Industrial Safety and Health for Goods and Materials Services - Chapter 18 doc

18 Machine Safety According to National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) National Traumatic Occupational Fatality (NTOF) data from 1980 to 1998 occupa- tional injury from machinery was ranked third after motor vehicle and homicide as causes of death. Fatalities from machine-related incidents accounted for approxi- mately 13% of the total. The service industry did not rank among the highest sectors having machine-related incidents. Some of the leading injuries experienced in these industries were as follows: struck by or against an object, caught in or compressed by equipment, and caught in or crushed in collapsing materials. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 92,560 private-sector lost- time injuries during the year 2002 were caused by machinery. The median number of lost workdays resulting from these injuries was 7 with 24% of the total incidents resulting in 31 or more lost workdays. The type of machine (source) most often identified included metal, woodworking, and special materials machineries (19,269 injuries); material handling machinery (16,183 injuries); speci al process machinery (15,576 injuries); heating, cooling, and cleaning machineries (13,330 injuries); unspecified machinery (6148 injuries); and construction, logging, and mining machineries (6069 injuries). Machinery was identified as the primary source of fatal occupational injuries in 483 of 5915 total fatalities during 2002. The safe operation of all types of equipment takes a variety of approaches since the manufacturer cannot always be depended upon to provide inherently Material handling equipment is usually guarded during manufacturing, and must be operated safely. ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. safe machines. It is often up to the owner (employer) to ensure that the machine= equipment is as safe as possible for their employees to operate. This may require that specific redesign of safeguards, unique training, and safe operating procedures (SOPs) be developed. 18.1 GUARDING Although a more detailed approach to safeguard is found in Industrial Safety and Health for Administrative Services and Industrial Safety and Health for People- Oriented Services, a short review has been placed in this chapter. Any mobile machine part presents a hazard. Guarding eliminates or controls this danger. The most dangerous machine motions are rotating; reciprocating= transverse motions; in- running nip points; cutting actions; and punching, shearing, and bending. The types of machine guards and their uses are summarized as follows: . Enclosure guards are preferable to all other types because they prevent access to dangerous moving parts by enclosing them completely. They are used on power presses, sheet leveling or flattening machines, milling machines, gear trains, drilling machines, etc. . Fixed guards may be adjustable to accommodate different sets of tools or various kinds of work. However, once they have been adjusted, they should remain ‘‘fixed.’’ . Interlocking guards are the first alternative when fixed guards or enclosures are not practicable. They prevent operation of the control that sets the machine in motion until the guard or barrier is moved into position . . Barrier that shuts off or disengages power, preventing the machine from starting when the guard is open. Electric contact or mechanical stop that activates a brake when any part of the operator’s body enters the danger zone: . Two-handed tripping devices are commonly used on bakery machinery, guillotine cutters, power presses, dough mixers, centrifugal extractors, tumblers, and some kinds of pressure vessels. . Automatic guards must prevent the operator from coming in contact with the dangerous part of the machine while it is in motion, or must be able to stop the machine in case of danger. Examples of these are pull-away or hand-restraint devices; and photoelectric relay switches that stop the power supply to the machine. . It is important that machines=equipment controls be properly adjus ted and maintained. . Remote control, placement, feeding, ejecting may be used to protect the operator from dangerous points of operation. Examples are two-handed oper- ating devices; chutes, hoppers, conveyors, etc., to feed stock automatically; ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. and special jugs or feedi ng de vices made of met al or wood ; mecha nical or air-operat ed eject ing device s may be used to compleme nt anothe r type of guard or as a subst itute. 18.2 SAFE PRACTICES REGARDING MACHINE GUARDS No guard, barrier, or enclosu re should be adjus ted or remo ved for any reason by anyone other than a n author ized person. Before remo val of safegu ards for repairs, adjustm ents, or servi cing, the power must be turne d off and the main switch locked out and tagged . No machi ne shoul d be started unles s the guards are in place and in good condit ion. Def ective or missin g guards shoul d be report ed to the superv isor immediatel y. Emplo yees shoul d not work on or around mecha nical operat ing equ ip- ment while wear ing neck ties, loose clothing, watches, rings, or other jewelry . 18.3 TRAINING All wor kers shoul d receive machine=equipme nt speci fic trai ning. The y shoul d be trained on the speci fic piece of eq uipment that they are going to be operating. If they have not operat ed the equipm ent for a long time, they should recei ve renewed training. It is a superv isor s’ responsibi lity to make safe job observatio n to determin e if the employee is still pro fi cient on the safe operation of the machine or equipm ent. If not, the superv isor must have the employ ee retrained or give hands- on training to ensure the safe operat ion of the machi ne or equipm ent. One of the most importan t pieces of information that can be used to both check and retrain wor kers is an SOP for a piece of equipment or machine. An SOP should exist for all pieces of equipment or machine. 18.4 SAFE OPERATING PROCEDURES Safe operat ing procedu res or stand ard operat ing procedu res shoul d incl ude safet y as a part of the standard operat ing pract ices, which are delineated within it. Worker s may not automati cally unders tand a task just because they have e xperience or training. Thus, many jobs, tasks, and operations are best supported by an SOP. The SOP walks the worker through the steps of how to do a task or procedure in a safe manner and calls attention to the potential hazards at each step. You might ask why an SOP is needed if the worker has already been trained to do the job or task. As you may remember from Cha pter 17, a job safety analys is usually keys in on those particular jobs which pose the greatest risk of injury or death. These are the high- risk types of work activities and definitely merit the development and use of an SOP. There are times when an SOP, or step by step checklist, is useful. This is the case when . New worker is performing a job or task for the first time. . Experienced worker is performing a job or task for the first time. . Experienced worker is performing a job, which he=she has not done recently. ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. . Mistakes co uld cause damag e to equipment or proper ty. . Job is done on an intermi ttent or infr equent basis . . New piece of equipment or diff erent model of equipment is obtai ned. . Supervi sors need to unders tand the safe ope ration to be able to evalua te performanc e. . Procedur e o r acti on wi thin an o rganizati on is repetitive. . Procedur e is crit ically imp ortant, no mat ter how seldo m perfor med, be carried out exactl y according to detailed, step- wise instruct ions. . Need to standardiz e the way a procedu re is carri ed out for ensuring quali ty control or syst em compa tibili ty. When airl ine pilots fly, the most critical parts of the job are takeof fs and landings. Since these are two very critical aspects of fl ying, a checkl ist for proceed ing in a safe manner is used to mit igate the potential for mis takes. It is crit ical to provide help when a chance for error ca n resul t in grave consequ ences. Plastici zed SOPs should be placed on equipm ent, machi nes, and vehicl es for those individua ls who need a refres her before operation because they have not used the equipm ent or performed the task on an infr equent basis . Few people or wor kers want to admit that they do not kno w how to perfor m a job or task. They will not ask questions , let alone a sk for help in doing an assi gned task. This is the time when a plast icized SOP or checklist could be placed at the wor ksite or attached to a piece of e quipment . This can prove to be a very effective accide nt- prevention technique . It can safely walk a worker throu gh the correct sequenc e of necessa ry steps and thus avoid the exposur e to hazards whi ch can put the wor ker at risk of inju ry, ill ness, or death. These SOPs could be used when , for examp le, heli copters are used for lif ting, industri al forklifts are used, material s are moved manua lly, etc. These types of SOPs should list the sequent ial steps requi red to perform the job or task safely, the potent ial hazards invol ved, and the person al prote ctiv e equipm ent needed. Each step in the SOP shoul d provide all the informat ion needed to acc omplish the task safel y. If you do not have annu al training, the use of SOPs may instil l a sense of con fidence and refresh workers ’ mem ories for the task at hand. Any update d procedu re shoul d be re flected in the SOP imm ediately to ensure its effective appli cation. A checkl ist is one form of an SOP. A checkl ist is very effective and atte mpts to ensure that every step is foll owed. SOPs are only useful when they are up-to-date and readi ly access ible at the actual job or task site. Since we can now store SOPs online, revision and modi fica- tion, based on wor kers=superv isors ’ suggestio ns, are much simpler. Figure 18.1 depicts a typical forklift and Table 18.1 depicts an SOP for a forklift . Usi ng the format from this example, develop your own SOPs for procedures, jobs, tasks, or equipment. An SOP is only one accident-prevention technique or component of any safety and health initiative. There are specific jobs or tasks that lend themselves well to this approach. Make sure that you use SOPs when they benefit your type of work the most and not as a cure-all for all your accidents and injuries. Use it as one of the many tools for accident prevention. ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. FIGURE 18.1 Forklift. TABLE 18.1 An SOP for a Forklift What To Do How To Do It Key Points Perform a pre-start up inspection Walk around the vehicle checking overall conditions of: 1. Tires 1. Check tires to ensure adequate tread, no cuts=missing chunks, all tire bolts are present and are tight. 2. Fluid leaks 2. Check hydraulic hose fittings for evidence of fluid leak. Look beneath vehicle for fluid on the floor. 3. Overhead guard 3. Check for missing bolts, bent frame. 4. Lifting forks and load backrest 4. Check the lifting forks and backrest for damage. Check that the lifting fork’s width adjustment lock pins are in good condition and are working smoothly. 5. Preventive maintenance (P=M) sticker 5. If P=M expiration date is not valid, do not operate vehicle. Perform operating controls inspection 1. Sit in driver’s seat and operate controls 1. Check to ensure emergency brake is engaged and gear shift is in park or neutral. 2. Adjust seat for effective operation and comfort 2. Seat should be adjusted to allow foot brake pedal to be depressed without reaching with foot. (continued) ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. TABLE 18.1 (continued) An SOP for a Forklift What To Do How To Do It Key Points Perform operating controls inspection (continued) 3. Fasten seat belt 3. Seat belt should be snugly across hips. 4. Turn on power to vehicle 4. Check 3608 around vehicle to ensure no one is standing near vehicle. 5. Turn on headlights 5. Headlights must be bright and in position to ensure being seen by other vehicle operators or pedestrians. 6. Depress brake foot pedal 6. The pedal must be firm and brake lights must function and be bright. 7. Depress horn button 8. Elevate lifting forks and tilt by pulling back on control levers 7. Horn should function easily and be loud. 8. Hydraulic controls shall operate smoothly. 9. Lower lifting forks to 2–4 in. above fl oor 10. Report any safety check failure to supervisor immediately for repair 9. Keep lifting forks 2–4 in. above surface when in motion. 10. Do not operate if any safety check fails. Ensure the vehicle is not operated until repaired. Operating procedure— traveling to designation 1. Depress foot brake pedal 1. Check 3608 around vehicle to ensure no one is standing near vehicle. Keep lifting forks 2–4 in. above surface when in motion. 2. Release parking brake 2. — 3. Select direction of travel 3. Engage gear drive. Check travel direction to ensure path is clear of pedestrians or other vehicles. 4. Remove foot from brake pedal 4. Remove foot slowly. 5. Depress accelerator pedal 5. Depress accelerator pedal slowly to avoid quick, jerky start. Keep lifting forks 2–4 in. above surface when in motion. 6. Obey safety rules and regulations 6. . Travel at speeds which allow vehicle to be under control at all times under any condition. . Travel single-file keeping to the right. . Pedestrians have right of way. . Emergency vehicles have right of way at all times. . Use lights and horn when necessary. . Allow at least 15 ft or three vehicle lengths between you and person in vehicle (PIV) in front. ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. TABLE 18.1 (continued) An SOP for a Forklift What To Do How To Do It Key Points Operating procedure— traveling to designation (continued) . Do not pass other vehicles traveling in the same direction at intersections or blind spots, or narrow passages. . Ensure there is adequate overhead clearance. . Do not travel over objects. . Avoid sudden stops, except in emergencies. . Stop at all stop signs, blind corners, or when entering intersecting aisle and look for pedestrians and vehicle traffic. Operating procedure— material pick-up 1. Approach material slowly 1. Reduce speed to avoid sudden stop. 2. Stop vehicle, depress foot brake pedal 2. Apply slow, steady pressure until vehicle stops. 3. Shift to park or neutral 3. Never select direction while in motion. 4. Engage parking brake 4. If on an incline block wheels. 5. Unfasten seat belt and dismount, set forks for maximum load width 5. Know the vehicle’s capacities and load weights. 6. Remount and fasten seat belt 6. Seat should be adjusted to allow foot brake pedal to be depressed without over extending. 7. Depress foot brake pedal 7. Check 3608 around vehicle to ensure no one is standing near vehicle. 8. Release parking brake 8. — 9. Select direction of travel 9. Engage gear drive. Check travel direction to ensure path is clear. 10. Remove foot from brake pedal 10. Remove foot slowly. 11. Depress accelerator pedal 11. Depress accelerator pedal slowly to avoid quick, jerky start. 12. Approach the load with lifting forks level 12. Lifting forks should be parallel with walking surface. 13. Penetrate forks to back of pallet 13. The pallet should be set against the backrest. 14. Depress foot brake pedal bringing vehicle to a stop 14. Apply slow steady pressure until vehicle stops. 15. Raise the lifting forks until pallet is 2–4 in. above walking surface 15. Never raise forks while in motion. (continued) ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. TABLE 18.1 (continued) An SOP for a Forklift What To Do How To Do It Key Points Operating procedure— material pick-up (continued) 16. Tilt the lifting forks back slightly 16. Tilt the forks backward slightly to prevent the load from falling forward. 17. Select direction of travel 17. Engage gear drive. Check travel direction to ensure path is clear of pedestrians or other vehicles. 18. Remove foot from brake pedal 18. Remove foot slowly. 19. Depress accelerator pedal 19. Depress accelerator pedal slowly to avoid quick, jerky start. 20. Travel carefully to designation, obeying rules and regulations 20. Travel at speeds which allow vehicle to be under control at all times under any condition. . Travel single-file keeping to the right. . Pedestrians have right of way. . Emergency vehicles have right of way at all times. . Use lights and horn when necessary. . Allow at least 15 ft or three vehicle lengths between you and PIV in front. . Do not pass other vehicles traveling in the same direction at intersections or blind spots, or narrow passages. . Ensure there is adequate overhead clearance. . Do not travel over objects. . Avoid sudden stops, except in emergencies. . Stop at all stops sign, blind corners, or when entering intersecting aisle and look for pedestrians and vehicle traffic. . Always drive with load facing up hill. . Drive backwards when view is obstructed by large loads. Operating procedure— material drop-off 1. Depress foot brake pedal bringing vehicle to a stop 1. Apply slow steady pressure until vehicle stops. 2. Shift to park or neutral 2. Never select reverse while in motion. 3. Tilt forks forward until parallel with walking surface 3. Never lower forks while in motion. ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. TABLE 18.1 (continued) An SOP for a Forklift What To Do How To Do It Key Points Operating procedure— material drop-off (continued) 4. Lower lifting forks until pallet bottom is resting on surface and forks no longer support load 4. Lower load slowly to prevent sudden drop. 5. Engage reverse drive 5. Check 3608 around vehicle to ensure no one is standing near vehicle. 6. Remove foot from brake pedal 6. Engage gear drive. Check travel direction to ensure path is clear of pedestrians or other vehicles. 7. Depress accelerator pedal 7. Depress accelerator pedal slowly to avoid quick, jerky start. 8. Travel enough distance until lifting forks can clear pallet 8. Travel in reverse until there is enough distance between the end of lifting forks and pallet. 9. Depress foot brake pedal bringing vehicle to a stop 9. Apply slow steady pressure until vehicle stops. 10. Engage forward drive 10. Check 3608 around vehicle to ensure no one is standing near vehicle. Never select directional change while in motion. 11. Remove foot from brake pedal 11. Check travel direction to ensure path is clear of pedestrians or other vehicles. 12. Depress accelerator pedal 12. Depress accelerator pedal slowly to avoid quick, jerky start. 13. Travel carefully to designation obeying rules and regulations 13. . Travel at speeds which allow vehicle to be under control at all times under any condition. . Travel sin gle- file keeping to the right. . Pedestrians have right of way. . Emergency vehicles have right of way at all times. . Use lights and horn when necessary. . Allow at least 15 ft or three vehicle lengths between you and PIV in front. . Do not pass other vehicles traveling in the same direction at intersections or blind spots, or narrow passages. (continued) ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. 18.4.1 COMPONENTS OF AN SOP SOPs should provide clear instruct ions for safely conducting activities involved in each covered process, consistent work activity using the appropriate manufacturer’s guidelines and instructions, other pertinent safety resources information, and exper- tise of the individual with specific safety knowledge to addres s at least the following elements: 1. Steps for each operating phase a. Initial startup b. Normal operations c. Tempor ary operations d. Emergen cy shutdown including the conditions under which emergency shutdown is required, and the assignment of shutdown responsibility to TABLE 18.1 (continued) An SOP for a Forklift What To Do How To Do It Key Points Operating procedure— material drop-off (continued) . Ensure there is adequate overhead clearance. . Do not travel over objects. . Avoid sudden stops, except in emergencies. . Stop at all stop signs, blind corners, or when entering intersecting aisle and look for pedestrians and vehicle traffic. Operation procedure—shut down 1. Depress foot brake pedal bringing vehicle to a stop 1. Apply slow steady pressure until vehicle stops. 2. Shift to park or neutral 2. Never select directional changes while in motion. 3. Engage parking park 3. If on an incline, block wheels. 4. Lower lifting forks slowly until resting on walking surface 4. Never lower forks while in motion. 5. Turn off power 5. Remove key. 6. Release seat belt 6. — 7. Dismount 7. Wheels must be blocked if parked on an incline. 8. Perform walk-around inspection, noting damage or operational problems 8. Report all operation problems to supervisor for repair. 9. Remove all trash Source: From Reese, C.D. Accident=Incident Prevention Techniques, Taylor & Francis, New York, 2001. ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. [...]... organizational functions Check for any existing SOP that can be revised or updated Gather information on the procedure from reference sources and knowledgeable employees When possible, contact other agencies performing similar functions to see if they have an SOP and use it as a guide Select a suitable format for the SOP to be written (e.g., Table 18. 1) Assemble blank forms and any other documents to be referred... has conveyed his message clearly and unequivocally 18. 4.3 HOW SOPS WORK Safe or standard operating procedures describe tasks to be performed, data to be recorded, operating conditions to be maintained, samples to be collected, and safety and health precautions to be taken The procedures need to be technically accurate, understandable to employees, and revised periodically to ensure that they reflect... safe work practices must apply to employees and contractor employees 18. 4.2 GUIDELINES FOR WRITING AN SOP SOPs are often poorly written because little thought or effort is made to do it right At times they are mandated as a quick fix for a perceived problem An organized and thoughtful approach will yield SOPs which are more practical Here are some guidelines for writing an SOP: Decide what SOPs... startup and normal operations such as the appropriate allowances for driving while fully loaded Operating procedures and instructions are important for training operating personnel The operating procedures are often viewed as the SOPs for operations Operators and operating staff, in general, need to have a full understanding of operating procedures If workers are not fluent in English then procedures and. .. exposure, including engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment c Control measures to be taken if physical contact or airborne exposure occurs d Quality control for raw materials, control of hazardous chemical inventory levels, and any other special or unique hazards 4 Safety systems and their functions Safe or standard operating procedures should be readily accessible to... by the official responsible for preparing the SOP and by the official’s supervisor or the official in charge Copies should be provided to supervisors and officers in charge of the immediate organization, and should be posted in an SOP file for ready reference The most common problems and errors found in SOPs are summarized in the following list: Assigning responsibilities for carrying out a procedure... evaluated and the information conveyed to the personnel For example, mechanical changes to the process made by the maintenance department (like changing a valve from steel to brass or other subtle changes) need to be evaluated to determine if operating procedures and practices also need to be changed All management change actions must be coordinated and integrated with current operating procedures and operating... oriented to the changes in procedures before the change is made When the process is shut down to make a change, the operating procedures must be updated before startup of the process Operating personnel must be trained to handle upset conditions as well as emergencies such as pump seal failures and pipeline ruptures Communication between operating personnel and workers performing work within the operating... operators to ensure that emergency shutdown is executed in a safe and timely manner e Emergency operations f Normal shutdown g Startup following a turnaround, or after an emergency shutdown 2 Operating limits a Consequences of deviation b Steps required to correct or avoid deviation 3 Safety and health considerations a Properties of, and hazards presented by, the chemicals used in the process or hazards... engineering staff and operating personnel to ensure that they are accurate and provide practical instructions on how to actually carry out job duties safely Operating procedures will include specific instructions or details on what steps are to be taken or followed in carrying out the stated procedures These operating instructions for each procedure should include the applicable safety precautions and should . safeguard is found in Industrial Safety and Health for Administrative Services and Industrial Safety and Health for People- Oriented Services, a short review has been placed in this chapter. Any mobile machine. revision and modi fica- tion, based on wor kers=superv isors ’ suggestio ns, are much simpler. Figure 18. 1 depicts a typical forklift and Table 18. 1 depicts an SOP for a forklift . Usi ng the format. the most and not as a cure-all for all your accidents and injuries. Use it as one of the many tools for accident prevention. ß 2008 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. FIGURE 18. 1 Forklift. TABLE 18. 1 An