4.

HAZARD IDENTIFICATION

In terms of health and safety management, hazard is defined as the potential to

cause harm. If a hazard in a workplace is overlooked or is not reduced to As Low As
Reasonably Practicable (ALARP) it may cause a level of risk which would be
determined by the likelihood of that hazard being realized.

The assignment required identification of a range of significant physical, health and

welfare hazards in the workplace of choice. In order to identify the hazards at
Reduction potlines, I have conducted a site tour to observe a range of activities, the
existing environment, type and state of equipment in use, etc. Furthermore, I have
reviewed reduction HSE plan, annual hygiene reports, risk assessments, incident
statistics, work schedules, etc. I have also used external sources such as
international standards in order to verify information accuracy or non-conformity such
as Occupational Exposure Limits (OEL).

Identified hazards were of various categories: transport, mechanical, physical, fire

and explosion, ergonomics, chemicals, psychological and electrical.

The description of hazards was conducted from the severest towards the least. Each
hazard was identified through an activity in a given location, duration of exposure, the
likely implications and the description of the control measures that are already in
place such as engineering controls or PPE.

Identification of two (2) high priority hazards

The choice of the high priority hazards was based on the nature of activity, the
potential consequences of exposure and the accident frequency as outlined in the
Reduction annual HSE plans.

4.1 Physical Hazard - Vehicular traffic inside pot rooms

Vehicular traffic inside pot rooms was chosen as the highest physical hazard in
proximity to apparent electrical hazard due to the high number of mobile equipment
operated in various activities, simultaneously posing danger of collision between
equipment, the pots and floor operators. Besides, as per Reduction annual HSE
plans, vehicle accidents and equipment damage have always been the two highest
incident rates on the overall statists each year.

The table below shows percentage of incident/accident rates over the last two years.
In the year 2013 about 70% of total incidents were from vehicular accidents and the
following year 2014 accident rates could only be reduced to about 65% which wasn’t
significant.

2013 2014
Vehicle damage 40.66% Vehicle damage 28.40%
Property damage 28.57% Property damage 36.70%

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4.2 Health & welfare Hazard - Radiant heat from Pots, crucibles, bath and
molten metal

Radiant heat from pots, crucibles, bath and molten metal was chosen as the highest
health and welfare hazard because of its permanent presence in the pot rooms. The
pot room is an enclosed structure with poor ventilation. Pots boil aluminium at about
960oC, the company is located in the desert where summer months are longer than
winter and ambient temperature easily reaches 50oC from June to September. Pot
rooms are manned at all times by a shift comprised of 46 operators for both twin pot
rooms. These operators have few or no breaks and task rotation is uncommon or
nonexistent. Moreover, all activities inside the pot rooms involve work with open pot
hoods.

The most recent serious incident registered at Reduction potlines involved an

operator who suffered second degree burns due to molten aluminium splashes. The
operator failed to pre-heat a bath sampling tong before submerging it into the pot for
bath level measurements. The splashes could not penetrate the molten metal PPE
but he was burnt by the radiant heat.

Radiant heat either from the pots or from the pot room temperature influenced by
ambient temperature is a major concern. Cases of heat stress and fatigue are
commonly experienced. Table below highlights Total Recordable Injury Rate and
number of First Aid rates for the past two years.

2013 2014
TRIR 1.13% TRIR 1.19%
First Aid 2.20% First Aid 1.77%

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