruction when working on or near or where works may affect any sprinkler system.
1.8 Protection against Noise.
Sources of noise should be eliminated where practicable. Contractors are responsible for providing and ensuring the use of suitable hearing protection by their employees and their sub-contractors.
1.9 Protection against fire.
General.

Contractors must conform to the requirements of Fire Safety Standards for Insert Your Company Name.

The fire risk assessment and emergency procedures shall be discussed with the Project Manager and fire precautions shall be agreed prior to commencement of works.
The contractor shall ensure that operatives on site are familiar with the risk assessment and emergency procedures.
Adequate means of extinguishing fires as detailed in the hot work permit shall be provided by the contractor, to the approval of the Safety Manager.
The contractor shall ensure that all site staff are adequately briefed and instructed on fire safety arrangements for the site and may be required to present proof.
The use of petrol driven plant (excluding staff cars) or equipment shall be prohibited at all locations on the site unless written permission is granted by Insert Your Company Name.
All combustible materials shall be stored in a position and in a manner approved by The Safety Officer.
Access for Emergency Services.
Areas should be set aside for the access of fire fighting equipment or other like appliances including ambulances and shall be maintained, kept clear of obstructions at all times and marked/signed accordingly.
Hot Working
Hot working includes all types of welding work involving the use of bitumen heaters and thermic lance equipment and any work involving naked flames or sparks.
Prior to any hot work being carried out by the contractor a correctly endorsed Hot Work permit shall be obtained from The Safety Officer. The permit will carry endorsements as to the type of fire fighting equipment to be provided by the contractor, and the authorising person will enter the starting and completion times. Upon the completion of the work the permit must be returned to The Safety Officer for cancellation.
Site Welding
No welding shall be carried out in the site without prior approval from the contract engineers through The Safety Officer which shall not be given until all conditions stipulated by the Hot Work permit have been met. The contractor shall give reasonable notice of his requirements to carry out welding on the site.
The contractor shall ensure that any welding operations are screened or carried out in such a way as to prevent the flashes from the process affecting any persons immediately adjacent to the operation, including any persons who have gained unauthorised access, from the affects of "arc eye".
1.10 Hazardous Substances and Materials
General

The contractor shall ensure that risk assessments have been undertaken by a competent person for all products intended for use during the works or materials evolved during the work and that written procedures for the handling, application, storage and disposal of hazardous products have been prepared.

The Security Officer must be informed in writing of all substances intended for use on site which are classified as toxic, very toxic, corrosive, flammable , highly flammable or explosive
Asbestos
On discovering any asbestos the contractor shall immediately notify the Safety Officer. NO ATTEMPT SHALL BE MADE TO REMOVE THE ASBESTOS. It shall be left undisturbed until further instructions are given by the Managing Director of Insert Your Company Name. In addition, notices warning others of the presence of the asbestos should be posted.
Design and Planning.
Where hazardous substances have been specified the designer must evaluate to see if:
A. They are strictly necessary for the process.
B. They can be substituted for a safer alternative substance.
C. An alternative method or process can be used to eliminate or reduce the hazard.If it is not possible to adequately eliminate or control exposure to a hazardous substance then the contractor will need to ensure that suitable and sufficient personal protective equipment is provided to all affected employees and that they are adequately instructed on how, why and when it is to be used. The potential effects to other persons must also be considered by the contractor.
Hazardous Material Assessments.

A material assessment shall be carried out for every substance brought onto site, copies of assessment and material data sheets shall be readily available for the Safety Manager to examine. A suitable and sufficient risk assessment should be made.

When necessary, an operating procedure shall be produced for the safe handling, storage and use of a particular substance. A copy shall be given to the Safety Manager.

All personnel shall be informed of any potential health hazards associated with any substance they may use or handle. The contractor shall ensure that correct use is made of the appropriate safety equipment provided by him.

All personnel shall have sight of the assessment which shall be available in the event of an incident that requires first aid medical treatment or fire fighting.

Community Effects.The contractors materials risk assessment, selection procedure and exposure control measures must adequately consider the possible effects of products such as fumes, sprays or dust etc. both on and off the site. Examples would be the use of solvent based paints and adhesives.

Handling.

After handling hazardous substances personnel shall wash their hands prior to eating, drinking and smoking.

Personnel shall not eat, drink or smoke in the proximity of stored hazardous substances.

Explosives.

The bringing of explosives on to site is strictly forbidden.

Waste Arising.

The contractor shall be responsible for the safe disposal of waste arising from construction activities under his management and for ensuring that disposal is carried out in accordance with the legislation relevant to the waste category involved.

Waste materials likely to present a hazard to site personnel shall be disposed of as soon as practicable or on the request of Insert Your Company Name.
Access to and from tips must have local authority approval and evidence available to the Safety Manager plus authorisation to use the tip.
All waste arising to be segregated as appropriate.
The contractor shall be responsible for any damage or contamination caused by waste under his control and shall bear the full cost of any remedial measures that the responsible authorities or Insert Your Company Name may direct.
The contractor shall ensure strict compliance with Waste Disposal Regulations.

1.11 Contractors General Plant and Equipment.
The contractor shall ensure that employees are trained, competent and authorised to drive or operate any plant or equipment that they may use, whether regularly or on an occasional basis. Training records should be maintained and may be requested by Insert Your Company Name. Such equipment shall include, but not restricted to:

Dumpers
Forklift Trucks
Lorries
Hoists
Cranes
Excavators
Mobile elevating work platforms
Hand tools

Documentary evidence of such authorisation shall be provided as required.
Only training which is specific to the actual plant or equipment to be used will be considered acceptable.
All equipment provided shall be in good order and suitable for the use for which it is intended for. The contractor shall ensure that site plant and equipment is inspected and thoroughly examined at regular intervals by person(s) who are appropriately skilled and authorised to do so and that records of such inspections/examinations are maintained in a register which may be available for examination by Insert Your Company Name upon request. When selecting equipment the contractor shall take into account the working conditions and potential site hazards.
All construction plant shall be maintained in such a manner that smoke is not emitted.
1.12 Accident Treatment/Accident Reporting/First Aid Facilities.
The contractor shall provide adequate first aid facilities as may be required or permitted by Insert Your Company Name.
Key personnel are to be trained first aiders and have a current training certificate. Trained first aiders should be clearly identifiable. First Aid stations should be clearly marked and regularly checked by the contractor. Where the treatment of an injured or sick person requires the use of a first aid room the facilities provided by and for Insert Your Company Name may be used. The above first aid facilities are to be made available to all persons working on or visiting the site.
The contractor shall report all accidents to the Project Manager. All serious or potentially serious accidents/incidents are to be thoroughly investigated by the contractor and written reports produced indicating the proposed remedial actions. The contractor shall give a copy of all reports to Insert Your Company Name .
1.13 Abrasive Wheels.
The contractor shall take all necessary precautions to avoid the risk of fire due to flying sparks.
The contractor shall also ensure that no person in the area is exposed to the risk of eye or other injury from sparks, dust or other flying debris.
1.14 Excavations and Openings.
All excavations and openings shall be maintained with adequate structural support, access and egress and provision of fences and handrails.
Lights shall be used to mark the edge of excavations and openings at night.
Services clearance must be obtained before any excavation commences.
1.15 Confined Spaces.
Contractors are responsible for the supply of all safety equipment including all portable gas detection devices, escape breathing apparatus, harnesses and other escape equipment and safety equipment must be in good order.
Contractors must be familiar with the system of clarification, the appropriate procedures that apply and follow a safe system of work in order that danger both to themselves and others is avoided. A permit to work may be required.
Contractors staff who enter a confined space must be formally trained and hold an up to date certificate of competence.
1.16 Electrical Equipment.
Supplies to portable, electrical powered tools and temporary site lighting, must be 110v.
The contractor shall produce an electrical safety plan and ensure that only equipment designed for operating at the supply voltage is used on site. Where supplies greater than 110v have to be used the need must be fully justified, supported by a full method statement, before permission is obtained from the Project Manager. The tool shall be protected by an RCD and regularly checked and documented by a competent person.
The contractor shall ensure that all tools and distribution equipment including cables, plugs etc. are complete and examined for signs of damage or wear prior to use.
Trailing cables across operational or public areas are not permitted. Worn or damaged equipment shall not be used. Any non compliant equipment found on site must be immediately removed. All 110v distribution equipment and cables, including lighting festoons must be routed and adequately supported to avoid creating hazards on site or damage to the cable or equipment.
1.17 Cranes, Hoists, Platforms etc.
The contractor shall ensure that all lifting equipment is of an approved type and used in the approved manner. A current copy of the examination and insurance certificates shall be kept on site and made available to the Safety Manager upon request.
Each item of lifting equipment shall be marked with its safe working load (SWL) which shall not be exceeded and also with its unique identification marks. All lifting equipment shall be maintained in a safe condition and when not in use stored as safe as possible.
The contractor shall ensure that lifting equipment and plant is tested, inspected and examined at specified intervals by an insurance company inspector who is trained and authorised to do so and that records of the examination are maintained in the relevant statutory register.
Any lifting equipment showing signs of wear or damage to safety critical parts shall be taken out of service immediately.
Only authorised banksman shall give approved signals to crane or plant operators. The contractor shall ensure that the crane or plant operator accepts signals only from an authorised banksman. The authorised banksman shall be readily identifiable.
Lifting Tackle, ropes etc. shall be of an approved type to the relevant British Standard.
Any chain or strap etc. used for restraining load shall not be used if showing signs of wear or damage.
The contractor shall ensure that any temporary platform shall be securely attached or fixed. It shall have handrails, intermediate guard rails and toe boards to prevent persons or materials falling from the platform. If the platform is attached to hydraulic or rope operated plant then in the event of a hydraulic power failure a "fail safe device" shall be fitted to the item of plant.
1.18 Working at Heights.
A safe working platform with secure edge protection, intermediate guard rails and safe means of access shall be installed. In instances where this cannot be achieved alternative arrangements must be made to prevent persons or materials falling to the ground.
Crawling boards and similar safety equipment shall be used on fragile roof surfaces.
Adequate containment measures shall be included to ensure that tools or materials cannot fall, or barriers are to be erected to keep people away from areas where overhead work is being carried out.
The contractor shall ensure that fixed scaffolds and mobile scaffold towers comply fully with all statutory requirements before and during use.
1.19 Compressed Gas Cylinders.
All such cylinders must be supported at all times. Only trained and authorised personnel may use compressed gas.
Flammable gases and oxidising gases must be kept strictly separate.
1.20 Welfare Facilities.

The companies drinking water facilities are available to the contractor.

The companies washing and toilet facilities are available to the contractor.

The staff canteen facilities for consuming packed lunches may be available to the contractor.

Contractors are expected to provide their own first aid equipment, although first aid facilities are available should they be required.

Work outside normal working hours and at weekends may require special arrangements.

Contractors are advised to inform their employees where the first aid facilities are located.

1.21 Alcohol
No alcohol shall be consumed by contractors personnel at any time. Those persons reporting for duty and believed to be under the influence of alcohol shall be refused entry. It is the contractors responsibility to ensure all his employees are made aware of this requirement and to enforce compliance.
Failure to comply with these requirements will result in the immediate removal of the offending employee from the contract. Repeated non compliance with these requirements may lead to termination of the contract.
1.22 Smoking.
Smoking is only permitted in authorized areas. IF IN DOUBT - DO NOT SMOKE.
1.23 Safety Harnesses.
The contractor shall make safety harnesses and suitable training available for all employees who work where there is a risk of falling more than 2 metres and a safety barrier or cover or crawling boards cannot be practicably provided.
1.24 Non English Speaking Personnel.
The contractor shall ensure that all Non English speaking or Non English employees fully understand the site safety requirements and their duties covering safety, health and welfare whilst on site. This shall include any emergency procedures i.e. fire drill. The language needs of non English speaking personnel must be adequately catered for during induction, other training and supervision.
1.25 Testing, Commissioning and Maintenance of Temporary Plant and Services.
As with all other aspects of construction and installation work the contractor is required to conduct risk assessments and develop measures to eliminate or adequately control risks. The contractor shall appoint an authorised person who will be responsible when appropriate for issuing a permit to work prior to any commissioning or maintenance operations. The permit to work system will ensure that all operations follow a strict safe system of work.
Prior to any plant, equipment or service being placed into use, the contractor shall ensure that the plant, equipment or service is not used for purposes other than those it has been specifically designed for.
All moving plant shall have an audible warning that operates automatically when in reverse, and a flashing yellow hazard warning beacon.
The contractor shall provide a banksman whenever plant or equipment is being moved in the vicinity of other personnel or there is a possibility of personnel being in the vicinity or when the operator does not have a clear view around his item of plant or equipment.
1.26 Personal Protective Equipment.
The contractor shall ensure that risk assessments are carried out to identify those aspects of the work for which personal protective (PPE) is to be prescribed. The contractor shall select PPE appropriate to the work hazards identified. Adequate arrangements are to be made for the storage, cleaning, maintenance and replacement of PPE.
Once a risk has been identified for which PPE has been prescribed and selected, the contractor must take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure that it is used correctly by the relevant persons. This will require the provision of information, instruction and training to staff.
Re assessment of all PPE provided shall be made at regular intervals as methods of working or working conditions change to ensure that the appropriate PPE is being used.
1.27 Appointments by the Contractor.
The contractor shall ensure that the following duties are fulfilled only by appointed persons who have achieved an appropriate or statutory level of competence through experience and relevant training. Records should be maintained to document the names of appointed persons and their training achievements. Where appropriate approved schemes for the certification of competence should be considered.
The following list of appointed duty holders is not exhaustive. The contractor may extend the policy as appropriate;

Risk Assessment Co-ordinator
Safety Supervisor
Material Assessments
Noise Assessments
Scaffold Erection and Statutory Inspection
Lifting Appliance inspections
Excavation Inspections
Temporary Workers Co-ordinator
Crane Driving
Banksman / Slinging
Hoist operation
Use of Cartridge Appliances
Driver/Operators of Major plant
Fitting of Abrasive Wheels
Gas Detection Equipment Supervisor
First Aiders
Demolition Operatives
Woodworking Equipment Operatives

1.28 Manual Handling.
Where manual handling operations may cause an injury at work a risk assessment shall be carried out.
1.29 Re- use of Metal Drums.
Serious danger exists from cutting into empty metal drums. Metal Drums are not to be re-used without adequate purging and gas freeing procedures being strictly followed.
1.30 Emergency Procedures.
The contractor shall ensure that emergency procedures are provided for the work site and that all staff understand their actions in the event of an emergency. All procedures must be cleared with Insert Your Company Name to ensure that they do not conflict with Company arrangements. Emergency procedures must be reviewed and updated as major project works progress.
When calling Emergency Services the contractor is to follow the requirements of Insert Your Company Name’s safety notices/instructions.
1.31 Provision and use of Work Equipment.
The contractor shall ensure that all work equipment identified for use during the project (including but not restricted to construction plant) is designed, selected, procured, used and maintained so as to enable the task to be safely completed.
The general requirements are that each employer must ensure that:

Equipment is selected to be suitable for the intended purpose, particularly with regard to the site conditions in which the equipment will be used.
Appropriate maintenance is carried out and any associated logs kept up to date.
Specific Health and Safety risks associated with the equipment are considered and where appropriate:
Use of the equipment is restricted to competent, nominated persons.
Maintenance/Servicing is restricted to designated persons with the appropriate competence.
Persons who will use, supervise and manage equipment receive information and instruction on training to cover
The conditions and circumstances in which the equipment may be safely used.
The methods by which the equipment is to be used including operating procedures.
Actions to be taken in the event of abnormal situations including emergencies.

1.32 Hygienic Maintenance.
It is most important for all contractors, especially those engaged in maintenance operations who may be required to work in areas where computing equipment is being handled, to recognize that the way they organize and conduct their work can present a threat to the product. The threat arises from several sources:
A. Accidental contamination of the product or equipment by foreign bodies for example: flakes of paint, dust, nuts, bolts, screws, gaskets and "O" Rings etc.
B. Accidental contamination by failure to operate according to a reasonable code of practical hygiene.
C. Use of unsuitable materials to lubricate or otherwise treat the surfaces of equipment.
It is therefore essential that due consideration is given to the way the work is to be done before starting, so that adequate precautions are taken to prevent contamination from all foreseeable sources.

Who Created OHSAS?

OHSAS 18001 was created via a concerted effort from a number of the worlds leading national standards bodies, certification bodies, and specialist consultancies. A main driver for this was to try to remove confusion in the workplace from the proliferation of certifiable OH&S specifications.
The participants were as follows:

Occupational Health and Safety

noreply@blogger.com (Naeem Akbar) — Sun, 27 Apr 2014 08:15:00 +0400

Occupational safety and health (OSH) also commonly referred to as occupational health and safety (OHS) or workplace health and safety (WHS) is an area concerned with protecting the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment. The goals of occupational safety and health programs include to foster a safe and healthy work environment. OSH may also protect co-workers, family members, employers, customers, and many others who might be affected by the workplace environment. In the United States the term occupational health and safety is referred to as occupational health and occupational and non-occupational safety and includes safety for activities outside of work.

Occupational safety and health can be important for moral, legal, and financial reasons. All organisations have a duty of care to ensure that employees and any other person who may be affected by the companies undertaking remain safe at all times. Moral obligations would involve the protection of employee's lives and health. Legal reasons for OSH practices relate to the preventative, punitive and compensatory effects of laws that protect worker's safety and health. OSH can also reduce employee injury and illness related costs, including medical care, sick leave and disability benefit costs.

Since 1950, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have shared a common definition of occupational health. It was adopted by the Joint ILO/WHO Committee on Occupational Health at its first session in 1950 and revised at its twelfth session in 1995. The definition reads:

"Occupational health should aim at: the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations; the prevention amongst workers of departures from health caused by their working conditions; the protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health; the placing and maintenance of the worker in an occupational environment adapted to his physiological and psychological capabilities; and, to summarize, the adaptation of work to man and of each man to his job.

"The main focus in occupational health is on three different objectives: (i) the maintenance and promotion of workers’ health and working capacity; (ii) the improvement of working environment and work to become conducive to safety and health and (iii) development of work organizations and working cultures in a direction which supports health and safety at work and in doing so also promotes a positive social climate and smooth operation and may enhance productivity of the undertakings. The concept of working culture is intended in this context to mean a reflection of the essential value systems adopted by the undertaking concerned. Such a culture is reflected in practice in the managerial systems, personnel policy, principles for participation, training policies and quality management of the undertaking."

Workplace hazards

Although work provides many economic and other benefits, a wide array of workplace hazards also present risks to the health and safety of people at work. These include but are not limited to, "chemicals, biological agents, physical factors, adverse ergonomic conditions, allergens, a complex network of safety risks," and a broad range of psychosocial risk factors.

Physical and mechanical hazards

At-risk workers without appropriate safety equipment

Physical hazards are a common source of injuries in many industries. They are perhaps unavoidable in many industries such as construction and mining, but over time people have developed safety methods and procedures to manage the risks of physical danger in the workplace. Employment of children may pose special problems.

Falls are a common cause of occupational injuries and fatalities, especially in construction, extraction, transportation, healthcare, and building cleaning and maintenance.

An engineering workshop specialising in the fabrication and welding of components has to follow the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at work regulations 1992. It is an employers duty to provide ‘all equipment (including clothing affording protection against the weather) which is intended to be worn or held by a person at work which him against one or more risks to his health and safety’. In a fabrication and welding workshop an employer would be required to provide face and eye protection, safety footwear, overalls and other necessary PPE.

Machines are commonplace in many industries, including manufacturing, mining, construction and agriculture, and can be dangerous to workers. Many machines involve moving parts, sharp edges, hot surfaces and other hazards with the potential to crush, burn, cut, shear, stab or otherwise strike or wound workers if used unsafely. Various safety measures exist to minimize these hazards, including lockout-tagout procedures for machine maintenance and roll over protection systems for vehicles. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, machine-related injuries were responsible for 64,170 cases that required days away from work in 2008. More than a quarter of these cases required more than 31 days spent away from work. That same year, machines were the primary or secondary source of over 600 work-related fatalities. Machines are also often involved indirectly in worker deaths and injuries, such as in cases in which a worker slips and falls, possibly upon a sharp or pointed object. The transportation sector bears many risks for the health of commercial drivers, too, for example from vibration, long periods of sitting, work stress and exhaustion. These problems occur in Europe but in other parts of the world the situation is even worse. More drivers die in accidents due to security defects in vehicles. Long waiting times at borders cause that drivers are away from home and family much longer and even increase the risk of HIV infections.

Confined spaces also present a work hazard. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health defines "confined space" as having limited openings for entry and exit and unfavorable natural ventilation, and which is not intended for continuous employee occupancy. Spaces of this kind can include storage tanks, ship compartments, sewers, and pipelines. Confined spaces can pose a hazard not just to workers, but also to people who try to rescue them.

Noise also presents a fairly common workplace hazard: occupational hearing loss is the most common work-related injury in the United States, with 22 million workers exposed to hazardous noise levels at work and an estimated $242 million spent annually on worker's compensation for hearing loss disability. Noise is not the only source of occupational hearing loss; exposure to chemicals such as aromatic solvents and metals including lead, arsenic, and mercury can also cause hearing loss.

Temperature extremes can also pose a danger to workers. Heat stress can cause heat stroke, exhaustion, cramps, and rashes. Heat can also fog up safety glasses or cause sweaty palms or dizziness, all of which increase the risk of other injuries. Workers near hot surfaces or steam also are at risk for burns. Dehydration may also result from overexposure to heat. Cold stress also poses a danger to many workers. Overexposure to cold conditions or extreme cold can lead to hypothermia, frostbite, trench foot, or chilblains.

Electricity poses a danger to many workers. Electrical injuries can be divided into four types: fatal electrocution, electric shock, burns, and falls caused by contact with electric energy.

Vibrating machinery, lighting, and air pressure can also cause work-related illness and injury. Asphyxiation is another potential work hazard in certain situations. Musculoskeletal disorders are avoided by the employment of good ergonomic design and the reduction of repeated strenuous movements or lifts.

Biological and chemical hazards, Biological hazards, Bacteria, Virus, Fungi, Mold, Blood-borne pathogens, Tuberculosis, Chemical hazards, Acids, Bases, Heavy metals, Lead, Solvents, Petroleum, Particulates, Asbestos and other fine dust/fibrous materials, Silica, Fumes (noxious gases/vapors), Highly-reactive chemicals.

Fire, conflagration and explosion hazards:

Explosion, Deflagration, Detonation, Conflagration.

Psychosocial hazards

Employers in most OECD countries have an obligation not only to protect the physical health of their employees but also the psychological health. Therefore as part of a risk management framework psychological or psychosocial hazards (risk factors) need to be identified and controlled for in the workplace. Psychosocial hazards are related to the way work is designed, organised and managed, as well as the economic and social contexts of work and are associated with psychiatric, psychological and/or physical injury or illness. Linked to psychosocial risks are issues such as occupational stress and workplace violence which are recognized internationally as major challenges to occupational health and safety.

Specific occupational safety and health risk factors vary depending on the specific sector and industry. Construction workers might be particularly at risk of falls, for instance, whereas fishermen might be particularly at risk of drowning. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics identifies the fishing, aviation, lumber, metalworking, agriculture, mining and transportation industries as among some of the more dangerous for workers. Similarly psychosocial risks such as workplace violence are more pronounced in certain occupational groups such as health care employees, correctional officers and teachers.

Construction

Construction is one of the most dangerous occupations in the world, incurring more occupational fatalities than any other sector in both the United States and in the European Union. In 2009, the fatal occupational injury rate among construction workers in the United States was nearly three times that for all workers. Falls are one of the most common causes of fatal and non-fatal injuries among construction workers. Proper safety equipment such as harnesses and guardrails and procedures such as securing ladders and inspecting scaffolding can curtail the risk of occupational injuries in the construction industry. Due to the fact that accidents may have disastrous consequences for employees as well as organizations, it is of utmost importance to ensure health and safety of workers and compliance with HSE construction requirements. Health and safety legislation in the construction industry involves many rules and regulations. For example, the role of the Construction Design Management (CDM) Coordinator as a requirement has been aimed at improving health and safety on-site.

The 2010 National Health Interview Survey Occupational Health Supplement (NHIS-OHS) identified work organization factors and occupational psychosocial and chemical/physical exposures which may increase some health risks. Among all U.S. workers in the construction sector, 44% had non-standard work arrangements (were not regular permanent employees) compared to 19% of all U.S. workers, 15% had temporary employment compared to 7% of all U.S. workers, and 55% experienced job insecurity compared to 32% of all U.S. workers. Prevalence rates for exposure to physical/chemical hazards were especially high for the construction sector. Among nonsmoking workers, 24% of construction workers were exposed to secondhand smoke while only 10% of all U.S. workers were exposed. Other physical/chemical hazards with high prevalence rates in the construction industry were frequently working outdoors (73%) and frequent exposure to vapors, gas, dust, or fumes (51%).

Service sector

As the number of service sector jobs has risen in developed countries, more and more jobs have become sedentary, presenting a different array of health problems than those associated with manufacturing and the primary sector. Contemporary problems such as the growing rate of obesity and issues relating to occupational stress, workplace bullying, and overwork in many countries have further complicated the interaction between work and health.

According to data from the 2010 NHIS-OHS, hazardous physical/chemical exposures in the service sector were lower than national averages. On the other hand, potentially harmful work organization characteristics and psychosocial workplace exposures were relatively common in this sector. Among all workers in the service industry, 30% experienced job insecurity in 2010, 27% worked non-standard shifts (not a regular day shift), 21% had non-standard work arrangements (were not regular permanent employees).

Mining and oil & gas extraction

According to data from the 2010 NHIS-OHS, workers employed in mining and oil & gas extraction industries had high prevalence rates of exposure to potentially harmful work organization characteristics and hazardous chemicals. Many of these workers worked long hours: 50% worked more than 48 hours a week and 25% worked more than 60 hours a week in 2010. Additionally, 42% worked non-standard shifts (not a regular day shift). These workers also had high prevalence of exposure to physical/chemical hazards. In 2010, 39% had frequent skin contact with chemicals. Among nonsmoking workers, 28% of those in mining and oil and gas extraction industries had frequent exposure to secondhand smoke at work. About two-thirds were frequently exposed to vapors, gas, dust, or fumes at work.

The ILO management system was created to assist employers to keep pace with rapidly shifting and competitive industrial environments. The ILO recognizes that national legislation is essential, but sometimes insufficient on its own to address the challenges faced by industry, and therefore elected to ensure free and open distribution of administrative tools in the form of occupational health and safety management system guidance for everyone. This open access forum is intended to provide the tools for industry to create safe and healthy working environments and foster positive safety cultures within the organizations.

OHSAS 18000 is an international occupational health and safety management system specification developed by the London-based BSI Group, a multinational business chiefly concerned with the production and distribution of standards related services. OHSAS 18000 comprises two parts, OHSAS 18001 and 18002 and embraces a number of other publications. OHSAS 18000 is the internationally recognized assessment specification for occupational health and safety management systems. It was developed by a selection of leading trade bodies, international standards and certification bodies to address a gap where no third-party certifiable international standard exists. This internationally recognized specification for occupational health and safety management system operates on the basis of policy, planning, implementation and operation, checking and corrective action, management review, and continual improvement.

The British Standards – Occupational Health and Safety management Systems Requirements Standard BS OHSAS 18001 was developed within the framework of the ISO standards series. Allowing it to integrate better into the larger system of ISO certifications. ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems and ISO 14001 Environmental Management System can work in tandem with BS OHSAS 18001/18002 to complement each other and form a better overall system. Each component of the system is specific, auditable, and accreditable by a third party after review.

The main statutory legislation on Health and Safety in the jurisdiction of the Department of Labour is Act No. 85 of 1993: Occupational Health and Safety Act as amended by Occupational Health and Safety Amendment Act, No. 181 Of 1993.

Regulations to the OHS Act include:

Certificate of Competency Regulations, 1990

Construction Regulations, 2003

Diving Regulations 2009

Driven Machinery Regulations, 1988

Environmental Regulations for Workplaces, 1987

General Machinery regulations, 1988

General Safety Regulations, 1986

Noise induced hearing loss regulations, 2003

Pressure Equipment Regulations, 2004

Professional roles and responsibilities

The roles and responsibilities of OSH professionals vary regionally, but may include evaluating working environments, developing, endorsing and encouraging measures that might prevent injuries and illnesses, providing OSH information to employers, employees, and the public, providing medical examinations, and assessing the success of worker health programs.

Identifying safety and health hazards

Hazards, risks, outcomes

The terminology used in OSH varies between countries, but generally speaking:

A hazard is something that can cause harm if not controlled.

The outcome is the harm that results from an uncontrolled hazard.

A risk is a combination of the probability that a particular outcome will occur and the severity of the harm involved. “Hazard”, “risk”, and “outcome” are used in other fields to describe e.g. environmental damage, or damage to equipment. However, in the context of OSH, “harm” generally describes the direct or indirect degradation, temporary or permanent, of the physical, mental, or social well-being of workers. For example, repetitively carrying out manual handling of heavy objects is a hazard. The outcome could be a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) or an acute back or joint injury. The risk can be expressed numerically (e.g. a 0.5 or 50/50 chance of the outcome occurring during a year), in relative terms (e.g. "high/medium/low"), or with a multi-dimensional classification scheme (e.g. situation-specific risks).

Hazard identification

Hazard identification or assessment is an important step in the overall risk assessment and risk management process. It is where individual work hazards are identified, assessed and controlled/eliminated as close to source (location of the hazard) as reasonable and possible. As technology, resources, social expectation or regulatory requirements change, hazard analysis focuses controls more closely toward the source of the hazard. Thus hazard control is a dynamic program of prevention. Hazard-based programs also have the advantage of not assigning or implying there are "acceptable risks" in the workplace. A hazard-based program may not be able to eliminate all risks, but neither does it accept "satisfactory" – but still risky – outcomes. And as those who calculate and manage the risk are usually managers while those exposed to the risks are a different group, workers, a hazard-based approach can by-pass conflict inherent in a risk-based approach.

Risk assessment

Modern occupational safety and health legislation usually demands that a risk assessment be carried out prior to making an intervention. It should be kept in mind that risk management requires risk to be managed to a level which is as low as is reasonably practical.

This assessment should:

Identify the hazards

Identify all affected by the hazard and how

Evaluate the risk

Identify and prioritize appropriate control measures

The calculation of risk is based on the likelihood or probability of the harm being realized and the severity of the consequences. This can be expressed mathematically as a quantitative assessment (by assigning low, medium and high likelihood and severity with integers and multiplying them to obtain a risk factor), or qualitatively as a description of the circumstances by which the harm could arise.

The assessment should be recorded and reviewed periodically and whenever there is a significant change to work practices. The assessment should include practical recommendations to control the risk. Once recommended controls are implemented, the risk should be re-calculated to determine of it has been lowered to an acceptable level. Generally speaking, newly introduced controls should lower risk by one level, i.e., from high to medium or from medium to low.

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