Workplace Health and Safety

Workplace Health and Safety Student Program
Manufacturing Industry (Continued)

Hazard Identification

Hazard identification is a key step in preventing injury and disease in the workplace. Where there's a risk, you need to stop and think. You need to think about what you are about to do, the potential risks and the likely effects on yourself and other people.

The 3 Step Approach to Hazard Identification:

1. Spot the hazard.

Be alert at work! Notice potential hazards and work out what the problem is.

2. Assess the risk.

Talk to your supervisor about the hazard and work out a way to solve the problem.

3. Make the changes.

Follow through. Carry out the agreed actions in order to solve the problem.

Hazardous Substances

Hazardous substances are dangerous. How dangerous depends on the type of substance, what it is made of, the way it enters the body, and the amount of substance that enters the body.

Your workplace may use a lot of different hazardous substances. Some may be things you see every day such as wood dust, paint, dyes, glue, fibre glass, resins, cleaning liquid and powders.

A hazardous substance can be any substance, whether solid, liquid or gas, that may cause harm to you.

Harm to health may occur suddenly, such as dizziness, nausea and itchy eyes or skin; or it may occur gradually over years, such as dermatitis or cancer. Some people can be more susceptible than others.

Read the MSDS before you use the product. Always consult with your supervisor before commencing work with any substance you might be exposed to, and ensure you get proper training in its use.

Material Safety Data Sheet

A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) provides detailed information on a hazardous substance. It gives more details than a label. MSDSs are provided for your employer by the manufacturers and suppliers of hazardous substances. Your employer must keep a register of MSDS is of hazardous substances used in the workplace and copies of the relevant MSDSs for the substance you may have to work with must be kept near where they are used.

If you need more information on what you are using, ask your supervisor or health and safety representative for an MSDS.

It is important that hazardous substances in workplaces are used according to:

the manufacturer or supplier's written instructions, (the MSDS); and
agreed safe work procedures.

How to obtain first aid treatment for hazardous substances should be part of your training.

Remember:

follow safe work procedures;
always correctly wear the appropriate safety equipment provided by your employer;
do not eat, drink or smoke while working with a hazardous substance;
do not keep food or drink near the substance;
wash your hands and face and other exposed areas with soap and water before going to the
toilet or eating and drinking; and
read the MSDS.

It is the responsibility of your employer to provide you with safe work procedures for handling hazardous substances and to provide information, training and supervision.

Noise

Within the Manufacturing Industry, you may work with noisy power tools and machinery. Examples could include routers and planers, power presses, and a variety of cutting or assembly tools.

It is the responsibility of your employer to investigate, assess amd implement, where possible, control measures to reduce noise at the source to levels which comply with the exposure limits stated in the Noise Compliance Standard 1995. Personal hearing protectors (earmuffs and earplugs) should be used as a temporary measure or as a last resort if the noise cannot be removed at the source or exposure reduced to the legal limits.

When someone loses their hearing, it can be devastating for themselves and annoying for others around them. Hearing loss can also cause people to become less efficient at work and study.

Some early warning signs of hearing loss include:

having to raise your voice when speaking to someone about 1 metre away from you in a noisy workplace;
ringing in the ears after a noisy activity;
having difficulty understanding what people say;
needing to turn the volume up to hear the radio or
television when others appear to hear adequately; and
failing to hear background noises such as a ringing telephone or doorbell.

If you are experiencing any of the warning signs of hearing loss, discuss ways to control and reduce your exposure to the noise with your supervisor and health and safety officer or representative.

Every effort should be made to reduce the noise at the source.

Hearing protectors should be regularly cleaned and maintained. Worn or damaged parts should be replaced and protectors kept in a clean storage space or container near the area of noisy activity. Where earplugs are used they should be inserted with clean hands. Disposable earplugs must not be re-used to amend avoid ear infections. It is better to put up with wearing earplugs up to 8 hours per day 5 dayss per week than wearing hearing aids, which are basically earplugs, up to 18 hours per day 7 days per week.

Headphones for radios and tape recorders do not provide protection from noise and must not be used under earmuffs..

People do not become "used" to noise. It only seems that way because they suffer hearing loss.

Lost hearing is gone forever, there is no cure!!

Manual Handling

Manual handling is not just about lifting heavy objects. It includes any activity requiring the use of force exerted by a person to lift, lower, push, pull, hold or restrain a person, animal or thing.

Overexertion includes occupational overuse syndrome (OOS) and manual handling.

Placing boxes and other items on shelves, operating levers on machinery, using cutting tools, writing and keyboarding are some examples of manual handling tasks.

Manual handling injuries include:

strains and sprains;
neck and back injury;
slips, falls and crush incidents;
cuts, bruises and broken bones;
hernia; and
occupational overuse syndrome (OOS), once known as RSI. This involves tasks which are repetitive or use small muscle groups.

People who suffer from a manual handling injury at work may spend the rest of their lives coping with pain and be unable to do a lot of the things other people can do.

Most manual handling injuries to young people can be prevented by instruction, training and supervision. Safe work procedures should be prepared by employers, with the help of employees, to care for the special needs of young and inexperienced workers.

It is the employer's responsibility to provide you with safe work procedures, and with instruction, training and supervision for manual handling tasks.

You should be informed and trained in:

safe manual handling methods;
specific manual handling hazards;
safe work procedures;
using manual handling aids; and
the right to ask for help.

Even though you may be young and new to the job, as a young employee you have a responsibility to speak up if you feel your job is too heavy, too difficult, too tiring or puts you at risk of injury.

Ways to reduce the risk:

follow the safe working procedure provided by your employer;
lighten loads (break loads into smaller quantities);
do not put items on the floor that will have to be picked up later (double handling);
use steps to reach or place items on high shelves;
reduce bending, twisting, reaching movements;
prevent muscle strain and fatigue. This includes warming up before working, allocating time for rest breaks, and allowing time to gradually get used to a new job; and
ask for help if necessary.