Hazards work equipment

In addition to guarding dangerous maehinery (Reg. 11) measures are required to prevent or adequately eontrol hazards from work equipment due to ... 

Potentially hazardous work practices safe procedures and equipment- common routes of exposure epidemiology, symptoms, and heaitn risks hepatitis B vaccine personal protective equipment OSHA Exposure Control Plan and cleanup, waste handling and labeling. 

The maintenance procedures for working with Ex d equipment need to be exercised with care so that the machined surfaces are not degraded or damaged. BS5345 was introduced in 1976 to address this and similar subjects. See Reference 4 for practical view of the problems involved with maintenance of hazardous area equipment. 

General safety hazards, such as but not limited to, electrical hazards, powered equipment hazards, motor vehicle hazards, walking- and working-surface hazards, excavation hazards, and hazards associated with working in hot and cold temperature extremes. 

For example, the annex describes requirements for control devices (clearly visible, outside dangerous zones) and emergency stop devices. Work equipment presenting hazards due to emission of gases, vapors, liquids, or dust has to be fitted with containment or extraction devices near the source. 

A permit system requires a special document (permit), which acts like a checklist, to be filled out. Usually, the work involves some type of hazard. Personnel involved in the hazardous work must fill out a permit and the permit must be inspected and verified as complete before work can begin. The function of the permit system is to force personnel involved in a hazardous task to take the time to review all the steps, the personal protection equipment (PPE) required, the type of hazard(s) expected, and equipment required to perform the task safely. The permit system also temporarily transfers custody of a piece of equipment. As an example, a unit has a failed pump that must be repaired. This will require the pump to be removed from the process unit and taken to maintenance repair shop for repairs. The permit system places responsibilities on the issuer of the permit (operators) and the recipient of the permit (maintenance personnel). In essence, a permit system is an extra step in the direction of safety and accident prevention. Some of the more common permits are ... 

A permit system requires a permit before certain types of work can be done. Usually, the work involves some type of hazard. The function of the permit system is to force personnel involved in a hazardous task to take the time to review all the steps, PPE, hazards, and equipment required to perform the task safely. It also is required for change of custody of equipment. 

Hazards resulting from the use of work equipment, from the process and the handling of hazardous substances as well as those resulting from an accident have to be distinguished. Protection from the former is regulated primarily in the labour protection act [1] and the occupational safety [2] and hazardous substance [3] ordinances protection from the consequences of major accidents is regulated in [4]. 

In [5] hazards from using work equipment, their assessment and possible countermeasures are described. Furthermore features of the work environment are treated which may have an influence on accidents. Many of the statements do not only apply to the process industry alone, but are independent of the industrial branch considered. In particular the following topics are dealt with ... 

Basic requirements are that the employees are equipped with work equipment suited for their work and the conditions of their workplace and that this equipment fulfils the legal provisions on design, construction and placing on the market. Safety and health must be guaranteed during intended use. If a hazard is unavoidable all the same appropriate additional measures have to be adopted in order to minimize the hazard. 

If the use or maintenance of work equipment entails specific hazards it may only be used by personnel specifically trained for its use. 

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1992- cover the provision of safe work equipment and its safe use. The term work equipment includes chemical reactor systems. The regulations include the requirement to prevent exposure of persons to specified hazards, including the unintended or premature explosion of the work equipment. 

Hazardous malfunction - if a piece of equipment was to fail in its function (that is, fail to do what it is supposed to do) and, as a result of this failure have the potential to cause harm, then this would be defined as a hazardous malfunction. Consider an example - if a materials lift on a construction site was to collapse when the supply to its motor failed, this would be a hazardous malfunction. All the regulations concerning work equipment state that it must be ... 

Chemical family—A group of compounds with related chemical and physical properties. Chemical hygiene plan—A written plan that addresses job procedures, work equipment, protective clothing, and training necessary to protect employees from chemical and toxic hazards, required by OSHA under its laboratory standard. 

You must provide and install all required fall and falling object protection before your employees begin work. OSHA s intent is that fall protection systems be in place at the earliest possible time when there is potential exposure to fall hazards. The equipment and systems must comply with fall protection rules at 1926.502 — Fall protection systems criteria and practices. The three most common (primary) methods of providing fall protection are guardrails, safety nets, and personal fall arrest systems. 

Discuss any company specific requirements related to working around heavy equipment. Alert employees to any hazardous work areas they need to be especially carefiil in. 

Report unsafe hazards and equipment to the supervisor before work begins. 

At many active workplaces, daily site inspections are performed by the supervisor in order to detect hazardous conditions, equipment, materials, or unsafe work practices. At other times, periodic site inspections are conducted by the site safety and health officer. The frequency of inspections is established in the workplace safety and health program. The supervisor, in conjunction with the safety and health officer, determines the required frequency of these inspections, based on the level and complexity of the anticipated activities and on the hazards associated with these activities. In a review of worksite conditions/activities, site hazards, and protecting site workers, the inspections should include an evaluation of the effectiveness of the company s safety and health program. The safety and health officer should revise the company s safety and health program as necessary to ensure the program s continued effectiveness. 

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