Workplace Health and Safety

Workplace Health and Safety Student Program
Manufacturing Industry (Continued)

Electricity

Electric shock occurs when a person becomes part of an electrical circuit and the current flows through their body. A fatal shock is called electrocution.

Doing maintenance work on live electrical circuits is a too frequent cause of electrocution.

Accidents and deaths can also result from equipment becoming "live" due to electrical faults, lack of maintenance or short circuit.

Electrical accidents are most often caused by a combination of factors such as:

a lack of training;
a lack of supervision;
inadequate work practices;
poorly maintained equipment or installation; and
a hazardous workplace environment.

More About General Electrical Safety Precautions

Locking out of equipment

This is one way of preventing machinery or electrical current becoming operational during maintenance or a halt in the work procedure. A lock is attached to the machine switch so that it can't be turned on.

The person working with the machine should hold the only key to the lock. A lock must only be removed by the person who attached it to the equipment or machinery. Procedures must be put in place for the removal of the lock should the person not be available, for example, if there has been a change of shift workers.

"DANGER" and "OUT OF SERVICE" Tags

Red and black "DANGER" tags are used to warn workers about hazards associated with equipment and machinery maintenance.

Yellow and black "OUT OF SERVICE" tags are used to prevent accidents or damage to machinery that is out of service for repairs.

Any faulty equipment should be tagged so that it cannot be used until it is replaced or repaired.

The safe work procedures for the removal of "DANGER " and "OUT OF SERVICE" tags at your workplace must be followed.

Generally, workers should not work alone with machinery unless it has 'deadman' switches. This is a type of switch often used on electrical vehicles. It is designed so that if the driver releases his/her pressure on the switch (handle or pedal), owing to sudden illness or other causes, the current is cut off and the machine ceases to operate.

If a worker must work alone, the machine's controls should be clearly marked in such a way that another person who may not be familiar with the machine would be able to turn it off in case of an emergency.

Mechanical Equipment

A wide range of mechanical equipment is used within the Manufacturing Industry. Examples include power presses, cutting tools, planers, and routers.

Mechanical equipment can cause:

sprains and strains;
open wounds;
fractures;
amputations; and
death.

Your workplace should have a maintenance program to ensure that all equipment and machines are in safe working order.

The most common mechanical equipment injuries are to hands and fingers which may be cut, sprained, dislocated, broken, crushed or severed by machinery or tools.

Over 47% of all eye injuries recorded in 1994/95 were due to mechanical equipment injuries.

These injuries can cause lengthy periods of time off work, and sometimes permanent disability.

A large number of injuries occur in the Manufacturing Industry.

Eye injuries caused by mechanical equipment accidents include:

being hit by an object (this includes small particles such as wood shavings or particles as well as large objects such as pieces of equipment);
heat, radiation;
hitting an object; and
falls, trips, slips.

When working with mechanical equipment, personal protective equipment may include protective gloves; arm guards; safety glasses; hard hats; and safety boots.

Guards

In the Manufacturing Industry guards are attached to mechanical equipment and must be used to protect you from the moving parts of machines.

Keep all guards in place. If guards are removed during cleaning, make sure they are replaced before you use the machine.

Do not start the machine during cleaning.