Title: OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
1 - OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SAFETY
- MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
- AUDITOR TRAINING COURSE
- IRCA REG. NO. A16834
21 Introduction
- 1.1 Background Development
- During the Industrial Revolution, technological
advances introduced and increased the use of
machinery and toxic materials in the workplace.
As a result, workers in factories faced health
and safety risks that were previously unheard of. - Health and safety problems and hazards that
workers face include the following - Poor working conditions
- Exposure to toxic materials or chemicals
- Long working hours
- Work-induced stress
- Excessive noise levels
- Risks to life, eyes, and limb while working with
machinery
3- In 1970, (OSHA) was established as a
comprehensive occupational safety and health law
to assure so far as possible for every working
man and woman in the nation safe and healthful
working conditions and to preserve human
resources 1. - In addition, OHSAS 18001 specification and the
accompanying OHSAS 18002 guidelines have been
developed - OHS management system to enable organization to
control its OHS risks and improve its
performance.
4- 1.2 Concepts of Occupational Health
- Defined as
- "that science and art devoted to the
anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and
control of those environmental factors or
stresses arising in or from the workplace, which
may cause sickness, impaired health and
well-being, or significant discomfort among
workers or among the citizens of the
community."i
5- 1.3 Concepts of Safety Engineering
- Interdisciplinary in nature ought to be applied
early in system development. - Control monetary and physical loses
- Safety costs should be justified like other
forces competing for limited organizational
resources. - Safety should be considered a long-term
investment. - Figure 1.1 shows that its application requires
integration with many other functions
6Figure 1.1 Safety Interactions
7- 1.4 Philosophy Supporting OHS Management System
Standards - safety denotes concern for physical injuries that
might be experienced by the worker - Health denotes concern for physiological
injuries - welfare refers to concern for a range of
psychological conditions. - this type of approach promotes a holistic
appreciation of a workers well being as well as
a comprehensive understanding of the contribution
of workplace conditions to it.
8- The basic principles of a holistic approach to
workplace health and safety are thus - The health and safety of a worker is influenced
by conditions of the workplace and by non- work
related factors that can be potentiated by the
workplace. - Workplace effects on human health and safety are
not restricted to only the on- site workplace or
the worker
9Figure 1.2 Holistic Overview of the Workplace,
Environmental Quality Human Communityi
10- 1.5 Modern OHS Legislation
- At both national and international levels, the
modern corporation is perceived as having both a
moral and a legal responsibility to protect its
employees from - Workplace sources of injury and
- Workplace insults to a workers pre- existing
debilitationi. - By ensuring proper responsibilities, common
problems such as those stated below can be
avoided. - Lack of sufficient authority to implement safety-
- Isolation from higher decision makers who must
bear the potential liability associated with
workplace injury - Isolation from production- level personnel have
primary responsibility for production but they
play a crucial role in the implementation of an
effective safety program.
11- 1.6 Scope of OHS Management Systems
- The scope of an OHS management system,
applicable to any organization, includes - Establishing an OHS management system to
eliminate or minimize risk to employees and other
interested parties who may be exposed to OHS
risks associated with its activities - Implementing, maintaining and continually
improving an OHS management system - Assuring itself of its conformance with its
stated OHS policy - Demonstrating such conformance to others
12- 1.7 Definitions Terminology
- The terms and definitions used in the OHSAS
18001 specifications are - Accident
- Audit
- Continual Improvement
- Hazard
- Hazard identification
- Incident
- NOTE An accident where no ill heath, injury,
damage, or other loss is also referred to as a
near miss. The term Incident includes
near-misses. - Interested parties
- Non-conformance
13- Objectives
- Occupational health and safety
- OHS management system
- Organization
- NOTE For organizations with more than one
operating unit, a single operation unit may be
defined as an organization. - Performance
- NOTE Performance measurement includes of OHS
management activities and results. - Risk
- Risk assessment
- Safety
- Tolerable risk
14Chapter 2 Introduction to OHS Standards
Applications
- 2.1 Influence of the Working Environment
- There are various kinds of positive and negative
factors in the working environments - Physical demands may refer to manual lifting
loads and extended working hours. - For mental demand, it appears to be dependent on
the level of mental work pressure and the
experience of the worker involved. - Use of ear protection will be in order as
excessive noise levels (gt85 to 90 dB) can cause
hearing loss. - Proper illumination is necessary to avoid having
workers headaches and fatigue as a result of
eyestrain. - Working temperature can cause great discomfort if
it is too high or too low.
15- mental and emotional factors to consider
- Lifting the morale of workers can do wonders to
improve productivity. - A pleasant working place with convenient
facilities will increase the workers morale,
resulting in worker efficiency.
16- 2.2 OHS Management System Model
- The first three clauses of the OHSAS 18001 1999
specifications follow the ISO 14001 approach
closely. The three common clauses are - Scope
- Informative references
- Definitions
- Organizations using the ISO 14001 approach should
use the OHSAS 18002 guidelines in carrying out
the respective approach for clause 4. - Figure 2.1 illustrate the order of flow of OHSAS
elements.
17Figure 2.1 OHS Management System Model for
OHSAS 18001 System Elements
18- 2.3 OHS Management System Elements
-
- The six elements for occupational health
safety management system are based on - Initial Status Review
- OHS Policy
- Planning
- Implementation and Operation
- Checking and Corrective Action
- Management Review
19- 2.3.1 Initial Status Review
- An initial review of a companys existing
arrangements for managing OHS should be carried
out prior to implementation. - Performing an initial status review also provides
information on the scope, adequacy and current
status of the OHS management system.
20- 2.3.2 OHS Policy
- The OHS policy should be defined and authorized
by the organizations top management. - Such a policy establishes an overall sense of
direction and sets up the principles of action
for an organization.i - It demonstrates formal commitment of an
organization towards good OHS management,
particularly that of the organizations top
management.ii
21- 2.3.3 Planning
- Plans must be formulated to fulfill the OHS
policy. - Hazard identification should be performed with
risk assessment. - Control measures should be implemented if
necessary. - The legal requirements that are applicable to
OHS should be identified - The goals and objectives of the OHS system
established. - After identifying problematic areas, appropriate
corrective actions should be implemented.
22- 2.3.4 Implementation and Operation
- responsibility of a person at the most senior
management level. - Necessary training should be carried out, to
ensure workers understand their safety and health
responsibilities - Updates should be spread throughout the
organization effectively through an efficient
communication system. - In addition, a system of documentation should be
established. - OHS should be fully integrated where each
employee appreciates the implications of OHS. - In the case of foreseeable emergencies,
contingency plans should be prepared in advance.
23- 2.3.5 Checking and Corrective Action
- Monitoring and measurement of performance ought
to be performed on a regular basis. - The measurement of performance of the OHS
management system will give an indication of its
effectiveness. - Areas that need improvement can be identified
and followed up by taking necessary actions. - Corrective actions should be taken as soon as any
deficiencies are found. - Relevant records of OHS actions taken should be
made to meet legal requirements. - Periodically, audits conducted by independent
personnel will give a more in-depth look at the
system.
24- 2.3.6 Management Review
- Involve the making of several decisions, based on
the organizations structure and size. - Matters such as frequency of audits and the
effectiveness of the OHS system as a whole and
in its individual elements are considered
frequently. - Following an audit, a management review decides
on what should be done about identified problems. - In any management programs, the system has to be
reviewed constantly to ensure its continuing
suitability, adequacy and effectiveness.
25CHAPTER 3 INTERPRETATION OF THE OHSAS 18001 1999
SPECIFICATIONS
- 3.1 Overview of the OHSAS 18001 1999
- OHSAS 18001 1999 is developed together with the
OHSAS 18002, Guidelines for the implementation of
OHSAS 18001 - OHSAS 18001 is developed such that it is
compatible with the ISO 9001 1994 (Quality) and
ISO 14001 1996 (Environmental) management
systems standards. - to facilitate the easy integration of quality,
environmental and occupational health and safety
management systems - Nevertheless, it is not a pre- requisite that an
organization has to comply to ISO 9000 or ISO
14000 requirements for the operation of OHSAS
18001.
26- An OHS management system must meets both the
OHSAS 18001 specification and all local legal
requirements as well. - Relevant procedures and documentation, which
relates to records and periodic reviews, should
be added where necessary - The elements of an effective OHS approach are
presented in Figure 3.1.
27Continual Improvement
OHS Policy
Management Review
Planning
Checking and Corrective Action
Implementation Operation
Figure 3.1 Elements of an OHS management
systemi
28- 3.2 Clauses in OHSAS 18001
- clauses and requirements in the OHSAS 18001 1999
- Clause 4.1 General Requirements
- states that the organization shall establish and
maintain an OHS management system, - Depending on the size of the organization and the
nature of its activities, the extent of
documentation and the resources devoted to it
have to be developed and adapted to fit into the
organization under review. - Clause 4.2 OHS Policy
- states overall health and safety objectives and a
commitment to improving health and safety
performance. - an indication of the organizations overall sense
of direction and principles of action.
29Figure 3.2 OHS Policyi
30- In planning the policy, the management shall
ensure that - It is appropriate to the nature and scale of the
organizations OHS risks. - There is a commitment to continual improvement
- There is a commitment to at least comply with
current applicable OHS legislation and other
requirements - It is documented, implemented and maintained as
called for by the OHSAS Standards. - All employees are educated on their individual
OHS obligations. - It can be made available to interested parties.
- It is reviewed periodically to ensure its
relevance and suitability to the organization.
31Figure 3.3 Planningi
32- OHSAS 18001 specifies planning requirements
based on four categories before any
implementation is to be carried out. They are
addressed as follows - Clause 4.3.1 Planning for Hazard Identification,
Risk Assessment Risk Control - control measures to include routine and
non-routine activities, activities of all
personnel (including subcontractors and visitors)
having access to the workplace, and facilities at
the workplace. - defined with respect to the scope, nature and
timing to ensure that it is proactive rather than
reactive - Is consistent with operating experience and the
capabilities of risk control measures used - Provide ways to classify and identify risks to be
eliminated, or controlled by measures defined in
clauses 4.3.3 and 4.3.4. - Provide input to determine the facility
requirements, training needs and operational
controls, - Monitoring mechanisms to ensure the effectiveness
and timeliness of their implementation.
33- The purpose of this requirement is to provide for
total appreciation of all significant OHS
hazards in the organizations domain using the
process of risk assessment. - The following elements of decision-making shall
be reflected in the risk assessment. - Identification of risks.
- Evaluation of risks within the existing control
measures in place. - Decision on the tolerability of this residual
risk. - Identification of any additional control measures
considered necessary. - Evaluation of whether these are sufficient to
reduce the risks to tolerable levels.
34- Clause 4.3.2 Legal and other requirements
- organization aware of all applicable OHS
regulations and how they can affect its
activities. - legal and other OHS requirements applicable to
the organization identified and up to date. - organization able to access these legal documents
conveniently, and communicate the information to
other parties who have an interest in it. - Clause 4.3.3 Objectives
- take into account legal and other requirements
- reasonable, achievable and communicated to the
employees efficiently. - Suitable indicators shall be established so that
objectives can be reviewed and monitored
regularly.
35- Clause 4.3.4 OHS Management Programs
- has to be established so as to achieve the OHS
objectives - important to include the documentation of the
responsibility and authority for achievement of
the objectives at relevant functions and levels
of the organization, and the means and time scale
by which the objectives are to be obtained. - individuals and tasks responsible for the
deliverance of the objectives at relevant levels
can be identified. - It aids the organization in allocating suitable
talents, responsibilities and time- frames for
jobs to be done. - The OHS management programs shall be reviewed at
regular and planned intervals in order to keep up
with changes.
36- Clause 4.4 Implementation and Documentation
Figure 3.4 Implementation and Operationi
37- Clause 4.4.1 Structure and Responsibility
- The roles, responsibilities and authorities of
all personnel who are involved in the running of
OHS risks of the organization shall be defined,
documented and made known - The top management holds the greatest
responsibility of ensuring the proper
implementation of the OHS management system. - The management representative or appointee shall
- Ensure the OHS management system requirements
are established, implemented and maintained in
accordance with the OHS specification, - Ensure reports on the performance of the OHS
management system are presented to the top
management for the review and making of improved
adjustments
38- Clause 4.4.2 Training, Awareness and Competence
- Employee awareness in the following areas is
important and procedures shall be established and
maintained - The importance of conformance to the OHS policy
and procedures, and the requirements of the
management system - Both actual and potential OHS consequences,
their work activities and the OHS benefits of
improved personnel performance - Their roles and responsibilities in conforming to
the OHS policy and requirements of the
management system. - Potential consequences of straying from specified
operating procedures. - Employees need to be educated on their specific
responsibilities and the roles expected of them
to maintain the OHS management system. - Appropriate records of individuals training and
competency shall be maintained.
39- Clause 4.4.3 Consultation and Communication
- the management has to establish and document
proper procedures for easy and accurate
communication. - The freedom of employee involvement and
consultation arrangements shall be established so
that there is an effective and open communication
of OHS information. There shall also be
arrangements to - Involve employees in the development and review
of policies, and procedures to manage risks,
including the carrying out or review of risk
assessments relevant to their own activities. - Consult employees over changes affecting the
workplace OHS such as the introduction of new
equipment, new working procedures or work
patterns. - Represent employees on health and safety matters.
- Inform employees their OHS representative to the
management and the selected management appointee.
40- Clause 4.4.4 Documentation
- The organization shall document all important and
essential information and maintain up to date
sufficient documentation to ensure that its OHS
system can be adequately understood and
efficiently operated. - it shall describe the core elements of the
management system and their interaction, as well
as provide direction to the related documentation
at the same time. - It may be more convenient and effective instead,
to establish an overview document describing the
inter-relation between the existing procedures
and overall OHSAS requirements
41- Clause 4.4.5 Document and Data Control
- This clause calls for the organization to
establish and maintain proper procedures for
controlling all the important documents and data
required by this OHSAS 18001 specification. - There shall be a written procedure to define the
controls for the approval, issue and removal of
safety documentation, together with the control
of safety records and data. Arrangements must be
made ensure that specified documents and data - a) Can be located.
- b) Are periodically reviewed, revised as
necessary and approved for adequacy by authorized
personnel. - c) Are current and up-dated, and available at all
locations where operations essential to the
effective functioning of the OHS system are
performed. - d) Are removed from all points of issue and
points of use or otherwise assured against
unintended use once they are obsolete. - e) Are suitably identified, particularly for
archival documents and data retained for legal or
knowledge preservation purposes or both.
42- Clause 4.4.6 Operational Control
- Control measures shall be applied to those
operations and activities associated with
identified risks. - The organization can carry out the preparations
by - a) Establishing and maintaining documented
procedures to cover situations where their
absence could lead to deviations from the OHS
policy and their objectives. - b) Stipulating operating criteria in the
procedures. - c) Establishing and maintaining procedures
related to the identified OHS risks of goods,
equipment and services purchased and/ or used by
the organization and communicating relevant
procedures and requirements to suppliers and
contractors. - d) Establishing and maintaining procedures for
the design of workplace, process, installations,
machinery, operating procedure and work
organization, including their adaptation to human
capabilities in order to eliminate or reduce OHS
risks at their source.
43- Clause 4.4.7 Emergency Preparedness and Response
- The organization shall have to establish and
maintain plans and procedures to identify the
potential for, and responses to such incidents
and emergency situations and for preventing the
likely illnesses, injuries or hazards associated
with them. - The organization shall develop an emergency plan
and identify and provide appropriate emergency
equipment. - The emergency preparedness and response plans
and procedures shall be reviewed frequently,
especially after the occurrence of any incidents
and emergencies. - The response capability of the emergency plan
needs to be tested for feasibility and rehearsed
where viable for employee awareness.
44- Clause 4.5 Checking and Corrective Action
Figure 3.5 Checking and Corrective Actioni
45- Clause 4.5.1 Performance Measurement and
Monitoring - These procedures shall provide for
- Both qualitative and quantitative measures,
appropriate to the needs of the organization. - Monitoring the extent to which the organizations
OHS objectives are met. - Proactive measures of performance to monitor
compliance with the OHS management program,
operational criteria and applicable legislation
and regulatory requirements. - Reactive measures of performance to monitor
accidents, ill health, incidents (including near
misses) and other historical evidence of
deficient OHS performance. - Recording of data and results of monitoring and
measurement sufficient to facilitate subsequent
corrective and preventative action analysis.
46- Performance management proposes to determine
whether OHS plans and risk controls have been
implemented and achieved, - to learn from any system failures including
hazardous events, and to promote implementation
by providing feedback and information for
continual review and improvement. - Monitoring equipment, if required for any
performance measurement and monitoring, have to
be calibrated and maintained. - Proper procedures and records for the calibration
and maintenance process shall have to be
retained.
47- Clause 4.5.2 Accidents, Incidents, Non-
conformances and Corrective Preventive Action - The organization shall establish and maintain
procedures to define responsibility and authority
for - a.The handling and investigation of accidents,
incidents or non- conformances. - b.Taking action to mitigate any consequences
arising from accidents, incidents or non-
conformances. - c.The initiation and completion of corrective and
preventive action. - d.Confirmation of the effectiveness of corrective
and preventive actions that have been taken. - Report and evaluation of these occurrences are
necessary so that suitable corrective and
preventive actions can be implemented. - The investigation process and results and
subsequent corrective or preventive actions have
to be documented for future reference or
analysis.
48- Clause 4.5.3 Records and Records Management
- Records shall be kept to demonstrate that the
OHS system operates effectively, and that
processes have been carried out under safe
conditions. - Safety records that document the management
system and conformance to the requirements shall
be legible, identifiable and traceable to the
activities involved. - These records have to be maintained and stored
properly so that they are readily retrievable and
protected against damage, deterioration or loss. - Their retention times before disposal have to be
established and recorded as appropriate to the
system and the organizations rules.
49- Clause 4.5.4 Audit
- An audit program and its procedures shall have to
be established and maintained. Periodic OHS
audits have to be conducted to - Determine whether the OHS management system
conforms to planned arrangements for OHS
management including the requirements of this
OHS specification, has been properly implemented
and maintained and is effective in meeting the
organizations policy and objectives. - b. Review the results of previous audits.
- c. Provide information of the audits results
to management. - Audit program, including its schedule, has to be
based on the results of previous audits and that
of the risk assessments conducted. - The results of all audits shall be fed back to
all relevant parties as soon as possible to allow
corrective actions to be taken.
50- Clause 4.6 Management Review
Checking and Conductive Action
Management Review
Internal Factors
External Factors
Policy
Figure 3.6 Management Reviewi
51- it is essential that the system is reviewed and
evaluated periodically to ensure its continuity,
suitability, adequacy and effectiveness. - During the review, the management will evaluate
the policy, objectives and other elements of the
OHS management system for possible changes in
view of the management system audit results, with
changes in circumstances and commitment to
continual improvement. - Changing circumstances may include changes in
legislation, varying expectations of interested
parties, changes in the organizations products
or activities, technological advances, marketing
information, and feedback from OHS incidents. - the management review needs to be documented.
52CHAPTER 4 ENSURING EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION
OPERATION
- 4.1 Organizational Structure, Responsibility
Accountability - Ultimate responsibility for occupational health
and safety rests with the top management. - The management plays a central role in
implementing the occupational health and safety
(OHS) program and determining its effectiveness.
- Accidents will decrease profits, as additional
money has to be dealt out for workers
compensation, damages and other hidden costs. - While organizing an OHS safety program, the
management has to bear in mind that conflicts
between staff, departments or management are
inevitable
53- The management shall always be aware of the
latest changes to health and safety requirements,
legal OHS issues and policies. - Managers shall also provide visible demonstration
of their commitment to their staff, by visiting
sites, being involved in accident investigation,
and attending safety awareness courses and
meetings. -
54- 4.1.1 The Health and Safety Committee
- A committee drawn from various departments has
many advantages, allowing greater committee scope
and reach. - In all cases, the committee shall be chaired by
the person of highest authority to ensures the
committee is empowered to perform its tasks
without facing too much resistance.
55- The health and safety committee will have various
tasks at hand. To begin with, methods for
obtaining feedback from all levels within the
organization shall be established. - Other tasks that the committee can organize are
as follows - Inspections conducted on workplaces to detect
hazards. - Hold regular meetings to discuss accident and
illness prevention methods, hazards discovered in
the workplace, and injury and illness records and
so on. - Investigate accidents that occurred, and devise
plans to prevent recurrence. - Provide information to all employees on safe
working practices. - Recommend changes to present equipment to improve
health and safety standards. - Develop new or revise existing rules to comply
with current standards.
56- 4.1.2 Task Groups
- Within a health and safety committee, several
task groups may be formed. Each task group and
their responsibilities are described as follows
2 - Safety Activities To ensure the effectiveness of
the OHS program in reducing injuries and
illness, and to diffuse information pertaining to
OHS matters. - Rules Procedures Prepare, maintain and review
new or existing general safety rules and
procedures, and to ensure that rules are being
followed. - Inspection Audit Identify unsafe work area
conditions and practices, and to increase safety
awareness and participation. - Fire Emergency Develop effective management
programs to protect people, property and
environment in emergencies. - Education Training Manage, coordinate and
review safety training programs.
57- Health Environment Recommend measures to
protect people, property and environment from
hazardous substances, and to keep and eye on
employees health and overall wellness. - Accident Investigation Determine cause of
accidents and to prevent recurrence to eliminate
and minimize hazards. - Housekeeping Improve employee morale, quality,
productivity and safety and health by maintaining
proper workplace housekeeping and orderliness. -
58- 4.2 Importance of the OHS Policy
- It shall be defined in respect of the health,
safety and welfare obligation to all employees. - In order to fulfill this OHS policy, plan(s)
shall be formulated and capabilities and support
mechanism shall be developed.
59- 4.3 Planning and Implementation
- The management shall take note to define,
prioritize and quantify the organizations
objectives clearly. - Proper plans for any programs shall be developed
in detail, and the availability of financial and
other resources must be looked into before
confirming any decisions. - plans and policies that have been implemented
shall be measured and reviewed all the time. - organizations have to be pro- active in order to
encourage continual improvement. - An important part of OHS planning is the
management of change. - Internal standards policies, procedures and safe
systems of work shall be available.
60Figure 4.1 A Procedure for OHS Planning and
Implementing
61- 4.3.1 Risk Assessment
- Risk assessment shall be used when occupational
hazards in a workplace appear to pose a
significant threat and it is uncertain whether
planned controls are adequate in practice. - Organizations shall carry out risk assessment as
part of their efforts for continual improvement. - The intent of risk assessments is to control
risks before harm could occur. - A risk assessment based on a participative
approach also provides an opportunity for the
management and the work force to agree on the
organizations procedures with shared perceptions
of hazards and risks. - Several risk analysis of hazards have been
developed for use such as the fault- tree
analysis or the criticality analysis.
62- 4.3.2 Emergency Preparedness and Response
- The basic steps in developing an effective
program are - identifying the need for procedures
- implementing written procedures,
- conducting periodic tests,
- continual improvement through review and
revision. -
63- 4.4 Importance of Documentation and Record
Keeping - documentation shall not be voluminous as it
lowers effectiveness and efficiency. - Accurate and complete documented records are
necessary because - the law calls for it
- they can be made accessible at the point of use.
- determining the validity of claims in a lawsuit
- objective evidence to show that activities
related to the requirements of an OHS system
have been satisfactorily performed. - reference purposes in the future.
64- The following is a list of records that ought to
be kept by an organization - Occupational injuries and illnesses.
- Fire Protection
- Materials Handling/ Storage
- Machinery and Machine Guarding
- Welding, Cutting, Brazing Equipment
- Training
- Medical Records.
- Not all injuries and illnesses have to be
recorded. They shall be classified according to
work-related or non-work related first before it
can be decided whether it is necessary to note
the details of these job injuries and
occupational illnesses.
65Figure 4.2 Recording of Occupational Injuries
and Illnesses
66- 4.5 OHS Management System Audits
Verification - In order to ensure effective implementation,
organization shall conduct periodically OHS
management system audits and verification of its
on-site implementation. - 4.5.1 Inspections
- There are in general four types of inspection
that may be conducted. - Periodic Conducted at regular scheduled
intervals. - Intermittent Unannounced or surprise
inspections. - Continuous Part of a day-to-day operation.
- Special One-off inspections conducted for
especially hazardous situations. - The area being inspected will thus determine the
kind of inspection to be performed. Proper
documentation of data is to be done to ensure
that employees are kept on their toes.
67- 4.5.2 Audits
- Audits are commonly conducted at the
organizations by corporate personnel, external
professional consultants, and selected local
authorities, professional or ad-hoc associations. - Basically, the organization has to perform a
cost-benefit analysis and identify if the audit
is an on-going process or on an ad-hoc basis,
among others. - 4.6 Periodic Status Review
- The management shall demonstrate commitment to
the effective implementation of the OHS
management system and shall undertake periodic
status review to ensure maintenance and
suitability of the OHS policy as well as to
ensure continual improvement.
68CHAPTER 5 HAZARD AND RISK ASSESSMENT
- 5.1 Introduction to Risk Assessment
- Risk assessment is essentially
- an integration of the findings provided by a
hazard assessment and an exposure assessment - determines the adequacy of controls with respect
to risks. - The elements of a risk assessment can be defined
by using a multi- or n- dimensional matrix. - A matrix example of a risk assessment done on a
construction sector is presented in Table 5.1. - Severity and Probability of Occurrence
(Frequency) of each hazard is rated.
69Figure 5.1 Risk Assessment Procedures
70(No Transcript)
71Table 5.1 An Example of a Risk Assessment Matrix
72- 5.2 Differences between Hazards and Risks
- The word hazard always denotes a possibility or
potential. Risk is however, defined as the
combination of the likelihood and consequences of
a specified hazardous event occurring. - The difference between hazard and risk lies in
that a hazard is a possible (or potential) harm
or injury, whereas a risk is the probability that
a person will actually experience a specific
hazard. - 5.2.1 Hazard Risk Reduction Strategies
- Product reformulation or chemical substitutions
are two ways of replacing a hazardous chemical
component in a product with a less hazardous or
totally harmless material. - In order to reduce the risks associated with a
hazard that cannot be removed or reduced, it is
necessary to reduce exposure.
73- This is possible by implementing three exposure
control approaches in the following order - Management Control through proper supervision of
assignments, procedures, etc - Engineering Control
- Personal protective clothing and equipment
- 5.3 Hazards Identification
- 5.3.1 Agents of Hazards
- Physical, chemical and biological agents can pose
human health and safety hazards. - Heat, noise and vibration are some common
physical agents - chemical agents are made up of naturally
occurring and human made inorganic and organic
chemicals. - Biological agents include viruses and bacteria.
- They can be identified and described without
reference to the human subjected to the
associated hazardi. -
74A.
Physical Agents
Acoutistic Radiation
Sonic and ultrasonic sound, including continuous
and intermittent (impact) noise
Temperature
Heat and cold stress
Magnetic Radiation
Magnetic flux densities, including those having
influence on implanted medical devices and
ferromagnetic tools
Visible light, lasers, radio frequency/ microwave
radiation, ultraviolet radiation, and x-rays
Electromagnetic Radiation
Radionuclides and radiation (alpha, beta and
gamma) associated with unstable atomic nuclei or
nuclear reactions
Radioactivity
Stress associated with mechanical tensions in
musculo-skeletal system
Ergonomic Stress
Mechanical impact that exerts physical force on
body
Physical Impact
Figure 5.2 Examples of Hazardous Agents in the
Workplacei (Page 1 of 3)
75Chemical Agents
Agents Presenting Physical Risk
Asphyxiant
Vapors displace air and thereby cause suffocation
Combustible
Burns when subjected to a temperature greater
than 100oF and below 200oF
Corrosive
Chemically burns living tissue on contact
Suddenly releases pressure, gas and heat when
ignited
Explosive
Flammable
Burns when subjected to a temperature less than
100oF
A non-corrosive material that causes itching,
soreness or inflammation of exposed skin, eyes or
mucous membranes
Irritant
Pyrophoric
Ignites spontaneously in air at temperature of
130oF or lower
Organic Peroxide
Spontaneously explodes due to the formation of
unstable peroxides
Promotes or initiates the burning of combustible
or flammable material
Oxidizer
Water Reactive
Reacts with water to form a flammable or toxic gas
Unstable/Reactive
Spontaneously explodes with production of
pressure, gas, heat and possibly toxic fumes
Figure 5.2 Examples of Hazardous Agents in the
Workplacei (Page 2 of 3)
76B.
Chemical Agents
Agents Presenting Health Risk
Causes cancer
Carcinogen
Causes changes in genetic information that is
inherited from generation to generation
Mutagen
Causes life-threatening damage to tissues or
internal organs in very small amounts (e.g.
several teaspoons or less)
Poison
Sensitizer
Causes allergic reactions after repeated
exposures, with possibly severe or even
life-threatening consequences
Teratogen
Causes malfunction of the developing fetus
Toxic
Causes life-threatening damage to tissues or
internal organs, but in amounts greater than a
poison
Biological Agents
Bloodborne Pathogens
Disease causing organisms that may be transmitted
through blood and other blood-related bodily
fluids of infected persons
Other pathogens
Infectious diseases that may be transmitted by
means other than bodily fluids of infected
persons (e.g. water, air, food)
Figure 5.2 Examples of Hazardous Agents in the
Workplacei (Page 3 of 3)
77- 5.3.2 Classifications of Hazards
- There are two types of hazards
- one that is described in terms of the time
interval between exposure to the hazard - another that is defined based on the
manifestation of consequent harm or injury.
Table 5.2 Classification of Hazard Types
78- 5.4 Quantifying Exposure
- As the essential link between hazard (a
possibility) and risk (a probability), exposure
must be examined in detail, with specific
attention given to the following aspectsi - Quantitative measure (e.g. concentration of
chemical inhaled) which includes the measures of
the amount or the nature of the hazardous agent,
as well as the measures of the duration and
frequency of exposure. - Pathways by which the hazard comes into contact
with human tissue (e.g. inhalation). - Mechanism(s) by which a hazardous agent is
transformed or propagated from its source to a
human. Often referred to as environmental
transport or fate. - Mechanism(s) by which a hazardous agent might be
transformed during its transport or propagation. - Individual humans or populations that might come
into contact with the hazard.
79- As a more holistic, integrated approach to
workplace health and safety becomes established,
it can be expected that such quantification of
community exposures to the hazards of individual
worksites will become more common. - Any competent exposure analysis of industrial
hazards includes a detailed description of the
various specific pathways or routes by which a
hazardous agent comes into contact with living
tissue. - Generic categories of environmental dynamics
include - Introduction of materials and energies into
major environmental compartments - Transformation of materials and energies within
environmental compartments - Translocation of materials and energies from
compartment to compartment - Concentration of materials and energies
within compartments - Dissipation of materials and energies within
compartments - Elimination of materials and energies within
compartments.
80Figure 5.3 Generic Environmental Processes that
influence the dynamic flows and transformation of
materials and energies in environmental
compartmentsi
81- 5.5 Hazards Analysis
- Checklists are usually drawn up to help in
identifying hazards and hazardous operation
relationships systematically. - The hazard matrix is made up of rows and columns
- rows are made up of different items or function
hazards. - columns store progressive information about
hazardous events, causes, effects and severities,
probability of occurrence, controls,
verifications of controls, and remarks.
82Table 5.3 An Example PHA Matrix Checklist Format
Using A Hot Water Heateri
83- 5.5.1 Severity Rating
- Severity of hazardous effects is also known as
hazard level or criticality category. - It is a rating indicating the seriousness of an
effect of a hazard on a worker or employee, and
it can be defined into different categories with
different values. - There is a direct correlation between effect and
severity, therefore severity is ranked according
to the hazard effect. - Severity rating shall be ranked based on the
worst effects of a hazard mode.
84Table 5.4 Severity of the Hazardous Effecti
85- 5.5.2 Probability of Occurrence
- Occurrence is the ranking of likelihood that a
specific cause will occur with existing controls.
- The probability of occurrence, like severity, can
be defined into different categories with
different values and has to be calculated for
every cause of the hazards.
Table 5.5 Probability of Occurrence of the
Hazardous Effects
86- 5.5.3 Risk Ratings
- Severity and Probability factors are used to
represent risk ratings - The risks are then rated according to different
levels of trivial, tolerable, moderate,
substantial and intolerable. - Risk ratings, such as risk index categories or
risk assessment categories are used to guide
management actions.
Table 5.6 Risk Rating Table
87Table 5.7 Table showing the Interpretation of
Risks
88OR
Figure 5.4 Example of a Fault Treei
89- Fault trees are usually drawn with an undesired
event at the time and ways that the event could
happen beneath, connected to the upper event by
basically two types of logic gates- or and
and. - The or gate bears the meaning that any of the
contributing events would be sufficient to cause
the upper event, - the and gate means all events must be present
for the upper event to occur. - At the same time, the trees are limited by
using diamonds to represent a termination. - Double diamonds, one within one another, are used
to mark insufficient information, to remind
analysts to review those portions later on. - Caution must be given to maintain the correct
logic within the tree. Without correct logic, the
tree forms incorrect loops of circular logic and
fails to portray reality.
90- 5.7 Iteration and Expanded Matrix Analyses
- PHAs can and ought to be repeated with updated
design information several times. - This is an example of a common iterative system
process of going back and updating or correcting
an analysis based upon newer informationi. - It explains the need to review fault trees.
- By changing matrix headings through asking
different questions or more detailed questions,
other types of matrices similar to the PHA are
produced such as, System Hazard Analysis (SHA)
or the Operating and Support Hazard Analysis
(OSHA).
91CHAPTER 6 EMERGENCY RESPONSE AND PREPAREDNESS
- 6.1 Importance of Emergency Contingency
Plans - The existence of a sound emergency and disaster
response plan in an organization often makes the
difference between life and death. - all efforts in an occupational health and safety
program would come to nothing if the organization
is incapable or unprepared if ever an emergency
or disaster were to arise. - The worst possible outcome of such a situation
would probably include a large number of deaths,
the total annihilation of a factory putting it
completely out of operation, and the cost of the
damage to the company amounting to millions of
dollars. - In essence, emergency pre-planning measures can
keep an event from becoming a disaster in the
first place.
92- 6.2 Types of Emergencies and Disasters
- A disaster may be defined as a great, sudden
misfortune resulting in loss of life, serious
injury, or property damagei.
Figure 6.1 Types of Emergencies and Disasters
93- 6.2.1 Fire
- The quick action of the brigade is essential in
order to minimize injury and damage, as well as
to evacuate affected employees. - 6.2.2 Explosion
- It is highly dangerous as it occurs suddenly
without warning, and can inflict severe injuries
and damage. - 6.2.3 Tornado/ Weather Situations
- Employees should be instructed on how to
evacuate their workplaces safely without leaving
dangerous tasks unattended. - 6.2.4 Sabotage and Terrorism/ Bomb Threats
- Internal security measures have to be taken for
advanced detection and early notification of
local police and help forces. - 6.2.5 Strikes/ Violence
- Strikes, especially labour strikes, will affect
operations badly.Thus, the company should be on
the alert for any strikes. -
-
94- 6.2.6 Accidents
- Accident prevention and investigation procedures
should be present in the event of an accident. - 6.2.7 Chemical Spill/ Vapor Release
- When a chemical spill or vapor release arise,
appropriate actions and personnel should be
engaged for proper disposal of the hazardous
materials. - 6.2.8 Radiation
- Even small amounts of radioactive material pose a
significant threat to health. Therefore,
facilities for showers and eyewash should be
present and easily accessible. - 6.2.9 Energy Emergencies
- Energy emergencies are usually caused by fuel
shortages.
95- 6.3 What is Emergency Contingency
Planning - An effective emergency plan will take into
account the following factors - Plans and procedures Safest and most effective
procedures that people affected by the emergency
should follow. - Training, testing and practice Sufficient
testing to ascertain the emergency plans
effectiveness should be carried out, perhaps in
conjunction with training and drills. - Communications equipment and personnel To
maintain open lines of communication, there
should be adequate communication equipment and
personnel assigned to such tasks. - Equipment Sufficient equipment to deal with
emergencies should be readily available. - Response Immediate response to emergency from
the authorities is of utmost importance. -
96Figure 6.2 Emergency Response Relationships
97- 6.4 Elements of Emergency Plan Response
- Most of the elements stated below are in
compliance to the Chemical Process Safety
Regulations 29 CFR 1910.39 (Employee Emergency
Plans). - 6.4.1 Policy
- The policy defines the attitude of the company
towards emergency planning. - 6.4.2 Authority
- A chain of command should be established to
minimize confusion so that employees will have no
doubt who has the authority for making
decisionsi. - 6.4.3 Emergency Escape Procedures and Routes
- Emergency escape procedures and routes should be
posted in each work area. - 6.4.4 Personnel who remain to operate critical
operations
98- 6.4.5 Employee Accountability Procedures After
Evacuation - Each supervisor should be responsible for his or
her assigned employees, to ensure that the
identities and status of well being of all the
employees are established. - 6.4.6 Control Center
- The function of the control center is to have a
place where all instructions are given out and
information is exchanged in case of an emergency.
- 6.4.7 Rescue and Medical Duties
- Emergency teams should be trained in the various
types of possible emergencies and actions to be
performed such as first- aid and transportation. - 6.4.8 Transportation
- Injured people must be evacuated safely out of
dangerous areas and the critically ill must be
sent to hospital as soon as possible. - 6.4.9 Communications
- A method of communications is required to alert
employees of the evacuation. -
99- 6.4.10 Training/ Practice
- Training in the following areas will be useful
- Use of various types of fire extinguishers.
- First- aid, including Cardio Pulmonary
Resuscitation - Shut- down procedures
- Evacuation procedures
- Chemical spill control procedures
- Use of self- contained breathing apparatus
- Search and emergency rescue
proceduresii - 6.4.11 Personal Protection and Rescue Equipment
- Effective personal protective equipment should be
stored in a place that is easily reached,
checked, serviced and cleaned regularly. - 6.4.12 Lighting
- Back up portable generators are indispensable in
providing necessary lighting to carry out
necessary rescue operations. - 6.4.13 Security
- An off-limits area must be established by
cordoning the area with ropes and signs.
100- 6.5 Developing an Emergency Response Plan
- The development of a practical and effective
emergency response program is essentially a
normative process.
Figure 6.3 Three Phases for Devising Emergency
Response Policies and Proceduresi
101- 6.5.1 Risk Assessments Phase
- Factors that are necessary in this phase are the
sources and types of hazards, the degree of
exposure and the persons exposed. - Techniques available to the planner include
hazard analysis, failure modes and effects
analysis, and fault and event tree analysis. - 6.5.2 Safety Judgement Phase
- This phase seeks to determine the level of
protection for each population under risk, while
keeping in mind their social and cultural values
and current regulatory standards. - 6.5.3 Making-Safe Strategy Phase
- As shown in Figure 6.4, policies and procedures
should address three basic types of emergency
response activities - Preparation Activities Undertaken immediately
upon discovery of a potential or actual
emergency, prior to the initiation of any
response. - Response Activities Include all efforts to
control the emergency and provide assistance to
affected persons. - Follow-up Activities Focus on post emergency
actions to bring the company back to a state of
emergency readiness, including revisions to
emergency plans based on experience of past
emergencies.
102Figure 6.4 Basic Emergency Response Operationsi
103- 6.6 First Aid in Emergency Planning
- Safety programs must place proper emphasis on
life- saving actions. - General approach in every emergency situation is
explained below. - 1. Survey the scene.
- Proper precautions have to be taken,
especially in toxic atmospheres. Quick and
decisive actions have to be made sometimes, such
as whether to move the casualty or wait for
proper medical personnel to arrive, seeking help
from people around. - 2. Do a primary survey of the victim.
- The victims breathing rate, heart rate and
level of consciousness are noted here. - 3. Phone Emergency Medical Services for help.
- . The victim should always be brought to the
hospital for a proper examinationbefore declaring
his state of health. - 4. Do a secondary survey of the victim.
- Vital conditions such the victims breathing,
heart rate, consciousness and any other injuries
have to be monitored frequently.
104CHAPTER 7 OHS Management System Assessment
- 7.1 Introduction
- Auditing is a procedure for periodic, systematic,
documented, and objective evaluation of
operations and practices in meeting safety,
health, and environmental requirementsi. - It is also a quality assurance tool that can
verify whether management and technical practices
exist, function properly, and are adequate to
meet the organizations goalsii. - An organization has to plan for annual internal
and external safety audits to be conducted. - The safety audit ought to cover the entire
operatio