Module-1

Introduction to Safety

1.0 Introduction

Safety is a very important aspect of any particular activity. Suppose, we are playing a game, we
have to play it in a very safe mode otherwise, we will get injured. If we are driving a vehicle; we
have to be very safe while driving, otherwise we may encounter an accident. But, whenever a
manufacturing activity is taking place; there are always chances of certain accidents that may take
place. Therefore, we have to design the systems in such a way so that even if a worker is not
performing his duties according to the laid out principles in the manual, he may not encounter any
accident. Because if an accident takes place, it has large number of implications; the material loss,
the man hours lost, as well as the person may also suffer some injuries. So, we have to take into
account all these points and we have to design the systems in such away, so that the accidents are
minimal.

Industrial safety is a branch of management which is concerned with reducing, controlling and
eliminating hazards from industries or industrial units. Industrial Safety refers to protection of
worker from the danger of industrial accidents. Industrial safety is of prime importance in any
organization, because if safety measures are not taken chances of industrial accidents are definitely
going to be increased.

1.1 Objectives of safety and security measures:

a. To achieve 100% safety and 100% security of installations, equipment, human life and
animal life
b. To bring awareness about safety rules
c. To educate personnel
d. To prevent accidents by reducing the hazards to minimum
e. Study of unsafe acts and unsafe conditions leading to accidents. To take corrective
measures to eliminate them
f. To ensure first aid and emergency help in case of accident
g. To understand the cause and effect relationship in accidents associated with any system
h. To establish safety management system, safety audit system

1.2 Terms Used:

1. ACCIDENT: An unpleasant, unexpected, unforeseen or unintended happening sometimes

resulting from negligence, that results in injury, loss, damage, etc., and is caused by mistake
or machine failure or natural disaster
Accidents may cause ‘Mishap, ruin, destruction, injury, death. Accidents must be prevented
by precautions and safety measures and safety management.
For instance, in an organization a person while working receiving an electric current, a labor
cut his finger from machine, blast in chemical industry, a fire in textile industry etc.

2. SAFETY: A quality or condition of being safe from ‘danger, injury, damage, loss, accident’.
Safety means freedom from the occurrence of injury or loss.
 3. HAZARD: To expose to, ‘danger, risk, chance of accident’. Hazard is a term associated with
a substance that will cause an injury in a given environment or situation.
Industrial hazard is defined as any condition produced by industries that may cause injury or
death to personnel or loss of product or property
4. SAFE: Free from injury, damage, accident, loss’.

5. SAFETY DEVICES: Devices which ensure safety against injury or loss.

Example- Safety belt, Safety glasses, Safety earthing,
Safety enclosure, Safety fence etc.,
6. SAFETY GUARD: Any person or thing or devices that prevents injury, loss and
ensure safety and security.
7. SECURITY: State of sense or safety protection or defence against attack, interference etc.,

8. PRECAUTION: Care or measure taken beforehand against possible danger.

9. CAUTION: a) A word or sign by which warning is given

b) Act or practice of being cautious.
10. APPLIANCE: Device which performs specific task
Example: Stove, Heater etc.

1.3 SLIP, TRIP and FALL:

Falls and slips from elevations or on the same level occur in all industries, in all occupations and
in all work settings. One of the more serious and potentially deadly hazards are falls from
elevations. Falls and slips on the same level are equally injurious though not equally severe to
result in fatality. When fall hazards are recognized, provisions to reduce the hazards can be
developed, implemented and reinforced on a timely basis to prevent deaths and injuries.

The management of a company develops, implement and enforce a comprehensive, written fall
protection programme. The programme should include the following:

1. Addressing all aspects of safety and hazards in the planning phase of projects.
2. Identifying all fall hazards at the work site.
3. Training employees in the recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions and the
regulations to control or eliminate the hazards applicable to their work environment. Fall
protection training is recommended to include classroom instruction supplemented by
hands-on training with equipment. Training should commence at the time of appointment
of new employees who will be exposed to fall hazards and continue periodically. Workers
can be involved in identifying tasks that create fall hazards and methods used to eliminate
these hazards.
4. A job hazard analysis for each task to be performed
5. Providing appropriate fall protection equipment, training workers on its proper use.
6. Conducting scheduled and unscheduled inspection
7. Establishment of medical and rescue programmes
8. Encouraging the workers to actively participate in the workplace safety
 OSHA regulations require employers to provide workers who are exposed to fall hazards of over
6 feet with adequate fall protection systems

1.3 Fall Protection Programme:

1. Ladders: Safety features provided in ladders are slip-resistant steps, positioning feet and
top and bottom stabilizers. Some factors to be considered before using or climbing a
ladder are,
a. Placement
b. climbing style
c. Descending style
d. Angle of inclination

➢ Factors that contribute to falls from ladders are

a. Ladder slips (from top or bottom)
b. Slipping on steps
c. Defective equipment
d. Improper ladder selection for a given task

➢ The workers should be knowledgeable of the following when using ladders:

a. Visually inspect for structural damage such as, split/bent side rails, broken or
missing steps

b. Damaged safety devices such as rung locks

c. Safety shoes/feet
d. Grease, dirt or other contaminants that could cause slip
e. Paint or stickers that could hide possible defects

➢ Ladder Climbing Guidelines:

a. Wear slip-resistant footwear
b. Keep the area around the top and bottom of the ladder clear
c. Wear approved fall protection equipment where applicable
d. Never carry large objects while ascending or descending a ladder
e. Keep both hands free for climbing or coming down
f. Face the ladder and maintain three point contact
i.e., two hands and one foot or one hand two feet on the ladder
g. Do not overload the ladder
➢ Types of Ladders
a. Portable Ladders:
1. Self supporting ladders

2. Straight or extension ladders

b. Fixed ladders:
• Each step should be capable of withstand 114 kg applied in the middle of the step
• Steps of fixed metal ladders should be corrugated, knurled or coated with skid resistant
material
• Cages, wells, ladder safety devices or self retracting life lines should be provided to fixed
ladders, where length of climb exceeds 24 feet

2. Scaffolds:
Every worker should be knowledgeable of the following when using scaffolds:
a. The footing for scaffolds should be rigid
b. Loose bricks or concrete blocks should not be used to support scaffolds or planks
c. Guard rails and toe- boards should be installed on all open sides and ends of platform
more than 10 feet above the ground level
d. Damaged parts should be repaired or replaced
e. A competent person should inspect the scaffolding
f. Employees should be trained for climbing scaffolds
1.3.1 Falls from buildings or other structures:
Safety measures include:
a. Permanent structural members should be provided across the length
b. A competent person should evaluate the critical points and check the safety
equipments (safety belts if required)
c. A competent person should routinely inspect all protective devices( e.g., guard
rails., etc)
d. Plant/ operators should identify areas that are hazardous and restrict the use of these
areas

1.3.2 Falls and Slips on the same level:

Slipping are the common hazards for falls on the same level, in order to prevent slips and falls one
should ensure the following:
a. Identify the factors that contribute to slips and falls in the work area
b. Good housekeeping is essential in preventing falls and slips
c. Regular cleaning and clearing of grease, oil, dirt or chemical accumulation is a must
d. Work floors should be maintained with non-skid material
e. Use slip resistant footwears
f. Floor cracks, floor joints or ditches should be repaired
g. Manual handling of material should be observed and the individual should not be
overloaded because this may imbalance him and cause a fall
h. Inspection of work area should be conducted by the competent personnel Periodically

1.4 Causes of Accident:

1. Unsafe physical/mechanical/environmental condition:
a. Inadequate mechanical guarding
b. Defective equipment such as ladders, floors, piping etc.,
c. Unsafe design
d. Hazardous process, operation or arrangement
Example: storage, overloading, violation of desired norms of good housekeeping
e. Inadequate illumination
f. Inadequate ventilation
g. Unsafe dress and personal protective equipment
Example: loose clothing, defective gloves, aprons, shoes etc.,

2. Unsafe personal acts or practices:

a. Working unsafely
Examples: Improper lifting, performing maintenance or repairs on moving
machinery, working under suspended loads, incorrect mixing of
materials etc
b. Performing operations without supervisors permission or without training
c. Removing safety devices
d. Operating at unsafe speeds
e. Use of unsafe tools or equipment
 Example: Using a chisel with a mushroomed head, Removing chips by hand and
not by brush
f. Teasing and abusing
g. Working under the influence of drugs or alcohol
h. Failure to use safe cloths or personal protective equipment

3. Unsafe personal factors:

a. Unsafe improper attitudes
b. Lack of knowledge or skills
c. Faulty vision
d. Poor hearing
e. Fatigue, slow reaction

1.4.1 Reasons for accidents:

Accidents occur due to following factors:
a. Lack of knowledge on the activity being undertaken
b. Lack of safety aspects in design
c. Lack of commitment to safety
d. Lack of control
e. Lack of education, training
f. Lack of team work
g. Lack of discipline
h. Lack of social responsibility and personal responsibility
i. Failure to learn from past experiences of similar incidents
j. Failure to employee competent and well trained people
k. Failure to identify critical components
l. Lack of safety policy
m. Absence of safety officer at the workplace
Stages to an accident:

Safety policy
Personal factors
Basic causes
Environmental factors

Unsafe Unsafe condition

Indirect causes act

Hazardous material
Direct cause

Accident, injury,
property damage
1.5 Hazardous energy control (or Lockout/Tagout)

a. What is hazardous energy?

Hazardous energy is defined by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) as: "any electrical,
mechanical, pneumatic, chemical, nuclear, thermal, or other energy that can harm people"

b. What is lockout/tagout procedures?

"Lockout/tagout" refers to specific practices and procedures to safeguard employees from the
unexpected energization or startup of machinery and equipment, or the release of hazardous energy
during service or maintenance activities

A lockout uses a lock to hold an energy isolation device in a safe position and prevents the
energization of the machine or equipment.

Tagout is when a tag is placed on a piece of equipment to indicate that the equipment being
controlled may not be operated until the tagout device is removed.

1.5.1 Lockout/tagout Procedure

1. Notify all affected employees that a lockout is required and the reason therefor.
2. If the equipment is operating, shut it down by the normal stopping procedure (such as: depress
stop button, open toggle switch).
3. Operate the switch, valve, or other energy isolating devices so that the energy source(s)
(electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, other) is disconnected or isolated from the equipment.
4. Lockout energy isolating devices with an assigned individual lock.
5. Stored energy, such as that in capacitors, springs, elevated machine members, rotating fly
wheels, hydraulic systems, and air, gas, steam or water pressure, must also be dissipated or
restained by methods such as grounding, repositioning, blocking, bleeding down.
6. After ensuring that no personnel are exposed and as a check on having disconnected the
energy sources, operate the push button or other normal operating controls to make certain
the equipment will not operate.
CAUTION: Return operating controls to neutral position after the test.
7. The equipment is now locked out

1.6 What is a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)?

A material safety data sheet is a technical document which provides detailed and comprehensive
information on a controlled product related to:
a. Health effects of exposure to the product
b. Hazard evaluation related to the product’s handling, storage or use
c. Measure to protect workers at risk of exposure
d. Emergency procedures.
MSDS are to be provided by Supplier’s with all deliveries, must be Accessible to EVERYONE in
the workplace.
➢ Material Safety Data Sheet Content:
A supplier must provide at least nine categories or sections of content and approximately sixty
items of information distributed among those categories. An MSDS must be reviewed at least
every three years. The categories must have the following similar headings:
1. Hazardous Ingredients
This section will include:
• The chemical names and concentrations concerning the hazardous ingredients
• Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) number which is useful in locating more information
especially if the product is known by numerous names
2. Preparation Information
This section includes:
• The name, address and telephone number of who prepared the MSDS.
• The date the MSDS was prepared, If more than three years old, it must be updated.
3. Product Information
This section:
• Identifies the product by the name on the supplier label
• Provides the chemical name, family and formula (including molecular weight)
• Lists the product identifiers, manufacturer and supplier names, addresses and emergency
telephone numbers
4. Physical Data
This section includes information indicating how it looks and how it will behave when it is
used, stored, spilled and how it will react with other products indicated through:

• The state it is in e.g. liquid

• The odour and appearance of the product
• The specific gravity, vapour density, evaporation rate, boiling point and the freezing point
• The vapour pressure, the higher the concentration the higher the possible air concentration
• The odour threshold, which is the lowest airborne concentration of a chemical that can be
perceived by smell
• The pH reflecting the corrosive or irritant nature of the product
5. Fire and Explosion Hazard
This section describes:
• The temperature and conditions that can cause the chemical to catch fire or explode
• Type of fire extinguisher required
• Personal Protective Equipment required for fire fighting
6. Reactivity Data:
This section describes:
• The chemical stability of the product and its reactions to light, heat, moisture, shock and
incompatible materials
• Storage requirements based on the reactivity or instability of the product
• Incompatible products that must not be mixed or stored near each other
• The need for disposal before they become extremely reactive

7. Toxicology Properties:
This section describes:
• The harmful effects of exposure
 • How the product is likely to enter the body and what effects it has on the organs in the
body
• The short-term (acute) and long-term (chronic) health effects from exposure to the
product
• The exposure limits, which indicates the maximum concentration in air of a hazardous
substance (gas, vapour, dust, mist, fume) to which nearly all workers (without personal
protective equipment) can be repeatedly exposed without adverse health effects.

8. Preventative Measures:
This section provides:
• Instruction for the safe use, handling and storage of the product
• The personal protective equipment or safety devices required
• The steps for cleaning up spills
• Information on the waste disposal requirements
9. First Aid Measures:
This section describes:
• Specific first aid measures related to acute effects of exposure to the product
• First aid steps in the correct sequence
• Information to assist in planning for emergencies

The MSDS may contain additional sections providing further information related to the specific
product.

Location of the MSDS:

Hard copy readily available
Computer terminals
Employees and others must know where the MSDS is and how to use them

1.7 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA):

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, more commonly known by its acronym
OSHA, is responsible for protecting worker health and safety in the United States. It is to ensure
safe and healthy working conditions for workers by enforcing workplace laws and standards and
also by providing training, education and assistance. OSHA rules cover numerous industry
workplaces from construction to agriculture. To help employers adhere to its standards and
requirements, OSHA offers training and tools to educate employers and employees. OSHA is
required to explain the procedures, equipment and training that employers and workers must use
to reduce hazards and ensure safety measures specific to the employers’ workplace and workers’
jobs. To comply with OSHA requirements, employers must take a number of specific actions;
those include inspecting the workplace for potential hazards, eliminating or minimizing
hazards, keeping records of workplace injuries and illness, training employees to recognize safety
and health hazards, and educating employees on precautions to prevent accidents. OSHA also
requires employees to follow rules, such as complying with all applicable OSHA standards,
following OSHA safety regulations, wearing required protective equipment, reporting hazardous
conditions, and reporting job-related injuries and illnesses.

1.8 Safe material handling and storage:

 More than 50% of the total number of accidents resulting in injury or property damage is caused
during material handling in industries. Attempts should be made to eliminate or reduce material
handling to the minimum as it does not add value to the cost.

a. The basic facts with respect to material handling:

1. Material handling does not add any value
2. Material handling accounts for 36% of production costs
3. Nearly 50 to 100 tons of material are handled and re-handled for every one ton of finished
product
4. About 2/5th of manufacturing cycle time is spent on handling
5. About 20-80% of the total labour cost go to labour used in handling
6. Between 30-40% of industrial accidents are caused while handling materials

b. Factors influencing selection of handling materials:

1. Weight
2. Size
3. Shape
4. Rate of handling
5. Distance to be moved
6. Purpose of moving
7. Obstacles if any in the pathway

c. Mechanical aids/equipment:
1. Hand tools, Example: hook
2. Rollers for dragging or sliding
3. Trucks and tractors
4. Hoisting apparatus
5. Overhead travelling cranes
6. Conveyors
7. Shovels
8. Elevators and escalators
9. Pipelines/pumps for liquids

d. Unsafe work habits:

Common unsafe work habits in material handling are:

1. Lifting improperly
2. Carrying too heavy a load
3. Unsafe gripping
4. Failure to wear personal protective equipment

1.9 Assignment: Students should identify the unsafe acts near their surroundings like
housekeeping, lab layouts, road safety, campus layout, safety signs