Health and Safety Management - Literature review Example

xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx Health and Safety Management xxxxxxxxxxx : xxxxxxxxxxxx Date : xxxxxxxxxxxx Introduction This report entails the safety processes and procedures that are undertaken in the mining industry. It is vital and mandatory for all work places be equipped with modern means of protective equipments and safety gears. As an employer, one is responsible for every action in their place of work, and they should ensure that each employee is well protected as they carry on with their duties. The employer is in charge of planning, monitoring, implementing programs and systems needed to ensure OHS on its grounds. Joy suggests (2004) that occupational health and safety risks arise from the normal functions, operations and activities and during unexpected incidents and circumstances such as accidents. The employer is in charge of ensuring the correct national and international recognized OHS codes, standards and guidelines are maintained to the fullest. The full effectiveness of OHS systems attracts the inclusion, and significance participation of every employee in implementing and maintaining of procedures and processes. There are a quiet a number of companies that have already implemented the rules that governs the safety of each employee on the ground. An example of such company is Barrick, a mining company. This is a high risk job that requires full safety gears when doing it through out the day at all time. The company reputes itself of being the best in mining industry and the one that protects its employee the best and safest way possible. It is committed to perform each job in a safe and healthy manner, and are strict about work related injuries or illnesses. The rule is that everyone is in charge of their own safety at work. It ensures this by: Governance. It provides Health functions, protection and governance as part of an incorporated framework that includes; environment, community relations and security. It has established a committee which includes representatives from different handy groups. It manages programs and monitors performance, and elevates issues to the next level as required. The board committee provides oversight that focuses on vital trends and issues that improves the company performance. The corporate responsibility committee ensures integration and global alignment, assesses main sustainability risks and offers leadership on policy and tactical issues. On the other hand, the regional committee conducts incidents reviews, implements programs, develops yearly improvements plans and implements activities to meet corporate strategies. As joy described (2004) the site committee is responsible in managing stewardship of programs and sites, manages site – specific issues and raises issues that require regional and corporate attention. Barrick applies a few elements that ensure a smooth running of safety and health management system. 1. Leadership and personal experience Leaders must live and lead by example, acting as role models to junior workers and other staff members. Barrick recognizes only its leaders must take action in promoting and creating a safe work place. This is achieved through evident felt leadership. Safety and health accountability includes; training and appraisal of workers, management and supervisors. Leadership and personal experience is practiced through: Management and leader participation Executive member plays a role in issuing and promoting communications that relates to safety and health to each worker. They also carry out safety and health tours of their places of liability and implement a program that recognizes each individual safety performance and safety leadership. The Barrick leaders also hold discussions about safety and health as a way of being role model and providing mentorship through personal behavior. Site, general and project managers openly practices safety and health headship for themselves and their supervisors by enacting personal observance with all safety and health related values. As suggested by Norman (2001) the managers also ensure that there is adequate resources, that ensures targets and objectives are met and adhered to in a much civilized manner. They have customary relations to employees about safety and health issues and appearances. Each worker understands their regulations and responsibilities. Employees and contractors are recognized for practicing good safety and health performance. Personal leadership All employees LaBar (1994) suggests are accountable for and empowered to take individual leadership to: Ensure their equipments and working area is in good and safe conditions for working, they also ensure that each duty they embark on is done safely and with no unfavorable consequences. They also, identify, control, assess and report hazard, follow conventional procedures, safe guards and keeps a watch out on their co- workers. Through personal leadership, they help identify and pass on communication in situations where measures do not exists. Employees are also obliged to ask for assistance if their skills, capabilities or knowledge are not sufficient to complete the tasks provided by their supervisors. Personal leadership enables employees to refuse any work given as long as the work is deemed unsafe and dangerous, and they are mandated to report the complaints to their supervisors. It is also vital for all employees to practice and demonstrate safe working behaviors. Safety and health committees. Projects, general and site managers take an active leadership positions in site safety and health committees to deal with opportunity and issues for constant improvements. The committee is included in the representations of supervisors, employees, contractors and managers where suitable. In order for the governance process to be successful, the activities and actions carried out by site committees must be essential. In contrast to the good efforts that Barrick as a mining company has taken to ensure the safety of all of its employee, there are quit a number of challenges and risks that are evident and un avoidable in the working areas inside the deadly hole of mining. These risks are catastrophic and some have long term effect if they are left unattended for over a long period of time. Many employees are caught unaware by these deadly effects that arise from the action of mining for resources underground. Today there are a few issues that affect workers at major mining companies around the world, including the renowned mining giants Barrick in the mining industry. These factors include the following: respiratory disease, ergonomics, loss of hearing and system safety management. I. Physical hazards Distressing injury remains an important problem and ranges form the minor to the lethal. Common causes of fatal injuries include explosions, movable equipment accident, rock falls, falls from height electrocution and entrapment. Other lees causes of fatal injuries include wet- fill released from crumpled partitions, air gust from block caving breakdown and flooding of subversive workings. The logical usage of risk administration techniques has contributed in the considerable down fall in injury incidences rates in urbanized countries. However improvements are still required to maintain a standard and tolerable position to the community as reviewed. Joy (2004: 311) states that ‘‘noise is almost ever-present in mining’’ and is generated through, drilling, cutting, blasting, ventilation, material handling, crushing, ore processing and conveying. Bradford (1996) suggested that noise induced hearing continues to be common and difficult to control the noise emitted from the mining activities giving a full description of noise and noise-induced hearing in mining industries. Heat and humidity are experienced in tropical regions and in subterranean subversive mines as Bates (2000) suggest where the initial rock temperatures and air temperatures elevates with deepness due to geothermal incline and firmness of air. These high temperatures causes the employees working in such mining companies suffer severe and fatal heat strokes caused by the prolonged heat exhaustion. Entire body vibration is mostly felt whilst one is operating a movable equipment such as scrapers, diggers and trucks. The long exposure to these movable machines can lead to a spinal disorder. Another effect is the hand to arm vibration syndrome caused by the continuous use of vibrating equipments such s the air leg rock drill. The risk of getting lung cancer has been increased by the constant exposure to the radon daughter, where it can easily be controlled by setting up mine ventilations. Ultraviolet rays contact in outside mining operations has contributed to the incidence of squalors cell and basal cell carcinomas. Continuous exposure to infra –red in hydrometallurgical processes has led to heat stress among workers which may likely induce cataracts. II. Chemical hazards Crystalline silica has for a long time been a severe hazard in mining industries across the world. It causes a condition known as silicosis. Wet techniques, ventilations, axial water- fed rock drills, respiratory protection and enclosed cabins have played a big role in controlling silicosis. Over time exposure to crystalline silica causes silicosis – tuberculosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer. Coal dust has also been classified as a serious danger in mining. Leigh et al (1996:34) suggests that workers from mining companies that work under these conditions are prone to get pneumoconiosis chronic disruptive pulmonary disease another safety hazard in ground mining is through diesel particulate exposure brought about by movable equipments which are powered by diesel. This causes lung cancer. Control procedures includes, use of minimal sulphur fuel diesel, mine ventilation and engine maintenance. Arsenic which has also been extracted during the process of copper smelting has also been seen to bring forth lung cancer. Skin splashes with cyanide solution is dangerous. They are mostly alkalinized to minimize the risk of hydrogen cyanide gas that is evolved on direct contact with water. Study of core samples during searching drilling is done through the usage of hydrofluoric acid. Sulphur dioxide gas which can cause acute bronchi spasm emanates from the action of smelting of sulphide ores. Irritant dermal contacts are very frequent in mining grounds and results in a condition known as dermatitis. III. Biological hazards The chances of acquiring tropical diseases such as dengue and malaria, is significant at numerous far-off mining stations across the world. Improved sanitation and eradication of rats has fully led to the control of other common mine disease such as ankylostomiasis. Improvements have been made around mining grounds as cooling towers were constructed to cool the mines. The safety management team in the mining sector also carries out regular micro biological tests of the water to treat any exiting contamination or presence of microorganisms. IV. Ergonomic hazards Although mining is slowly becoming mechanized, there is still a considerable amount of manual handling. Increasing trauma disorders leads to prolonged disability. Over head work is frequent during ground support, pipes suspensions and electric cables. These exposures causes shoulder disorders. Sometimes the worker may encounter broken ground which causes harm to them through ankle and knee injuries. Almost all mines operate on s day to day basis, twelve hours a day, and seven days per week. Because of this, workers have experienced cases of severe fatigue, sleep deficits when I hot locations and injury to the cognitive and motor execution among drivers from different industries. The introduction of remote controlled mobile equipments has greatly reduced the risk that arises from the falling rocks above Johnston (1999) suggests that this has attracted awareness to cognitive ergonomics issues, a lot of which are comparable to those that are in metallurgical plant manageable rooms. There has also been the development of proximity safety devices. V. Psychosocial hazards There have been a lot of cases involving drug and alcohol abuse in most mining grounds. Massive ore- bodies are common in mining places which is why miners practiced the fly-in fly-out operations that saw them alienated from the community and family members throughout the work periods. Nonetheless deadly and relentless traumatic injuries arte are continuous occurrence in mining and are often with a profound force on self morale of the employees. Registered managers sometimes develop post-distressing confusion as they feel solely responsible for such injuries even in the case of complete negligence. There have been some improvements in regards to protecting mining workers from physical and psychological depression. New status, concerns and development were introduced, they include: A. Law Mining legislations were developed in reply to disaster connecting numerous injuries and loss of lives .In 1996 the mine health and safety act was established. Its key characteristics are that: Employers bear main accountability for a safety and healthy working surroundings. The risk management approaches that addresses health and safety exposures are compulsory Workers have the right to withdraw from risky work places, participate in training and health safety information. Promotion of health and safety culture, development of responsibility, legislation and policy was mandated to institutions offering mining courses. B. Engagement Workers have a basic interest in occupational health and safety because it is their health, limbs and lives that are at take. A general inspection in research and accident investigations illustrates that workers do not employ in means that enable them to notify management of particular OHS alarms and to add their empirical knowledge of work and of safety hazards. Sommercamp (1994) implicates that poor labor affairs can rule out any form of affiliation among managers and personnel on strength and safety matters and can affect better communication between administration and human resources. The managers’ fear that participatory progression will destabilize their power of procedures is another obstacle to efficient engagement. C. Risk management Risk management procedures are vital to the Mine Health and Safety Act. The fundamental principle of risk management Curtis (1995: 18) states that step up in safety and health can be prepared by correctly recognizing and dealing with dangers that add to work-related risks. There are a few constituents of risk management that include; hazard identification, implementations of controls, risk assessment, review, monitoring of controls and adjustments of control as required. Through practicing risk management, it has led to understanding and practice of: Effective risk management is founded on the basis of good engineering design and systems of work. When risk appraisal is done too late, slight can be done to keep away from hazards. To avoid death at work, strict risk must be done away with. Human beings are imperfect and designs should be torrent of human breakdown and mistakes. Other repeated accidents occur because victims do not learn from their previous mistakes. Corrective measures As a result of various accidents that occurs in the mining industry all over the world, prevention measures have been carried out to ensure that this dangers are very much minimized an that incase they occur they should be with little harm to the victims. Recommendations should be done to ensure that these errors are not repeated in near future. The mining grounds should: Incase of fire, Gregory (1996) suggests they should conduct fire risks assessment on a regular basis for a quick and early recognition of areas where it is prone to catch fire. Recognize fire danger areas using warning signs, restricting workers from smoking, and managing the open flame for lamping. All materials that are easy to catch fire should be kept in a fire proofed rooms that are equipped to handle leaks and spills. A well equipped fire detection and extinguisher should be put at every storage room. Transformers filled with oil should not be kept underground, as they have a high risk of exploding. Ventilation of the working rooms should be well up to date, and they should be working at all times. All areas that is expected to be occupied by should be well ventilated to avoid diseases Like lung cancer. Dust removal techniques should be applied for roads and working areas. Finished rooms should be cleared and made public only when it is necessary. Noise levels should be minimized There should be enough number of well trained first aid employees incase an emergency occurs. Completion of a detailed personnel preparation on work site health and safety management. Incorporation of behavioral deliberations of health and safety management. Thorough training of employees on the realization and prevention of occupational hazards that are related to working areas.] ‘’Workers should handle and transport explosives devices with care and using the right apparatus as per the safety regulations’’, (Geller,1997: 41) And they should only assign the job of blasting the mines to only those that are well qualified and have proper and legal licenses to carry out such activity. They should also adopt the consistent blasting timings and should always avoid changing blast time over and over, so that there should be a specific time that is allowed for blasting. This is efficient since everyone will clearly know the times that the blasts are scheduled; hence nobody can be in a safe place when the explosives start to blast off. Warnings such as such as horn signals or sirens should always be implemented before each blast occurs, as a way of warning those that may be unaware of the impending danger that may arise from the blasts. Each employee regardless of the position or department they are in, should have trainings on how to handle explosive devices at the mining grounds. This is incase a worker accidentally steps or stumbles on an explosive, they will be in a good position to avoid being hurt by accidentally triggering the device. Those workers that are involved in blasting , Kassel (2002) indicates should practice to clear out areas that they had been doing blasts so that they do not leave behind any explosives that are un used. This will greatly reduce the chances of accidental and unplanned blasts. Before the workers can embark on blasting, they should check out the areas that are vulnerable to collapse unintentionally and unplanned as a result of the vibration that is experienced when a devices explodes. The blasting sites should have enough security personnel that ensure there are smooth running operations which are not interfered with from outside sources. They should also take charge to control, transport, explosives and storage on the site. On the other hand, Nwaelele (1996) suggest that visibility should be improved by the use of distinctive coloring on machinery and equipment that include the stipulation of effective markings. All workers working at the mining site should be issued with very good visibility clothing that will make them identify each other even at places where there are poor lighting conditions. Mobile equipment and machinery should be upgraded to have enhanced operator view lines that distinguish them from each other. More so, there should be the usage of reflective staining on structures, junctions, traffic and other areas that are prone to accident, for instance walls. Immediate illumination should be enhanced in areas that are being operated on to avoid worker to worker self induced injuries. Conclusion These are some of the preventives and correctional measures that may be implemented on the mining sites to ensure that each individual is well protected form many impending dangers that may arise from the activity o f mining. It is only when the health and safety management committee serves as role model to their staff that they can lead in ensuring a much healthy and much safer working conditions through out the activity of mining. The government should also impose strict sanctions that will see a mining company shut down if they do not adhere to proper health and safety management. Each individual is responsible for their safety and well being. It is only through working together that we can only practice better health and safety management. Bibliography JOY, J (2004) ‘Occupational Safety Risk Management in Australian Mining’: Occupational, Medicine, vol. 54, pp. 311–315. 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Geller, S E, 1(994), Ten Principles for Achieving a Total Safety Culture: Professional Safety, pp. 18-24. Bradford, D M and Ryan, R F (1996), Behind the Mirror of Safety: Professional Safety, pp. 34-36. Simon, R A, (1999), the Trust Factor in Safety Performance: Professional Safety, pp. 28-33. Gregory, E D (1996), Building an Environment that Promotes Safe Behavior: Professional Safety, pp. 20-30 Geller E. Scott 1997, Key Processes for Continuous Safety Improvement, Behavior-Based Recognition and Celebration, Professional Safety, pp. 40-44. Nwaelele, OD, (1996), Prudent Owners Take Proactive Approach: Professional Safety, pp27-29. Read More