Management of Occupational Health and Safety - Assignment Example

Question 1 A modular, portable office building has been delivered to a company’s premises. It is to be lifted from the delivery vehicle, to its designated resting place, with a mobile crane. To assist with the health and safety of persons who may be on the premises during the lifting operation; (a) Identify the issues that should be considered when planning and preparing for the lifting operation to be undertaken; Lifting operations require careful preparation and planning to avoid operational errors and subsequent hazards that may follow such as overturning of the crane, dropping of the suspended load, trapping of people and incorrect erection or dismantling procedures. The planning process should be done by a competent person and should include issues such as the completion of a risk assessment; selection and briefing of the lifting team; the load weight, size and shape; crane selection; preparation of the ground; and crane safety measure. Risk assessment Various factors such as the identification of overhead obstructions or hazards, assessing of the ground for which the crane is to stand, assessing the load path and the environment in which the operation is to be carried and the appropriateness of the counterweights should be considered (Hughes and Ferrett 2009). Selection and briefing of the lifting team The crane drivers, slingers, banksmen and supervisors must be carefully selected and have the training and competence of safety lifting of the portable office. They should have the knowledge and experience required to conduct the process effectively and in a safe manner. The personnel should be briefed on the safety operation of the system and on how to identify various problems with the lifting operation that may arise due to change of circumstances on site. The load weight, size and shape The exact weight of the load must be assessed and its size and shape known so as to choose the right sling/ chain of the load. This also helps in establishing the center of gravity of the load. Crane selection Considering the size and type of the load, the lifting equipment and lifting gears should be carefully selected to allow adequate working margin for the load, lift height, and radius so that the crane does not work at maximum capacity for a long duration( Davies and Tomasin, 1996) . The crane should allow the driver to have good visibility. Preparation of the ground The place where the structure is to be laid down should be prepared by packing timbers or a similar packing to avoid trapping of the slings and chains and for suitability of sitting (Construction Federation, 2008). The path to be taken by the moving parts of the crane body and the load should also be prepared to avoid obstruction and enhance easy access. The routes to be taken should not be too close to embankments or edges of excavation and the ground level should have a suitable capacity for the track loads and wheels of the crane. Crane safety measure ` It is necessary to ensure that the crane is in good condition and its parts correctly function. The operators should ensure they correctly sling the load and they work according to the manufacturer’s procedures manual to avoid accidents. They should be well informed of the methods, sequence and materials needed in the lifting operation. Generally, they should be fully conversant with all aspects of safe operation of the lifting equipment that include the erection, movement and dismantling procedures. (b) Outline the procedure for the safe lifting and lowering of the portable office. The initial step when carrying out a lifting operation is checking whether the lifting equipment is in good working conditions to preform a safe operation. Once it has been examined, it is set on a firm ground with the use of outriggers to ensure stability. The area in which the operation is taking palace should be cleared of with obstruction and there should be restriction on access by the use of signs and notices erected to warn people not to pass through the area (Stranks 2005). Conditions that may cause overloading are then considered while determining the safe working load in which the crane can easily manage with stability. Slingers and riggers of adequate strength are used to attach the portable office through the lifting points on it. The crane operator should not lift the office until instructed by the banksmen. The operator lifts the office a short way to enable assessment to be made whether it has been properly slung. Once a test lift has been carried out, the office is lifted slowly as directed by the banksmen and where necessary, rail ropes may be used in guiding the loads in windy conditions. The office is then slowly slewed and carefully travelled along the route path to avoid snatching and ensuring that it remains suspended vertically. The operator should not pull or drag the load. Communication between the operator and the slingers should be made effective during the operation by use of radio telephone and if the visual hand signals are used, both the banksman and the crane operator must be aware of their meaning (Construction Confederation 2008). The office is then well positioned at its designated destination and the operator lowers it slowly to its landing position after which the slings are removed. (c) Outline the statutory requirements for the inspection and examination of the lifting equipment. Lifting equipment are thoroughly examined and inspected by a competent person in accordance to the legal requirements under regulation 9 of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) 1998 (Hughes and Ferrett 2009). Thorough examination includes visual examination, functional tests and a strip down of the equipment. The examination and inspection is carried out during installation/ assembly or periodically in ensuring that it is safe to operate. The regulation 9 of the LOLER requires through examination to be carried out each time the lifting equipment is installed or assembled before put into service for the first time to check if it has been installed/assembled correctly. Periodic thorough examinations are necessary since the work equipment is liable to deteriorate to an extent that it becomes dangerous and thus ensuring that they are kept in a safe condition and any further deterioration may be detected and corrected in the right time. The statutory requirements are that these equipment should be thorough examined after a specified interval. For instance, at least once in every six months for equipment used for lifting persons and all other lifting accessories such as shackles, and at least once in every twelve months for other lifting equipment (Construction Confederation 2008). Through examination can also be carried out after exceptional circumstances which are liable to affect the safety of the lifting equipment. However, a thorough examination may neither be needed for new equipment that is accompanied by an EC declaration of conformity that is not more than twelve months before the lifting equipment is put in service nor for equipment obtained from another undertaking and is accompanied by a copy of the previous report of thorough examination. Testing for cranes should be continued as covered by the regulation and those conducting the test of lifting equipment should be able to recognize whether the testing is appropriate and should take into consideration the manufacturer’s instructions. Formal inspection is also needed in monitoring equipment while in use in determining any defects that would cause danger so that it can be rectified in the right time. According to (Stranks 2005), the MEWP inspection include checks for tyre pressures, correct operation of control, correct operation of limit switches, fluid levels, damage to main components and missing components such as securing clips and pins. Regular inspections should be carried out in accordance to the manufacturer’s manual that is supplied with the equipment. Daily inspections can be done through visual inspection on the entire equipment before being put in use. Defects noticed should be reported immediately. In addition, weekly inspections can be done between thorough examinations to ensure continued safety. Question 2 A large item of process machinery is to be cleaned manually with flammable solvent before being partially dismantled for repair. (i) Identify FOUR possible health effects from exposure to solvents. Most solvents are hazardous and the human exposure to these solvents may lead to health effects that include damage to the nervous system, the skin, the liver and the kidney (Harte 1991). Effect on the nervous system Solvent exposures may damage the nervous system through neuroxicity. Short term exposure due to a single high exposure may cause euphoria, dizziness and poor coordination. While, the long term effects due to repeated low level exposure may cause the degeneration of some parts of the nervous system hence resulting into irritability, memory loss, dementia, and peripheral neuropathy. Examples of the solvents that cause peripheral neuropathy by slowing down the speed of nerve impulses from the spinal cord to the arm are carbon disulfide, methyl butyl ketone and n-hexane. Damage to the skin Some solvents can be absorbed into the body upon skin contact hence stripping the skin cell of vital oils and fats. This causes reddening, cracking of the skin leaving it scaly. According to (Hughes and Ferrett 2009), some of the solvents are allergens and they may cause allergic dermatitis among sensitive individuals even if they do not actually touch them. Damage of the liver The liver works in reducing toxicity of substances and in process certain chlorinated solvents may cause delayed liver damage. Liver damage results in the loss of appetite, nausea, stomach discomfort and unpleasant taste in the mouth. Damage of the kidney The kidney functions to eliminate the products of conversion from the liver. Chronic exposure to the solvents may cause kidney failure. (ii) Outline the safety precautions that should be taken when using such flammable solvents. According to the Dangerous Substances and Exposure Atmosphere Regulation, the workers should be protected from the risk of dangerous substances that may cause explosion, fire or similar releasing event (construction confederation 2008). The use of flammable solvents require safety precautions to be put in place to reduce the amount of flammable solvents used and where reasonably practical, to minimize the consequent risks. These precautions include; i. Protection of the maintenance area from sources of ignition by carefully selecting protective system and equipment that meet the requirements of the Equipment and Protective System Intended for Use in a Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 1993 (Hill and Finster, 2010). ii. The workers should be provided with appropriate clothing that does not create any risk of electrostatic discharge which may ignite the explosive solvents. iii. The place of maintenance where the flammable solvents are used should be confirmed as being safe by a competent person who considers all particular risks and the adequacy of control measures put in place. iv. The amount of flammable solvents used in the cleaning of the process machinery should be little (less than 50 litres of capacity) and transfer of these solvents from one container to the other must be done in the open v. If the maintenance area is enclosed, then there is need of ventilation that keep the concentration below the flammability levels and this can be achieved by maintaining a minimum rate of 60m3 of air for every litre of solvent. vi. Signs indicating “No Smoking” and “No Naked Lights” should be displayed for workers to avoid smoking. “The electrical apparatus within the environment should comply with zone 2 requirements of BS 5345, Code of practice for selection, installation and maintenance of electrical apparatus for use in potentially explosive atmosphere” (construction federation 2008, 16). vii. Fire extinguishers that contain dry powder or AFF should be readily available for use and they should be placed within a radius of 15m. If in case the cleaning is done in a room, they should be placed just outside the room where they cannot obstruct the exit. The workers should also be adequately trained in proper use of fire extinguishers and the necessary measures to be taken in case of fire. (iii) Outline further precautions that might be needed in order to ensure the health and safety of those carrying out the maintenance work. According to Long and Gagner (2004), the Health and Safety Law require that precautionary measures be taken when conducting maintenance of machine. They argue that it should be done by suitably qualified and authorized persons who fully understand the hazards associated with the work. The personnel carrying out the maintenance should be provided with a health and safety plan for the dismantling and reassembling of the machine as required the CDM regulations so that they can work safely (Long and Gagner 2004). A technical file that includes operating and maintenance manuals should also be provided to the maintenance workers so that they understand the operational instructions as well as the maintenance and inspection instructions. Any work carried out on the process machinery should be covered by permit to work systems or similar system authorization that clearly indicate the parts of the machine, the parts to be repaired, the tasks that are supposed to be done for each part and the safety measures that need to be considered during the maintenance process. References Construction Confederation 2008, House builders health & safety manual 2008, Construction Industry Pubs, London Davies, V and Tomasin K 1996, Construction safety handbook, 2nd edn, Thomas Telford, New York Harte J 1991, Toxics A to Z: A guide to everyday pollution hazards University of California Press, California Hill, R and Finster D 2010, Laboratory safety for Chemistry students, John Wiley and Sons, New York Hughes, P and Ferrett E 2009, Introduction to health and safety at work, 3rd edn, Butterworth-Heinnemann, New York. Long, B Garner B 2004, Guide to Storage Tanks and Equipment, John Wiley and Sons, New York Stranks J 2005, The manager's guide to health & safety at work, Kogan Page Publishers, London Read More