Chapter 2 Workplace Safety & Health Requirements
Objectives Learn the workers Responsibility under Workplace Safety and Health Act (WSHA) Learn the Roles and Responsibilities of employers and employees under WSHA Learn the purpose and types of safety signboard Learn the types of hazard in workplace Learn the risk level and control Learn the documentation of risk evaluation and control
The Workplace Safety and Health Act The key legislation affecting the principles of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) framework The Occupational Safety and Health Framework The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) framework aims to cultivate good safety habits in all individuals, so as to create a strong safety culture at the workplace. The new framework is guided by the following principles: a) Reducing risks at the source by requiring all stakeholders to eliminate or minimize the risks they create; b) Instilling greater ownership of safety and health outcomes within the industries; and c) Preventing accidents through higher penalties for compromises in safety management. Source: MOM
An Employed Worker responsibility under WSHA You must adhere to safe working procedures and principles introduced at the workplace. You should not endanger yourself or others working around you through unsafe behavior. You should not tamper with any safety device or undertake any wilful or reckless acts. You should also always correctly use any personal protective equipment provided at work. Source: MOM
An Employer Or Principal Responsibility An employer must as far as reasonably practicable, protect the safety and health of your employees or workers working under your direct control and all who may be affected by their work. This includes: conducting risk assessments to remove or control risks to workers at the workplace; maintaining safe work facilities and arrangements for the workers at work; ensuring safety in machinery, equipment, plant, articles, substances and work processes at the workplace; developing and putting into practice control measures for dealing with emergencies; providing workers with adequate instruction, information, training and supervision. Source: MOM
Safety Signage Safety signs must be used whenever a hazard or danger can not be avoided adequately or reduced in another way. Before installing safety signs an employer should examine whether the hazard can be avoided or reduced by collective precautions (precautions that protect everybody) or safer ways of doing the work.
Safety Signage Types of safety signs A safety sign provides information about safety or health and can be a signboard, color, acoustic signal, verbal communication, or hand signal. Signboard A signboard is a sign that provides information or instruction using a combination of shape, color and symbols but excludes information in writing. Safety signboards should not contain text. This is because the symbols or pictograms on a signboard are intended to be understood, independently of the language ability of the worker viewing
Safety Signs Employers must provide information to employees on the meaning and requirements of any signs used in the workplace, especially where text on supplementary signboards is used. Colors and Shapes on safety signboards Red for prohibition Yellow for caution Green for positive action Blue for mandatory actions O Discs for prohibitions and instructions Δ Triangles for warnings Squares and rectangles for emergency and information signs
Safety Signs Examples of Prohibition Signs Examples of Mandatory Signs Examples of Warning Signs
Identify hazards in your workplace Hazards A hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm. A hazard can be something directly affecting your employees, such as exposure to bacteria - or something affecting the environment in general, such as your waste materials Different hazards workplace hazards, such as a workshop's layout activity hazards, such as using grinding machinery in your workshop environmental hazards, such as the dust created when using grinding machinery
Managing Health and Safety -Risk assessment The first stage of a risk assessment is to look for hazards. When looking for hazards it can be helpful to: walk around your business talk to employees who may be more aware of your business' hazards than you look at safety data sheets and manufacturers' instructions to identify potential problem areas
Checklist: watching out for workplace hazards Some workplace hazards that can be easily spotted. tidy up loose or trailing cabling look out for wet, slippery, unclean or badly surfaced floors ensure all areas are well lit check for adequate ventilation ------------------------------------ ensure that chemicals, including cleaning substances, are stored, handled and disposed of properly put in place safe procedures for handling flammable substances check for faulty or inappropriate electrical equipment
Checklist: watching out for workplace hazards Some workplace hazards that can be easily spotted. manage waste responsibly fix bad drainage ensure ladders and scaffolding are safe and fit for the purpose they are intended for improve poorly designed workstations -------------------- check for exposure to vibration from tools, equipment or processes implement sufficient rest breaks provide appropriate and well-maintained protective wear --------------------- provide appropriate training ensure vehicle loading and unloading operations are carried out safely check for exposure to excessive work pressure
Risk Levels and Risk Control Evaluate the risks Once you have identified the hazards, you need to decide what to do about them. Classify a hazard : high, medium or low. Low: then your existing precautions are likely to be adequate High or medium: it is likely that you need to take further steps to lower the risk
Risk Levels and Risk Control Take steps to control workplace risks It is not expected that all risk are eliminated, but people are protected as far as 'reasonably practicable. Some actions to take include: replacing old cabling replacing hazardous materials with less harmful ones changing behavior or work practices changing workplace layouts or lighting systems
Risk Control Steps that can be taken to reduce risk: lower the quantities of the hazardous item reduce the number of people exposed to hazards decrease the time that people are exposed to hazards isolate the hazard introduce equipment to control the hazard introduce better working practices and systems issue protective equipment or clothing Improve communication in the workplace develop better training procedures comply with all regulations and licenses specific to that business sector
Documenting Risk Evaluation and Control Keep records of your risk assessments Write down the results of your risk assessment, and sharing them with your staff. Keep it simple, eg, 'Tripping over rubbish - bins provided, staff instructed, weekly housekeeping checks 'Fume from welding - local exhaust ventilation used and regularly checked'. No one expects a risk assessment to be perfect - but it must be suitable and sufficient. Show that: you made a proper check you asked who might be affected you dealt with all the obvious significant hazards, taking into account the number of people who could be involved your precautions are reasonable and the remaining risk is low you involved your staff or their representatives in the process
Documenting Risk Evaluation and Control Make a plan of action to deal with the most important things first for many improvements to be taken A good plan of action often includes a mixture of different things such as: a temporary solution until more reliable controls are in place long-term solutions to those risks most likely to cause accidents or ill health long-term solutions to those risks with the worst potential consequences arrangements for training employees on the main risks that remain and how they are to be controlled regular checks to make sure that the control measures stay in place State clear responsibilities - who will lead on what action, and by when Prioritize and tackle the most important things first. As you complete each action, tick it off your plan.
Documenting Risk Evaluation and Control Review your risk assessment regularly Review what you are doing on an ongoing basis Every year or so, formally review where you are, to make sure you are still improving, or at least not sliding back. Make sure your risk assessment stays up to date. During the year, if there is a significant change, don't wait: check your risk assessment and where necessary, amend it. You should think about reviewing your risk assessment if your business: brings in new machinery or equipment implements new processes or working practices starts working with new substances brings in new personnel alters or moves premises expands rapidly experiences an accident or near-miss Note the date when you revise your risk assessment but you only need to alter your records if there are new and significant findings or if existing precautions prove inadequate or can be improved.
Recognize Safe Working Conditions Some things to look for: Clean, organized, and properly lit workspace Proper procedures for handling equipment Proper disposal or recycling of components containing hazardous materials
General Safety Guidelines Most companies require reporting any injuries, including description of safety procedures not followed. Damage to equipment may result in claims for damages from the customer. CAUTION: Power supplies and monitors contain very high voltage. Do not wear the antistatic wrist strap when repairing power supplies or monitors. CAUTION: Some printer parts may become very hot when in use and other parts may contain very high voltages.
Fire Safety Guidelines Have a fire plan before you begin work: Know the location of fire extinguishers, how to use them, and which to use for electrical fires and for combustible fires Have an escape route in case a fire gets out of control Know how to contact emergency services quickly Keep the workspace clean Keep most solvents in a separate area
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Static electricity is the buildup of an electric charge resting on a surface. This buildup may zap a component and cause damage. At least 3,000 volts of static electricity must build up before a person can feel ESD, but less than 30 volts of static electricity can damage a computer component. Preventing ESD Damage Use antistatic bags to store components Use grounded mats on workbenches Use grounded floor mats in work areas Use antistatic wrist straps when working on computers
Electrical Power Fluctuation AC power fluctuations can cause data loss or hardware failure: Blackouts, brownouts, noise, spikes, power surges To help shield against power fluctuation issues, use power protection devices to protect the data and computer equipment: Surge suppressors UPS SPS CAUTION: Never plug a printer into a UPS device. UPS manufacturers suggest not plugging a printer into a UPS for fear of burning up the printer motor.
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) The Data Sheet should contain: The name of the material The physical properties of the material Any hazardous ingredients contained in the material Reactivity data, such as fire and explosion data Special protection requirements Procedures for spills or leaks Special precautions Health hazards
Skilled use of tools and software makes the job less difficult and ensures that tasks are performed properly and safely. ESD Tools antistatic wrist strap, mat Hand Tools screwdrivers, needle-nose pliers Cleaning Tools soft cloth, compressed air can Diagnostic Tools Tools for the Job digital multimeter, loopback adapter
Organizational Tools Personal reference tools Notes, journal, history of repairs Internet reference tools Search engines, news groups, manufacturer FAQs, online computer manuals, online forums and chats, technical websites Miscellaneous tools Spare parts, a working laptop
Proper Use of Antistatic Wrist Strap Can prevent ESD damage to computer components. Connect the cable to the metal chassis of the computer Wrap the strap around your wrist The connection will keep your body at the same voltage (potential) as the computer Attach the wire on the same side of the equipment as the arm wearing the antistatic wrist strap to keep the wire out of the way while you are working. CAUTION: Never wear an antistatic wrist strap if you are repairing a monitor or CRT.
Proper Use of Antistatic Mat Lay the computer on the mat. Connect the computer to the mat with the cable. Connect the mat to a reliable electrical ground with its cable. Now, you and the computer are at ground potential.
Proper Use of Hand Tools Use the proper type and size of screwdriver by matching it to the screw. Phillips, Flat Head and Hex are the most common types. Do not over tighten screws because the threads may become stripped. Caution: If excessive force is needed to remove or add a component, something may be wrong. Caution: Magnetized tools should not be used around electronic devices. Caution: Pencils should not be used inside the computer because the pencil lead can act as a conductor and may damage the computer components.
Proper Use of Cleaning Materials To clean computers and accessories: Use mild cleaning solution and lint-free cloth to clean computer cases, outside of monitor, LCD screen, CRT screen, and mouse. Use compressed air to clean heat sinks. Use Isopropyl alcohol and lint-free swabs to clean RAM. Use hand-held vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment to clean a keyboard. CAUTION: Before cleaning any device, turn it off and unplug the device from the power source.
Summary Safe Lab Procedures and Tool Use Follow safety procedures for personal protection, equipment protection, and environmental protection. Know what tools and software to use in working with computers and computer components. Follow proper use of tools. Anti-static wrist strap, anti-static mat, various hand tools, and cleaning materials