Industrial Safety and Health for Goods and Materials Services - Chapter 22 pptx

Poor lighting 22.1 PREVENTING SLIPS AND TRIPS Slips and trips can be prevented by maintaining an alertness and awareness of potential hazards, identifying unsafe conditions and behaviors

22 Slips and Trips

Falls

Accepted warning signs for slips, trips, and falls

This chapter discusses slips and trips primarily related to falls to the same level Many slips and trips lead to falls from elevated heights that will be discussed in another chapter About 7% of all injuries are from slips and trips In most cases, slips and trips lead to muscle strains and sprains (64%), bruises and contusions (38%), and fractures (20%) Deaths from slips and trips that result in a fall to the same level are normally not fatal, but they have occurred when the worker strikes his=her head or is impaled on an object, or falls on or into an operating piece of equipment

Slips and trips cause enough disabling injuries to be given their due attention in a safety effort by a company There are many ways of preventing them In this chapter, specific attention will be paid to walking–working surfaces and stairs Although stairs are usually addressed as a form of ladder, they are indeed an integral part of the walking=working surfaces for workers and a critical part of access work areas on different levels

In most situations, where slip and trip accidents occur, workers tend to lose their footing (50%), lose their balance (13%), or lose their grip (12%) Primarily it has been found that the primary causes are an unsafe mindset (not paying attention to or

recognizing the potential hazard), existence of unsafe conditions, or unsafe behavior

by the injured party

Related to stairs the most common hazards occur when descending (83%), carrying an object while descending (57%), not holding onto the handrail (63%), absence of handrail (21%), and unsafe conditions such as ice, snow, object on stairs, or spill Many times a combination of these hazardous conditions or acts is present

Some of the hazards that one should look for when inspecting walking=working surfaces are as follows:

. Loose or bent boards orfloor tiles

. Unsecured rugs and mats

. Floor surfaces that change elevation

. Broken concrete

. Manholes

. Uncovered drains

. Unsafe stairs

. Slippery surfaces

. Obstructions in walkways

. Improper shoes

. Running or moving too fast for the conditions

. Poor lighting

22.1 PREVENTING SLIPS AND TRIPS

Slips and trips can be prevented by maintaining an alertness and awareness of potential hazards, identifying unsafe conditions and behaviors, selecting the proper tools for the task, and using proper body mechanics Using good body mechanics entails as follows:

. Not overtilting of the head

. Using allfingers to grip

. Shortening walking stride and pointing feet slightly outward

. Walking with knees slightly bent which help to avoid falling forward . Balancing all loads that are being carried

. Avoiding overreaching

In using proper body mechanics it is important to maintain a center of balance which requires use of eyes, ears, and muscles; thus, good health is important and anyone under medication, that could affect the sense and body motion, should either not be working or should proceed with great caution Medication is not the only substance that affects balance Illegal drugs and alcohol can also have similar effects on the worker’s balance Any vision problems should be corrected Workers need to be fit and be conditioned for the task and this includes maintaining normal weight An overweight worker is most likely to lose balance

In most situation, workers often trip or stumble over unexpected objects in their way This is why housekeeping is a critical component in preventing slip and trip accidents Some of the things that should be done regarding housekeeping that will mitigate the potential for slips or trips are as follows:

. Keep everything at work in its proper place.

. Put things away after they are used

. Have adequate lighting or use aflashlight

. Walk and change direction slowly, especially when carrying something. . Make sure the teeth or head on a wrench is in good shape and would not slip when using it

Some other issues that should not be acceptable are as follows:

. Leaving machines, tools, or other materials onfloors

. Blocking walkways or aisles with machines or equipment

. Using a‘‘cheater’’ on a wrench (get a larger wrench with a longer handle) . Leaving cord, power cable, or air hoses in walkways

. Placing anything on stairs

. Leaving drawers open

. Carrying or pushing loads that block the vision

Other guidelines in preventing slips are as follows:

. Clean up spills, drips, and leaks immediately.

. Apply sand on icy spots immediately and walk carefully.

. Use slip-resistantfloor waxes and polishes in offices and high traffic areas . Use steel drain grates and splash guards.

. Use rough or grained steel surfaces in areas where there are often spills. . Put up signs or barriers to keep people away from temporary slip hazards. . Wear shoes with antiskid soles and materials that resist oil and acids. . Avoid turning sharply when walking on slippery surfaces.

. Keep hands at your side not in your pockets.

. Walk slowly and slide your feet on wet, slippery, or uneven surfaces. . Do not count on other workers to report hazards.

With regards to shoes, no type of shoe soles will prevent slipping on really slippery icy or oily surfaces, but some types of soles are better than others Some shoe companies actually embed aluminum oxide in the soles to increase the coefficient

of friction Here are some general guidelines to follow:

. Neoprene soles, made with synthetic rubber, can be used safely on most work surfaces, both wet and dry They are not recommended for oily conditions . Crepe soles, rubber with a‘‘crinkled’’ texture, are best for rough concrete, either dry or wet They are not suggested for tiles, smooth concrete, or wood surfaces

. Leather soles can be used for ceram ic tiles, wood , concrete surfa ces that are wet and greasy , but are not recommend ed for dry, smoo th concret e

. Soft rubber soles can be used safely when wor king on most dry surfaces. They are n ot sugges ted for wet or greasy concret e

. Hard rubber soles are best used for greasy concret e and wood They are not recommend ed for ceram ic til e or dry concrete

When purchas ing an tislip floor fin ishes or coveri ng, the selec tion is some what unlimited including tile, terrazzo, linoleum , and carpeting It is importan t to select the right floor treatmen ts or coverings for your given situation As a general rule, floor treat ment material s shoul d ha ve a minim um slip resi stance rating of 0 50 This rating is known as the coef ficient of fric tion and you shoul d consul t the manufac-turers and thei r speci ficati ons to achieve the de gree of slip resistanc e desir ed Slip resistant mat s or stri ps shoul d be used in front of sinks , chemical vats, dishw ashing areas, walk-i n coolers and freezer s, ramp s, stai rs, etc

22.2 PREVENTING FALLS TO THE SAME LEVEL

Falls to the same level usually occur because of some very simple acti ons which are highly prevent able The se are as foll ows:

. Running or walk ing too fast

. Slipping on icy or wet surfaces

. Having poor visibil ity due to dust, glare, smok e, or carrying a load that blocks one ’ s visi on

. Stumbling on loose pant cuffs

. Not wearing appropriate shoes for the job or activity

. Sitting improperly by not keeping all four legs of the chair on thefloor

22.3 STAIRWAYS

There is no doubt that stairways are useful for traveling between different levels Stairway s are more con venient than ladders (Figure 22.1) In spite of this, many injuries from slips, trips, and falls transpire on a regular basis in the workplace Most

of the serious injuries and deaths occur while descending a stairway Going up stairways means that the fall is usually forward and therefore restricted In most situations, stairway accidents occur from unsafe acts such as the following: . Climbing or descending stairs without holding onto the handrail

. Carrying a load, especially one that blocks visibility

. Not cleaning known slippery surfaces

. Not concentrating while climbing or descending

. Failing to keep stairs free of clutter

. Forgetting or ignoring safe work practices

. Having slow physical reaction, dizziness, or vision problems

The major unsafe conditions that exist regarding stairways that result in accidents are

as follows:

. Stairways without handrails

. Tools, equipment, and litter on steps

. Spills left on stairways from failure to immediately clean them up

. Stairs not properly constructed

22.3.1 INSPECTINGSTAIRWAYS

When inspecting the condition of stairways in the workplace, some of the areas that need to be observed are as follows:

. Handrails and stair rails for placement, smoothness of surfaces, strength, clearance between rail and wall or other objects, and lastly the missing rails where they should be present

FIGURE 22.1 Set of safe stairs

. In looking at stair treads consider their strength, slip resistance, dimensions, evenness of the surface, and visibility of the leading edge

. Improper=inadequate design, construction, or location of staircases

. Wet, slippery, or damaged walking or grasping surfaces.

. Improper illumination (there are no general Occupational Safety and Health Administration [OSHA] standards for illumination levels)

. The Illuminating Engineering Society publication should be consulted for recommendations

. Poor housekeeping.

22.4 PREVENTING SLIPS, TRIPS, AND FALLS IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY

It seems safe to say that every one of the supersectors of the service industry and each industry sector have their potential hazards that could result in slips, trips, and falls Wherever there are workers moving around a workplace, the potential for slips, trips, and falls exists It would be challenging to remove all potential hazards from the workplace Thus, this particular facet of workplace safety and health requires special attention

22.5 SUMMARY OF OSHA REGULATIONS

Every flight of stairs having four or more risers is to be provided with a standard railing on all open sides Handrails are to be provided on at least one side of closed stairways, preferably on the right side descending Fixed stairways are to have a minimum width of 22 in Stairs shall be constructed so the riser height and tread width are uniform throughout and do not vary more than one-fourth of an inch Other general requirements include the following:

. A stairway or ladder must be provided at all worker points of access where there is a break in elevation of 19 in or more and no ramp, runway, embankment, or personnel hoist are provided

. When there is only one point of access between levels, it must be kept clear

to permit free passage of workers If free passage becomes restricted, a second point of access must be provided and used

. Where there are more than two points of access between levels, at least one point of access must be kept clear

. Stairways must be installed at least 308—and no more than 508—from the horizontal

. Where doors or gates open directly onto a stairway, a platform must be provided that extends at least 20 in beyond the swing of the door

. All stairway parts must be free of dangerous projections such as pro-truding nails

. Slippery conditions on stairways must be corrected.

. When ascending or descending stairways workers must take extreme care. . Many serious injuries and even fatalities occur when workers slip and fall

on stairways

22.5.1 WALKING=WORKINGSURFACES (29 CFR 1910.21AND.22)

Slips and trips to the same level constitute a major number of general industry accidents They cause approximately two deaths a year of all accidental deaths The OSHA standards for walking and working surfaces apply to all permanent places of employment, except where only domestic, mining, or agricultural work is performed

Working=walking surfaces that are wet need to be covered with nonslip mater-ials All spilled materials should be cleaned up immediately (Figure 22.2) Any holes

in the floor, sidewalk, or other walking surfaces, should be covered or otherwise made safe All aisles and passageways are to be kept clean and marked as appropri-ate There is to be safe clearance for walking in aisles where motorized or mechanical handling equipment is operating

Materials or equipment should be stored in such a way that sharp projections will not interfere with the walkway Changes of direction or elevations should be readily identifiable There should be adequate headroom provided for the entire length of any aisle or walkway

FIGURE 22.2 Sign indicating slippery conditions

Some of the most frequently overlooked general requirements involve house-keeping All places of employment, passageways, storerooms, and service rooms are

to be kept clean and orderly and in a sanitary condition Thefloor of every workroom

is to be maintained in a clean and, so far as possible, dry condition Where wet processes are used, drainage is to be maintained and gratings, mats, or raised platforms are to be provided Every floor, working place, and passageway are to

be kept free of protruding nails, splinters, holes, or loose boards

22.5.2 AISLES ANDPASSAGEWAYS(29 CFR 1910.17, 22,AND .176)

Aisle and passageways must be free from debris and kept clear and in good repair with no obstruction across or in the aisles that could create a hazard during travel (Figure 22.3) Permanent aisles and passageways must be appropriately marked Where mechanical material handling equipment is used, sufficient safe clearance must be allowed for aisles, at loading docks, through doorways, and wherever turns

or passages must be made Aisles and passageways used by mechanical equipment are to be kept clean and in good repair with no obstructions across or in aisles that could create a hazards All permanent aisles and passageways should be appropri-ately marked Improper aisle widths coupled with poor housekeeping and vehicle traffic can cause injury to employees, damage the equipment and material, and limit exit space in times of emergencies Walking areas should be covered and=or guard-rails are to be provided to protect workers from the hazards of open pits, tanks, vats, ditches, etc

FIGURE 22.3 Aisle that has an even floor and lack of clutter

22.5.3 FLOORS (GENERALCONDITIONS) (29 CFR 1910.22AND.23)

Allfloor surfaces are to be kept clean, dry, and free from protruding nails, splinters, loose boards, holes, or projections Where wet processes are used, drainage is to be maintained and false floors, platforms, mats, or other dry standing places are to

be provided where practical

In buildings or other structures, used for mercantile, business, industrial, or storage purposes, the loads approved by the building officials are to be marked on plates securely affixed by the owner of the building, or their duly authorized agent, in

a conspicuous place in each space to which they relate Such plates must not be removed or defaced but, if lost, removed, or defaced, shall be replaced by the owner

or his agent It is unlawful to place on any floor or roof of a building or other structure, a load greater than what is permitted

22.5.4 GUARDINGFLOOR ANDWALLOPENINGS(29 CFR 1910.23)

Floor openings and holes, wall openings and holes, and the open sides of platforms may create hazards People may fall through the openings or over the sides to the level below Objects, such as tools or parts, may fall throughfloor or wall openings and holes use the following guidelines:

. Afloor hole is an opening measuring less than 12 in but more than 1 in in

at least one dimension, in anyfloor, platform, pavement, or yard, through which materials but not persons may fall

. Floor openings measuring 12 in or more in at least one dimension, in any floor, platform, pavement, yard, through which a person may fall

. Platforms are working space for persons, elevated above the surrounding floor or ground

. A wall hole is an opening of less than 30 in but more than 1 in., of unrestricted width, in any wall or partition

. Wall openings are at least 30 in high and 18 in wide, in any wall or partition

22.5.5 PROTECTION OFFLOOROPENINGS

Standard railings are to be provided on all exposed sides of a stairway opening, hatchway, or chutefloor opening, except at the stairway entrance For infrequently used stairways, where traffic across the opening prevents the use of a fixed standard railing, the guard is to consist of a hingedfloor opening cover of standard strength and construction along with removable standard railings and toeboard on all exposed sides, except at the stairways entrance This is to guard against a person walking directly into the opening

A standard railing consists of a top rail, mid rail, and post, and is to have a vertical height of 42 in from the upper surface of the top rail, platform, runway, or ramp level Mid rails are to be 21 in A standard toeboard is 4 in in vertical height with not more than 0.25 in clearance above thefloor level

Floor openings can be covered rather than guarded with rails When thefloor opening cover is removed a temporary guardrail should be put in its place, or an attendant should be stationed at the opening to warn personnel Everyfloor-hole into which persons can accidentally walk into is to be guarded by either a standard railing with standard toeboard on all exposed sides, or afloor-hole cover that should be hinged in place

Every open-sidedfloor, platform, or runway 4 ft or more above adjacent floor or ground level is to be guarded by a standard railing with toeboard on all open sides, except where there is entrance to a ramp, stairway, orfixed ladder Wherever tools, machine parts, or materials are likely to be used on the runway, a toeboard is to be provided on all exposed sides Runways not less than 18 in wide used exclusively for special purposes may have the railing on one side omitted where operating conditions necessitate Regardless of height, open-sidedfloors, walkways, platforms,

or runways above or adjacent to dangerous equipment, pickling, or galvanizing tanks, degreasing units, and similar hazards are to be guarded with a standard railing and toeboard

22.5.6 RAILINGS (29 CFR 1910.23)

The general requirements apply to all stair rails and handrails for stairways having four or more risers, or rising more than 30 in in height—whichever is less—must have at least one handrail Stair width is measured clear of all obstructions except handrails The following are the guidelines for railings:

. On stairways less than 44 in wide having both sides enclosed, at least one handrail is to be provided, preferably on the right side descending since most individuals are strong right handed or are accustomed to rails being on the right

. On stairways less than 44 in wide with one side open, at least one stair rail must be provided on the open side

. On stairways less than 44 in wide having both sides open, two stair rails must be provided, one for each side

. On stairways that are between 44 and 88 in wide, one handrail is to be provided on each enclosed side and one stair rail on each open side

. On stairways 88 in or more in width, one handrail must be provided on each enclosed side, one stair rail on each open side, and one intermediate stair rail must be placed approximately in the middle of the stairs

A standard stair rail should be similar to a standard railing, but the vertical height should not be more than 34 in nor less than 30 in from the upper surface of the top rail to the surface of the tread in line with the face of the riser at the forward edge of the tread

A standard handrail consists of a lengthwise member mounted directly on a wall

or partition by means of brackets attached to the lower side of the handrail to keep a smooth, unobstructed surface along the top and both sides of the handrail The brackets should maintain the rail 3 in from the wall and be no more than 8 ft apart