Identifying Hazardous Plants and Associated Risks

A plant is any machinery used for processing materials by means of mechanical action which could either be through; drilling, punching, mixing, cutting, assembling and molding (Richardson, 2013).

Hazard refers to the possibility of an illness or injury arising out of the effects of a plant. Potential harms include; crushing by tipping over of plant or moving objects, burns out of friction, and injury by fluids of high pressure, being electrocuted, explosions and cuts by flying/sharp objects (Collins, et al., 2014).

• legal requirements

In Australia, any organization or institution seeking to install operation plants must comply to all guidelines outlined by Part 4, Division 3 of the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations (1996), later amended in 1999 December, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1984 later amended in 1999 March, related Australian standards, codes of guidance and Practice and all appropriate laws pertinent to plant operation.

• Consultation

A health and safety representative of the designated work group should be consulted by the organization seeking to install a plant (Jeynes, 2007). It is also the duty of purchasers to maintain consistent contact with sellers to pave way for discussions on health and safety issues related to plant before plans to introduce a modified or new plant and subsequently allow for any changes possible.

• planning and purchasing

It is the duty of suppliers to provide relevant information related to the use of the plant and equipment (Hughes & Ferrett, 2009). During the designing, purchasing and planning stages, controls for substitution, engineering and Elimination can be effectively applied. Whenever any organization or institution is intending to buy any plant and equipment, all the risks that could emanate from the risk of the specific plant and equipment must be put into consideration.

• Risk identification

All hazards that could emanate from erection, commissioning, use of plant and systems of work (SoWs), and installation of plant must be identified by sections, schools, departments and/or offices of facilities’ management that are aiming to purchase and install a plant and equipment (Appendix 1,2) (Scheule & Rösch, 2010). Considerations must be given to the following when identifying hazards of plants:

• Crushing by plant tipping over or by moving or falling objects
• Entanglement leading to injury
• Burns due to friction
• Crushing when people are thrown under or off the plant
• Piercing or cutting by flying or sharp objects
• Suffocation
• High-pressure fluids injuries
• Explosion injuries
• Radiation, vibration, dust, noise
• Falls and slips trips
• High temperatures
• suffocation
  • risk assessment

Upon identification of risks associable with a plant, a Plant Hazard identification checklist (Appendix 2) could be used hand in hand with the specific organization/institution’s procedures of safety risk management (Rausand, 2013). Identified hazards play a crucial role in categorizing the risks into either low, medium or high priority.

• Risk Control

As mentioned in the regulations of any organization/ institution, in relation to control of risks, it is the primary role of departments, sections, schools and supervisors to identify and eliminate or help in eliminating any risk whenever practicable, associable with systems of work and associable with a plant. For all the risks identified, implementation of controls must be too as far as possible. The hierarchy of controls must be followed at all times. It involves; elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative, and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) (Holloway, et al., 2012).

• (SOPs) Standard Operating Procedures

Control of Risks through Implementation of Control Measures

Development of a standard operating procedure will follow the assessment of risk identification and control measures. The SOPs are to be displayed near or on the plant and should be followed to alert students, staff and operators of all the hazards associated with the plant (Sutton, 2017).

• installation, Erection, and commissioning of the plant

Sections, departments, schools, supervisors, and facility/institution management offices and/or other coordinators of plant installation and management must complete Appendix 2 so as to;

• Ensure that egress and access from and to the workplace are not affected by the plant’s layout.
• Ensure that a clear working area has been provided around the plant.
• Incorporate inspections to ensure that monitoring of risks associable to the operation of the plant is conducted.
• Ensure that the operation of a plant has not commenced until the establishment of the commissioning process is done (Helmus, 2008).
  • Inspection and Maintenance for Plant in Use

Recommendations of the supplier, designer, and manufacturer should be followed in the maintenance, cleaning, and inspection of the plant. All warning devices and safety features should be regularly tested (Richardson, 2013). Before the onset of repairs, maintenance or cleaning, stopping of the plant should be recommended by the systems of work (SOP). Devices for lockout or isolation should also be used.

• Registration of Plant

Unless registered with Work safe WA, there are certain plant items not usable in the workplace as ruled by the Occupational Safety and Health Regulation of 1996. They are;

• Tower cranes
• Maintenance units for building
• Gas cylinders
• Boilers of hazard categories A, B, C.
• Pressure vessels of hazard levels A, B, C other than pressure pipes, LPG fuel vessels, and gas cylinders.
• Elevating work platforms of boom type.
• Bridge cranes with a working load of more than 10 tons.
  • Licensing and Certificate of Competency

A competency certificate is compulsory for anyone using or operating high-risk plant items. Departments, schools, supervisors or section personnel must see to it that their staff are in possession of competency certificates for the plant that they operate. Working under the close supervision of a professional with the relevant certificate of competency is an alternative way for individuals to gain the necessary training.

• Information, Training, and Instruction

Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, it is a requirement that organizations or institutions in possession of plant and equipment to avail instruction, training and information to employees to ensure that they are in a capacity to perform work free from health risks and in a safe manner. upon identification of hazards related to a plant and its systems of work and subsequent assessment warranting it to be a risk, it is upon the employer to ensure that such employees with the highest likelihood of exposure to the risk and any supervisor of such employees must be trained and given relevant instructions and information (Smedley, et al., 2013).

• • Establishment/ reviewing of Chemical Register

All details of hazardous chemicals that are handled or stored in the workplace should be fed into a chemical register with the supervision of the workplace manager. Reviewing the chemical register is to be done when additional or new chemicals are brought into the workplace, risk controls have altered or are no longer functional (Kolk, et al., 2011).

• Safety Data Sheets Obtaining

A hard copy collection of the current SDS (Safety Data Sheet) from the supplier or manufacturer should be obtained and maintained with the oversight of the workplace manager. Authorized versions of the SDS prepared by the manufacturer must be obtained for each chemical (Pohanish, 2011). In cases where the first supplier or the manufacturer has not yet availed an SDS, copies can be acquired from GoldFFx.

• Procurement of Hazardous Chemicals

Standard Operating Procedure Development

Working in consultation with employees and the Health and Safety Representatives (HSR), a workplace manager is to ensure that SDS from manufacturers are first obtained before any new hazardous chemical is established in the workplace.  The OHS purchasing checklist should also be completed. It is from the SDS that it can be determined whether a chemical can be safely introduced in the workplace (Dikshith, 2013).

• Assessing risks of, and safe work procedures in the handling and storage of hazardous chemicals

As identified in the chemical register, handling of such hazardous chemicals with extreme or high-risk rating should be filled in a safe Work Procedure Template which will include directions for their handling and storage. Reviewing of SDS should be first done to determine whether the organization/institution is in a capacity to meet the storage and handling requirements.

• Assessment of risk in preparation of hazardous chemicals

A risk assessment should be conducted using the risk assessment template or its equivalent with the oversight of the workplace manager working together with employees and the HSR (Selin, 2010). Employees should be incorporated in this process because it is them tasked with the duty of preparation of hazardous chemical mixtures.

• Assessment of risks of conducting science experiments

The management OHS nominee and/or the workplace manager should ensure that science teacher and/or science coordinators use the Risk Assessment Template or its equivalent to assess risk prior to conducting any new or previously performed experiments. Laboratory technicians are to ensure that prior to preparing chemicals usable in science experiments, assessment of risks have been conducted.

• Control of risks associable to hazardous chemicals and their mixtures

Risks that could emanate from hazardous chemicals and their mixtures should be reduced to as far as it is practicable. This can be achieved by following the guidelines provided in the SDS from manufacturers and with the oversight of the workplace manager in consultation with employees and the HSR.

• Standards of exposure and atmospheric monitoring

It is the duty of any workplace manager to ensure that no employee is exposed to concentrations in the atmosphere from any substance that is beyond the exposure standard of the chemical in question (McDermott, 2014). Atmospheric monitoring could be conducted to determine the presence or absence of health risks in instances where uncertainty regarding the exposure standard.

• Health surveillance

The management OHS nominee and/or the workplace manager must work in reference to the applicable SDS for the hazardous chemical in question to evaluate such chemicals and subsequently coin the decontamination procedures in case any employee is exposed to the hazardous chemical while in the workplace.

• Labeling of hazardous chemicals

All hazardous chemicals in the workplace must be stored in containers that are clearly labeled with the oversight of the Management OHS nominee or the workplace manager. Labels on the container containing hazardous chemicals must remain unaltered, intact and legible (Boss, et al., 2015). Decanted chemical mixtures, as well as chemical mixtures, are clearly labeled unless they are used immediately after preparation. Containers used for decantation must be fit for holding the contents and preferably be of the recommended type.

• Storage of hazardous chemicals

Maintenance, Cleaning, and Inspection of Plants

The management OHS nominee if present at the workplace must work in partnership with the workplace manager to ensure that the chemicals are stored in accordance with the storage guidelines provided by the manufacturer or supplier.

• Disposal of chemicals and chemical waste

It is the duty of the workplace manager to ensure that hazardous chemical waste is packaged in the right manner, branded and stockpiled in designated areas that are most suitable before they are collected for disposal (Armour, 2016). As per the SDS, Personal Protective Equipment must be used when handling waste. The aforementioned personnel must also ensure that chemical waste formed at the workplace is put in containers that are labeled appropriately for identification purposes.  

• Emergency procedures

For the purposes of implementation in case of a chemical emergency, emergency management provisions should be made available by the workplace manager working in partnership with employees and the HSR. Common management provisions include;

• First aid kits
• Emergency showers, eye wash kits, eyewash stations
• Fire extinguishers and other firefighting materials
• Containment equipment and spill kits
• Effective toll-free numbers of trained first aiders and emergency wardens
  • Training, information, and consultation

Workplace manager should ensure that consultation arrangements are in place for consultations with employees and HSR. Consultation is to be done;

• When introducing new chemicals in the workplace
• When developing safe work procedures
• Making training and induction decisions
• When conducting assessments and identification of risks associable to chemicals present in the workplace (Kolk, et al., 2011).
• When making decisions relating to control measures implementable

Training and provision of information should be conducted to ensure that employees are clearly aware of what they are handling and the imminent dangers.

• Record keeping

The following documents should be maintained with the oversight of the Workplace Manager in relation to hazardous chemicals in the workplace;

• Assessments of risk
• Procedures for safe work
• Records of purchases
• Records of training
• SDS and chemical registers
• Records of consultation
• Records of health surveillance and atmospheric monitoring
• Records of testing and inspection of engineering controls
  • Purpose

It is a requirement for all workers present at the workplace to be fit and in a capacity to safely perform their duties in a competent manner without putting themselves and those around them at risk (Palmer, et al., 2013). Support, communication, testing and/or assessment are some of the factors that could be considered while determining fitness for work.

• Scope

This procedure is applicable to all workers of an organization irrespective of their positional mandate. This procedure is also applicable to all locations of an organization or whatever other location outside the organization that the organization’s work could be ongoing. During site induction, external contractors are to be made aware of this procedure.

• Procedure statement

It is the work of this procedure to;

1. Ascertain that the organization adheres to its obligations to volunteers, contractors, employees, and the general public.
2. Minimize risks and subsequently provide a safe working surrounding.
3. Use educational, preventive and rehabilitative measures to aid in overcoming drugs and alcohol problems.
4. Ensure fair handling of people who are deemed unfit for work due to use of drugs and alcohol.
5. See to it that the Employee Assistance Program amongst other service providers can offer professional and confidential help on issues relating to drugs and alcohol (Howard, 2007).
   • Definitions

The following terms will be sighted occasionally throughout the fitness for work procedure;

• Alcohol – ethanol, ethyl or alcohol.
• Appointed person – an individual appointed by the human resources coordinator to oversee the testing program.
• Approved medication – non-prescription and prescription drugs that can be legally purchased within Australia
• Blanket test – this is a test being carried out involving a majority of the total labor force within the workplace, area or department in question.
  • Supporting policies and programs
    • code of conduct

Adherence to the organization’s code of conduct is a mandatory requirement for all workers within the organization.

• Employee Assistance Program

EAPs are to be provided to all employees and their immediate family members to cater for family issues as well as drugs and substance abuse related problems (Richard, 2014). It is through individual contracting companies that EAP services are to be availed to contractor employees.

• Information Education and training programs

Handling of Hazardous Chemicals

In conjunction with the directives contained in this procedure, relevant education on the health and safety implications of drugs and alcohol misuse shall be availed to all employees. This shall be made successful through information sessions as well as conducting pieces of training. Since it is detrimental to the overall performance of individuals to have any altered health condition, fatigue will also be considered as a safety hazard.

• fitness for work awareness

The organization’s fitness for work policy should be made accessible to all employees. Relevant forms and supporting procedures should be accessible from the intranet alongside the fitness for work policy.

• leadership training

Coordinators, the CEO, Supervisors, and Managers alongside other leaders are to undergo relevant training sessions in referral, recognition, and management to aid in sorting any concerns related to fitness for work (Russell, 2015).

• Induction

All new workers including the casual ones will be made aware of the organization’s fitness for work procedures and policies. This will be conducted as part of a comprehensive on-boarding and induction program.

• Drugs and Alcohol
  • Misuse of Alcohol

Fitness for work policy is breached whenever an individual consumes alcohol while at work in excess of the appropriate Australian Standards. disciplinary actions shall be induced on any individual who will be found having consumed alcohol in excess of the prescribed amount. Unauthorized possession, consumption, sale or use of alcoholic substances during the hours of work within the organization’s premises shall be guilty of breaching the organization’s codes of conduct. Subsequently, all the aforementioned acts could warrant for the implementations of disciplinary actions or even summary dismissal in cases of gross misconduct.

• Misuse of Illicit Drugs

Fitness for work policy will be breached upon the use of any illicit drug. Testing procedures outlined by the organization’s policies shall be implemented to determine any deviation from the Australian standards relating to intake of illicit drugs. Whenever set to be in excess of the pre-set limits while at the workplace, this will be considered as a breach of the organization’s code of conducts. Such employees will, therefore, be liable to subjection to disciplinary actions.

• Fatigue and stress

Such situations where individuals’ abilities to perform their duties effectively are being limited by fatigue should be identified. Subsequent assessment and control measures should be implemented. The organization will additionally bear the following responsibilities in relation to stress and fatigue management (Murray & Thimgan, 2016);

• Offering education to managers on the drawbacks of stress and fatigue more so its impact on performance and vigilance.
• Management of work breaks, workloads, working relationships and work hours.
• Making modifications on the environment whenever applicable to minimize the effects of stress and fatigue.
  • Assessing Fitness for Work

While exercising its duty of care, an organization will reasonably assess the fitness for work conditions of all employees entering the workplace. There are common indicators that could be observed by supervisors or managers and used to report a worker’s state of fitness for work. The indicators include;

• Near-miss incidents as well as actual incidents with waste or damage occurring.
• Extreme nonattendance or habitual unpunctuality.
• Forgetfulness as well as coordination problems.
• Incoherent or slurred breath.
• Emotional responses which are unusual.
• Failure to follow simple instructions
• Sleep or drowsiness while at work or during breaks.
• Concentration problems. 

References

Armour, M.-A., 2016. Hazardous Laboratory Chemicals Disposal Guide, Third Edition. 3, illustrated, revised ed. s.l.: CRC Press.

Boss, M. J., Boss, B., Boss, C. & Day, D. W., 2015. Handbook of Chemical Regulations: Benchmarking, Implementation, and Engineering Concepts. illustrated ed. s.l.: CRC Press.

Collins, A. E., Samantha, J., Manyena, B. & Jayawickrama, J., 2014. Hazards, Risks, and Disasters in Society. illustrated ed. s.l.: Elsevier Science.

Dikshith, T., 2013. Hazardous Chemicals: Safety Management and Global Regulations. s.l.: CRC Press.

Helmus, F. P., 2008. Process Plant Design: Project Management from Inquiry to Acceptance. s.l.: John Wiley & Sons.

Holloway, M. D., Nwaoha, C. & Onyewuenyi, O. A., 2012. Process Plant Equipment: Operation, Control, and Reliability. s.l.: John Wiley & Sons.

Howard, 2007. Employee Sickness and Fitness for Work. s.l.: Thorogood Publishing.

Hughes, P. & Ferrett, E., 2009. Introduction to Health and Safety at Work. illustrated ed. s.l.: Elsevier.

Jeynes, J., 2007. Managing Health and Safety. s.l.: Routledge.

Kolk, J. v. d., Wexler, P., Mohapatra, A. & Agarwal, R., 2011. Chemicals, Environment, Health: A Global Management Perspective. illustrated ed. s.l.: CRC Press.

McDermott, H. J., 2014. Air Monitoring for Toxic Exposures. 2 ed. s.l.: John Wiley & Sons.

Murray, S. L. & Thimgan, M. S., 2016. Human Fatigue Risk Management: Improving Safety in the Chemical Processing Industry. s.l.: Elsevier Science.

Palmer, K. T., Brown, I. & Hobson, J., 2013. Fitness for Work: The Medical Aspects. illustrated ed. s.l.:  OUP Oxford.

Pohanish, R. P., 2011. Sittig’s Handbook of Toxic and Hazardous Chemicals and Carcinogens. 6 ed. s.l.: William Andrew.

Rausand, M., 2013. Risk Assessment: Theory, Methods, and Applications. s.l.:  John Wiley & Sons.

Richard, M. A., 2014. EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS: Wellness/Enhancement Programming (4th Ed.). revised ed. s.l.: Charles C Thomas Publisher.

Richardson, D., 2013. Plant Equipment & Maintenance Engineering Handbook. s.l.: McGraw Hill Professional.

Richardson, D., 2013. Plant Equipment & Maintenance Engineering Handbook. s.l.: McGraw Hill Professional.

Russell, L., 2015. Leadership Training. s.l.: Association For Talent Development.

Scheule, H. & Rösch, D., 2010. Model Risk: Identification, Measurement, and Management. illustrated ed. s.l.: Risk Books.

Selin, H., 2010. Global Governance of Hazardous Chemicals: Challenges of Multilevel Management. illustrated ed. s.l.: MIT Press2010.

Smedley, J., Dick, F. & Sadhra, S., 2013. Oxford Handbook of Occupational Health. 2 ed. s.l.: OUP Oxford.

Sutton, I., 2017. Plant Design and Operations. 2 ed. s.l.:Elsevier Science.