Industrial Safety and Health for Goods and Materials Services - Chapter 11 pot

11 Controls and PPE11.1 HAZARD PREVENTION AND CONTROLS The Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA require employers to protect their employees from workplace hazards such as

11 Controls and PPE

11.1 HAZARD PREVENTION AND CONTROLS

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) require employers to protect their employees from workplace hazards such as machines, work procedures, and hazardous substances that can cause injury or illnesses It is known from past practices and situations that something must be done to mitigate or remove hazards from the workplace Actions taken often create other hazards, which had not existed before attempting to address the existing hazard

Many companies have suggestion programs where workers receive rewards for suggestions that are implemented It is no surprise that the person who often has the best ideas is the one who suffers most from that particular hazard It is a sound management process to involve those who are impacted most in decision-making processes

Safety toed shoes, safety eyewear, head protection, ear protection, and hand protection are all forms of personal protective equipment

Several methods have been used over the years to control hazards and these can

be segregated intofive categories The preferred methods are engineering controls, awareness devices, predetermined safe work practices, and administrative controls When these controls are not feasible or do not provide sufficient protection, an alternative or supplementary method of protection is to provide workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) and the know-how to use it properly

11.2 ENGINEERING CONTROLS

When a hazard is identified in the workplace, every effort should be made to eliminate

it so that employees are not harmed Elimination may be accomplished by designing or redesigning a piece of equipment or process This could be the installation of a guard

on a piece of machinery, which prevents workers from contacting the hazard The hazard can be engineered out of the operation Another way to reduce or control the hazard is to isolate the process, such as in the manufacture of vinyl chloride used to make such items as plastic milk bottles, where the entire process becomes a closed circuit This will result in no one being exposed to vinyl chloride gas, which is known

to cause cancer Thus, any physical controls which are put in place are considered to be the best approach from an engineering perspective Keep in mind that you are a consumer of products Thus, at times you can leverage the manufacturer to implement safeguards or safety devices on products that you are looking to purchase Let your vendor do the engineering for you or do not purchase their product This may not always be a viable option To summarize the engineering controls that can be used, the following may be considered:

. Substitution

. Elimination

. Ventilation

. Isolation

. Process or design change

11.3 AWARENESS DEVICES

Awareness devices are linked to the senses They are warning devices, which can be heard and seen They act as alerts to workers, but create no type of physical barrier They are found in most workplaces and carry with them a moderate degree of effectiveness Such devices are as follows:

. Backup alarms

. Warning signals both audible and visual

. Warning signs

11.4 WORK PRACTICES

Work practices are the means by which a job task or activity is done This may mean that you create a specific procedure for completing the task or job It may also

mean that you implement special training for a job or task It also presupposes that you might require inspection of the equipment or machinery before beginning work

or when a failure has occurred An inspection should be done before restarting the process or task A lockout=tagout procedure may also be required to create a zero potential energy release

11.5 ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS

A second approach is to control the hazard through administrative directives This may

be accomplished by rotating workers, which allows you to limit their exposure, or having workers only work in areas when no hazards exist during that part of their shift This applies particularly to chemical exposures and repetitive activities that could result

in ergonomic related incidents Examples of administrative controls are as follows:

. Requiring specific training and education

. Scheduling off-shift work

. Worker rotation

Management controls are needed to express the company’s view of hazards and their response to hazards that have been detected The entire program must be directed and supported through the management controls If management does not have a systematic and set procedure for addressing the control of hazards in place, the reporting=identifying of hazards is a waste of time and money This goes back to the policies and directives and the holding of those responsible accountable by providing them with the resources (budget) for correcting and controlling hazards Some aspects of management controls are as follows:

. Policies

. Directives

. Responsibilities (line and staff)

. Vigor and example

. Accountability

. Budget

The attempt to identify the worksite hazards and address them should be an integral part of your management approach If the hazards are not addressed in a timely fashion, they will not be identified or reported If money becomes the main criterion for notfixing or controlling hazards, your workforce will lose interest in identifying and reporting them

11.6 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Personal protective equipment includes a variety of devices and garments to protect workers from injuries You canfind PPE designed to protect eyes, face, head, ears, feet, hands and arms, and the whole body PPE includes such items as goggles, face

shields, safet y glasses, h ard hats, safet y shoes, gloves, vests, earpl ugs, earm uffs, and suits for full body protectio n

Recent regul atory requireme nts make hazard analys is=asses sment part of the PPE selection proces s Haza rd analys is=asses sment procedu res shall be used to assess the wor kplace to d etermine if haz ards are p resent, or are like ly to be presen t, which may necess itate the use of PPE As part of this asses smen t, employe es’ work envir onment is to be examined for potential healt h a nd physi cal hazards If it

is not possi ble to elimin ate wor kers’ exposur e or potential exposur e to the hazard through the effor ts of engine ering controls, work p ractices, and adminis trative controls, then the proper PPE will need to be used The hazard assessment certi fica-tion form found in Appen dix C may be of assistanc e in co nducting a hazard analysis=assessment

When employees must be present and engineering or administrative controls are not feasible, it will be essential to use PPE as an interim control and not a final solution For example, safety glasses may be required in the work area Far too often, in the scheme of hazard control PPE usage is considered as a last resort PPE can provide added protection to the employee even when the hazard is being controlled by other means There are drawbacks to the use of PPE and they are

as follows:

. Hazard still looms

. Protection dependent upon worker using PPE

. PPE may interfere with performing task and productivity

. Requires supervision

. Is an ongoing expense

Many forms of PPE need to be addressed and required when a hazard assessment determined that PPE is the only option left for protecting the workforce PPE includes the following:

. Eye and face protection (29 CFR 1910.133)

. Respiratory protection (29 CFR 1910.134)

. Head protection (29 CFR 1910.135)

. Foot and leg protection (29 CFR 1910.136)

. Electrical protective equipment (29 CFR 1910.137)

. Hand protection (29 CFR 1910.138)

. Respiratory protection of tuberculosis (29 CFR 1910.139)

Any other types of specialized protective equipment needed would be identified

as part of the hazard assessment Such equipment might include body protection for hazardous materials, protective equipment for material handling, protection for welding activities, or protection from exposure to biological agents

11.6.2 ESTABLISHING A PPE P ROGRAM

A PPE progra m sets out procedu res for selec ting , provi ding, a nd using PPE as part of

an organi zation ’ s routi ne operat ion A written PPE progra m, alth ough not manda -tory, is easie r to estab lish a nd mai ntain than a compa ny policy and easie r to evaluate than an unwrit ten one To develo p a writt en progra m you shoul d consider including the follow ing elem ents or informat ion:

. Identify steps taken to asses s potent ial hazards in every empl oyees ’ work-space and in workplace operating procedu res

. Identify appropriat e PPE selec tion criteria

. Identify how you will train empl oyees on the use of PPE, including the

following:

. W hat PPE is necess ary.

. W hen is PPE necess ary.

. How to proper ly inspe ct PPE for wear and damag e.

. How to proper ly put on and adjus t the fit of PPE

. How to proper ly take off PPE.

. Li mitations of PPE.

. How to proper ly care for and store PPE.

. Identify how you will asses s empl oyee understandi ng of PPE training. . Identify how you will enforc e proper PPE use.

. Identify how you will provi de for any required medica l examinati ons. . Identify how and when to e valuate the PPE progra m.

Finally, use PPE for potential ly dan gerous co nditions Use gloves , aprons , and goggles to avoid acid splashing Wea r earplugs for protectio n from high noise levels and wear respi rators to protect agains t toxi c chemicals The use of PPE should be the last consi deration in eliminatin g or reduci ng the hazards the employee is subjected to because PPE can be heavy, awkwar d, unc omfortable, and expensi ve to mai ntain Therefore, try to engineer the identified hazards out of the job

11.7 RANKING HAZARD CONTROLS

In determining which hazard control procedures have the best chance of being effective,

it is useful to rank them along a continuum Thefive hazard controls that were espoused

in the earlier part of this chapter are ranked in Figure 11.1 This should assist you in determining, which control, if you have a choice of more than one, would be most effective for your purposes The ranking goes from most effective to least effective

11.8 PPE POLICIES

Companies should have policies regarding PPE and clothing that is appropriate for work Companies must have policies regarding hair length=style and wearing of protective equipment when it impedes upon proper wearing and use Disciplinary

Elimination or substitution Most

effective

More

effective

Lesser

effective

Least

effective

Awareness means

Training and procedures (administrative controls)

Personal protective equipment

Engineering controls (safeguarding technology)

• Change the process to eliminate human interaction

• Elimination of pinch points (increase clearance)

• Automated material handling

• Mechanical hard stops

• Lights, beacons, and strobes

• Computer warnings

• Painted markings on floors for restrictive areas or envelopes

• Beepers

• Alarms

• Horns

• Labels

• Public address systems

• Training

• Job rotation

• Off shift scheduling of work

• Safety equipment inspections/audits

• Lockout / tagout

• Safety eyewear (face shield)

• Hearing protection (ear plugs or muffs)

• Fire proof clothing

• Gloves

• Safety shoes

• Respirators

• Whole body protection (Tyveks)

• Safe job procedures

• Signs

• Barriers

• Interlocks

• Presence sensing devices

• Two-hand controls

FIGURE 11.1 Ranking hazard controls

measures should be set and be taken if employees fail to adhere to appropriate dress regulations and requirements for wearing PPE

For some jobs, ordinary clothing—clean, in good repair, and suited to the work involved—may be considered ‘‘safe.’’ A few items are important such as the following:

. Goodfit is important

. Trousers should not be too long.

. Cuffs should never be worn while performing operations that produce

flying embers, sparks, or other harmful matter that might get caught

. Loose-fitting garments should be avoided

Safety precautions regarding regular work clothes should include the following:

. Do not wear anything that could get caught in a machine

. No neckties or scarves that go around the neck

. No wristwatches with buckle or clamp-on bands

. No rings, necklaces, bracelets, or dangling earrings

. No shirts with dangling cuffs or tails

. No gloves around rotating machinery

. No clothing soaked in oil orflammable solvent

Do not buy poorly made or low-quality work clothes; well-made clothes may cost a little more, but theyfit better, last longer, and are safer and more comfortable Replace or repair torn or worn-out items immediately Keep your work clothes clean; dusty or dirty clothes can cause skin rash and irritation Do not cut corners by wearing old dress shoes for work; well-built shoes in good condition with sensible heels are safer, and they cut down on fatigue

For jobs involving exposure to fire, extreme heat, molten metal, corrosive chemicals, cold temperatures, cuts from handling materials, etc., special protective clothing may be required

Many types of protective clothing are available and used to protect against certain hazards such as the following:

. Aluminized and reflective clothing: Reflects radiant heat

. Flame-resistant cotton fabric: Often used as hair covering for people who

work near sparks and openflames

. Impervious materials (rubber, neoprene, vinyl, etc.): Protect against dust,

vapors, mists, moisture, and corrosives

. Leather clothing: Protects against light impact, sparks, molten metal

splashes, and infrared and ultraviolet radiation

. Synthetic fibers (Orlon, Dyne l, Vinyo n, etc.): Resist acids, many solve nts, mildew, abrasi on and tearin g, and repeat ed launderings

. Water-res istant duck: Protec ts from wat er and noncorr osive liqu ids

. Glass fi ber: Used in multilayer constructi on to insulate clothing

Head guards , caps, nets, etc., are designed to keep h air from catchin g in machinery Flame-res istant headgear should be wor n for wor k around sparks or flames Hair length poses addit ional probl ems with regard to safet y equipment such as the following:

. Men with extremel y long, heavy sideb urns may fi nd it dif ficult to get a proper fit when wear ing heari ng protectio n earm uffs

. Large, bushy mustaches and beards can interfere with the p roper fitting of respirato ry equipm ent and breat hing apparat us

. Long or b ushy hair may make it difficult to wear a safety hat

Head protectio n is needed by all empl oyees engaged in occupat ions that pose specia l hazards to the head These hazards are as follow s:

. Falling objects

. Flying particles

. Electric shock

. Overhead spills of chemi cals, acid, o r hot liquids

Some of the parti cularly high-risk indus tries are tree trimm ing, const ruction work, shipbuil ding, logging, min ing, overhea d line const ruction or mai ntenan ce, and metal

or chemical production

Types of protective headgear and what they are designed to protect the head from are as follows:

. Safety helmets or hard hats with full brim from most of the major hazards

regard ing the he ad (Figur e 11.2)

. Bump caps—for use where a brim might get in the way; in confined spaces where exposure is limited to bumping; should never be worn where there is exposure to more serious hazards

. Hair protection caps—for use by employees with long hair who work around chains, belts, or other machines

Some of the key design features are the suspension that maintains the distance between the top of a head and the helmet shell is known as the‘‘crown clearance’’;

it determines the amount of protection offered against impact and penetration

A suspension that is too rigid can transmit the shock of impact and fracture the neck vertebrae A suspension that is tooflexible permits contact with the head upon

impact, causing skull fracture or concussion A damaged or worn suspension should

be replaced immediately

A chin strap: made of leather, fabric, or elastic; prevents the hat from falling off or being blown off During cold weather a liner for warmth can be worn under the hard hat Also, an eye shield and hearing protection muffs may be attached if required Some of the safety precautions that should be followed regarding hard hat protection are as follows:

. Never leave a safety helmet on the rear window shelf of an auto or truck;

sunlight may affect its protective quality, and an emergency stop can turn the helmet into a dangerous missile

. Never keep anything under the safety hat between crown and suspension

such as personal items (wallet); it interferes with the suspension

. Clean the hat and suspension regularly (at least every 30 days).

. Never attempt to repair the shell of a hat once it has been broken or

punctured

. Never drill holes in a safety hat to‘‘improve ventilation’’ or cut notches in the brim

. Replace a damaged helmet immediately.

. If the hat is giving you a headache, make sure it isfitted properly

. Never remove the suspension for any reason.

Industrial eye injuries occur at a rate of 2=min and are the costliest in terms of lost production and earning power Of the more than 1000 industrial eye injuries that occur every working day, over 90% of them are needless and preventable The primary causes of on-the-job eye injuries are as follows:

FIGURE 11.2 Hardhat with ear protection and chin strap

. Flying objects (especially those set in motion by hand tools)

. Abrasive wheels (smallflying particles)

. Fragments from hammering or sawing

. Corrosive substances

. Injurious light or heat rays

. Splashing metal

. Poisonous gas or fumes

To prevent injury to the eyes workers should wear the proper eye protection such as any of the following:

. Cover goggles

. Protective spectacles=safety glasses

. Protective spectacles with side shields

. Chemical or splash-resistant goggles

. Dust goggles

. Melters’ goggles

. Welders’ goggles

Make sure the goggles or glasses are comfortable and properly fitted Fitting, adjusting, and maintaining eye equipment is a part of the wearing process At times the use of defogging materials helps Protective eyewear should be cleaned regularly and the use of sweatbands can be helpful

Today with the variety of styles there are no excuses for failing to wear safety goggles Get them adjusted or refitted by a professional Clean protective eyewear regularly; keep them in a case or a place where they would not get scratched Secure adjustable suspension to make thefit more accommodating on a daily basis; see an eye doctor if headaches or discomfort persist An employer should not accept any excuse for not wearing protective eyewear

Do not wear contact lenses where there are considerable amounts of dust, smoke, irritating fumes, or liquid irritants that could splash into the eyes Never wear contact lenses as a substitute for protective eye equipment If you must wear contact lenses

on the job, get written authorization from your eye doctor and wear safety goggles over your contacts

Wear your safety goggles at home too (when using power tools, spray painting, etc.) Know the appropriate first-aid measures for eye emergencies; for example, flushing eye with water if a chemical has been splashed

Face protection is most needed when the following hazards to the face and neck are present:

. Flying particles

. Sprays of hazardous liquids

. Splashes of molten metals

. Hot solutions