The Design of Health and Safety Control Systems - Assignment Example

? THE DESIGN OF HEALTH AND SAFETY CONTROL SYSTEMS (PROVIDED WITH THREE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS). OPERATION WHO MAY BE AFFECTED The site at which the toxic and flammable sealant is to be sprayed is located at the centre of a farmer’s field. His cattle graze on the field. The field is one mile away from the main road. Considering the above scenario it is expected that the people who may get affected from the harmful spray are: The personnel assigned the task to spray the sealant into the subterranean chamber. The farmer under whose field the chamber is located. The cattle which graze on the field that houses the subterranean chamber. Any passersby on the main road which is lesser than mile away from the location. HAZARDS Toxic sealant paint highly inflammable and heavier than air (not easy to get disposed off). Thus being hazardous in the following manner: The breaking out of a fire is possible if remnants of the sealant remain within the subterranean chamber. Since the sealant sprayed is toxic its remnants may harm the grass and other crops in the farmer’s field. The health of the cattle and the farmer is at risk. Risk of intoxication of the personnel assigned to spray the sealant. Pedestrian passersby on the main road may get intoxicated. WHAT THE LAW SAYS: The following regulations cover different aspects of the operation 1 discussed above. The regulations are stated below: Safe working in confined spaces According to the confined spaces regulation 1997, regulation 1(1) a sewer is considered as “confined space”. According to the confined spaces regulation 1997 regulation 1(9) flammable substances, toxic gas and flammable substances are declared to as HAZARDS. Regulation 3 is about duties under the regulations. ACOP 22(a) Risk assessment must be done. Regulation 4 is regarding working in confined spaces. (1) No person at work shall enter a confined space to carry out work for any purpose unless it is not reasonably practicable to achieve that purpose without such entry Regulation 4 work in confined spaces (2) Without prejudice to paragraph (1) above, so far as is reasonably practicable, no person at work shall enter or carry out any work in or (other than as a result of an emergency) leave a confined space otherwise than in accordance with a system of work which, in relation to any relevant specified risks, renders that work safe and without risks to health. ACOP Communications (39) An adequate communication system will be needed and should enable communication: (a) between those inside the confined space; (b) between those inside the confined space and those outside; and (c) to summon help in case of emergency ACOP (47) Gas purging through inert gas to for flammable or toxic gases. ACOP (51) Mechanical Ventilation for flammable or toxic gases Regulation 1997 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 Regulation 3 Risk assessment Every employer shall make a suitable and sufficient assessment of – (a) the risks to the health and safety of his employees to which they are exposed whilst they are at work; and (b) the risks to the health and safety of persons not in his employment arising out of or in connection with the conduct by him of his undertaking, for the purpose of identifying the measures he needs to take to comply with the requirements and prohibitions imposed upon him by or under the relevant statutory provisions Management Regulation 3 ACOP 22(a) Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 11 The Act places a duty on all employers and the self-employed to take reasonably practicable steps to ensure the health and safety of people who are not in their employment, such as members of the public. 12 The Act also places a duty on employees to co-operate with their employer on health and safety matters and not to do anything which puts others at risk. OPERATIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS The operational recommendations are as follows: Risk assessment of the sewer should be done in compliance with the Health, Safety and Security standards. The farmer should be informed well in time before the operation so that he may safeguard his cattle and may displace them from the farm for the time being if possible. Recommended respiratory equipment for confined spaces must be used. Recommended communication procedure must be taken into practice. Mechanical ventilation should be in place for proper exhaustion of toxic and flammable vapors. The operation should be scheduled to take place in winter time to avoid high underground temperatures. OPERATION 2 WHO MAY BE AFFECTED The task is to cut the grass verge, tidy up hedgerows and trimming tree branches. The location is a road side park. There is a junior school in the vicinity. The equipment must be transported to the site which is 2 miles away from the depot. Mechanical equipment such as mower and chain saw is expected to be used. Mobile elevated platform is needed to approach the tree branches at height. The adjacent highway is a main commuter route. There is no side railing installed to ear mark the road side boundary. Hindrance in grass cutting is expected due to the trees located in between. It is suspected that the drug traders also operate in the area, so the cleaning drive may prove to be a life threatening endeavor. Considering the above scenario it is expected that the people who may get affected from the whole operation are: The employee that who is assigned with the task. The school children due to the noise. The traffic due to the hindrance. HAZARDS The potential hazards for the employee are expected to be, caused due to the full body vibration transmitted through the use of mechanical equipments that are ride-on mower and chain saw. caused due to injuries by the mentioned mechanical equipment. Hearing loss or impairment caused due to the noise produced by the above mentioned equipment. Potential accident caused by roadside traffic. the potential hazards for the students and the traffic are, Noise pollution for the kids studying at school. Accidents caused to the commuters due to insignificant limit indications of road boundary. Pedestrian passersby on the main road may also get hurt. WHAT THE LAW SAYS: The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 termed arm or full body vibration caused by working equipment as a hazard. The Regulation 2(1) limits the vibration exposure to maximum 8 hours. Regulation 4(2), “For whole-body vibration – (a) The daily exposure limit value is 1.15 m/s2 A(8); (b) The daily exposure action value is 0.5 m/s2 A(8). “ Regulation 5 insists on the assessment of the risk to health created by vibration at the workplace. Regulation 3(f) determines that, “The risk assessment shall include consideration of any extension of exposure at the workplace to whole-body vibration beyond normal working hours, including exposure in rest facilities supervised by the employer” The law mentions the ACOPs for Chainsaw cross­cutting. The work at height Regulations 2005 determines the law regarding work at heights which applies here as per the above mentioned scenario. it defines the law, guidelines and ACOPs in terms of planning the work at height, proper inspection of the lifting equipment and prevention from falling down from heights. Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) terms aerial tree works as hazardous and it applies to Mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs).  Noise at work is termed as a hazard according to The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, Guidance on Regulations. OPERATIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS: The Workplace heath, safety and welfare guide by HSE mentions, “To allow people and vehicles to move safely, the best approach is to keep vehicles and pedestrians apart by ensuring that they use entirely separate routes. If people and vehicles have to share a traffic route, use kerbs, barriers or clear markings to designate a safe walkway and, where pedestrians need to cross a vehicle route, provide clearly marked crossing points with good visibility, bridges or subways. Make sure the shared route is well lit.” Regulation 7 Hearing protection (1) says, “Without prejudice to the provisions of regulation 6, an employer who carries out work which is likely to expose any employees to noise at or above a lower exposure action value shall make personal hearing protectors available upon request to any employee who is so exposed.” OPERATION 3 The scenario involves few women assigned the task of collecting bagged waste from within the few buildings of a school. This operation is to be performed everyday during the term time but after school hours. They are supposed to collect the trash into wheeled bins that are located in the playground of the school. The school is located in the outskirts of the town. The school encompasses of laboratories of chemistry, biology, physics and also and manufacturing workshop. WHO MAY BE AFFECTED? The women moving the tied up trash bags are the most at risk. Any leftovers from the previous days’ cleaning may harm the children and the teaching staff that would come to the school the next morning. The school building itself is at risk if the waste handling is inappropriate.. HAZARDS The materials thrown away as trash from science and physics laboratories are often very dangerous and inflammable. If special care is not taken in handling them it is possible that their chemical reaction with each other or with any metallic remnants from the manufacturing workshop may result in the outbreak of a fire. Any organic waste from the biology lab may get depleted due to reaction with waste from the chemistry and physical sciences laboratories. This may result in emission of highly foul and toxic fumes from the trash dump that may persist for days to come. Benzene in crude oil can cause leukemia. Benzene is a chemical compound that may be part of the waste from the chemistry science laboratory of the school. Moreover, crude oil itself may also be a waste product of any of the science labs. Waste products of a metalworking workshop may include paint, ink, glue may be harmful if not handled and disposed off properly. Metalworking fluids may be in the waste products of the metalworking workshop of the school. These fluids may grow bacteria and fungi which cause dermatitis and asthma. WHAT THE LAW SAYS: The law states various guidance rules that need to be followed if the hazards mentioned above are to be prevented. These guidance rules from the “Personal Protective Equipment at Work” Regulations 1992 include the following: Regulation 4 states: [Subject to paragraph (1A)] Every employer shall ensure that suitable personal protective equipment is provided to his employees who may be exposed to a risk to their health or safety while at work except where and to the extent that such risk has been adequately controlled by other means which are equally or more effective. (2) Every self­employed person shall ensure that he is provided with suitable personal protective equipment where he may be exposed to a risk to his health or safety while at work except where and to the extent that such risk has been adequately controlled by other means which are equally or more effective. 10(1) Every employer shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that any personal protective equipment provided to his employees by virtue of regulation 4(1) is properly used. These guidance rules from the “Workplace health, safety and welfare” Regulations 1992 include the following ACOP: (68)The standard of cleanliness required will depend on the use to which the workplace is put. For example, an area in which workers take meals would be expected to be cleaner than a factory floor, and a factory floor would be expected to be cleaner than an animal house. However, regulation 12(3) (avoidance of slipping, tripping and falling hazards) should be complied with in all cases. (79)Apart from regular cleaning, cleaning should also be carried out when necessary in order to clear up spillages or to remove unexpected. soiling of surfaces. Workplaces should be kept free from offensive waste matter or discharges, for example, leaks from drains or sanitary conveniences. (95)Where a leak or spillage occurs and is likely to be a slipping hazard, immediate steps should be taken to fence it off, mop it up, or cover it with absorbent granules. OPERATIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS: The women handling the collection of the baggage waste should have the training in the precautions to be taken. The personnel should be provided with specific places for their cleanliness and maintenance along with resting place for their rehabilitation. Use of personal protective clothing that restricts exposure to harmful substances. These include all outerwear such as facial mask, hand gloves, full outfit and shoes. Special care should be taken by the supervisor that the workers are following the safety instructions and are wearing the safety clothing while at work. Spillages of toxic materials should immediately be cleaned and wiped off. Special care should be taken to keep different chemical wastes separate as the chemicals may be flammable. REFERENCES: “Essentials of health and safety at work.”(2006). Web. (June 1, 2011).< http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/essentials.pdf> . “Safe use of work equipment”(2008). Web. (June 1, 2011)< http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l22.pdf>. “Workplace health, safety and welfare” (2004). Web. (June 1, 2011) < http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l24.pdf>. “Safety in working with lift trucks” (2000). Web. (June 1, 2011) < http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg6.pdf>. “Personal protective equipment at work. Second Edition.” (2005). Web. (June 1, 2011). < http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l25.pdf>. “Controlliong noise at work” (2005). Web. (June 1, 2011) < http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l108.pdf>. “Hand-Arm Vibration” (2005). Web. (June 1, 2011) < http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l140.pdf>. “Chainsaw cross cutting and manual stacking.”(2009). Web. (June 1, 2011). < http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/afag304.pdf>. “Thorough Exaimnation of lifting equipment” (2008). Web. (June 1, 2011).< http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/afag304.pdf>. Read More