Title: OHS An Overview
1OHS - An Overview
2- ILO estimates
- 2,000,000 die as a result of accidents and
diseases - 270,000,000 occupational accidents
- 160,000,000 occupational diseases
3- In Malta
- Around 145,000 gainfully occupied
- In 2001
- 5,111 injuries, 4 fatalities
4- Occupational diseases in general, but
particularly - Diseases caused by exposure to hazardous agents
- Psychological ill-health
- MSD
5Notified work-related injuries
6Promoting / maintaining a high degree of physical
/ mental / social well-being of workers in all
occupations. Preventing departures from health.
7- Protecting workers from risks
- Placing workers in an occupational environment
adapted to their needs.
8Why OHS?
- In the national interest
- Decreases demand on social security /
unemployment benefits - Less hospitalisation / treatment / rehabilitation
costs
9Why OHS?
- In the employees interest
- Less human costs, eg misery
- Remain working
10Why OHS?
- In the employers interest
- Enhances corporate image
- Less insurance costs
- Less civil / criminal costs
- Maintained productivity
- Healthy industrial relations
- Risk of closure
11- Implementation / fulfilment of obligations
- Education / Information / Training
- Legislation - collective agreements
- Ultimately Self-regulation
12- SOCIAL DIALOGUE
- Government - Employers -
- Workers (Unions)
-
13- OHS Authority Act, 2000
- Establishes Authority
- - to promote and safeguard the well-being of all
workers in all occupations - - to ensure that levels of ohs are maintained
14Applicability of Act
- The Act shall apply to all workplaces, to all
sectors of activity, both public and private
15Who is an employer?
-
- Any person for whom work or service is performed
by a worker or who has an employment relationship
with a worker, and includes a contractor or
sub-contractor.
16Who is an employer?
-
- In relation to work performed under a contract
for services the contractor, and excludes
directors, managers etc, except with regards to
tools, materials or equipment ( and any defects
thereof which are not declared)
17Who is an employer?
- In respect of all other organisations or in
respect of any other form of employment under a
contract of service, includes any of the persons
in overall direction or having day to day
management.
18What is work?
-
- Any duty, activity, task or service producing a
product or result, and being performed for
payment or for free or in exchange for goods, for
services, for profit or for benefit.
19Who is a worker?
-
- Any person employed by an employer to perform
work, or who provides a service to another person
under a contract of service or for service, and
includes a trainee, an apprentice and a
self-employed person.
20What are the duties of an employer?
-
- To ensure the health and safety at all times of
all persons who may be affected by the work being
carried out for such employer
21IMPORTANT TO NOTE
- Where an employer enlists outside services, this
shall not discharge him from his
responsibilities. - Workers obligations in the field of ohs shall
not affect the principle of the responsibility of
the employer.
22Who is a competent person?
- Any person who has the necessary technical
expertise, training and experience. - Could be an outside organisation, a self-employed
person or a member of your staff
23Duties of an employer
- Avoiding risk
- Identification of hazards
- Evaluation of unavoidable risks
- Control at source of unavoidable risks
- Reducing risks as much as reasonably practicable
24Duties of an employer
- Giving collective protective measures priority
over individual protective measures - Adapting work to the worker - design of
workplaces, choice of work equipment, choice of
working and production methods - to alleviate
monotonous work
25Duties of an employer
- Adapting to technical progress
- Developing a coherent overall prevention strategy
(including technology, organisation of work,
working conditions, social relationships and the
influence of factors related to the working
environment.
26Principle underlying all regulations Risk
assessment
Put simply, a risk assessment is identifying
what could cause HARM to yourself and others and
deciding if you have done enough, or need to do
more to protect yourself and others. The
purpose of risk assessment is to make sure that
no-one gets hurt or becomes ill as a result of
your work activities.
27- Two key issues
- Hazard anything that can cause harm
- Risk the chance that somebody will be harmed by
the hazard
28So called obvious risks
- Working at heights and under heights.
- Rotating machinery.
- Electricity (overhead and underground).
- Heavy plant.
- Excavations.
29Less obvious risks.
- Speeding through a built up area.
- Over exposure to the sun.
- Mixing chemicals.
- Walking under a ladder.
- Winter driving.
- Incorrect Manual Handling.
- Noise induced hearing loss.
- Slip / Trips / Falls.
30- Five steps to RA
- Identify hazards
- Evaluate who might be harmed and how
- Evaluate risks and adequacy of existing
precautions - Record findings
- Review the assessment and revise if necessary
31Risk assessment seriousness x probability
32-
- An employer shall provide such information,
instruction, training and supervision as is
required to ensure ohs.
33- An employer shall ensure consultation of workers
on matters affecting OHS - in advance and in good
time - Workers HS Representatives
34Workers HS Representatives
- General Provisions for Health and Safety at Work
Places Regulations, 2003. - Workers shall choose from among their number a
rep/s to represent them in consultations with
employer. - Where no representatives are appointed
individual consultations
35Workers HS Representatives
- Conflicts of interest precluded.
- Various rights to make representations,
proposals, to be consulted, accidents and
diseases, measures to be taken etc. - Right to ask for appropriate measures.
- Not to be discriminated against.
- To be trained.
36Duties of workers.
- To safeguard ones own health and safety and that
of other persons who may be affected by reason of
the work which is being carried out - To cooperate with the employer and the HS
representative on all matters relating to health
and safety
37What are the duties of the OHSA?
- It shall be the duty of the Authority to
- monitor compliance
- promote the dissemination of information
- promote education and training
38Duties of OHSA
- collate and analyze data
- carry out investigations
- promote and carry out research
- keep registers of persons competent to give
advice -
39- Any guilty person liable to imprisonment for a
period of not more than 2 years or to a fine of
not less than Lm200 but not exceeding Lm5000, or
both. - The Court may also cancel all licenses, warrants
or permits
40- OHS Authority Act, 2000
- OHS Appeals Board (Procedural)
- Workplace (First Aid)
- WP (Min. HS requirements)
- WP (Provision of HS) Signs
- Min. HS Requirements for work with Display
Screen Equipment
41- General provisions for HS at WP
- Protection of Maternity at Work
- Protection of Young Persons
- Protection against risks of back injury at WP
- Control of Major Accident Hazard
- Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection
42- Minimum requirements for the use of personal
protective equipment - Protection of workers from the risks related to
exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work - Protection of workers from the risks related to
exposure to asbestos at work - OELVs
43- Soon
- Chemical agents
- Biological agents
- Quarries
- Explosive atmospheres
44- Building Safety 1968
- Factories (H,SW) 1986
- Factories (Superintendence and Control of Plant)
1954 - Factories (Woodworking Machinery) 1949
- Power Presses 1984
- Steam and Hot Water Boilers 1976
45- Non-binding documents
- Min. HS Requirements for the Handling of
Asbestos-Containing-Material - Code of Practice for the Building and
Construction Industry in Malta, 1997
46- Chapter 13 - (Employment and Social Affairs)
- - around 35 Directives
- Chapter 22 - (Environment)
- - over 70 Directives
- Other chapters - Free movement of goods,
consumer protection etc
47Some practical examples
- The workplace
- Buildings in good state of repair
- Measures to prevent people/materials falling (e.g
fencing, guard-rails)
48- Covered floor openings
- Space for safe movement and access
- Unencumbered floors/corridors/stairs
- Windows that can be opened/cleaned safely
- Weather protection for outside workers
49- Do not overload floors/surfaces
- Space for storing tools/materials
- Mark all edge openings
- Do not forget people with disabilities
50Workplace.cont.
- Lighting
- Ensure good light (natural), but avoid glare
- Good level of local lighting
- Suitable forms of lighting
- Special fittings for flammable explosive
atmospheres
51Workplace.cont.
- Moving around
- Safe passage for pedestrians/vehicles
- Level, even surfaces
- Hand-rails on stairs, ramps
- Safe doors e.g. vision panels
- Non-slippery surfaces
- Well-lit outside areas
52Workstations
- Workstations and seating must fit the worker and
the work - Back rests support the lower back foot rests
- Work surfaces are at a suitable height
- Easy access to all controls
- Remember RSI
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54Housekeeping
- Provide clean floors, stairs
- Provide clean premises, furniture and fittings
- Remove dirt, refuse, waste regularly
- Clean up spillages promptly
- Keep internal walls/ceilings clean
55Welfare
- Clean toilets (males and females)
- Wash-hand basins, showers
- Facilities for clothes, including lockers,
changing facilities - Clean drinking water supply
- Smokers/non-smokers
- Rest facilities for pregnant/nursing
56Emergency procedures
- Emergency procedures, including evacuation/first
aid - Emergency exits
- Training, information of workers
57Comfortable conditions
- Reasonable work temperature
- Good ventilation
- Heating systems which do not give off dangerous
fumes - Avoid overcrowding
58An important tool
- The enterprise health and safety policy
59The policy..
- A clear, implementable policy
- Written down
- Should cover organisational arrangements
- Allocates ohs responsibilities
- Made known to all
- Consultation / participation
60The policy..
- Expresses commitment signed and dated
- Depends on employee cooperation
- Reviewed as often as necessary