5 (Jeremy Stranks) Health and Safety Pocket Book [PDF]

Citation preview

188



Health and Safety Pocket Book



Features of a planned preventive maintenance system A formally written system should incorporate the following elements: • the structural item, area, system e.g. floor surface, ventilation system, device such as a safety device on a machine, or item of machinery to be maintained; • the maintenance procedure to be followed; • the frequency of maintenance; • individual management responsibility for ensuring the maintenance procedure is implemented; and • specific precautions necessary, e.g. operation of a permitto-work system, isolation of the area, display of signs and notices, and restriction of certain work to designated employees who have been trained in the maintenance procedure. A planned preventive maintenance system should be produced in tabular form incorporating the above elements. Management should be able to assess, at any point in time, progress is otherwise in the implementation of the system. 1(c) Principal regulations Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 1(d) Approved codes of practice Safe use of work equipment Safe use of power presses Safe use of woodworking machinery



Quality systems audit (QSA) This formal audit system follows the principles of the International Standards Organisation for Quality Systems Auditing (ISO 19011). Evidence of compliance is gained by way of examination of documentation, the questioning of employees at all levels, and observation of physical conditions at the workplace. QSA is divided into five main sections and eleven sub-sections, corresponding to the structure of the HSE Guidance Note



Health and safety management in practice



189



HS(G)65 Successful health and safety management. QSA takes a structured approach to examining an organisation’s health and safety management system and includes all the elements of OHSAS 18001 (see above). Guidance for auditors is incorporated in the audit workbook for the system.



Scoring QSA uses an ‘all or nothing’ approach, that is, all the points can be awarded in respect of a particular question or none at all, in the later case being directed at encouraging improvement in performance. Non-applicable question scores can be deducted from the total potential.



Award system There is an award system based on evaluation of all subsections of the audit in all cases, consisting of five possible levels based on the minimum sub-section percentage score. The lower number of audit sections and sub-sections under QSA allows the use of the ‘radar chart’, a powerful mapping tool for demonstrating at a glance the strengths and weaknesses of the organisation’s health and safety management system.



Training Formal training is necessary for people using the system, providing the options for ‘internal’ audits using the organisation’s own personnel or ‘external’ audits using the owners of the audit system. In the case of QSA, the system is owned by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).



Risk assessment Risk assessment is the principal feature of all modern protective legislation – health and safety, food safety and environmental protection.



190



Health and Safety Pocket Book



The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations place an absolute duty on every employer to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of: (a) the risks to the health and safety of employees to which they are exposed whilst at work; and (b) the risks to the health and safety of persons not in their employment arising out of or in connection with the conduct by him of his undertaking; for the purpose of identifying the measures he needs to take to comply with the requirements and prohibitions imposed upon him by or under the relevant statutory provisions. A ‘suitable and sufficient risk assessment’ should: (a) identify the significant risks arising out of the work; (b) enable the employer to identify and prioritise the measures that need to be taken to comply with the relevant statutory provisions; and (c) be appropriate to the nature of the work and such that it remains in force for a reasonable period of time. Further information on risk assessment is incorporated in Regulation 3 of the regulations and the ACOP to same. 1(c) Principal regulations Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 Control of Lead at Work Regulations 2002 Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 Work at Height Regulations 2005 Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005



Health and safety management in practice



191



1(d) Approved codes of practice Control of asbestos at work Control of lead at work The management of asbestos in non-domestic premises Control of substances hazardous to health Dangerous substances and explosive atmospheres Work with ionising radiation Management of health and safety at work 1(e) HSE guidance notes Assessing and managing risks at work from skin exposure to chemical agents A step-by-step guide to COSHH assessment Five steps to risk assessment



Risk management Risk management is variously defined as: • the minimisation of the adverse effects of pure and speculative risks within a business; • the identification, measurement and economic control of the risks that threaten the assets and earnings of a business or other enterprise; • the identification and evaluation of risk and the determination of the best financial solution for coping with the major and minor threats to a company’s earnings and performance; • a technique for coping with the effects of change. Risk management techniques have the principal objective of producing savings in insurance premiums by first defining and then minimising areas of industrial and other risk. It seeks not to discredit insurance arrangements but to promote the concept of insuring only what is necessary in terms of risk. On this basis the manageable risks are identified, measured and either eliminated or controlled, and the financing of the remaining or residual risks, normally through insurance, takes place at a later stage.



192



Health and Safety Pocket Book



Categories of risk There are two main areas of risk, namely catastrophic risk, which demands insurance, and risks associated with wastage of the organisation’s assets. The latter is where the scope of selfinsurance and diminution of risk is most evident, and is why organisations appoint risk managers, in some cases establishing risk management subsidiaries. Risks may be of a pure or speculative nature. Pure risks can only result in loss to the organisation. Speculative risks, on the other hand, may result in either gain or loss. Within the context of a risk management programme, risk may be defined as ‘the chance of loss’, and the programme is therefore geared to safeguarding the organisation’s assets, namely manpower, materials, machinery, methods, manufactured goods and money.



The risk management process This takes place in a series of stages: (a) identification of the exposure to risk, such as that arising from fire, storm and flood, accidents, human error, theft or fraud, breach of legislation, etc.; (b) analysis and evaluation of the identified exposures to risk; (c) risk control, using a range of protective measures; and (d) financing of the risk at the lowest cost.



Risk control strategies Risk avoidance



Risk retention



Risk transfer



This strategy involves a conscious decision on the part of the organisation to avoid completely a risk by discontinuing the operation or circumstances that produces the risk.



In this case, the risk is retained within the organisation where any consequent loss is financed by that organisation.



This is the legal assignment of the costs of certain potential losses from one party to another, e.g. from a company to an insurance company.



Health and safety management in practice



193



Safe systems of work This may be defined as the integration of people, machinery and materials in a safe and healthy environment and workplace to produce and maintain an acceptable standard of safety. Requirements for a safe system of work include: • a safe workplace layout with adequate space; • a safe means of access to and egress from the working area; • a correct sequence of operations; • analysis of jobs, using techniques such as job analysis and job safety analysis; • identification of safe procedures, both routine and emergency; • a safe and healthy working environment in terms of temperature, lighting, ventilation and humidity, noise and vibration control, and hazardous airborne contaminants; and • the provision of information, instruction, training and supervision for employees operating the system of work. 1(b) Statutes Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974



Safety monitoring systems Active monitoring of the workplace and work activities should be undertaken through a range of techniques. These include the following.



Safety inspections A scheduled or unscheduled inspection of a workplace to examine current levels of safety performance, working practices and compliance with legal requirements at a particular point in time. One of the principal objectives is the identification of hazards



194



Health and Safety Pocket Book



and the making of recommendations, short, medium and longterm, to prevent or control exposure to these hazards. Safety audits The systematic measurement and validation of an organisation’s management of its health and safety programme against a series of specific and attainable standards (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents). A safety audit subjects each area of an organisation’s activities to a systematic critical examination with the principal objective of minimising loss. It is an on-going process aimed at ensuring effective health and safety management. Safety surveys A detailed examination of a number of critical areas of operation or an in-depth study of the whole health and safety operation of premises. Safety sampling exercises An organised system of regular random sampling, the purpose of which is to obtain a measure of safety attitudes and possible sources of accidents by the systematic recording of hazard situations observed during inspections made along a predetermined route in a workplace. Hazard and operability studies (HAZOPS) These studies incorporate the application of formal critical examination to the process and engineering intentions for new facilities, such as production processes. The aim of HAZOPS is to assess the hazard potential arising from incorrect operation of each item of equipment and the consequential effects on the facility as a whole. Remedial action is then usually possible at a very early stage of the project with maximum effectiveness and minimum cost.



Health and safety management in practice



195



1(e) HSE guidance notes Successful health and safety management



Safety signs A ‘safety sign’ is defined as a sign that gives a message about health and safety by a combination of geometric form, safety colour and symbol or text, or both. The Safety Signs Regulations require that any sign displayed in a workplace must comply with the specification of signs contained in BS 5378: Part 1: 1980 Safety Signs and Colours: Specifications for Colour and Design. There are four basic categories of safety sign. Prohibition These signs indicate that certain behaviour is prohibited or must stop immediately, for example, smoking in a non-smoking area. These signs are recognised by a red circle with a cross running from top left to bottom right on a white background. Any symbol is reproduced in black within the circle. Warning These are signs which give warning or notice of a hazard. The signs are black outlined triangles filled in by the safety colour, yellow. The symbol or text is in black. The combination of black and yellow identifies the need for caution. Mandatory These signs indicate that a specific course of action is required, for example, ear protection must be worn. The safety colour is blue with the symbol or text in white. The sign is circular in shape. Safe condition The signs provide information about safe conditions. The signs are rectangular or square in shape, coloured green with white text or symbol.



196



Health and Safety Pocket Book



Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 These regulations cover various means of communicating health and safety information, including the use of illuminated signs, hand and acoustic signals (e.g. fire alarms), spoken communication and the marking of pipework containing dangerous substances. Employers must use a safety sign where a risk cannot be adequately avoided or controlled by other means. The regulations require, where necessary, the use of road traffic signs within workplaces to regulate road traffic. Employers are required, firstly, to maintain the safety signs which are provided by them and, secondly, explain unfamiliar signs to their employees and tell them what they need to do when they see a safety sign. The regulations also deal with fire safety signs including the need for exit signs to incorporate the Running Man symbol. 1(d) HSE guidance notes Safety signs and signals: Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996



Health and safety management in practice



197



Statements of health and safety policy As stated in Part 1: Legal Background, a Statement of Health and Safety Policy incorporates three main elements. Part 1: General statement of intent This part outlines the organisation’s philosophy and objectives with respect to health and safety and should incorporate the duties of employers specified in Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.



Part 2: Organisation



Part 3: Arrangements



It is useful to incorporate an organisational chart, or description of the chain of command, from the chief executive, managing director, senior partner, etc. downwards. This part should indicate clearly individual levels of responsibility and how accountability is fixed, the system for monitoring implementation of the policy and the relationship of the safety adviser with senior management.



Part 3 deals with the management systems and procedures which assist in overall policy implementation. It covers a wide range of matters including:



• the arrangements for risk assessment • the arrangements for safe systems of work, including permit-to-work systems • safety monitoring • accident reporting, recording and investigation • provision of information, instruction, training and supervision • consultation with safety representatives and employees generally • control of exposure to substances hazardous to health, noise, radiation, etc • emergency procedures • occupational health procedures • fire safety arrangements, etc.