Health and safety in engineering workshops describes how most serious and frequent hazards arise, how to assess the risks involved, and how to eliminate or control them.
Don't die in work place they are not responsible
always use safety equipment when the CNC machine is on
wear the provided googles and do not wear loose clothing near the machines
Foreword
This has been written for people who run and work in small engineering workshops, ranging from those who make their own products, to those who n maintain and repair plant and machinery either independently or as part of larger enterprises.
Managing health and safety
Successful health and safety management in small engineering workshops is about identifying the most frequent and serious risks and adopting the right precautions, taking account of time, money and resources.
Employers must:
■ assess risks to the health and safety of their employees and non-employees arising in, or from, the workshop, and review them when there is significant change. Records of significant findings of the assessment must be kept where there are five or more employees
■ plan, organise, control, monitor and review the preventative and protective measures taken as a result of the assessment
■ provide health surveillance where necessary (see pages 30–31), for example to help control health risks from metalworking fluids
■ appoint any competent person(s) needed to help them comply with legal obligations, for example, when having lifting equipment thoroughly examined
■ set out what should be done in case of serious and imminent danger in the workshop, such as the spillage of a large amount of degreasing solvent
■ tell employees about the risks and precautions involved in their work
■ train employees to work safely
How most accidents and cases of work-related ill health arise
Accident and ill-health data for such a wide and varied sector is available from a number of sources, including published HSE material, research papers, industry statistics, and trade association and trade union publications, although it is difficult to see the whole picture. The interpretation of the available data in this booklet is based upon the experience of health and safety inspectors gained over many years in dealing with the sector.
Accidents and ill health
There are many thousands of accidents and cases of ill health reported every year in small engineering workshops.
Almost two-thirds of all such accidents reported to HSE arise from the movement of people, goods and vehicles into, around and out of workshops. Of these ‘movement’ accidents:
1. About half involve lifting and moving goods, and n about half involve slips, trips and falls and hitting stationary or moving plant and equipment. ‘Non-movement’ accidents usually arise from the use of machinery; these account for between 10 and 15% of all accidents.
2. Electrical accidents are not uncommon and frequently have the potential for more serious injuries than those recorded.
The most common occupational diseases are dermatitis, deafness, asthma and vibration white finger, and back, hand, arm, shoulder and neck problems.
In any particular workshop risks which are relevant should be assessed. Those likely to be of most concern include:
1. movement of people, goods and vehicles around the workshop, particularly manual handling
2. machinery safeguarding
3. hazardous substances, particularly metalworking fluids, degreasing solvents, and dust or fume from welding, brazing, soldering, coating and painting
4. noise, and
5. vibration.
Costs
The costs of accidents and ill health to small engineering workshops may be disproportionately high. Many employees are ‘key’ workers whose loss through injury or ill health severely disrupts production and lowers profitability.
Instant action checklist
If you want to start checking conditions right away use this instant action checklist
How to use this book to start your risk assessment
how to find out how dangerous or unhealthy your workshop might be, and what to do about it.
Five steps to risk assessment
For a longer look, take five steps to your risk assessment
Working in and moving around the workshop
About two thirds of all accidents in small engineering workshops happen during the movement of vehicles, people and goods. A safe, well-lit, clean workplace can help prevent many of these.
Maintenance
Maintaining the workshop and the equipment in it may pose different hazards from those encountered in the normal run of production work. Contractors as well as your own employees may be at increased risk, particularly during the repair and cleaning of plant containing toxic, flammable or hazardous materials, machinery and during work at heights or in confined spaces.
Lighting
Poor lighting is often a factor in accidents and can also increase visual fatigue.
Reference link:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pUbns/priced/hsg129.pdf
Comments
Post a Comment