Workplace Hazards

1. Workplace Hazards Identification And Avoidanceand The role of ISO 18000/14000

2. Workplaces can be Hazardous

3. Why worry about hazards? • Accidents, or “near misses” in the workplace lead to lessening productivity: • it costs time and money to retrain a new worker • new workers are not initially as productive as more experienced workers • goods or equipment can be lost in the accident, costing the enterprise $ to replace it • other workers will feel afraid or unhappy to be working in a place which could injure or kill them • -this harms productivity.

6. Categories of Hazards • Chemical hazards • Physical hazards

7. Classes of Chemical Hazards • Compressed gases • Flammable and combustible materials (gases, aerosols, liquids, solids) • Oxidizing substances • Poisons • Corrosive substances • Dangerously reactive materials • Biological hazards

8. Poisons • There are various types of poisons that have different effects on the body; ranging from making someone sick for a long time to killing them instantly. • Three ways of coming in contact with a poison: • ingestion (eating, smoking after handling the poison) • inhalation (breathing particles of the poison) • absorption (soaking in through the skin) • Proper gear to wear while handling poisons depends on the substance • Ex: handling mercury which can be absorbed through the skin, wear rubber gloves.

9. PoisonsDifferent chemicals are harmful in different amounts. (consumption) • Ethanol (Pure alcohol) 7060 mg/kg • Methanol (Anti-freeze) 5628 mg/kg • Benzene 4894 mg/kg • DDT (pesticide) 87 mg/kg • Dioxin 0.02 mg/kg

10. Corrosivity • Corrosives are chemicals that will damage ( or burn) skin on contact. Use protective gear: gloves, eye wear, or chemical suit... • Any acid or base near the ends of the pH scale is corrosive.l

12. Safe Storage • Unsafe Storage

13. Pressurized Gases • All gases in containers are under pressure. Ex: a balloon. • They are likely to explode if: • punctured • compressed, dropped or dented • heated • Pressurized gas explosions, especially flammable ones, (ex: propane, butane or acetylene) are very dangerous. Car-sized tanks can destroy towns kilometres away. • Make sure safety measures are in place and working. Ex: sprinkler systems, emergency release valves... • Some safety measures may not prevent property damage but will save lives, including that of the surrounding community (children, elderly...)

14. Gas Explosion and fire - Nevada

15. Biological Hazards • Biological hazards come in various forms. If it originates from an animal or has been near an animal, then it is biological waste. Ex: animal parts and manure, hospital waste, city sewage... • Biological hazards contain bacteria or viruses likely to make people sick. • Handle with gloves and other safety precautions dependant on substance. • Treat before releasing into the environment: • (ex: incineration, carbon filtering, distilling, bleaching, settling etc… unique to each substance)

17. Flammable Substances • Flammable substances are substances that are likely to quite easily catch fire. Ex: gasoline, diesel fuel, paper... • Keep extinguishers and other fire preventive measures ready (sprinkler systems...) • Use the right extinguisher for the right substance. Water won’t put out a grease fire. • Class A: Water extinguishers put out wood, paper... • Class B: Gas extinguishers or dry extinguishers put out oil, gas, grease. • Class C: Dry chemical extinguishers put out electrical fires • Class D: Special/specific extinguisher for such things as magnesium fires.

19. Classes of Physical Hazards • Temperature (heat, cold and their effects) • Slipping, tripping, falling • Collisions with fixed and falling objects, people, machines • Entrapment (excavations, confined spaces, machinery) • Asphyxia (lack of air ) • Electrocution • Noise

20. Temperature • Excessive heat or cold causes lack of productivity, physical damage or even death. • The effects of heat are exaggerated by humidity whereby the body cannot cool itself by sweating • The effects of cold are exaggerated by wind chill whereby the wind steals heat away from the body.

21. How hot is “HOT”

22. How Cold is “Cold”

23. Dealing with Temperature • HEAT: Ways to prevent damage by heat: • cool the body • fans or open doors, windows allowing a breeze to cool the body. • Shade • Cold fluid, cold drinks • COLD: Ways to prevent damage by cold: • heat the body • wear warm clothing, especially the torso and head • Stop work when extreme temperatures encountered

24. Noise • Hearing can be damaged by noises that are too loud.

25. Protective equipment • Hearing can be lost gradually or all at once. • Being exposed to very loud noises at work for years can lead to deafness. • Hearing is needed to hear things such as emergency alarms or approaching hazards such as forklifts or trucks. • Loss of hearing results in the loss of quality of life and therefore less motivation in the workplace.

35. Recognizing Hazards • Labels and lights • fire / reactivity / health / specific • Container shapes • Valves and gauges • Protective coverings • Moving parts • Odours and colours • Temperature

36. Colour Coding of Equipment

37. Colour Coding

38. Trained employee • Good railings • Monitoring process

39. Protecting Against Hazards • Label and colour code • Install physical guards • Provide protective equipment • Train employees in handling procedures • Limit use of dangerous materials where possible

40. Making an Emergency Plan • Plan for large scale emergencies. (Fires, explosions...) • An emergency plan will save lives (of workers and community) and property • In your plan make sure that: • all emergency exits accessible and known to workers • there is more than one exit • all fire extinguishers, safety valves are in working order • workers know how to use safety equipment • all the chemicals you are using are known • emergency staff know how to deal with the chemicals

42. A Safe and Happy Worker is a Productive Worker! • Studies show greater productivity in a clean, safe environment • Workers are the key to an effective production process • Worker health is a key indicator of environmental, social and economic sustainability

43. ISO is one emerging approach • Key to managers – means to take control and reduce risk • Key to access to foreign markets • Increasingly needed to get insurance, bank funding, foreign investment and joint ventures

44. ISO 18000 and trade • Increasingly used as a non-tariff barrier along with ISO 14000 to stop goods which are not compliant entering markets like Europe • Health and environment are considered in many trade agreements to be the only factors which can be used to discriminate against foreign goods

45. Why ISO? • International concern over standards • Importers want to control product quality and environmental impacts • Some nations see ISO as a potential trade barrier (green barrier) • Many firms see economic and market benefit in obtaining international certification • A form of risk management

46. Why Businesses use ISO9000, 14000 and now 18000 • Improve control • Reduce costs • Confirm compliance • Quality control • Show management capacity to potential clients • Gain market access • Reduce risk

47. History • Past approaches based on regulation and compliance (needs legislation and enforcement) • ISO approach is proactive. ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 are model for action to prevent problems – done by enterprise or institution • British Standards Institute took the lead to develop OHSAS standards ( ISO 18001)

48. The ISO link • Initial standards were the 9000 series – focus on management accountability • ISO 14000 series integrated environmental standards into management (many were also related to health and safety issues) • ISO 18000 more explicitly focuses on workplace health and safety

49. ISO Standards • All the 9000/14000/18000 standards are process standards – that is an enterprise (state or private) must follow a specific process designed to create accountability – and to document it. • While the standards expect the enterprise to meet the actual substantive standards of a jurisdiction, they do not specify these standards – each jurisdiction is expected to have its own – such as amount of toxins in water, noise in workplace, or contents of required training.

50. 为了向消费着提供一种保证 为了建立良好的公众关系 可以减少所需支付的保险费金额 获得市场份额 满足 客户在注册方面的需求 加强对成本的控制 减少责任事故的发生 显示企业的责任心 降低物料和能源的消耗 获得有关部门对企业在有关方面的批准和授权 降低 为达标和执行有关政府法规所需要投入的经费 研究和分享解决环境问题的办法和方案 改善企业与政府之间的关系 加拿大企业参与ISO认证的主要激励因素 Standards Council of Canada, 2000