IOSH MS Complete Flashcards
(282 cards)
1
Q
Health: was defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO), in 1948 as:
A
“a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”
2
Q
Safety: may be considered to be…
A
the state of being safe, i.e. free from the unacceptable risk of injury, danger, or loss.
3
Q
Society exerts pressure through three overlapping and interacting spheres of influence…
A
MoralLegalFinancial
4
Q
Typical numbers each year Fatal injuries (all workers)
A
245
5
Q
Typical numbers each year Notified major injuries (e.g. broken arm or leg)
A
29 000
6
Q
Typical numbers each year Reported ‘over 3 day’ injury (unable to do normal work for more than 3 days)
A
110 000
7
Q
Typical numbers of cases over recent years Musculoskeletal disorders
A
540 000
8
Q
Typical numbers of cases over recent yearsStress, depression and anxiety
A
420 000
9
Q
Typical numbers of cases over recent years Breathing or lung problems
A
38 000
10
Q
Typical numbers of cases over recent yearsInfectious diseases
A
37 000
11
Q
Estimate of deaths each year Occupational cancers (general)
A
8 000
12
Q
Estimate of deaths each year Asbestos related cancers
A
4 000
13
Q
The HSE estimates that occupational injuries and illnesses cost the UK in the region of…
A
£20 to £30 billion pounds each year
14
Q
Financial costs are…
A
the basic costs incurred to return the situation to what it was before an accident happened.
15
Q
Opportunity costs (or lost opportunity costs) are…
A
those incurred through: people stood idle or being unproductive as a result of dealing with the consequences of an accident; and energy costs from plant running idle and buildings being lit and heated.
16
Q
three methods for quickly and crudely estimating uninsured costs of accidents…
A
(1) the uninsured costs of an accident are approximately 10x the insurance premiums paid. (2) Uninsured losses from accidents in smaller firms add up to £315 per employee per year (3) The average uninsured cost of an accident causing absence from work is approximately £2100
17
Q
Average damages for an ELI claim
A
£7,500
18
Q
Accident:
A
an undesired event that results in injury, ill health, or property damage.
19
Q
Near miss:
A
an undesired event that had the potential to cause injury, ill health or property damage, but did not.
20
Q
How do Accidents Happen? 2
A
Domino theoriesMulti-causality theories
21
Q
Domino theories of accident causation suggest that
A
accidents result from a chain of sequential events like a line of dominoes falling over. When one of the dominoes falls, it triggers the next one, and the next, eventually resulting in an accident and injury or other loss.
22
Q
Domino Theory stages 5
A
Root CausesUnderlying CausesDirect CausesAccidentLoss
23
Q
Why Investigate? 10
A
How and why things went wrong; What really happens and how work is really done; and Any deficiencies in risk control management, enabling improvement going forward. The Management of Health and Safety at Work etc Regulations 1999 (MHSWR) requires employers to plan, organise, control, monitor and review their health and safety arrangements – accident investigation plays an important part in this process; In the case of a civil action, there is a need to make full disclosure of the circumstances of an accident to the injured parties considering legal action. The courts are likely to view a thorough investigation and appropriate remedial action as demonstration of a positive attitude to health and safety; and Insurance companies will also require the findings of the investigation when dealing with a claim. The prevention of further similar adverse events; The prevention of business losses due to disruption, stoppage, lost orders and the costs of legal actions; An improvement in employee morale and attitude towards health and safety as a consequence of positive action; and The development of managerial skills such as problem solving and action planning.
24
Q
Members of the investigation team will require: 5
A
Detailed knowledge of the work activities involved; Familiarity with health and safety good practice, standards and legal requirements; Suitable investigative skills (e.g. information gathering, interviewing, evaluating and analysing). Sufficient time and resources to carry out the investigation efficiently; and The authority to make decisions and act on their recommendations.
25
The Investigation Process 4
Step 1: Gathering Information Step 2: Analysing the Information Step 3: Identifying Suitable Risk Control Measures Step 4: The Action Plan and Implementation
26
The Investigation Process ...Sources of information will include: 3
The sceneThe peopleRelevant documentation
27
The following accidents must be reported: 7
DeathsSpecified major injuries Over-7-day injuriestaken from the scene of an accident to hospital work-related diseasesDangerous occurrencesdangerous gas fittings
28
The HSE defines human factors as:
“environmental, organisational and job factors, and human and individual characteristics which influence behaviour at work in a way which can affect health and safety.”
29
A simple way to view human factors is to think about three aspects:
the individual, the job, and the organisation and how they impact on people’s health and safety-related behaviour.
30
The Organisation 5
Culture, leadership,resources, work patterns,communications……
31
The individual 5
Competence, skills, personality.attitudes, risk perception……
32
The job 5
Task, workload,environment,displays and controls,procedures….
33
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) describes the culture of an organisation as:
“the ideas and beliefs that all members of the organisation share about risk, accidents and ill health."
34
Some key aspects of an effective culture include: 5
Management commitmentVisible managementGood communicationsActive employee participationEffective health and safety training
35
Factors Influencing Individual Behaviour 6
Attitudes PersonalityAbilities MotivationPerceptionTraining
36
People are generally well motivated at work if: 3
they understand the importance of the objectives they are tasked to achieve; the objectives are realistic and achievable; and satisfactory achievement of the objective results in personal fulfilment and/or a tangible reward.
37
Intentional failures, or deliberate deviation from a rule or procedure, are known as
violations
38
Unintentional failures are known as
human errors
39
Active failures
have an immediate consequence and are usually made by front-line people such as drivers, control room staff or machine operators
40
Latent failures
are distant in time and space from the consequences. They are typically failures in health and safety management systems (design, implementation or monitoring) and are often attributed to designers, decision makers and managers
41
Violations are divided into three categories:
routine, situational and exceptional
42
Routine violations occur when
breaking the rule or procedure has become a normal way of working within the work group.
43
Routine violations can be due to: 5
the desire to cut corners to save time and energy; the perception that the rules are too restrictive; the belief that the rules no longer apply; lack of enforcement of the rule; and new workers starting a job where routine violations are the norm and not realising that this is not the correct way of working
44
Situational violations occur when
a rule is broken due to pressures from the job such as being under time pressure, insufficient staff for the workload, the right equipment not being available or even extreme weather conditions.
45
Exceptional violations
rarely happen and only then when something has gone wrong. When solving a problem during an emergency it may be necessary to break a rule, regardless of the risk, because it is believed that the benefits outweigh the risks
46
Errors fall into three categories:
slips, lapses and mistakes.
47
Slips and lapses occur
in very familiar tasks which can be carried out without much need for conscious attention. These tasks are called 'skill-based' and are very vulnerable to errors if attention is diverted, even momentarily.
48
Slips
are failures in carrying out the actions of a task. They are described as 'actions-not-as planned', e.g. picking up the wrong component from a mixed box, operating the wrong switch, transposing digits when copying out numbers or doing steps in a procedure in the wrong order.
49
Typical slips might include: 5
performing an action too soon in a procedure or leaving it too late; omitting a step or series of steps from a task; performing the action in the wrong direction (e.g. turning a control knob to the right rather than the left, or moving a switch up rather than down); doing the right thing but on the wrong object (e.g. switching the wrong switch); and carrying out the wrong check but on the right item (e.g. checking a dial but for the wrong value).
50
Lapses
cause actions to remain undone or workers to lose their place in a task. They can be reduced by minimising distractions and interruptions to tasks and by providing effective reminders especially for tasks which take some time to complete or involve periods of waiting.
51
Mistakes are
a more complex type of human error where the wrong thing is done in the belief that it is right.
52
Mistakes may be (2 types)
Rule-based mistakesKnowledge based mistakes
53
Rule-based mistakes occur
when behaviour is based on remembered rules or familiar procedures. There is a strong tendency to use familiar rules or solutions even when they are not the most convenient or efficient.
54
Knowledge based mistakes occur
when it is necessary to solve problems from first principles. Misdiagnoses and miscalculations are natural consequences of learning by trial and error.
55
Health and safety control measures are designed at three levels:
(1) Workplace precautions; (2) Risk control systems (RCS’s); and (3) Management Controls
56
Workplace precautions are
the primary output of risk assessment and risk control. Workplace precautions are provided at the point of risk to protect people from harm arising from work activity. A guard provided to protect against the moving parts of a machine is an example of a workplace precaution.
57
RCS’s are
the basis for ensuring that adequate workplace precautions are provided and maintained. Rather than just providing a machine guard and assuming it will work RCS’s are designed to ensure the success of the machine guard. This may involve systems for the design, fabrication and fitting of the guard, operator training in the safe use of the guard, and maintenance arrangements to ensure its ongoing effectiveness.
58
Management controls are
the key elements of the health and safety management system, the arrangements necessary to plan, organise, control, monitor and review the design and implementation of RCSs.
59
The key legal requirements for the assessment and management of risk are contained in Regulations 3, 4 and 5 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Regulation 3
Risk Assessment The employer is required to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of: The health and safety risks to which employees are exposed whilst at work; and The health and safety risks to which people other than employees (i.e. visitors, contractors, members of the public etc.) are exposed arising out of or in connection with the conduct of the business.
60
The key legal requirements for the assessment and management of risk are contained in Regulations 3, 4 and 5 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Regulation 4
Principles of Prevention Any risk control measures required as a result of the risk assessment should be in accordance with the principles of prevention outlined below.
61
Principles of Prevention 8
Avoid risks Evaluate risks which cannot be avoided Combat risks at source Adapt work to the individual Adapt to technical progress Develop a coherent overall prevention policy Give collective measures priority over individual protective measures Give appropriate instructions
62
The key legal requirements for the assessment and management of risk are contained in Regulations 3, 4 and 5 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Regulation 5
Health and Safety Arrangements Every employer is required to give effect to appropriate arrangements for the effective planning, organisation, control, monitoring and review of the risk control measures, as appropriate for the nature of the activities and the size of the business.
63
Three important things are known about probabilities (the likelihood / chance / odds aspect of risk):
There is no such thing as “zero risk”. Whatever a person is doing there is always a risk of injury or death. There is a 1 in 600 chance that a forty year old man will not live to be forty one. However unlikely it is that something could happen it could still happen. There is a 1 in 14 000 000 chance of winning the lottery jackpot in the UK, but most weeks someone wins it. Each individual’s risk (or odds or chance) will vary from the average because of the many variables such as age, gender, location, etc.
64
The HSE defines a safe system of work (SSW) as:
“a formal procedure which results from a systematic examination of a task in order to identify all the hazards. It defines safe methods to ensure that hazards are eliminated or risks minimised.”
65
A SSW is required when
hazards can not be eliminated and a degree of risk remains after technical control measures are introduced.
66
In all cases the SSW should: 5
Consider the preparations and authorisations necessary before beginning work; Ensure the job sequence is logically and clearly planned; Specify safe methods for undertaking specific activities; Specify safe means of access and egress if relevant; and Consider the end of activity tasks such as dismantling and disposal.
67
Once implemented the SSW will require periodic monitoring to ensure: 3
The system is workable and employees are comfortable following it; The procedures as specified are being followed and are effective; and Any changes to the workplace or work practises that would necessitate a review and reiteration of the SSW are identified early.
68
Examples of high-risk jobs where a written ‘permit to work’ procedure may need to be used include: 5
hot work such as welding; vessel entry; cutting into pipe-work carrying hazardous substances; and work that requires electrical or mechanical isolation. Also, working at height.
69
an effective PTW requires systems to ensure correct: 4
Issue by a competent issuing authority setting the parameters of the permit and confirming that precautions are in place; Acceptance by a competent worker (performing authority) confirming understanding of the work to be done, hazards involved and corresponding precautions; Handback of the PTW, by the performing authority, confirming that the work has been completed to plan; and Cancellation of the PTW by the issuing authority confirming the work has been tested and the work area returned to normal use. Additional procedures are required for extension of agreed time limits if necessary and for managing shift handovers.
70
The following items should be addressed in systems for assuring an effective emergency response. 5
Identification of plausible emergency scenarios through the risk assessment process; Clear identification of roles and responsibilities for those with specific tasks to undertake during an emergency; Communication of emergency procedures to staff and third parties and the organization of appropriate staff training; Regular inspection of emergency equipment to ensure it remains effective and ready for use; and Regular emergency drills with systems in place to identify weaknesses, learn lessons and improve.
71
Differences between Civil and Criminal Law 7
Civil Law Criminal Law Tort e.g. negligence Crime e.g. breach of Health and Safety at Work Act or specific regulations Offence against individual Offence against society Action taken by injured party Action taken by enforcing authority / Crown Prosecution Service Loss necessary for action Loss not necessary Seeks compensation for loss Seeks to punish for breach of law Liability proved on the “balance of probabilities” Guilt proven “beyond all reasonable doubt” Can be insured against (Employers Liability Insurance is generally compulsory) Cannot be insured against
72
Someone may be sued for negligence if their careless conduct has injured another. To successfully sue the claimant (injured party) must show that:
1. The defendant owed the claimant a duty of care; 2. The duty of care was breached; and that 3. The breach caused the injury or other legally recognised loss.
73
The “duty of care” is
a duty to take reasonable care to avoid causing reasonably foreseeable harm to persons who might reasonably be expected to be affected by the duty holder’s actions.
74
Contributory Negligence
arises when the claimants own carelessness, or disregard for personal safety, contributes to the injury or loss which arises partly because of the claimants own fault and partly because of the fault of another (the defendant).
75
Vicarious Liability
In general terms vicarious liability is a legal liability imposed on one person making them liable for torts committed by another. With regard to a personal injury claim for an accident in the workplace if an employee, acting in the course of normal employment injures another employee the employer will be held vicariously liable for the losses incurred.
76
Limitations Act 1980
The Limitation Act 1980 sets a time limit for starting proceedings for claiming compensation for personal injury.
77
General damages –
actual and/or probable loss of future earnings, to be incurred after the case
78
Special damages –
quantifiable losses incurred before the case, mainly loss of earnings and medical expenses.
79
The Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 requires
most employers to have at least £5 million pounds of insurance cover (most policies offer at least £10 million of cover) available for compensation payments to employees injured or made ill as a result of work. The exceptions to the Regulations include businesses with no employees, family businesses and public organisations such as a local authority or NHS Trust.
80
Section 2(1): HASAWA The employer is required to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all of his / her employees. This duty includes: 5
Provision and maintenance of safe plant and safe systems of work; Safe systems for the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances; Information, instruction, training and supervision; Safe place of work with safe access and egress; and Healthy working environment and adequate welfare provisions.
81
Section 3: HASAWA
The employer must carry out their business in such a way that they do not expose others to risks, so far as is reasonably practicable.
82
Section 7 – all employees All employees have duties to:
Take reasonable care of themselves and their co-workers; and to Cooperate with the employer.
83
HASAWA Section 37 –
Directors and Senior Managers Where a company commits an offence as a result of the consent, connivance or neglect of a director or senior manager the individual can be prosecuted as well as or instead of the company.
84
HASAWA Section 36 –
fault of another person Where an individual commits an offence because of the fault of another (by act or default) the other person may be prosecuted. If a worker commits an offence due to the fault of a manager, the manager may be prosecuted as well as or instead of the worker.
85
special legal status
In a prosecution for a breach of health and safety law, if it is proved that a relevant provision of the ACoP was not followed; compliance with the law in some other way must be proved.
86
Levels of legal duty 3
Absolute duties Practicable Reasonably practicable
87
Absolute duties
Usually preceded by the word ‘shall’ an absolute duty must be complied with. The employer has absolute duties to prepare a safety policy and to undertake risk assessments.
88
Practicable
If a duty applies so far as is ‘practicable’ it is a less onerous duty than an absolute one. Practicable means feasible in the light of current knowledge and invention, i.e. if it can be done it must be done.
89
Reasonably practicable
Reasonably practicable requires the degree of risk (likelihood x severity) of a particular activity or environment to be balanced against the costs (time, trouble and physical difficulty) of taking measures to avoid the risk. The greater the risk, the more likely it is that it will be reasonable to go to very substantial expense, trouble and invention to reduce it. If the consequences and the extent of a risk are small, the same substantial expense would be considered disproportionate to the risk and it would be unreasonable to have to incur them to address a small risk. The size and financial position of the employer are not taken into account in consideration of what is ‘reasonably practicable’.
90
Powers of Inspectors All authorised inspectors have the same powers, regardless of the area of enforcement. Inspectors can: 6
enter any premises which they think it necessary to enter for the purposes of enforcing health and safety law. The power of entry can be exercised without permission or prior notice, at any reasonable time or at any time if dangerous; take a police constable with them if they have reasonable cause for thinking they might be seriously obstructed; take any other person authorised by their enforcing authority, such as a specialist, and any equipment needed; order that areas be left undisturbed; take measurements, photographs and samples, carry out tests on, and/or confiscate articles and substances; and inspect and take copies of relevant documents; seize any article or substance which they have reasonable cause to believe presents an immediate danger of serious personal injury and have it made harmless, by destruction if necessary; and interview and take written statements from anyone they think might give them information relevant to their examination or investigation.
91
Enforcement Action Inspectors have a range of enforcement options and tools available including:
Informal advice; Improvement Notice; Prohibition Notice; and Prosecution.
92
An improvement notice may be served
whenever health and safety legislation is being contravened. An improvement notice will specify the breach of legislation and may specify a means of complying. It has to allow a reasonable time (minimum 21 days) to complete any specified works.
93
A prohibition notice maybe issued when
the inspector considers that there is a risk of serious personal injury. The notice prohibits the carrying on of the work activity giving rise to the risk of injury. If the risk of injury is imminent, the notice must take immediate effect and stop the work activity at once. If not, the prohibition notice is deferred, specifying the time by which the work activity must cease.
94
Health and safety offences are usually ‘triable either way’, this means
the case may be heard in a magistrates court or a crown court.
95
maximum sentences for health and safety offences Magistrates Court
Term not exceeding 12 months* and/or Fine not exceeding £20,000
96
maximum sentences for health and safety offences Crown Court
Term not exceeding 2 years and/or Unlimited fine
97
There are a number of recognised safety management systems, notably: 2
HSG65 (1997) HSE Guidance on successful health and safety management (2 nd edition) BS OHSAS 18001 (2007) Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements
98
Benefits of a safety management system (SMS) 5
Creates a structured management framework to enable action, notably delivering on the policy; Supports and promotes good health and safety practise; Demonstrates compliance with legal and other requirements; Enables integration with other management systems (e.g. for quality, environment, security etc.); and Provides an objective framework for audit.
99
Safety Management System Components
PolicyPlanningImplementation and Operation Checking and Corrective Action Management Review
100
Policy
The health and safety policy should establish the overall sense of direction and set the principles of action for the organisation. It should also demonstrate the formal commitment of the organization’s top management, towards good health and safety management and set objectives for levels of responsibility and performance required throughout the organization.
101
Planning
The processes of hazard identification and risk assessment will need to be applied to determine the controls that are necessary to reduce the risks of incidents.
102
Implementation and Operation
Resources, Roles and Responsibilities Competence, training and awareness Communication, participation and consultation Documentation and Document Control Operational Control Emergency preparedness and response
103
Checking and Corrective Action
Performance Measuring and Monitoring A systematic approach for measuring and monitoring health and safety performance on a regular basis is an integral part of an organizations overall management system. Proactive and Reactive measures are required (see Module 8)
104
Management Review
Management reviews should focus on the overall performance of the Health and safety management system with regard to: Suitability (is the system appropriate to the organizations size and risk profile?); Adequacy (is the system fully addressing the organization’s health and safety policy and objectives?); and Effectiveness (is it accomplishing the desired results?).
105
In all cases the manager should: 4
Be aware of the relevant hazards and corresponding controls; Ensure that staff understand the nature of the hazards and the reason for providing controls; Monitor the workplace to ensure that workplace precautions, risk control systems and management controls remain effective; and Lead by example, demonstrating expected behaviours.
106
(1) Access and Egress The Health and Safety at Work Act places a general duty on employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, a safe means of access to and egress from any workplace This covers the basic means of entering or leaving a workplace, be it an office, factory or construction site including the journey between the site access or staff car park and reception. The following will therefore require consideration: 8
Suitability of external lighting; Conditions of roads and pathways; Provision of signage; Safety of visitors; Safety of disabled persons; Protection of pedestrians from vehicles; Procedures for dealing with snow and ice; and Emergency situations. The general duty also applies to safe means of access to and from specific places of work within the general workplace, e.g. a confined space, work at height such as on a rooftop, or a work vehicle.
107
(2) Aggression, Bullying and Violence The HSE has defined work-related violence as:
“any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work.”
108
Effects of Workplace Violence For employers 4
Poor morale. Poor corporate image. Difficulty with staff recruitment and retention. Extra costs from absenteeism, higher insurance premiums and compensation payments.
109
The first stage of a programme for managing workplace violence is
to determine whether or not there is a problem, and if there is to assess the level of risk.
110
Managing Workplace Violence Control measures will usually involve a combination of measures to: 3
Improve the working environment; Designing the job to reduce risk; and Providing staff with appropriate information and training
111
ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) has defined harassment, as
"unwanted conduct that violates people's dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment;"
112
ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) has defined bullying, as applied to sexual orientation, religion or belief and race and ethnic and national origin as:
“offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means intended to undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the recipient.”
113
The TUC (Trades Union Congress) has identified a number of bullying behaviours, including: 5
shouting at staff; deliberately excluding someone from work activities; blocking promotion; setting up someone to fail through unrealistic targets or deadlines; and regularly making someone the butt of jokes.
114
CoSHH doesn’t cover lead, asbestos or radioactive substances because
these have their own specific regulations.
115
What is a hazardous substance? 5
Any substance or mixture which is classified as dangerous for supply because it is very toxic, toxic, harmful, corrosive or irritant; Any substance which has a Workplace Exposure Limit (WEL); Any biological agents used at work; Any dust other than one with a WEL at a concentration in air above 10 mg/m 3averaged over 8 hours, or any such respirable dust above 4 mg/m 3 over 8 hours; or Any other substance that creates a risk to health because of its properties and the way it is used or is present in the workplace.
116
Principles of Good Control Practice The CoSHH Regulations define the principles of good control practice for hazardous substances as follows: 8
1. Design and operate processes and activities to minimise emission, release and spread of substances hazardous to health. 2. Take into account all relevant routes of exposure. 3. Ensure control measures are proportionate to the health risk. 4. Choose the most effective and reliable control options to minimise the escape and spread of hazardous substances. 5. Where adequate control cannot be achieved by other means, provide, in combination with other control measures, suitable personal protective equipment (PPE). 6. Check and regularly review control measures to ensure their continuing effectiveness. 7. Inform and train all employees on the hazards and risks and the control measures developed to minimise the risks. 8. Ensure that the introduction of control measures does not increase the overall risk to health and safety.
117
Hierarchy of Practical Control Measures COSHH 7
1. Eliminate the use of a harmful product or substance and use a safer one. 2. Use a safer form of the product, e.g. paste rather than powder. 3. Change the process to emit less of the substance. 4. Enclose the process so that the product does not escape. 5. Extract emissions of the substance near the source.6. Have as few workers in harm’s way as possible. 7. Provide personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, coveralls and a respirator. PPE must fit the wearer.
118
There are a range of ergonomic hazards associated with the use of desktop and laptop computer equipment, notably: 3
poor posture; repetitive keyboard use; and the distance between the user’s eyes and the screen.
119
The main types of harm caused by computer use are:
Musculoskeletal disorders including back pain and work related upper limb disorders (WRULDS) (also known as repetitive strain injury or RSI); Visual fatigue; and Mental stress.
120
Precautions The Display Screen Equipment Regulations require employers to: 5
Analyse workstations, and assess and reduce risks Ensure workstations meet minimum requirementsPlan work so there are breaks or changes of activity On request arrange eye tests, and provide spectaclesProvide health and safety training and information
121
Workstation requirements 11
(1) Lighting (2) Contrast (3) Noise (4) Legroom (5) Window (6) Screen (7) Software (8) Keyboard (9) Work surface (10) Work chair (11) Footrest
122
Electricity refers to
the energy made available by the flow of electric charge through a conductor.
123
There are five major harms associated with the hazard of electricity:
Burns From contact with a live conductor. NB mains electricity (230V AC) can kill. Shock Arcing Arcing occurs when electricity flows through the air from one conductor to another. Arcing may cause burns or shock if a person is the second conductor or is close to the arc. Arcing produces intense heat which may cause a fire or explosion. Fire and Electricity could be the source of ignition in a potentially flammable or explosive atmosphere. Explosion
124
There are many things that can be done to manage the risks from electrical equipment in the workplace: 5
Ensure that the electrical installation is safe Provide safe and suitable equipment Reduce the voltage Provide a safety device Carry out preventative maintenance
125
Most electrical accidents occur because people are working on or near equipment that is: 2
thought to be dead but which is live; or known to be live but those involved do not have adequate training or n appropriate equipment, or they have not taken adequate precautions.
126
Fire safety is managed through a process of risk assessment and management. A fire safety management system will typically have three lines of defence:
Fire prevention – measures to prevent fires starting in the first place; Fire protection – measures to protect people, the premises and contents from the effects of fire; and Emergency evacuation – systems to facilitate safe escape from a fire.
127
Fire prevention Fire prevention measures look to eliminate, reduce, or effectively manage sources of: 11
Fuel: Combustible fixtures fittings and stored goods Highly flammable or explosive substances e.g. LPG Heat energy: Hot work Friction from mechanical parts Exothermic chemical reactions Lighting Electrical equipment Smokers materials Arson Oxygen: Oxidising chemicals Oxygen in cylinders
128
Housekeeping is not just about cleanliness. It also includes: 4
keeping work areas neat and tidy; keeping walkways free of slip and trip hazards; keeping fire escape routes free of obstructions; and removing of waste materials (e.g., paper, cardboard) and other fire hazards from work areas.
129
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations requires that: 3
a) Workplace floors be kept free from obstructions and from any article or substance that may cause a person to slip, trip or fall; b) walls, floors, furniture and fittings be kept clean; and that c) waste materials are not allowed to accumulate in a workplace except in suitable receptacles.
130
Hazards from lighting effects 6
GlareColour effects Stroboscopic effects FlickerVeiling reflections Radiation
131
Manual handling is defined as:
“the transporting or supporting of loads by hand or by bodily force”
132
The Manual Handling Operations (MHO) Regulations require employers to: 3
avoid the need for hazardous manual handling, so far as is reasonably practicable; assess the risk of injury from any hazardous manual handling that can’t be avoided; and reduce the risk of injury from hazardous manual handling, so far as is reasonably practicable.
133
A Manual handling risk assessment considers risk factors associated with 4
the Task, the Individual, the Load, and the Environment (remember TILE)
134
The decibel scale is logarithmic in nature. This means that
a 10dB increase is actually 10x louder, so 80dB is 10x louder than 70dB; and a 3dB increase is a doubling in loudness so 73dB is twice as loud as 70dB.
135
Permanent hearing damage can be caused in two ways:
Sudden, extremely loud, explosive noises, e.g. from cartridge-operated machines can cause immediate permanent damage. This is often referred to as blast deafness or acoustic trauma. Usually hearing loss occurs gradually because of prolonged exposure to noise. It may only be when damage caused by noise over the years combines with hearing loss due to ageing that people realise how deaf they have become. Tinnitus (ringing, whistling, buzzing or humming in the ears), may also be caused as a result of exposure to workplace noise.
136
Noise Action Levels Lower exposure action value
80 dB(A) Provide information and training Make hearing protection available
137
Noise Action Levels Upper exposure action value
85 dB(A) Take reasonably practicable measures to reduce noise exposure (engineering controls / technical measures Provision of mandatory hearing protection pending engineering controls and, where necessary, after engineering controls
138
Noise Action Levels Exposure limit value
87 dB(A) This level must not be exceeded, taking hearing protection into account
139
Control Measures Noise control strategies involve
controls at the source, the pathway and at the receiver.
140
Control the noise at source 4
Replace the machine with one with lower noise emissions; Move the machine to an area with fewer employees; Ensure the machine is being properly maintained; and Modify parts of the machine, e.g. by replacing components with ones designed to operate more quietly: Isolate panels or add damping materials to them; Isolate the machine from the building with isolation mounts or isolated foundations; and Fit appropriate silencers to air inlets and exhausts.
141
Control the path of the noise 4
Fit a suitably designed enclosure around a machine if it does not require 'hands on' operation; Provide a noise haven for employees supervising the operation of large machines where enclosing the whole machine would be difficult; Erect barriers or screens between different elements in the production process, separating quiet operations from noisy ones; and Add absorptive materials to the building to reduce reverberant noise (echoes).
142
Control noise at the receiver 3
Positioning Position the worker further away from the source of noise (Doubling the distance can reduce the effect of the noise by 3 to 6 dB). Noise energy diminishes in accordance with the inverse square rule. Time With the exception of very loud noises (130dB+) it is the accumulated dose that causes hearing loss. Halving the time exposed will reduce the dose received by half (3dB). Personal Hearing Protection Personal hearing protection (PHP) should be provided quickly on discovering a risk to health due to noise. It is not an alternative to technical and organisational noise controls but a means of managing the immediate risk pending the development of other control measures. Longer term, it should be used where there is for additional protection beyond what has been achieved through noise control.
143
slip / trip potential model which identifies the relative importance of the factors contributing to slips and trips. 6
EnvironmentFloor materials Contamination /obstruction UseBehaviourFootwear
144
The HSE (2007) have defined stress as:-
“Stress is the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them.”
145
The Management Standards define the characteristics of an organisation where the risks from work-related stress are being effectively managed. The standards cover six primary sources of stress at work:
Demands – issues related to workload, work patterns and the work environment; Control – how much say the person has in the way they do their work; Support – levels of encouragement, sponsorship and resources provided by the organisation, line management and colleagues; Relationships – promoting positive working to avoid conflict and dealing with unacceptable behaviour; Role – whether people understand their role within the organisation and whether the organisation ensures they do not have conflicting roles; and Change – how organisational change is managed and communicated in the organisation. For each of the six sources of stress there are clearly defined standards and descriptions of desirable work conditions
146
(13) Vibration Vibration occurs when
a body moves rhythmically back and forth through a fixed point.
147
Hand Arm Vibration (HAV) Exposure Action Value (EAV) (above which employers are required to take action to control exposure)
2.5 m/s2 A(8)
148
Hand Arm Vibration (HAV) (maximum amount of vibration an employee may be exposed to on any single day)
5 m/s2 A(8)
149
(14) Welfare Facilities 4
Sanitary conveniences and washing facilities Drinking water Facilities for changing and accommodation for clothing Facilities for rest and to eat meals
150
All work equipment should be: 3
suitable for the intended use, and for the conditions in which it is used; safe for use, maintained in a safe condition and, in certain circumstances, inspected to ensure this remains the case; and used only by people who have received adequate information, instruction and training.
151
Risks, created by the use of the equipment, should be eliminated where possible or controlled by: 2
taking appropriate ‘hardware’ measures, e.g. providing suitable guards, protection devices, markings and warning devices, emergency stop buttons and personal protective equipment; and taking appropriate ‘software’ measures such as following safe systems of work for maintenance activities, and providing adequate information, instruction and training.
152
Machinery hazards may be mechanical or non-mechanical. Mechanical hazards include: 5
entanglement, traps (crushing, shearing; and drawing in), impacts, contacts (friction or abrasion cutting or severing and stabbing or puncture) ejection (including high pressure fluid injection).(Remember – EnTICE).
153
Machinery hazards may be mechanical or non-mechanical. Non-mechanical hazards include 5
chemical and biological hazards; electricity; dust and fumes; noise and vibration; fire and explosion.
154
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) requires employers to protect workers from the dangerous parts of machinery by either:
preventing access to the dangerous part; or stopping the dangerous part from moving before a person can come close to it.
155
PUWER also specifies a hierarchical approach to machine guarding which must be applied in order, so far as is practicable. 4
provide fixed guards (thus preventing access to the dangerous part); provide other guards (such as interlocked guards, adjustable or self-adjusting guards) or protection devices (such as light curtains, bump strips or two handedcontrols – to ensure the dangerous part stops moving before it is reached); and provide protection appliances (jigs, holders, push sticks – to distance the workers hands from the dangerous part). Employers are also expected to provide any information, instruction, training and supervision as required.
156
‘Workplace transport’ refers to
any vehicle or piece of mobile equipment, used in any work setting, apart from travelling on public roads.
157
A workplace transport risk assessment should identify all work activities involving vehicles. Activities may include: 6
arrival and departure; travel within the workplace; loading, unloading and securing loads; sheeting; coupling; and vehicle maintenance work
158
The workplace transport assessment should consider hazards associated with 3
VehicleWorkplacePeople
159
Control measures for maintaining thermal comfort include: 6
Appropriate timing – if the temperature fluctuates between comfortable and uncomfortable; Climate control by air warming, cooling or conditioning; Local heating, cooling or ventilation equipment; Suitable thermally protective clothing; Rest facilities with means for warming or cooling; and Work planning (e.g. task rotation) to limit the time that individual workers are exposed to uncomfortable temperatures.
160
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 state that a place is ‘at height’ if
a person could be injured falling from it, even if it is at or below ground level.
161
Investigations show that the causes of fall from height accidents are usually attributable to poor management control rather than equipment failure. The most common factors involve failure to: 6
recognise a problem; provide safe systems of work; ensure that safe systems of work are followed; provide adequate information, instruction, training or supervision; use appropriate equipment; and provide safe equipment.
162
Employers are required to do all that is reasonably practicable to prevent anyone falling. This is achieved through ensuring that:
all work at height is properly planned and organised; those involved in work at height are competent; the risks from work at height are assessed and appropriate work equipment is selected and used; the risks from fragile surfaces are properly controlled; and equipment for work at height is properly inspected and maintained.
163
There is a simple hierarchy for managing and selecting equipment for work at height: 3
avoid work at height where it can be avoided; use work equipment or other measures to prevent falls where working at height cannot be avoided; and where the risk of a fall cannot be eliminated, use work equipment or other measures to minimise the distance and consequences of a fall should one occur.
164
Measurements can be either
quantitative or qualitative.
165
Quantitative measurements are
numerical and objective e.g. the accident injury incidence rate (AIIR).
166
Qualitative measurements are
subjective and judgemental e.g. the standards of housekeeping have improved.
167
Monitoring involves
collecting information, such as measurements or observations, over time, to provide management information on performance trends and fluctuations.
168
Auditing is
the structured process of collecting independent information on the efficiency, effectiveness and reliability of the total health and safety management system and drawing up plans for corrective action.
169
Reviewing is
the process of making judgements about the adequacy of performance and determining the actions necessary to remedy deficiencies.
170
The management system requires both active (proactive) and reactive monitoring systems: Active Systems...
monitor the effectiveness of workplace precautions, RCS’s and management arrangements, and provide leading indicators of performance
171
The management system requires both active (proactive) and reactive monitoring systems: Rective Systems...
monitor accidents, ill health, incidents and other evidence of deficient health and safety performance. (i.e. lagging indicators).
172
Active monitoring gives information on: 4
The ongoing effectiveness of control measures; Progress against specific plans and objectives; The effectiveness of the health and safety management system; and The degree of compliance with performance standards.
173
The various forms and levels of active monitoring include: 5
audits involving comprehensive examinations of all aspects of an organisation’s health and safety performance; inspections of premises, plant and equipment carried out on a regular or scheduled basis; job observations to check the effective operation of workplace precautions; medical surveillance e.g. audiometry to test for signs of hearing loss; and environmental monitoring such as the measurement of noise and dust levels.
174
A health and safety inspection: 6
is normally scheduled or planned at regular intervals; usually carried out by a manager or employee representative; and involves the physical inspection of a workplace with the aim of identifying hazards; assessing the use and effectiveness of existing control measures; and suggesting remedial action where these are found to be non existent or inadequate.
175
A suitable inspection programme will take all risks into account but should be properly targeted. Low risks might be dealt with by...
general inspections every month or two covering a wide range of workplace precautions such as the condition of premises, floors, passages, stairs, lighting, welfare facilities and first aid
176
A suitable inspection programme will take all risks into account but should be properly targeted. High risks might be dealt with by...
more frequent and detailed inspections, perhaps weekly or even, in extreme cases, daily or before use. An example of a pre-use check would be the operation of mobile plant Systems for inspecting, examining and testing a range of work equipment are required by legislation, e.g. pressure vessels, lifts, cranes, chains, ropes, lifting tackle, power presses, scaffolds, trench supports and local exhaust ventilation (LEV).
177
Reactive monitoring systems Reactive systems, by definition, are triggered after an event and include identifying and reporting:
injuries and cases of ill health (including monitoring of sickness absence records); other losses, such as damage to property; incidents, including near misses with the potential to cause injury, ill health or loss; complaints by the workforce regarding health, safety and welfare issues; enforcement actions, such as prosecutions, enforcement notices or informal letters; civil claims for compensation; and the costs arising out of all of the above.
178
Analysis of a group of accident reports can aid understanding of accident causes, priorities and trends. There are a range of factors that may provide useful information upon analysis, these relate to: 3
the accident and injury; the injured person; and the time and location of the accident.
179
When comparing accident statistics to benchmark performance it is important that...
like is compared with like. Numbers of accidents in workplace A can not be compared with numbers of accidents in workplace B without an understanding of the nature of the work, the numbers of employees, patterns of work etc. Converting the number into a rate allows direct comparisons to be made within and between businesses and benchmarking against industry sector norms.
180
Accident Incident Rate (AIR)
This is the most commonly used accident rate; it is an expression of the number of defined accidents in a given period per thousand employees. AIR = Number of defined accidents/Average number employed x 1000 The HSE uses an annualised rate per 100 000 employees in its statistical publications.
181
Accident Frequency Rate (AFR)
Where there may be many part time workers, long shifts and overtime working the frequency rate may be a more reliable indicator than the incidence rate. The frequency rate is the number of defined accidents in a period per 100,000 person hours worked. AFR = Number of defined accidents in period/Total person hours worked in period x 100 000 Rates are also used to compare the severity of accidents by average time lost, and the incidence (number of new cases) and prevalence (number of current cases) of occupational diseases.
182
The HSE define an audit as:
“The structured process of collecting independent information on the efficiency, effectiveness and reliability of the total health and safety management system and drawing up plans for corrective action.”
183
The aims of auditing a health and safety management system (HSMS) should be to establish that: 2
the components of the HSMS exist and are effective and reliable; and appropriate preventive and protective measures are in place and are effective and reliable
184
Effective auditing systems display the following characteristics: 3
They are carried out by a competent individual or team (of managers, specialists, operational staff, safety representatives, or external consultants) who have received specific training to do the work; and The auditor(s) is independent of the area or section being audited. There is an appropriate benchmark to audit against.
185
The planning stage of an audit involves: 5
Selecting a competent audit team, independent of the area to be audited; determining the objectives and scope of the audit; developing audit questionnaires and checklists and agreeing on relevant guidance and standards to be applied; allocating resources; and agreeing timescales and deciding on methods of feedback
186
The auditing process involves: 2
collecting information about the health and safety management system; and making judgements about its adequacy and performance.
187
Auditors have three information sources on which to draw: 3
Interviewing individuals, to gain information about the operation of the health and safety management system and the perceptions, knowledge, understanding, management practices, skill and competence of managers and employees at various levels in the organization. Examining documents, assessing records, performance standards, procedures and instructions etc for completeness, accuracy and reliability together with the implications for competence and understanding. Visual observation of physical conditions and work activities to examine compliance with legal requirements and verify the implementation and effectiveness of preventive and protective measures.
188
Scoring systems may be used to help with comparing audit scores over time or between sites, but there is no evidence to suggest that quantifying the results is better than a qualitative approach. However scoring systems can introduce difficulties, e.g.
managers focussing on scoring points rather than improving the health and safety management system.
189
Auditing by external third party auditors is necessary for certification to OHSAS 18001 or verification of ongoing maintenance of that standard. Other than that the key requirements for auditors are 2
that they are competent and independent of the area or activity being audited. This could be achieved by using internal staff from other departments or sites, or by contracting the audit to a third party organisation.
190
Internal Auditor Advantages5
Familiarity with the workplace, its tasks and processes; Awareness of practicable standards for the industry; Able to see improvements or a deterioration from the last audit; Familiarity with the workforce and individual’s qualities and attitude; less costly and easier to arrange audit
191
Internal Auditor Disadvantages5
May not have recognised auditing skills; May not be up to date with legal requirements; Less likely to be aware of best practice in other organisations; Subject to pressure from management and the workforce; Have time constraints imposed upon them
192
External Auditor Advantages4
Likely to possess auditing skills and credibility; Less inhibited in criticising members of management or the workforce; Likely to be up to date with legal requirements and best practice in other companies; and View the organisation’s performance with a fresh pair of eyes
193
External Auditor Disadvantages4
Unfamiliar with the workplace, tasks and processes; Not familiar with the workforce and their attitudes to health and safety. May have difficulty in obtaining cooperation; Unfamiliar with the industry and seek unrealistic standards; and may be more costly than an internal staff member
194
Inputs 3
Goods Energy Water
195
Operations 3
Production Maintenance Transport
196
Outputs 3
Product Pollution Waste
197
The Pollution Process 3
Source PathwayTarget
198
Source (example)
accidental discharge of milk from a dairy
199
Pathway (example)
drainage system to river
200
Target
fish in river
201
The main cause of air pollution
the burning of fossil fuels
202
Water pollution sources can be categorised as...
point sources or non-point sources
203
The main land pollution issues are...
Contamination from industrial use; and Land filling of waste
204
In its broadest context waste is...
any input into a business that does not directly contribute to the manufactured product or delivered service
205
The narrower, legal definition of waste is...
any substance or object that is to be discarded either because it is not useable or because it has reached the end of its useful life
206
Waste Management Hierarchy...
PreventReduceReuseRecoverDispose
207
An effective EMS has many business benefits including...5
Ensuring legal compliance; Improved management of environmental risks; Improved business performance, e.g. cost savings from improved waste management; General enhancement of business reputation.
208
A certified EMS can offer benefits including...3
Improving stakeholder confidence that the EMS meets requirements; Third party / independent view - giving increased assurance on approach; and Influence the approach taken to enforcement under the environmental permitting regime.
209
In all cases the manager should: 4
Be aware of the relevant hazards and corresponding controls; Ensure that staff understand the nature of the hazards and the reason for providing controls; Monitor the workplace to ensure that workplace precautions, risk control systems and management controls remain effective; and Lead by example, demonstrating expected behaviours.
210
(1) Access and Egress The Health and Safety at Work Act places a general duty on employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, a safe means of access to and egress from any workplace This covers the basic means of entering or leaving a workplace, be it an office, factory or construction site including the journey between the site access or staff car park and reception. The following will therefore require consideration: 8
Suitability of external lighting; Conditions of roads and pathways; Provision of signage; Safety of visitors; Safety of disabled persons; Protection of pedestrians from vehicles; Procedures for dealing with snow and ice; and Emergency situations. The general duty also applies to safe means of access to and from specific places of work within the general workplace, e.g. a confined space, work at height such as on a rooftop, or a work vehicle.
211
(2) Aggression, Bullying and Violence The HSE has defined work-related violence as:
“any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work.”
212
Effects of Workplace Violence For employers 4
Poor morale. Poor corporate image. Difficulty with staff recruitment and retention. Extra costs from absenteeism, higher insurance premiums and compensation payments.
213
The first stage of a programme for managing workplace violence is
to determine whether or not there is a problem, and if there is to assess the level of risk.
214
Managing Workplace Violence Control measures will usually involve a combination of measures to: 3
Improve the working environment; Designing the job to reduce risk; and Providing staff with appropriate information and training
215
ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) has defined harassment, as
"unwanted conduct that violates people's dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment;"
216
ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) has defined bullying, as applied to sexual orientation, religion or belief and race and ethnic and national origin as:
“offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means intended to undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the recipient.”
217
The TUC (Trades Union Congress) has identified a number of bullying behaviours, including: 5
shouting at staff; deliberately excluding someone from work activities; blocking promotion; setting up someone to fail through unrealistic targets or deadlines; and regularly making someone the butt of jokes.
218
CoSHH doesn’t cover lead, asbestos or radioactive substances because
these have their own specific regulations.
219
What is a hazardous substance? 5
Any substance or mixture which is classified as dangerous for supply because it is very toxic, toxic, harmful, corrosive or irritant; Any substance which has a Workplace Exposure Limit (WEL); Any biological agents used at work; Any dust other than one with a WEL at a concentration in air above 10 mg/m 3averaged over 8 hours, or any such respirable dust above 4 mg/m 3 over 8 hours; or Any other substance that creates a risk to health because of its properties and the way it is used or is present in the workplace.
220
Principles of Good Control Practice The CoSHH Regulations define the principles of good control practice for hazardous substances as follows: 8
1. Design and operate processes and activities to minimise emission, release and spread of substances hazardous to health. 2. Take into account all relevant routes of exposure. 3. Ensure control measures are proportionate to the health risk. 4. Choose the most effective and reliable control options to minimise the escape and spread of hazardous substances. 5. Where adequate control cannot be achieved by other means, provide, in combination with other control measures, suitable personal protective equipment (PPE). 6. Check and regularly review control measures to ensure their continuing effectiveness. 7. Inform and train all employees on the hazards and risks and the control measures developed to minimise the risks. 8. Ensure that the introduction of control measures does not increase the overall risk to health and safety.
221
Hierarchy of Practical Control Measures COSHH 7
1. Eliminate the use of a harmful product or substance and use a safer one. 2. Use a safer form of the product, e.g. paste rather than powder. 3. Change the process to emit less of the substance. 4. Enclose the process so that the product does not escape. 5. Extract emissions of the substance near the source.6. Have as few workers in harm’s way as possible. 7. Provide personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, coveralls and a respirator. PPE must fit the wearer.
222
There are a range of ergonomic hazards associated with the use of desktop and laptop computer equipment, notably: 3
poor posture; repetitive keyboard use; and the distance between the user’s eyes and the screen.
223
The main types of harm caused by computer use are:
Musculoskeletal disorders including back pain and work related upper limb disorders (WRULDS) (also known as repetitive strain injury or RSI); Visual fatigue; and Mental stress.
224
Precautions The Display Screen Equipment Regulations require employers to: 5
Analyse workstations, and assess and reduce risks Ensure workstations meet minimum requirementsPlan work so there are breaks or changes of activity On request arrange eye tests, and provide spectaclesProvide health and safety training and information
225
Workstation requirements 11
(1) Lighting (2) Contrast (3) Noise (4) Legroom (5) Window (6) Screen (7) Software (8) Keyboard (9) Work surface (10) Work chair (11) Footrest
226
Electricity refers to
the energy made available by the flow of electric charge through a conductor.
227
There are five major harms associated with the hazard of electricity:
Burns From contact with a live conductor. NB mains electricity (230V AC) can kill. Shock Arcing Arcing occurs when electricity flows through the air from one conductor to another. Arcing may cause burns or shock if a person is the second conductor or is close to the arc. Arcing produces intense heat which may cause a fire or explosion. Fire and Electricity could be the source of ignition in a potentially flammable or explosive atmosphere. Explosion
228
There are many things that can be done to manage the risks from electrical equipment in the workplace: 5
Ensure that the electrical installation is safe Provide safe and suitable equipment Reduce the voltage Provide a safety device Carry out preventative maintenance
229
Most electrical accidents occur because people are working on or near equipment that is: 2
thought to be dead but which is live; or known to be live but those involved do not have adequate training or n appropriate equipment, or they have not taken adequate precautions.
230
Fire safety is managed through a process of risk assessment and management. A fire safety management system will typically have three lines of defence:
Fire prevention – measures to prevent fires starting in the first place; Fire protection – measures to protect people, the premises and contents from the effects of fire; and Emergency evacuation – systems to facilitate safe escape from a fire.
231
Fire prevention Fire prevention measures look to eliminate, reduce, or effectively manage sources of: 11
Fuel: Combustible fixtures fittings and stored goods Highly flammable or explosive substances e.g. LPG Heat energy: Hot work Friction from mechanical parts Exothermic chemical reactions Lighting Electrical equipment Smokers materials Arson Oxygen: Oxidising chemicals Oxygen in cylinders
232
Housekeeping is not just about cleanliness. It also includes: 4
keeping work areas neat and tidy; keeping walkways free of slip and trip hazards; keeping fire escape routes free of obstructions; and removing of waste materials (e.g., paper, cardboard) and other fire hazards from work areas.
233
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations requires that: 3
a) Workplace floors be kept free from obstructions and from any article or substance that may cause a person to slip, trip or fall; b) walls, floors, furniture and fittings be kept clean; and that c) waste materials are not allowed to accumulate in a workplace except in suitable receptacles.
234
Hazards from lighting effects 6
GlareColour effects Stroboscopic effects FlickerVeiling reflections Radiation
235
Manual handling is defined as:
“the transporting or supporting of loads by hand or by bodily force”
236
The Manual Handling Operations (MHO) Regulations require employers to: 3
avoid the need for hazardous manual handling, so far as is reasonably practicable; assess the risk of injury from any hazardous manual handling that can’t be avoided; and reduce the risk of injury from hazardous manual handling, so far as is reasonably practicable.
237
A Manual handling risk assessment considers risk factors associated with 4
the Task, the Individual, the Load, and the Environment (remember TILE)
238
The decibel scale is logarithmic in nature. This means that
a 10dB increase is actually 10x louder, so 80dB is 10x louder than 70dB; and a 3dB increase is a doubling in loudness so 73dB is twice as loud as 70dB.
239
Permanent hearing damage can be caused in two ways:
Sudden, extremely loud, explosive noises, e.g. from cartridge-operated machines can cause immediate permanent damage. This is often referred to as blast deafness or acoustic trauma. Usually hearing loss occurs gradually because of prolonged exposure to noise. It may only be when damage caused by noise over the years combines with hearing loss due to ageing that people realise how deaf they have become. Tinnitus (ringing, whistling, buzzing or humming in the ears), may also be caused as a result of exposure to workplace noise.
240
Noise Action Levels Lower exposure action value
80 dB(A) Provide information and training Make hearing protection available
241
Noise Action Levels Upper exposure action value
85 dB(A) Take reasonably practicable measures to reduce noise exposure (engineering controls / technical measures Provision of mandatory hearing protection pending engineering controls and, where necessary, after engineering controls
242
Noise Action Levels Exposure limit value
87 dB(A) This level must not be exceeded, taking hearing protection into account
243
Control Measures Noise control strategies involve
controls at the source, the pathway and at the receiver.
244
Control the noise at source 4
Replace the machine with one with lower noise emissions; Move the machine to an area with fewer employees; Ensure the machine is being properly maintained; and Modify parts of the machine, e.g. by replacing components with ones designed to operate more quietly: Isolate panels or add damping materials to them; Isolate the machine from the building with isolation mounts or isolated foundations; and Fit appropriate silencers to air inlets and exhausts.
245
Control the path of the noise 4
Fit a suitably designed enclosure around a machine if it does not require 'hands on' operation; Provide a noise haven for employees supervising the operation of large machines where enclosing the whole machine would be difficult; Erect barriers or screens between different elements in the production process, separating quiet operations from noisy ones; and Add absorptive materials to the building to reduce reverberant noise (echoes).
246
Control noise at the receiver 3
Positioning Position the worker further away from the source of noise (Doubling the distance can reduce the effect of the noise by 3 to 6 dB). Noise energy diminishes in accordance with the inverse square rule. Time With the exception of very loud noises (130dB+) it is the accumulated dose that causes hearing loss. Halving the time exposed will reduce the dose received by half (3dB). Personal Hearing Protection Personal hearing protection (PHP) should be provided quickly on discovering a risk to health due to noise. It is not an alternative to technical and organisational noise controls but a means of managing the immediate risk pending the development of other control measures. Longer term, it should be used where there is for additional protection beyond what has been achieved through noise control.
247
slip / trip potential model which identifies the relative importance of the factors contributing to slips and trips. 6
EnvironmentFloor materials Contamination /obstruction UseBehaviourFootwear
248
The HSE (2007) have defined stress as:-
“Stress is the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them.”
249
The Management Standards define the characteristics of an organisation where the risks from work-related stress are being effectively managed. The standards cover six primary sources of stress at work:
Demands – issues related to workload, work patterns and the work environment; Control – how much say the person has in the way they do their work; Support – levels of encouragement, sponsorship and resources provided by the organisation, line management and colleagues; Relationships – promoting positive working to avoid conflict and dealing with unacceptable behaviour; Role – whether people understand their role within the organisation and whether the organisation ensures they do not have conflicting roles; and Change – how organisational change is managed and communicated in the organisation. For each of the six sources of stress there are clearly defined standards and descriptions of desirable work conditions
250
(13) Vibration Vibration occurs when
a body moves rhythmically back and forth through a fixed point.
251
Hand Arm Vibration (HAV) Exposure Action Value (EAV) (above which employers are required to take action to control exposure)
2.5 m/s2 A(8)
252
Hand Arm Vibration (HAV) (maximum amount of vibration an employee may be exposed to on any single day)
5 m/s2 A(8)
253
(14) Welfare Facilities 4
Sanitary conveniences and washing facilities Drinking water Facilities for changing and accommodation for clothing Facilities for rest and to eat meals
254
All work equipment should be: 3
suitable for the intended use, and for the conditions in which it is used; safe for use, maintained in a safe condition and, in certain circumstances, inspected to ensure this remains the case; and used only by people who have received adequate information, instruction and training.
255
Risks, created by the use of the equipment, should be eliminated where possible or controlled by: 2
taking appropriate ‘hardware’ measures, e.g. providing suitable guards, protection devices, markings and warning devices, emergency stop buttons and personal protective equipment; and taking appropriate ‘software’ measures such as following safe systems of work for maintenance activities, and providing adequate information, instruction and training.
256
Machinery hazards may be mechanical or non-mechanical. Mechanical hazards include: 5
entanglement, traps (crushing, shearing; and drawing in), impacts, contacts (friction or abrasion cutting or severing and stabbing or puncture) ejection (including high pressure fluid injection).(Remember – EnTICE).
257
Machinery hazards may be mechanical or non-mechanical. Non-mechanical hazards include 5
chemical and biological hazards; electricity; dust and fumes; noise and vibration; fire and explosion.
258
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) requires employers to protect workers from the dangerous parts of machinery by either:
preventing access to the dangerous part; or stopping the dangerous part from moving before a person can come close to it.
259
PUWER also specifies a hierarchical approach to machine guarding which must be applied in order, so far as is practicable. 4
provide fixed guards (thus preventing access to the dangerous part); provide other guards (such as interlocked guards, adjustable or self-adjusting guards) or protection devices (such as light curtains, bump strips or two handedcontrols – to ensure the dangerous part stops moving before it is reached); and provide protection appliances (jigs, holders, push sticks – to distance the workers hands from the dangerous part). Employers are also expected to provide any information, instruction, training and supervision as required.
260
‘Workplace transport’ refers to
any vehicle or piece of mobile equipment, used in any work setting, apart from travelling on public roads.
261
A workplace transport risk assessment should identify all work activities involving vehicles. Activities may include: 6
arrival and departure; travel within the workplace; loading, unloading and securing loads; sheeting; coupling; and vehicle maintenance work
262
The workplace transport assessment should consider hazards associated with 3
VehicleWorkplacePeople
263
Control measures for maintaining thermal comfort include: 6
Appropriate timing – if the temperature fluctuates between comfortable and uncomfortable; Climate control by air warming, cooling or conditioning; Local heating, cooling or ventilation equipment; Suitable thermally protective clothing; Rest facilities with means for warming or cooling; and Work planning (e.g. task rotation) to limit the time that individual workers are exposed to uncomfortable temperatures.
264
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 state that a place is ‘at height’ if
a person could be injured falling from it, even if it is at or below ground level.
265
Investigations show that the causes of fall from height accidents are usually attributable to poor management control rather than equipment failure. The most common factors involve failure to: 6
recognise a problem; provide safe systems of work; ensure that safe systems of work are followed; provide adequate information, instruction, training or supervision; use appropriate equipment; and provide safe equipment.
266
Employers are required to do all that is reasonably practicable to prevent anyone falling. This is achieved through ensuring that:
all work at height is properly planned and organised; those involved in work at height are competent; the risks from work at height are assessed and appropriate work equipment is selected and used; the risks from fragile surfaces are properly controlled; and equipment for work at height is properly inspected and maintained.
267
There is a simple hierarchy for managing and selecting equipment for work at height: 3
avoid work at height where it can be avoided; use work equipment or other measures to prevent falls where working at height cannot be avoided; and where the risk of a fall cannot be eliminated, use work equipment or other measures to minimise the distance and consequences of a fall should one occur.
268
Sensible health and safety risk management is about saving lives, and preventing injuries and illness, not about stopping business from working. In particular sensible risk management should: 5
Ensure that workers and the public are properly protected; Provide an overall benefit to society by balancing benefits and risks, with a focus on reducing real risks, i.e. those which arise most often and those with serious consequences; Enable innovation and learning and not stifle them; Ensure that those who create risks manage them responsibly and understand that failure to manage real risks responsibly will lead to robust action; and Enable individuals to understand that as well as the right to protection, they also have to exercise responsibility.
269
To be competent for straightforward risk assessments, risk assessors require: 9
Experience and training in hazard identification and carrying out risk assessments; Knowledge of the processes or activities to be assessed; Technical knowledge of the plant or equipment; Good communication and report writing skills; Ability to interpret legislation and guidance, and The right attitude for the task. An understanding of current best practice in the area of work; An awareness of the limitations of one's own experience and knowledge; and The willingness and ability to supplement existing experience and knowledge, when necessary by obtaining external help and advice.
270
Can the risk be Reduced (e.g.
by switching to using a less hazardous chemical);
271
Can the hazard be Isolated (e.g.
by guarding);
272
Can additional engineering or management Controls be introduced to reduce exposure to the hazard? eg...
LEV
273
Safe Systems of Work, eg...
method statements, or Permits-to-Work
274
If there are fewer than five employees legally the risk assessment does not need to be documented. The record is useful however in: 3
demonstrating the process undertaken; in sharing information with employees; and in facilitating review processes when things change.
275
Legally the risk assessment must be ‘suitable and sufficient’. This means that it should show that:- 5
a proper check has been made; all those who might be affected have been considered; all the significant hazards have been addressed, considering the number of people who could be involved; the precautions are reasonable, and the remaining risk is low; and staff or their representatives were involved in the process.
276
The RA review should consider: 3
Any changes to equipment, substances or procedures; Any problems reported by the workforce; and Any lessons learnt from accidents or near misses.
277
Legislation requires special consideration be given to risk assessments of work involving the following groups: 3
(1) New and expectant mothers; (2) Young Persons; and (3) Disabled persons.
278
A specific assessment is required for the risks to new and expectant mothers, i.e.
someone who is pregnant, has given birth within the previous six months, or is breastfeeding.
279
The risk assessment is prompted as soon as the expectant mother...
informs the employer, in writing, that she is pregnant.
280
If pregnancy related medical conditions such as high blood pressure are a concern the following option should be considered: 3
adjust working hours or working conditions; offer suitable alternative work; or if that is not possible, suspend on full pay for as long as is necessary to protect the health of the mother and child.
281
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) defines a person as disabled if...
they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.
282
Discrimination may occur when a disabled person is...
treated less favourably than an able bodied person, and the only difference is the disability.
