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HNC/HND in Mechanical EngineeringBTEC Diploma in Engineering

Unit 6Health, Safety and Risk Assessment in

Engineering

Manage Health and Safety in the workplace

Created by:Gabriel Stancu

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HND Mechanical EngineeringYEAR 1

2013-10-31

CONTENTS

Abbreviations ………………………………………………………………….…………page 14

Summary..........................................................................................page 3

Introduction ………............................................................................page 3

Identifying industrial work areas where current regulations would apply and describing the role of the HSE inspectorate........................................page 4

Implement a schedule for setting-up of a safety audit system........page 7

Select the relevant codes of practice to enhance safety................page 10

Conclusion………...............................................................................page 12

References………..............................................................................page 13

Appendix……………………………………………………………………………………..page 15

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Abbreviations

• HSE – Health and Safety Executive• PPE – Personal Protective Equipment• RIDDOR – Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulation• HASAW – Health and Safety at Work• MHIC – Manual Handling Information Checklist• SMSA – Safety Management System Audit• SMS – Safety Management System• CNC – Computer Numerical Control• PUWER – Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulation• LOLER – Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulation• HSAS – Health and Safety Advisory Service • ACOPs - Approved Codes of Practice

Summary

The first part of the assignment will analyse different work areas to identify health and safety

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regulations and to describe the role of the HSE Inspectorate with regard to a reportable incident.

The second part of this assignment is to implement a schedule for setting up of a safety auditsystem, including Health and Safety Policy, record keeping, safety surveys and training.

The last part of this assignment will submit the importance of managing Health and Safety in the workplace.

Introduction

The purpose of this assignment is to working areawhere health and safety regulation apply, describe the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulation (PUWER) regulation and the employer responsibility toprevent accidents, the importance of reporting an accident or incident at work and explain the role ofthe Health and Safety inspector regard to an incident.

This essay shows how an employer can improve his health and safety system by implementing a Safety Management System Audit (See the Appendix for examples) and how an employer can comply with legislation in the form of guidance notes by using Approved Codes of Practice.

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1: Identifying industrial work areas where current regulations would apply and describing the role of the HSE inspectorate.

Health and Safety law is very extensive. The basis of UK health and safety law is the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. This sets out the general principles of health and safety compliance and is supplemented by various Regulations, some of which apply to all industries and some of which apply to specific industries, types of premises or specific health and safety issues.

Health and safety law creates rights and obligations on employers and workers and protection extends beyond an employer's own employees to other workers and visitors the employer's premises.

All employers employing five or more employees must have a written health and safety policy, which must be brought to the notice of all employees. Thereis a further duty on the employer to ensure that the health and safety of persons other than employees whouse the premises are protected.

Regulations are approved by Parliament and have the force of law. The Management of Health and Safetyat Work Regulations 1992, (Management Regulations), require employers to make risk assessment but leave them with considerable freedom on how to control risks. But some risks are so great that other Regulations are needed to ensure that specific actionis taken to protect health and safety. Some of these

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other Regulations apply to all employers, such as theManual Handling Regulations and the Display Screen Equipment Regulations, others apply to specific businesses and premises.

As examples in a workplace area were company usesCNC drilling machines to perform his activity The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulation 1998 (PUWER) must be applied.

PUWER enforce the employer to ensure that suitable equipment is provided for the jobs involved,the information and instruction are adequate, the equipment is maintained in good working order and repair, the training is provided for operators and supervisors, the equipment is safeguarded to prevent risks from mechanical and other specific hazards, theequipment is provided with appropriate and effective controls.

Working with machinery can be dangerous because moving machinery can cause injuries in many ways, most accidents at al type of machine, including automatic and CNC machines, happen to operators during normal operations when : loading and unloadingcomponents, removing swarf, taking measurements and making adjustments. On manually operated machines, the most dangerous machine movements are the rotating, cutting, shearing, sawing or pressing movements of tools. Those machines can be: presses, drilling or milling machines, lathes, and guillotinesor grinding machines.

Working with machinery can be dangerous because moving machinery can cause injuries in many ways. People can be hit and injured by moving parts of machinery or ejected material (violent spinning of the work piece because of poor clamping – can cause scalping injuries or broken bones). Parts of the body can also be drawn into or trapped between rollers, belts and pulley drives (hair

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can be caught on rotating spindles, chucks or tools). Sharp edges can cause cuts and severing injuries, sharp-pointed parts can stab or puncture the skin, and rough surface parts can cause friction or abrasion. People can be crushed both between parts moving together or towards a fixed part of the machine, wall or other object, and two parts moving past one another can cause shearing.

The employer has the responsibility to take measures to prevent the access to dangerous parts of the machine by installing fixed guards secured with screws or nuts and bolts to enclose the dangerous parts, whenever practicable. If fixed guards are not practicable, use other methods, interlock the guard so that the machine cannot start before the guard is closed and cannot be opened while the machine is still moving. In some cases, trip systems such as photoelectric devices, pressure-sensitive mats or automatic guards may be used if other guards are not practicable. Control any remaining risk by providing the operator with the necessary information, instruction, training, supervision and appropriate safety equipment.

The PUWER regulation is related to other regulations such as:

Personal protective equipment (PPE) at work 1992-The Regulations also require that PPE is: properly assessed before use to make sure it is fit for purpose, maintained and stored properly, provided with instructions on how to use it safely, used correctly by employees.

The Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations 1992, which cover, for example, workplace risks to pedestrians from vehicles.

The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008, as amended, which require that machinery:

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is safe when supplied, comes with a Declaration of Conformity and user instructions in English and is CE marked.

Reporting certain incidents is a legal requirement. The report informs the enforcing authorities (HSE, local authorities) about deaths, injuries, occupational diseases and dangerous occurrences, so they can identify whereand how risks arise, and whether they need to be investigated. The Health and Safety Executive Reporting accidents and incidents at work allows the enforcing authorities to target their work and provide advice about how to avoid work-related deaths, injuries, ill health and accidental loss.

Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and DangerousOccurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) is the law that requires employers, and other people in control of work premises, to report and keep records of: work-related accidents which cause death, work-related accidents which cause certainserious injuries (reportable injuries), diagnosedcases of certain industrial diseases; and certainincidents with the potential to cause harm.

RIDDOR sets out the requirement to report thefollowing types of incident: a major injury, a work related accident resulting in a non-employee, an employee being unable to do their normal work for more than 7 days, a defined dangerous occurrence and a defined reportable disease.

All accidents will be investigated. Minor investigations will be carried out by the managerresponsible for the employee or activity. HSAS will notify the Estates Management Section of

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premises related incidents, so that they can investigate. The investigation outcome should be recorded on the Safety Incident Form. More serious accidents will be investigated by HSAS. To assist the investigation a note should be madeof environmental conditions at the time of the accident: wet or slippery floors, poor condition of carpet or floor covering, weather and path conditions, type of shoes worn, obstructions, visibility, lighting levels, manual handling tasks, any PPE issued for the task and, most importantly, the location of the accident should be as precise as possible.

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAW) is a law. In this act, employers are required to ensure that their workers perform their duties under conditions that are healthy and safe.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for enforcing health and safety at work. The Health and Safety Executive is the operational arm of the Health and Safety Commission and has the day to day responsibility for the enforcement of health and safety law.

HSE inspectors have the power to:· enter premises· inspect and investigate· take measurements, samples and photographs· require an area or machine to be left undisturbed· seize, render harmless or destroy dangerous items· obtain information and take statements

They also have the power to issue improvementand prohibition notices and can bring

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prosecutions against any person contravening a relevant statutory provision. They are specialists in their field, they operate from local offices throughout the UK, they can enter work premises unannounced and carry out investigations, they can take photos, statements,samples and measurements, and they can prosecute all persons who fall to comply with HASAW etc. 1974.

Within the inspections HSE Inspectors can assess relevant documents held by the duty holder, they can interview people, they can observe sites conditions, standards and practices. The investigations include all those activities carried out in response to an incidentto gather and establish the facts, to prevent recurrence, take appropriate action, including formal enforcement. The enforcement decisions mayinclude serving notices, withdrawing approvals, prosecutions and providing information or advice.

2: Implement a schedule for setting-up of a safety audit system

An audit is a review to confirm that regulations, processes or rules are being followed. A health and safety audit is an audit that focuses on some or all aspects of health andsafety. It is a review performed to determine whether health and safety regulations and companypolicies are being adequately implemented and

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complied with. The first step is to review organisation/department’s current safety audit systems to identify the systems in place, identify potential improvements and then create an implementation plan and schedule.

The following can be factors that can help increase safety: personal protective equipment, emergency equipment, training records, health andsafety awareness, health and safety training, health and safety posters/signs and safety guidelines compliance.

To identify the H&S System in place and identify potential improvements, the assessors need to implement a Safety Management System Audit. The SMSA is a safety inspection designed to help the assessor to evaluate the quality safety management system design and performance. The SMSA should be revised at least annually to look at each of critical components of the SMS todetermine what is working well and what changes, if any, are needed. An example of SMSA is illustrated in the Appendix No1. Health and safety legislation requires employers to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees. To demonstrate activemanagement of health and safety at work, every employer has to make suitable and sufficient assessments of the risk associated with their business and the workplace from which they operate. A risk assessment is a careful examination ofwhat, in the work activities, could cause harm topeople and take precautions to prevent the harm. The assessor should look at the overall operations or tasks undertaken. The steps to a risk assessment are:

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identify hazards or consequences identify those at risk evaluate the risk eliminate or minimise the risk by introducing

control measures monitor control measures Review control measures.

Once this process has been started the work activities and workplace should be broken into small units and potential hazards identified.

In conclusion, a risk assessment must be suitable and sufficient. For the risk assessment to be judged suitable and sufficient, it need to show that : had consider all of the work tasks including occasional and seasonal tasks, a propercheck has made so that the significant hazards have been identified, had identified who may be affected, the precautions that has been put in place are reasonable and the remaining risk is low, appropriate steps have been taken to remove or control the risks and the risk assessment was reviewed when an accident causing injury or damage has occurred.

As an example an action plan for Manual Handling need to include:1.Manual Handling Information checklist (Appendix

nr. 1) to record the significant features of each lifting operations as it relates to differing capabilities and capacities of each employee. The MHIC must consider the size, shape and weight of the load, the frequency, ifthe need of movement can be reduced, if the process can be adapted to reduce the risk, if the floor is suitable and maintained for the work, etc.

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2.Manual Handling Risk Assessment (Appendix nr2),record of significant risks and control measures.

3. Training Records – managers, supervisors, and workers understand the procedures and arrangements. All workers must be involved in developing the procedure based on their considerations.

4.Implementing the procedure and ensuring that isfollowed in practice

5.Monitoring and reviewing the operation of the procedure from time to time

A Health and Safety company policy is a plan ofaction adopted by a company. These H&S policy statements are designed to ensure that, the companyoperates in a way that meets and exceeds the requirements of Health and Safety requirements and have overall beneficial impact on the company and client relationship. An example of a Health and Safety company policy is illustrated in Appendix 3.The Health & safety Policy must be displayed on thecompany notice board, reviewed every year, up to date and signed by the manager director.

The HASAW law enforce any employer who employs five people or more to have a written statement of health and safety policy. The statement is important because is the company basicaction plan on health and safety witch all the employees should read, understand and follow. The HSP should state, in simple terms, what the generalaims are with regard to the employees.

The law requires that the HSP need to be revised as often as may be appropriate. Revision may be necessary if the nature of work that is carried out changes, if new hazards are introduced

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into the workplace, if there are changes of personnel or of duties, if new regulation or codes of practice are relevant to the company activities.

3: Select the relevant codes of practice to enhance safety

Health and Safety law is very extensive. The basis of UK health and safety law is the Health andSafety at Work Act 1974. This sets out the general principles of health and safety compliance and is supplemented by various Regulations, some of which apply to all industries and some of which apply to specific industries, types of premises or specific health and safety issues. Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs) are published from time to time containing guidance, examples of good practice and explanations of the law. Regulations made under health and safety legislation are sometimes supplemented by Codes of Practice approved and/or issued by the Health and Safety Commission.

Approved Codes of Practice give practical guidance on compliance. Failure to comply with an

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Approved Code of Practice is not an offence in itself. However, these codes have special legal status. If an employer/individual faces criminal prosecution under health and safety law, and it is proved that the advice of the Approved Code of Practice has not been followed, a court can regard it as evidence of guilt unless it is satisfied thatthe employer/individual has complied with the law in some other way. Following Approved Codes of Practice is therefore regarded as best practice.

An employer can seek advice from the HSE inspectorate on how to comply with legislation in the form of guidance notes. The main purpose of such guidance is to: interpret the law and help people understand what the law requires, help people comply with the law (for example, if regulations use words like‘ suitable and sufficient’, an Approved Code of Practice can illustrate what this requires in particular circumstances), give technical advice.

General guidance on manual handling risk assessment

Employers have a duty to consult safety representatives and employees about the arrangements they make for health and safety in theworkplace. For example, safety representatives and employees can make effective contributions by bringing to the employer attention the difficultiescaused by: the size or shape of loads, how often loads are handled, the order in which the task is carried out, the environment in which the handling operation are carried out.

Each box in TABLE 1 and TABLE 2 contain a guideline weight for lifting in that zone. The HSE guidance says that the weights shown in the

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diagrams are not meant to be interpreted as 'safe limits’.

Table 1 Table 2

The Regulations set out a three-step the employershould take:

Step 1: To avoid the need for any manual handlinginvolving risk of injury, 'so far as is reasonably practicable'. This may include mechanisation, redesigning the tasks to employee,or breaking down the loads handled into manageable units.Step 2: Where manual handling tasks cannot be avoided, the employer must assess the risks. In these circumstances, employers must review the risk factors associated with the manual handling.The working environment, such as the amount of space the employee work, how it is organised, howmuch he has to twist and lift. Step 3: To reduce the risk of injury. After the risk assessment, the employer should introduce safe systems to minimise risks. The Regulations do not specify a maximum weight to be lifted, butemployers must take steps to reduce manual

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handling to its lowest practicable level. They must provide information on the weight of each load, and the heaviest side of any load.

The employees must:•Use any equipment provided as aids to manual handling•Attend manual handling training if required•Bring any problems relating to manual handling to the attention of Supervisors or Line Managers•Not attempt to lift or move any containers or objects which may be beyond their capabilities.

A good handling guidance technique for lifting: thinking before lifting/handling, keeping the load close to the waist, adopting a stable position, getting a good hold, start in a good position, avoiding twisting the back any further while lifting, keeping head up when handling, moving smoothly, do not lifting or handling more than can be easily managed, puttingdown then adjust.

Handling equipment can be an alternative to minimise the handling accidents and improve the employees work. Mechanical aids can reduce risk of injury when used correctly. Although handling aids will eliminate many of the manual handling risks, but they may introduce others and these risks must be assessed. Handling equipment requires appropriate trainings for safe operation, periodic statutory inspection in accordance with the PUWER and LOLER.

Conclusion

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Under the law employers are responsible for health and safety management. It is an employer'sduty to protect the health, safety and welfare oftheir employees and other people who might be affected by their business. Employers must do whatever is reasonably practicable to achieve this. Employers have duties under health and safety law to assess risks in the workplace. Riskassessments should be carried out that address all risks that might cause harm in the workplace.

Workers have a duty to take care of their ownhealth and safety and that of others who may be affected by their actions at work. Workers must co-operate with employers and co-workers to help everyone meet their legal requirements.

References

University of Essex. (2013). Health and Safety Incident Reporting. Available: http://www.essex.ac.uk/ohsas/hsincident/Report.htm. Last accessed 23/11/2013.

HSE. (2013). Major Incident Roles and Responsibilities. Available: http://www.hse.gov.uk/foi/internalops/og/ogpr

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ocedures/majorincident/roleshsehsc.htm. Last accessed 23/11/2013.

Reporting accidents and incidents at work. 2013. . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg453.pdf. [Accessed 25 November 2013].

Investigating accidents and incidents. 2013. . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg245.pdf. [Accessed 25 November 2013].

TCEA. (2013). Health and Safety Law. Available: http://www.tcea.org.uk/Documents/Health-and-Safety-Law.htm. Last accessed 23/11/2013.

HSE. (2013). Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. Available: http://www.hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/puwer.htm. Last accessed 23/11/2013.

Sukram. (2 Jul 2008). Define a health and safety audit?. Available: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Define_a_health_and_safety_audit#slide4. Last accessed 23/11/2013.

Health and safety regulation. 2013. . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hsc13.pdf. [Accessed 25 November 2013].

Paula Quirk. (22 November 2013). Safety Codesof Practice and Guidance Notes. Available: http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/HSU/65144.htm. Last accessed 23/11/2013.

Writing a Health and Safety Policy Statement.2013. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.tendringdc.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/environment/Writing%20a

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%20Health%20and%20Safety%20Policy%20Statement.pdf. [Accessed 25 November 2013].

Health and safety policy statement. 2013.[ONLINE] Available at: http://www.fermanagh.gov.uk/pubuploads/health%20and%20safety%20policy%20statement.pdf. [Accessed 25 November 2013].

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(APPENDIX No.1)

Document No :12/9/2013

Risk Assesme nt Rewiewed By :

Employers

SlipingC Evans

Brocken bonesStaff trained / good housekip ing (no grains of m

aterial on the floor) / good li ghting

Provide a spec ial non slipping level

People alloca ted in col 4. ant target da te approved by the Manager/Sup ervisor: Name: B r idley Signature: Date: 10/11/ 2013

Details of Fur ther Control s Measures R equired (col 5.) Transferre d :

Control Meas ures Action R ecordYes/No

On Date:

Staff trained in manual hand ling

legislationC Evans

Employers

Use of Knife to cut the bags

S wrightCutting

Staff trained Provide a speci al box to store the kn ifes and provide glo ves

3. Risks

Manual handli ng -

lifting plastic b ags from

stationery , em

ptying the b ags into the hoper

Employers

1. Persons Affec ted by the Activity

2. What Hazards Have

Been Identified?

Muskuloskelet al

disorders and other injuries

Task/Work Acivity/W

o rk Area Asse ssed: Loading hop er / Wareho sePeople invo lved in m

ak ing this asse ssment:

Supplementa ry Cheklists Used in Resp ect Of:

New and exp ectant mothers

Young persons

Display scree nsManual Handling

Substances H asardous to Health

FORM RA 1

RISK ASS ESS MEN T F ORM

Risk assesme nt Num

ber : 013Date of Asse sm

ent: 22/10/2013

7.Work

Completed

(date and signature)

6. ActionDate of Com

pletion:

5. Further Contro l Measures Identif ied as

Necessary4. Control M

easu res Already in P laceAlocated to:

22/11/2013

22/11/2013

15/12/203

Check Check

Check Check

Check

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The task - does involve :Holding loads away from trunk? NoTwisting and stoping? Yes Twisting m ovem entReaching upwards? YesLarge vertical m ovem ents? NoLong carriyng distances? NoStrenous pushing or puling? NoUnpredictable m ovem ents of loads? Yes The bags could colapse from the palletRepetitive handling? Yes 5 to 10 bags one after anotherInsuficient rest and recover? NoThe individual's capability - does the job:-Require unusual capability? NoEndanger those with a health problem ? NoEndanger those who are pregnat? YesCall for special inform ation/training? NoThe loads - are they:-Heavy? W hat is the weight and frequency? Yes 25 kilos / 5 to 10 bags every 2 hourBulky/ unwieldy? NoDifficult to Grasp? Yes If the bags are wetUnstable / unpracticable? Yes If the bags are not teken in orderIntrinsicaly harm ful ( sharp, hot, etc) NoThe environm ent : are there:-Constraints to posture? NoPoor floors? NoVariation in levels? Yes One step level Hot/ cold/ hum id conditions? NoStrong air m ovem ents? NoPoor lighting conditons? NoOther factors:Is m ovem ent or posture hindered by clothing or PPE? No

Record any further com ents or notes on the back of this sheet.Com plted By : Gabriel StancuPosition: Plastic injection Technician

Date: 24/11/2013Link to risk assessm ent form nr: 013

Yes/No Com m ents - furter actions m ey be required. Record any rele.vant com entQuestion to consider:

M ANUAL HANDLING INFORM ATION CHECKLIST Form M HIC

Task location: W arehouse

Task undertaken: Loading HDPE material into the hoper

(APPENDIX No.2)

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Health and Safety Policy Statement

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

This is the Health and safety Policy of

XYZ LTD CompanySafety is the first priority in all our activities. We

are committed to implementing, developing and improving strategies, management system and processes to ensure our production activity uphold the highest level of safety performance.

Our statement of general policy is:

To provide adequate control of the health and safety risks arising from our work activities,

To consult with our employees on matters affecting their health and safety,

To prevent accidents and cases of work-related ill health Staff will be supervised until fully trained and assessed

as competent, Machinery , equipment and safety devices are regularly

maintained, inspected and are safe and suitable to use, The workplace is safe and suitable in terms of comfort,

space, heating, lighting, ventilation, cleanliness and freedom from unnecessary hazards,

Accidents and incidents are investigated and appropriateaction taken to prevent recurrence,

Working practices are regularly reviewed to improve health and safety.

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All personnel will receive appropriate information and training to ensure that they:

Are aware of the hazards at their workplace, Are familiar with all relevant safety Rules, Procedures

& Safe System of Work, Know where and how to access all the necessary safety

data Know where to find and how to use first aid and

firefighting equipment.

Day-to-day responsibility for ensuring this policy is put intopractice is delegate to:

Health & Safety Manager Michael Cole

General Manager Signature Date:

(APPENDIX no.3)