Week 2

CONCEPT OF HAZARD AVOIDANCE

Abdul Qadir
NEDUET
session 2020
Global Work Related Adverse Events
 Health & Safety Definitions

Before a detailed discussion of health and safety issues can take place, some
basic occupational health and safety definitions are required.

Health - The protection of the bodies and minds of people from illness
resulting from the materials, processes or procedures used in the workplace.
Safety - The protection of people from physical injury. The borderline between
health and safety is ill-defined and the two words are normally used together
to indicate concern for the physical and mental well-being of the individual at
the place of work.
Welfare - The provision of facilities to maintain the health and well-being of
individuals at the workplace.
Welfare facilities include washing and sanitation arrangements, the provision of
drinking water, heating, lighting, accommodation for clothing, seating (when
required by the work activity or for rest), eating and rest rooms. First-aid
arrangements are also considered as welfare facilities.
 Health & Safety Definitions

Occupational or work-related ill-health – This is concerned with those illnesses or physical

and mental disorders that are either caused or triggered by workplace activities. Such
conditions may be induced by the particular work activity of the individual or by activities
of others in the workplace. They may be either physiological or psychological
or a combination of both. The time interval between exposure and the onset of the illness
may be short (e.g. asthma attacks) or long (e.g. deafness or cancer).

Environmental protection - These are the arrangements to cover those activities in the
workplace which affect the environment (in the form of flora, fauna, water, air and soil)
and, possibly, the health and safety of employees and others. Some activities include
waste and effluent disposal and atmospheric pollution.

Accident - This is defined by the UK HSE as 'any unplanned event that results in injury or
ill-health of people, or damage or loss to property, plant. materials or the environment or
a loss of a business opportunity'. Other authorities define an accident more narrowly by
excluding events that do not involve injury or ill-health. It is important to note that
work-related accidents may not always occur at the place of work. Commuting accidents
occur during work-related travel (usually by road).
 Health & Safety Definitions

Hazard and risk -

A hazard is something with the potential to cause harm (this includes articles, substances,
plant or machinery, methods of work, the working environment and other aspects of work
organization). Hazards take many forms for example, chemicals, electricity and noise. A
hazard can be ranked relative to other hazards or to a possible level of danger.

A risk is the likelihood of potential harm from that hazard being realized. Risk (or strictly
the level of risk) is also linked to the severity of its consequences. This can involve the
likelihood of a substance, activity or process to cause harm together with its resulting
severity. A risk can be reduced and the hazard can be eliminated or controlled by good
management.

It is very important to distinguish between a hazard and a risk - the two terms are often
confused and activities such as construction work are frequently called high
risk when they are high hazard. Although the hazard will continue to be high, the risks will
be reduced as controls are implemented. The level of risk remaining when controls have
been adopted is known as the residual risk. There should only be high residual risk
where there is poor health and safety management and inadequate control measures.
Brain Food
 Employers' duties and responsibilities

The principal general duties of employers under the ILO Recommendation 164 are:

(a) to provide and maintain workplaces, machinery and equipment, and use
work methods, which are as safe and without risk to health as is reasonably
practicable;
(b) to give necessary instruction and training that takes into account the functions
and capabilities of different categories of workers;
(c) to provide adequate supervision of work practices ensuring that proper use
is made of relevant occupational health and safety measures;
(d) to institute suitable occupational health and safety management
arrangements appropriate to the working environment, the size of the
undertaking and the nature of its activities; and
(e) to provide, without any cost to the worker, adequate personal protective
clothing and equipment which are reasonably necessary when workplace
hazards cannot be otherwise prevented or controlled.
 Workers' rights and responsibilities
In 1998, ILO member states adopted the Declaration on Fundamental Principles
and Rights at Work and agreed to uphold a set of core labor standards. These are
human rights and form basic workers' rights. The ILO is actively campaigning for
improvements in the areas covered by the Declaration.
The Declaration covers four areas:
1. Freedom of Association - The right of workers and employers to form and join
organizations of their choice is an integral part of a free and open
society and is linked to the recognition of the right to collective bargaining.
2. Forced Labor - The ILO is pressing for effective national laws and stronger
enforcement mechanisms, such as legal sanctions and vigorous prosecution
against those who exploit forced laborers.
3. Discrimination - Hundreds of millions of people suffer from discrimination in
the world of work. Discrimination stifles opportunities, wasting the human talent
needed for economic progress and accentuating social tensions and inequalities.
4· Child Labor - There are more than 200 million children working throughout the
world, many full-time. They are deprived of adequate education, good health and
basic freedoms. Of these, 126 million- or one in every 12 children worldwide- are
exposed to hazardous forms of child labor, work that endangers their physical,
mental or moral well- being.
 Risk Assessment
Risk Assessment is not only concerned with injuries in the workplace but also
needs to consider the possibility of occupational ill-health. Health risks fall into
the following four categories:
1 · Chemical (e.g. paint solvents, exhaust fumes);
2. Biological (e.g. bacteria, pathogens);
3. Physical (e.g. noise, vibrations);
4. psychological (e.g. occupational stress}.

There are two possible health effects of occupational ill-health.

They may be acute, which means that they occur soon after the exposure and
are often of short duration, although in some cases emergency admission to
hospital may be required.

They may be chronic, which means that the health effects develop with time. It
may take several years for the associated disease to develop and the effects
may be slight (mild asthma) or severe (cancer).
 Evaluating The Controls

Hierarchy of Risk Control

When assessing the adequacy of existing controls or introducing new
controls, a hierarchy of risk controls should be considered. The health
and safety management system ISO 45001 states that the
organization shall establish a process for achieving risk reduction
based upon the following hierarchy;

a) Eliminate the Hazard;

b) Substitute with less hazardous materials, processes, operations
or equipment;
c) Use engineering controls
d) Use safety signs, markings and warning devices and
administrative controls;
e) Use personal protective equipment
 Evaluating The Controls

a) Elimination of the Hazard

The best and most effective way of reducing risks is by avoiding a
hazard and its associated risks. For example, avoid working at height
by using a long handled tool to clean windows; avoid entry into a
confined space, instead use sump pump.

(b) Substitution
Substitution describes the use of a less hazardous form of a
substance or process. There are many examples of substitution such
as the use of water-based rather than solvent-based paints; the use
of asbestos substitutes; the use of compressed air as a power
source rather than electricity to reduce both electrical and fire risks;
and the use of mechanical excavators instead of hand digging.
 Evaluating The Controls

In some cases it is possible to change the method of working so

that risks are reduced. For example use rods to clear drains instead
of strong chemicals; use a mobile elevating work platform instead
of climbing a ladder. Sometimes the pattern of work can be changed
so that people can do things in a more natural way, for example
when placing components for packing consider whether people are
right- or left-handed; encourage people in offices to take breaks
from computer screens by getting up to photocopy, fetch files or
print documents.
Care must be taken to consider any additional hazards which may
be involved.
 Evaluating The Controls

c) Engineering Controls
This describes the control of risks by means of engineering design
rather than a reliance on preventive actions by the employee. There
are several ways of achieving such controls:
1. Control the risks at the source (e.g. the use of more efficient dust
filters or purchase of less noisy equipment).
2. Control the risk of exposure by:
1. Isolating the equipment by use of an enclosure, a barrier or
guard;
2. Insulating any electrical or temperature hazard;
3. Ventilating away any hazardous fumes or gases either
naturally or by use of extractor fans and hoods.
 Evaluating The Controls

d) Safety signs, markings and warning devices and administrative

controls
Safety signs, markings and warning devices
All general health and safety signs used in the workplace should
include a pictorial symbol categorized by shape, color and graphic
image. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but when it comes
to graphic symbols for safety related information, misunderstanding
the message may have serious consequences. The use of an
international standard aims to improve the understanding and
proper application of safety signs worldwide, regardless of language
and culture.
Fragile roofs
 Evaluating The Controls

Administrative Controls
Reduced Time Exposure

This involves reducing the time during the working day that the
employee is exposed to the hazard, by giving the employee either
work or rest periods. It is normally only suitable for the control of
health hazards associated with, for example noise, vibration,
excessive heat or cold, displays screens and hazardous substances .
However it is important to note that, for many hazards , there are
short term exposure limits as well as normal occupational exposure
limits (OELs) or (PELs) over an 8-hour period.
Evaluating The Controls
 Evaluating The Controls
Safe systems of work
Operating procedures or safe systems of work are probably the most
common form of control measure used in industry today and may
be the most economical and, in some cases, the only practical way of
managing a particular risk.

A safe system of work has been defined as:

'The integration of personnel, articles and substances in a laid out

and considered method of working which takes proper account of
the risks to employees and others who may be affected, such as
visitors and contractors, and ensure that all of the steps necessary
for safe working have been anticipated and implemented.
 Evaluating The Controls
Safe systems of work
In simple terms, a safe system of work is a defined method for
doing a job in a safe way. It takes account of all foreseeable hazards
to health and safety and seeks
to eliminate or minimise these. Safe systems of work are normally
formal and documented, for example in written operating
procedures but, in some cases, they may be verbal.
 Evaluating The Controls
Safe systems of work
However, there are many situations where these will not give
adequate protection in themselves, and then a carefully thougt out
and properly implemented safe system of work is especially
important. The best example is maintenance and repair work, which
will often involve, as a first stage, dismantling the guard or breaking
through the containment, which exists for the protection of the
ordinary process operator. In some of these operation: a permit-to-
work procedure will be the most appropriate type of safe system of
work.
Whether the system is verbal or written, and whether the operation
it covers is simple or complex, routine or unusual, the essential
features are forethought and planning - to ensure that all foreseeable
hazards are identified and controlled.
 Evaluating The Controls
Safe systems of work
. In particular, this will involve scrutiny of:

• the sequence of operations to be carried out;

• the equipment, plant, machinery and tools involved
• Chemicals and other substances to which people
• Might be exposed in the course of the work;
• The people doing the work - their skill and experience;
 Evaluating The Controls
Training
Training helps people acquire the skills, knowledge and attitudes to
make them competent in the health and safety aspects of their work.

e) personal protective equipment

personal protective equipment (PPE) can provide very limited
protection and should only be used as a last resort, when all other
control measures have been considered and used or discarded.
There are many reasons for this. The most important limitations are
that PPE:
 only protects the person wearing the equipment, not others
nearby;
relies on people wearing the equipment at all times;
 must be used properly;
 must be replaced when it no longer offers the correct level of
protection. This last point is particularly relevant when respiratory
protection is used.
 Thank You
Any Questions?