IDENTIFYING HAZARDS

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Identifying Hazards

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Key learning points

What are common hazards?
What can you do about common hazards?
How are common hazards indentified?
Remember what a hazard is?
It is something with the potential to cause harm, damage or loss.
How can we identify the hazards around us? Some of them are pretty obvious and readily visible. Some may be hidden
and require special techniques or skills to identify. Some of the more common
methods of identifying hazards include:

1] By observing the physical conditions at your workplace and the variety of activities
being carried out there. This is a direct method which enables you to actually see the
physical aspect of the work stations and the work activities in progress.

2] Talking to employees to find out what they know

about hazard. Taking the time to talk to your employees
and their safety representatives & representatives of employee safety can yield very useful
information that you might not otherwise be aware of, simply because your employees are
more familiar with their own work since they carry it out on a daily basis. It is essential
however, to remember that when talking to people, that a relaxed and an understanding
style is deployed to encourage employees to speak openly and confidently. Open ended
questions can facilitate a more detailed answer in most situations, and avoiding blaming or
criticising employees can also help.

3] Examining documents & other records that may provide

additional information on hazards. Maintenance records can
reveal failures in workplace precautions e.g. Machine guards
having been removed, LEV (local Exhaust Ventilation) systems
having been altered or modified without proper authority.
Equipment repair records also show what hazards might have
been the cause of accidents and injuries in the past.
4] Finding out information on hazards relevant to your own
section of the workplace from a variety of other sources:
Legislation and ACOPs [approved codes of practice) produced by the HSE are a very reliable source of hazard
information e.g. noise, vibration, chemicals etc.

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Health and Safety Executive guidance notes: these provide information on hazards and how to interpret legislation in
order to comply with legal requirements. Guidance notes have no legal standing.
British Standards Institution [BSI] and comparable International standards: These standards often refer to hazards and
how they may be managed effectively.
Industry and trade association guidance: Trade periodicals and journals provide a wealth of information on the hazards
that have been identified indifferent sectors of industry.

Common workplace hazards:

Bullying
Bullying in the workplace takes place when a specific worker is targeted for unfair treatment. Bullying can be insulting,
intimidating, offensive, humiliating and undermining.

Examples of bullying:
Sarcasm.
Frequent criticism.
Shouting at employees.
Belittling jokes & remarks.
Ignoring certain employees whilst fully engaging with others.
Blocking promotion.
Constantly picking on employees in front of others to humiliate them.

Some symptoms of bullying include:

Loss of self-confidence.
Headaches.
High blood pressure.
Nausea.
Anxiety
Inability to sleep.

As a manager, you have a responsibility to ensure that your employees understand the potential serious disciplinary
measures for anybody found to be bullying fellow employees, and also making equally clear that any employee who
believes that they are being bullied can talk to you privately and in absolute confidence.

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Chemicals and harmful substances:

These can cause injury and ill-health-They are found in almost every home and every workplace, e.g. paints, cleaning
substances, dust, adhesives and bacteria.
Routes of entry of chemicals into the body:
Inhalation, breathing in harmful gases and dusts such as asbestos which can cause Asbestosis, a very serious illness.
Ingestion, by swallowing chemicals as a result of poor hygiene standards which may cause food and drink to be
contaminated.
Absorption, which means that chemicals such as fuels and oils can pass through the skin, while other chemicals can
enter the body through cuts and grazes.
Injection, this happens when accidental or deliberate puncture of the skin takes place as a result of handling
contaminated syringes.
Some substances have a Workplace Exposure Limit (WEL), which determines the exposure that must not be exceeded.
Information on the relevant WELs can be found on the Materials Safety Data Sheets that accompany all harmful or
hazardous substances.

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Below warning signs are used to identify different types of harmful substances:

Computer workstations:
Working on computer workstations for long periods of time can cause the following injuries:
Work Related Upper Limb Disorder [WRULD], which include repetitive strain injury [RSI] and normally take place as a
result of constant use of keyboard or mouse.
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Back injuries, resulting usually from sitting in an awkward position.

Eye strain as a result of looking at the screen for a long time.
So, what can you do as a manager to lessen the ill-health effects of using computer workstations to your employees?
Encourage your staff to:
- Take frequent but short breaks if they are using a keyboard for a long period of time.
- Adopt the correct posture when working at their computer stations following below:

Be aware of the early symptoms of WRULD, such as tingling in the fingers after prolonged keyboard use. Employees
should also be encouraged to report their symptoms and concerns to you.
Position the screen properly to reduce glare or reflection i.e. at eye height and not too far nor too close.
Wear glasses or lenses if needed to see the screen clearly.
Have their eyes tested regularly, and for your company to pay for this if their job necessitates the use of screens for long
periods of time.
Electricity:
The principal harm from electricity is electric shock caused by coming into direct contact with an electrical conductor
e.g. bare wires of a piece of equipment when it is live.

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Some people may suffer an electric shock whilst carrying out a simple task such as changing a light bulb, and possibly
suffering further injuries as a result of falling as a consequence of the electric shock.
What are the most common fatalities from electricity due to?

Use of unsuitable electric equipment in explosive atmospheres e.g. car

paint spraying enclosures.
Using faulty or poorly maintained electrical equipment.
Working close to overhead power lines.
Contact with underground power cables during excavation work.

Most of the above can be avoided by methodical planning, and reasonable precautions.
You have a responsibility as a manager to assess the type of electrical work your staff carry out, and also assess the risks
associated with such work. You must ensure that your staff has adequate Instruction, Training, Information and
Supervision as well as implementing adequate controls to enable them to work without placing themselves or other
people at risk.
If your employees work near electricity, ensure that they are trained to:
Obtain and use an up to date map of gas, water and electricity services in the relevant area.
Locate and mark underground services.
Ensure that electrical supplies are turned off.
Seek the advice of an authorised and competent
person and adhere to it.
When using electrically powered equipment,
make certain that a procedure is developed to
ensure that:
Electrical equipment is suitable for the electric
supply.

A Residual Current Device [RCD] is used between the equipment and the electrical supply to protect the user of the
equipment rather than rely on the use of fuses which only protects the equipment.

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Electrical equipment is suitable for its intended use, and it is in good condition.
Employees are adequately trained to safely use equipment relevant to their work.
Finally, make certain that when employees are working on equipment, machinery or installation that the work is:
Only carried out by an authorised and competent worker.
The work is well planned
The work complies with the requirements of relevant national and / or industrial standards.

Fire:
What are the basic elements needed for fire to take place?
When oxygen mixes with fuel, and source of ignition is present, fire will
start.-

Common sources of fuel:

Wood, paper, plastics, rubber, furniture items, flammable gases and
dusts such as sugar, coal and grain.
Sources of heat:
Heaters, cigarettes and matches, hot work processes e.g. welding and cooking, and naked flames.
Sources of Oxygen:
Air present in the atmosphere, Oxygen stored in cylinders and oxidising materials e.g. bleaches.
The removal of any one of the three basic elements will prevent a fire from starting or put out if it has already started.
How do people injured and sometimes killed due to fire :
Smoke which can spread fast throughout the affected areas, can suffocate and/ or poison people.
Direct heat and flames.
Collapsing buildings.
The best way to protect people from the harm caused by fires is to prevent fires from starting in the first place. In the
unfortunate event that a fire has taken place, the priority then is to evacuate people safely away from it and away from
the reach of the smoke.

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A fire will go out when:

There is no more Oxygen by smothering the fire e.g. placing a lid on a metal bin that contained a fire.
The fuel runs out( starving the fire), by removing material from the area of the fire or closing off an area of combustible
material from the fire e.g. isolating a gas valve to extinguish a gas fire.
Removing the heat (cooling) the fire by applying water to the fire.
As a manager, you have the responsibility of assessing and effectively managing the risks in your area by:
Identifying ways to eliminate or reduce sources of :
Ignition Purchasing and installing equipment that is likely to minimise the risk of fire.
Fuel, by removing flammable materials or keeping the quantity of such materials to the minimum needed for the work
process concerned.
Oxygen by keeping doors and windows shut.
Ensuring that your employees are adequately trained in fire safety.
Making certain that fire precautions are implemented and maintained, such as fire alarms, smoke detectors, escape
routes and firefighting equipment.
As a manager, you must make certain that there effective ways to detect fires and recover from them should they start
by:
Developing a system for alerting people to a fire and safely evacuating them from the premises.
Ensuring regular fire drills to test the emergency systems to prepare for a real fire should it occurred.
The provision of adequate fire fighting equipment to enable trained employees to put out a fire at its earliest possible
stages without exposing themselves to danger.

Access & Egress - means getting in & out of workplaces:

Every employee has the right to expect to get in and get out of their workplace safely.
As a manager, you need to ensure that:
Entrances and exits are for employees, visitors, contractors, members of the public and vehicles have clearly been
identified.
Entrances & exits are well maintained, well lit and staffed as necessary.
Entrances & exits are suitable for their users.
Planning for changes to entrances and exits in an emergency.
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A simple method of ensuring that entrances and exits are well maintained is by including them in routine inspections.

Movement of People:
The most common hazards from the movement of people arise from falls as a result of slips and trips.
These falls are usually divided into two categories:
Falls on the level
Falls from a height
These are caused by dangerous conditions of the surface on which people are walking. Particular hazards include:
Wet or greasy floors caused by spillages of fat or oils from working processes, from water and other liquids used for
cleaning purposes, or even from fruit, etc., fallen from market displays. In addition, outdoor surfaces may be made
hazardous by rain, snow or ice, or the presence of leaves, particularly when wet.

Uneven or loose surfaces caused by broken or poorly laid paving stones or other materials, ledges at doorways, edges
of mats, holes in carpets, ends of duckboards, unsecured mats or boards, etc.

Obstacles on the surface particularly those which may be easily overlooked, such as trailing cables, small boxes, bags
and cases, etc.

Falls on Change of Level

These may result from using steps and stairs, ladders, escalators or lifts. Hazards include not noting the change of level
on a step or on stairs, ladders slipping, escalators or lifts not working properly or clothing being caught in moving parts
etc.
In addition, it is common for people to use anything to hand to gain some extra height to reach objects and materials
placed above themselves. Using chairs, particularly those with wheels, or boxes, etc. is particularly dangerous.

Fall From a Height

This is a major problem on construction sites which we will deal with later. Any circumstances in which people are close
to an edge requires special attention.

Collisions with Moving Vehicles

Any situation which involves crossing a vehicle traffic route is a hazard, particularly where visibility is restricted and it is
not possible to see approaching vehicles clearly. Emerging from doors can present a problem where the exit leads
straight on to a vehicle path, as are the corners of warehouse obscured by stacks of boxes, etc.
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Other hazardous situations include:

Working close to moving vehicles, such as in loading bays or carrying out road repairs.
Where vehicles cross or move around areas which are normally reserved for pedestrians, such as in parks.

Collisions with Moving, Flying or Falling Objects

These may be the result of accidents themselves or the consequences of unprotected moving parts being too close to
pedestrian walkways.

Accidents involving moving object may be where normally secured objects break loose and hit people, such as a
container sliding down a slope.
Flying objects are usually the result of an accident, such as parts being ejected from a machine or a broken drill
bit coming off. They may also be naturally occurring events in work activities, such as waste materials flying out
from drilling or cutting operations.
Being hit by falling objects is perhaps the most common hazard, particularly on construction sites. Any
unsecured object near an edge or a sloping surface may be liable to fall given a vibration or a push (even from
the wind) and injure someone passing or working below. This can include materials on shelves or the tops of
cabinets, flowerpots on windowsills, etc.

Striking Against Fixed or Stationary Objects

This may occur as a result of objects projecting out into areas where people walk or simply being placed in a position
where people may walk or run into them. For example:

Poor stacking in a store may leave pipes, rods or pieces of timber protruding.
The edges of scaffolding, or even the cross-poles themselves, may be at a level where people might walk into
them.
Boxes and containers may be left on pedestrian pavements outside shops, etc. awaiting removal to storage.

Any of these situations may be made more dangerous where visibility for the pedestrian is restricted, such as coming
out of a door or around a corner.

Environmental Conditions
The risks associated with any of the above hazards may be increased where lighting is poor. This may be as a result of
inadequate lighting levels, broken light bulbs, etc. or where weather conditions reduce visibility (as in dust, sand, rain,
snow, fog, etc.)
In addition, certain environmental conditions present risks in themselves:

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Heat extremes of heat may be a hazard, such as in foundries or deep refrigeration stores, but the general level
of heating in the workplace (either too hot or cold) can present health risks.
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Noise any operations creating high levels of noise can cause temporary or permanent damage to the hearing
of those nearby (who may not necessarily be workers).
Air quality dust, fumes and other harmful substances can be generated by a wide range of processes involving
the use of chemicals (glues, paint, sprays, etc.), cutting (wood dust) and burning (welding).

Precautions:
Floor Conditions Slip Resistant Surfaces, Spillage Control and Drainage
Floors, including suspended walkways, should be solid construction and be of appropriate strength and stability to cope
with the load placed on them and the traffic passing over them. They should not be overloaded.
The surface of pedestrian traffic route floors should be free from any holes, excessive slops, unevenness or unsecured
coverings which may be likely to cause a person to slip, trip or fall, or to drop or lose control of anything being lifted or
carried, holes, bumps or broken or uneven areas resulting from damage or wear, should be made good at the earliest
opportunity; and there should be procedures in place for reporting such conditions and for action to be taken in
response.
Floors which are likely to become wet or are subject to spillages should be of a type which does not become unduly
slippery. A slip resistant coating should be applied when necessary. Effective drainage should be provided where a floor
is liable to get wet. Floor near to machinery which could cause injury if anyone were to fall against it should be slip
resistant and kept free from slippery substances or loose materials. Any Spillages should be cleaned up immediately.
In regions where snow is problem, arrangements should be made to minimize risk from snow and ice on outside
walkways. This may involve gritting, snow clearing and closure of some routes, particularly in relation to outside stairs,
ladders and walkways on roofs. The same would apply where blown sand presents a similar problem.

Designated Walkways / Traffic Routes

Traffic routes include those for pedestrian traffic as well as for vehicles (and for both) and include stairs, staircases, fixed
ladders, doorways, gateways, loading bays and ramps.
There should be sufficient traffic routes in the workplace, of sufficient width and headroom, to allow people to circulate
safely and without difficulty. Any slopes should be no steeper than are necessary. All routes should be kept clear of any
obstructions which may present a hazard or block access.
Secure handrails must be provided for moderate or steep slopes and on ramps used by people with disabilities. There
should be handrails on at least one side of every staircase and where the width of the staircase exceeds one meter, a
handrail required on both sides.
In areas where pedestrians have to pass possible hazards, such as machinery, stacks of materials, overhead workings,
etc., their movement should be confined to designated walkways. These are areas which are specially protected from
hazards and within which pedestrians should be reasonably safe from harm. They should be clearly shown by markings
on the floor (usually with white lines or yellow diagonal lines defining the limits of the limits of the safe area) and by
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notices and signs. Physical barriers in the form of fencing and other types of guards should provide protection from
hazards to the sides, and from above and below. Handrails should be provided as necessary. Special rules ensuring that
designated walkways are kept clear of any obstacles should be in place and they should be checked to ensure
compliance.

Fencing and Guarding

Physical barriers should be erected to ensure that where there is a risk of collision with vehicles, moving /flying/falling
objects and fixed objects, there is adequate protection for pedestrians, Barriers should be fixed and permanent, and of
sufficient strength and type to resist both objects and people.
Temporary barriers may also have to be erected to prevent access to certain areas at certain times; for example, broken
floor surfaces prior to repair, wet or slippery floors during cleaning and around temporary obstacles, etc.
Fencing should be provided an any open walkways where there is a risk of falling. This includes the open sides of
staircases, suspended walkways and bridges.

Use of Signs
Clearly visible and easily understood signs, markings and notices should be provided to ensure that pedestrians,
however unfamiliar they may be with the workplace, are aware of any hazards and what they must do to avoid them.
Signs should conform with the international standards specified earlier:

Prohibition for example, no pedestrian access, no entry through a particular doorway, no smoking or no naked
lights in particular areas, etc.
Warning for example, relating to dangers from falling objects or hazardous substances.
Mandatory actions for example, compulsory wearing/use of personal protective equipment in an area.
Safe Conditions for example, emergency exits, fire escape routes, etc.

Hazard warning markings (for example, yellow diagonal stripes on a black background) should be fixed by tape or
painted onto any object likely to present a foreseeable hazard. Examples include the edges of steps, overhead
obstructions and cables or pipes temporarily laid across a floor. In addition, hazard markings on floors should indicate
which areas to avoid, such as around doors used by vehicles, and show the edges of safe walkways.
BS 5499-1:2002 specifies a system for geometric shapes and safety colours for use with appropriate graphical symbols to
produce safety signage. The table below illustrates types of sign and their meaning.

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Use of Personal Protective Equipment

It may be necessary for pedestrians in a particular area to have the same or similar personal protective equipment as
people who are working in that area. Examples include:

Wearing ear defenders in noisy areas

Wearing dust masks or hoods in dusty or otherwise contaminated areas.
Wearing non-slip footwear in a kitchen or chemical plant.
Wearing a safety helmet on a construction site.

Safety signs will indicate where such requirements are mandatory and they will apply to all people entering such areas,
even if they are just visiting or passing quickly through.

Information, Instruction, Training and Supervision

We should never assume that people will automatically be aware of the hazards around them and understand the
necessary preventative and protective measures in place. It is important that everyone is given appropriate information
to enable them to move around the workplace in safety. Instruction should be given as to general conduct, such as not
running or playing games, as well as regarding particular hazards.
Part of this will be in the form of signs, markings and notices, but additional information may also be necessary, for
example, about keeping to designated walkways, being aware of special hazards (such as temporary work going on
overhead), etc. Visitors to premises may need special instruction prior to entry.
In certain circumstances, people must be specifically trained (even if just by being shown) in how they should move
around; for example, correct procedures for securing and climbing ladders, walking through certain types of door (where
a one-way system is in use), moving around while carrying loads, wearing appropriate clothing, etc.
It is part of managements job to ensure that the correct procedures are followed and that people do not act in an
irresponsible manner.

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Maintenance of a Safe Workplace

Read More on Vehicle and people movement :
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg144.pdf
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg136.pdf

Heights:
Falls from height are the most common cause of fatal injuries and the second most common cause of major injuries to
employees.
Common causes of falls from height are:
Not using the right equipment for the job or not using the equipment correctly.
Not providing adequate Information, Instruction, Training or Supervision to employees.
Failing to understand, recognise or assess the risk.
If work at height activities are your area of responsibility as a manager, then you must ensure that:
The employees carrying out the work are adequately trained i.e. competent.
The risks have been properly assessed and appropriate work equipment has been selected and adequate control
measures have been put in place.
The work has actually been planned and organised.
The risks associated with fragile roofs/surfaces have been adequately controlled.
If the work can be carried entirely or partially at ground level, then it should be.
If working at height can not be avoided:
Use appropriate work equipment or other measures to prevent falls.
Use appropriate work equipment to minimise the distance and severity of a fall.

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Housekeeping:
Poor housekeeping can result in untidy, dirty, over crowded and disorganised workplaces, which can lead to many
hazardous situations: spillages (a slip hazard), tools left around after use (at trip hazard), poorly stored hazardous
materials can block the route to a fire exit. A good approach to housekeeping would be to encourage people to clean as
you go
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Lighting:
Natural light is the best form of lighting and should the first choice in the workplace wherever reasonably practicable.
Adequate lighting can make recognising hazards easier, reduce the likelihood of discomfort and tiredness of the eyes.
Fundamental factors to consider with regard to lighting in the workplace:
Too much/too little light.
Shadows in safety-critical areas such as across an entrance or near stairs.
The provision of extra lighting to do the job safely. This may at times necessitate the provision of local lighting to the
work station.
Significant differences in the level of lighting between different areas e.g. inability to see workplace vehicles when
walking out of a dimly lit room into bright sunshine.
A thoroughly conducted risk assessment would ensure that the above factors are fully considered.
Employees must at all times be encouraged to express and discuss their concerns with you as their manager.

Manual handling:
What is manual handling?
This is any work activity that requires muscular strength such as: pulling,
pushing, lifting, lowering, sliding, carrying, rolling, levering etc.
Those activities are a principal cause of Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD),
namely back pain, repetitive strain injury, and joint injuries.
Manual handling injuries take place across a wide range of industries, from
construction to the service industry to office work.
Musculoskeletal disorders are the most common cause of occupational
illness in the UK adversely affecting around one million people a year.
Principal factors affecting the risk of injury from manual handling:

The weight of the load: generally speaking the heavier the load, the greater
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the risk of back injury from moving it.

The size and shape of the load: large, oddly shaped loads are likely to represent a greater risk than small and easy to get
hold of loads.
Manual handlers posture: the risk of injury is greater if the posture is awkward or the handler is in a seated position.
The distance that the load has to be lifted: the greater the distance, the higher or lower the handler has to reach to pick
up or place a load the greater the risk.
Movement of the handler: whilst handling a load, the handler must avoid twisting their body or reaching over as this
would increase the risk of injury.
Repetition of movement can increase the risk of injury e.g. factory workers often carry out the task involving the same
movement for several hours a day.
The working environment:
Wet, windy conditions, uneven floors, or carrying a load up a flight of stairs can increase the risk significantly.
The capability of the handler:
We are all individual, therefore every person will have different physical strength, height and reach.
As a manager, there are four fundamental factors to consider when assessing the risks of manual handling:

T I L E
Task: what needs to be done, any aspect of it that might increase the risk i.e. twisting, reaching etc. What can be done
to lessen the risk.
Individual: Is the person trained, any factors that might increase the risk to him e.g. a history of back injuries?, what can
be done to reduce the risk to him?
Load: Examine the weight, size and shape of the load. Could these increase the risk of injury to the person performing
the task?
Environment: The route the task will be used in carrying out the task, the surroundings of the place e.g. obstructions,
uneven, wet conditions etc can increase the risk.

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Noise:
What is noise?
This can be simply described as any unwanted sound.
There are two fundamental causes of hearing damage:
The long-term , cumulative effect of noise. This is the result of exposure to loud noise
over a long period of time (chronic effect) and usually irreversible.
Exposure to one-off loud bangs or extreme noise that may cause permanent reduction in
hearing or even deafness. For example, demolition workers, military personnel, quarry
workers and mine workers may be at risk from exposure to massive sudden blasts (Acute effect).
As a general rule of thumb, if you cant converse reasonably with a colleague at a distance of two meters, then it is quite
likely that the noise levels in your workplace are too high and you need to take action to lower the noise levels.
You may find it necessary to engage a competent person to carry out a noise survey involving noise measurements to
establish in which parts of your workplace the noise need addressing. Make certain that you consider where people
work and the duration and frequency of their exposure to noise.
Based on a proper risk assessment, adequate control measures must be implemented, such as Safe systems of work,
limiting exposure time and exposure frequency to employees, job rotation, quiet places for breaks, sound proofed
enclosures, quieter equipment and machinery and the provision of suitable personal protection equipment [ PPE ]as a
last resort.
As a manager, you need to encourage your employees to:
Co-operate with you to deal with noise issues.
Check if they are actually exposing themselves to noise away from work i.e.
noisy hobbies such as shooting.
Wear appropriate hearing protection when in hearing protection designated
areas, ensuring that their PPE fits properly, clean and undamaged and
appropriate for the type of noise they are exposed to.

Slips& Trips:
These are the most common cause of injuries at work. They take place almost
in every workplace and they are often the initial cause of a range of other
types of accidents such as falls from height.

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Contributory factors:
Peoples personal attributes and behavior can influence the risk of a slip or a trip.
Environment Noise, lighting and weather conditions can affect the risk of a slip or trip.
Footwear must be suitable for the environment and can play an important part in preventing slips and trips.
Flooring needs to be even, suitable for the work activities and well maintained.
Contamination and obstacles can increase the risk of slips and trips and therefore good housekeeping will reduce the
risk of slips and trips.
As a manager, when carrying out a risk assessment of your work activities, pay particular attention to slips and trip
hazards e.g. uneven floors, trailing cables, and slippery floors, Remember to also take into account older workers and
people with disabilities.
Slips and trips must be taken seriously and their causes must be identified clearly. They can be preventable and when
they cant be prevented, they must be controlled to reduce the risk.
As a manager, you should aim to:
Ensure that designing new work areas is correct from the start e.g. suitable floor surfaces.
Maintain good standards of housekeeping.
Ensure that lighting is adequate and is checked regularly as part of inspection program.
Ensure that floors are well maintained.
Whenever possible, provide designated walking routes.
We have discussed many common hazards above that can be encountered in the workplace, but we can not hope to
exhaustively discuss all the hazards, however, there are some straightforward steps that can be applied in all cases:
Properly assess the risks.
Encourage your employees to participate in assessing the risks and developing solutions to minimize them.
Provide information, instruction and training to those employees that need it.
Conduct a program of regular workplace inspections.
Seek competent advice when needed and act upon any recommendations made.

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Stress:
This is an individuals reaction to excessive pressure and other
demands placed on them.
Pressure can motivate workers but too much of it can cause stress.
Outside of work life can also be a cause of stress which can cause an
employee even more at risk from work-related stress.
What work-related factors can increase / create stress:
Bullying.
Fear of failure due to may be lack of competence.
Excessive work demands.
Not enough work leading to fear of redundancy.
What are the non-work factors that may contribute to an increase in / creation of stress:
Bereavement.
Financial concerns.
Family problems.
Divorce
Birth of a child.
As a manager, you need to be aware of the principal effects of stress:
Behavioral effects: misuse of alcohol and drugs, lack of sleep, aggressive or passive behavior, interpersonal conflict and
absenteeism.
Emotional effects: anxiety, depression, frustration, loss of confidence, loss of self-esteem and tension.
Physiological effects: Weight loss or gain, increased perspiration, aching neck and shoulder muscles, blurred vision,
increased blood pressure, tiredness and general feeling of being unwell.
As a manager you need to manage stress effectively by addressing six key areas of work design:
Demands: work load, work patterns and work environment
Control: How much of a say do workers have on the way they work.
Support: Are managers and colleagues supportive?, are resources provided by the organisation?
Relationships: Are there measures in place to deal with clashes of personality and unacceptable behavior.
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Change: Are changes within the organisation managed and communicated smoothly?
Role: Do employees understand their role clearly? And does the company ensure that employees do not have conflicting
roles?

Temperature:
Temperature in work rooms should be reasonably comfortable without
causing employees to need special clothing. If due to hot or cold work
processes, all reasonable steps should be taken to keep temperature as close
as possible to the comfortable level.
Generally, the temperature in work rooms should be at least 16 degrees
Celsius. If the work however involves physical activity, then the temperature
should be at least 13 degrees.
As a manager, you need to carry out a risk assessment of the various work
activities under your control ensuring that you take into account the
temperature in the work environment, and also when allocating or
delegating work tasks the temperature must be taken into account.

Vehicles and transport:

In almost every workplace, there are people and vehicles operating
together and a consequence, there is the potential for serious
accidents and injuries, which are the result of:
Vehicles overturning.
Falling from vehicles when loading or unloading.
Being struck by objects falling from vehicles.
Being hit or run over by moving vehicles.
To ensure the safety of pedestrians, ensure that vehicles and
pedestrians are completely separate, this can be achieved by the use of barriers, restricting access of pedestrians to the
relevant areas to certain times when vehicles are not allowed to operate in such areas.
If it is unavoidable that pedestrians and vehicles are going to operate in the same areas at the same time, then the use
of barriers as well as marked walk-ways must be considered seriously. The use of training and appropriate signs can also
contribute to increased safety of pedestrians.
Even in low risk areas such as office environments, employees can still get injured as a result of being hit by cars in car
parks, because people assume that they are safe simply because they off public highways.

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Remember, drivers sometimes have a restricted view when reversing vehicles. To reduce the risk of injury:
Use a one way system to minimise the need for vehicles to reverse.
Use a banks man to watch and guide the driver while reversing.
Make all employees aware of the risks associated with reversing vehicles.
Consider the use of mirrors on blind corners.
Impose strict speed limits.
As a manager, you need to ensure that vehicle risks in your area are managed effectively in your area, so ask yourself:
Do you know what vehicles are operating and what vehicles are not?
In particular you must consider:
Vehicles reversing, loading and loading, tipping, cleaning, maintenance and repair, cleaning and any other hazards in the
workplace.
Are you drivers competent in the use of their vehicles?, is there adequate monitoring to ensure that drivers are adhering
to site rules and procedures, such as speed limits, one-way systems and pedestrian walk ways?,
are drivers following correct procedures when loading/ unloading , when re-fuelling and re-charging their vehicles?
Are pedestrians similarly adhering to the designated pedestrian walk-ways?

Vibration:
There are two principal ways in which vibration at work can occur:
Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome [HAVS] where the vibration is transmitted from
work equipment into the workers hands and arms. This can be caused by the use
of hand-held power tools, such as road breakers, and hand guided equipment
such as powered lawn mowers or by the use of other machines such as grinders.
Whole-body vibration [WBV]-The vibration in this case is transmitted through
the spine , and occurs mainly when workers are driving vehicles such as tractors
and earth moving equipment for long periods of time.
If any of the following applies to your employees, then you must take
appropriate action to minimise the risk of injury :
Do your workers hold work pieces that vibrate while being processed by powered machinery?

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Have any of your workers reported tingling and numbness in their hands or fingers after using vibrating tools.
Do some of your workers use hand-held or hand-guided power tools and machines e.g. sanders, grinders, hammer drills
etc?
Do some of your workers frequently use hammer-action tools for more than 15 minutes/ day or some rotary and other
action tools for more than an hour a day?
Are you working in an industry where exposure to vibration are particularly high, such as foundries, heavy steel
fabrication or shipyards?
If the answer is yes to any of the above questions, then you will need to carry out a risk assessment
Based on the findings of your risk assessment, you may find it helpful to consider the following:
Are there alternative ways of working, which may enable you to eliminate or at least reduce exposure to vibration.
Can you source and purchase newer equipment with lower vibration levels but still capable of doing the required work
efficiently?
Can workstation design be improved to minimise loads on employees hands, wrists and arms caused by poor posture?
Is equipment well maintained?, poorly maintained equipment usually causes increased vibration.
The use of appropriate protective clothing can encourage good blood circulation, which will help workers from vibration
white finger.

Work Equipment:
Work equipment can present a number of hazards to
employees:
Mechanical hazards:
Entanglement, Friction and abrasion, cutting, shearing,
stabbing and puncture, impact, crushing, drawing in,
ejection and injury by compressed air or high pressure fluid
injection.
Non-mechanical hazards: chemicals
Electricity, Hot surfaces, noise & vibration, Biological-viral &
Bacterial, High/ Low temperatures, Chemicals that are
Toxic, Irritant, Flammable, Corrosive and explosive.

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With regard to mechanical hazards, guarding may present a good solution if you find that you can not eliminate or
reduce the hazard in any other way.
As a manager, you must ensure that work equipment is:
Suitable or fit for purpose.
Set up and used in a way that minimises risks.
Inspected and maintained regularly.
Operated by competent workers.

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