INTRODUCTION TO SAFETY

ENGINEERING
Safety is the state of being "safe" (from French sauf), the
condition of being protected against physical, social,
spiritual, financial, political, emotional, occupational,
psychological, educational or other types or
consequences of failure, damage, error, accidents, harm
or any other event which could be considered non-
desirable. This can take the form of being protected from
the event or from exposure to something that causes
health or economical losses. It can include protection of
people or of possessions.
Safety are especially one of the PRODUCT / SERVICE
critical concerns in engineering
design. This is true whether the
design is for a product or SAFE?
process, and applies to both the
REDESIGN
health and safety of the public NO
as well as occupational workers. YES

TAKE SERVICE/PRODUCT
It is the process of designing workplaces to prevent accidents. Engineering
Safety Concepts provides detailed approaches and modes for accident
reduction by using a risk management process to identify and "design out"
hazards.
Accidents can and do happen. Workplaces and factories which may use
machinery, chemicals, and other potentially hazardous elements, are always
possible sites for accidents which may cause injury, or even death if a
comprehensive engineering safety approach is not taken.
The multidisciplinary nature of safety engineering means that a very broad
array of professionals are actively involved in accident prevention or safety
engineering.
Safety engineering also is the key component for
eliminating hazards that would otherwise be controlled
by either administrative controls or use of personal
protective equipment as a barrier between a hazard
and a worker. These engineered safeguards include
machine guards, selection of less hazardous
equipment, development of maintenance schedules to
ensure equipment safety, audit and inspection
procedures, selection of safer tools, safety review of
new equipment, employee maintenance training, safe
design of the flow of material and people through a
facility and risk analysis for both possible man-made
and natural incidents.
 SUBTOPIC 1
Basic Safety Procedures in High Risk
Activities and Industries
 Subtopic 1

INTENDED LEARNING
OUTCOMES
At end of this discussion the student shall be able to:

 Identify High Risk Activities and Industries

 Enumerate basic safety procedure for high risk activities and Industries
When assessing the risk level of an activity, assess the severity of
the harm, injury or abuse: whether it is trivial (little to no effect),
minor (requiring first aid), moderate (sprains, strains, referral to a
doctor, or 1-6 days of lost time), or intolerable (major injury
including 7 days of lost time, disastrous results, life changing
injury, or trauma). Also assess the likelihood of an accident,
injury or abuse: whether it be improbable (unlikely to occur),
possible (likely to occur) or probable (risk will occur).
Activities assigned red would be considered high risk activities. The nature of the
activity or the presence of obvious hazards results in a high probability of a loss
occurring with catastrophic results, it is foreseeable that a loss will occur, and/or
you have no control over the risks that are present. Some characteristics of high-
risk factors include, but are not limited to:
• Fall heights exceeding 8 feet;
• Exposure to weather elements – sun, wind, extreme heat/cold;
• Extreme tidal conditions, currents or wave action (including white water);
• High speeds (driving/boating);
• Uncontrolled free fall or jumps;
• Areas prone to natural elements – avalanche, mudslides, volcanic activity, flash
flood, disease outbreak, etc.;
• Natural disaster areas – hurricane, ice/snow storm, tornadoes, earthquake, etc.
For people who work in white-collar jobs, the possibility of
having an injury at work seems negligible at its best. Working
at the comfort of an office or sitting at a desk all day does
come with its fair share of downsides, experiencing a life-
altering injury is pretty low on the totem pole.
However, there are still some fields where working in high-
risk environments is common and where people face real
dangers as they earn their livelihood. Below are the top four
industries where workplace safety is a top concern.
Below are common industries that is considered high
risk in terms of health and safety of the employee is
concerned.

• Construction
• Mining
• Health Services
• Manufacturing
• Electrical Works
The construction industry is famous for its perilous working conditions.
Employees such as laborers, carpenters, engineers, operator and even
managers often operate hazardous materials and heavy machinery. Also
included in their daily activities are working on high altitude or working
below the ground. These work related location and activity were
exponentially increasing the risk of serious injury.

https://www.roadsbridges.com/bridge- https://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-
construction-final-construction-begins-st-croix- free-vector/construction-works-along-
crossing-bridge http://r3elect.com/construction-works.html the-street-vector-19724651
All employers have a responsibility in
protecting the health and safety of their staff,
regardless of their occupation or industry. For
construction workers, who are exposed to high
risk environments, there are additional dangers
which must be considered.
Safety training

All workers must hold a current white card before

they commence work on-site. Site-specific
induction training should also be completed by
each worker, to point out any high risk areas and
provide instructions for emergency management.
Many construction companies are investing in
safety training. Timely and relevant safety training
is the most important element of a successful
construction workforce. Employees who are
regularly reminded of safety protocol, appropriate
techniques and other safety are much less likely to
cause project delays or accidents that could lead to https://constructionexec.com/article/why-invest-in-
construction-safety-training
lost time, injuries or even death.
Provide personal protective (PPS) equipment

In many situations an employer is obligated to provide PPS such as high vis vests,
safety goggles and safety harnesses to construction site workers. It is very
important to wear PPS/PPEs whenever you are in a construction site.

Source: Litmos Heroes

 https://www.indiamart.com/?back=1
Use clear signage throughout the site

The site SWMS should be clearly

displayed at the construction site, so
that all safety protocols are readily
available - including a 24 hour
emergency contact number and a map
or directions to the site office. Visible
signage should also indicate site
amenities (such as toilets), entry and
exit points, and first aid or emergency
fire equipment.
https://www.safetysignsph.com/p/construction-safety-signs.html
Supervision

Ideally, construction workers would fully understand the ramifications of

inadequate safety precautions and thus act in a manner to ensure site-
wide well-being. Every site must have a strong supervisor who is willing
and capable of enforcing safety standards with no exceptions. This
foreman must keep tabs on all employees throughout the day and correct
those who fail to commit to proper construction site safety procedures.
DEPARTMENT ORDER NO. 13 Series of 1998

Source: http://www.oshc.dole.gov.ph/images/Files/DO_13.pdf
The manufacturing industry handles everything
from food to textile and furniture production. With
so many diverging paths, the risks associated
with this industry are also quite diverse.
Employees in the manufacturing sector often
must operate heavy-duty machinery, handle https://schooledbyscience.com/the-importance-of-manufacturing-day-in-america/
hazardous materials and safeguard against
various malfunctions along the way.
As the industry continues its current trend
toward automation, the likelihood of accidents
should gradually decrease. However, as long as
people are employed in the manufacturing
sector, the need for adequate protection will
remain.
https://www.ehstoday.com/health/article/21127235/how-to-keep-your-
manufacturing-employees-virusfree-at-work
Places of work generally have power nominally supplied at
230 volt (single phase) and 400 volt (3 phase) although some
larger workplaces will receive electricity at a higher supply
voltage. Electricity is a non visible energy and may cause
fatal injuries or even death when an accident occurs. The risk
of injury from electricity is strongly linked to where and how it
is used and there is greater risk in wet and/or damp
conditions.
OSHA Standards
The best known name in workplace safety is the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, or OSHA. OSHA regulates many different aspects of workplace safety,
including electrical safety. Some of their most important standards are the following:

Personal Protection Equipment – OSHA requires that the right electrical protective
equipment is worn or used whenever working on dangerous electrical systems.

Safety for Electricity Generation – Those who work in electrical power generation,
transmission, and distribution need to follow the special instructions for this industry.

Maritime Standards – OSHA has specific guidelines for working on electrical systems while
at sea.
NFPA Standards

The National Fire Protection Association, or NFPA, is another group that

provides safety standards focused on electricity. Their most famous set of
standards is called NFPA 70, and is also known by the name ‘National
Electrical Code.’ These standards set forth safety requirements that offer a
great balance of workplace safety with productivity. Their standards identify
shock protection boundaries, arc flash safety, lockout-tagout systems, and
more. While NFPA doesn’t have any legal enforcement power, they are
among the most respected agencies in the country, and are voluntarily
followed by millions of companies. If a company doesn’t follow the
standards, they can’t claim to be NFPA compliant.
The mining industry has come a long way since the days of the
Industrial Revolution, when miners often worked in appalling
conditions with few safety measures to protect them. Still, even today
mining poses certain risks and can be a particularly harsh occupation.
That's because, aside from disastrous situations like cave-ins or
floods, mining also exposes workers to dust, mercury or radon, which
can have detrimental health effects and lead to all sorts of illnesses.
Sadly, some companies gloss over the long-term side effects of mining
or fail to provide employees with the required respirators, ventilation
systems and ear protectors.
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH
Responsible Mining recognizes that the impact of a
company’s activities on health and safety of both the
employees and affected communities is primarily the
responsibility of the company. Adequate measures should be
put in place at every stage of the mining in order to address
health issues and safety concerns.
For a clear copy click this link:
http://oshc.dole.gov.ph/images/Files/Reports%20and%20Proceedings/Session_9a2_OSH_in_Responsible_Mining.pdf
When compared to the aforementioned industries, healthcare professionals
seems easy but not as easy as it can be when working long hours in a
stressful environment.
Studies also show that prolonged exposure to sick patients can take its toll
on these professionals to the tune of 30 cases per 100,000 workers annually.
Most of these are manageable, but sometimes serious infections can occur
as well. While reputable hospitals take great care in maintaining a clean and
sterile environment, things like needle-stick injuries can still happen at an
alarming rate. To that end, employers could stand to gain a lot by providing
their employees with regular medical screenings in order to prevent and
detect potential health issues.
• FAA System Safety Handbook, Chapter 3: Principles of System Safety
https://www.safetyinfo.com/engineering-concepts-safety-index/

• https://www.plantoprotect.com/blog/what-constitutes-a-high-risk-activity/

• https://www.hsa.ie/eng/Topics/Electricity/Dangers_of_Electricity/Electricity_in_the_Workpl
ace/

• https://www.ehs.washington.edu/fire-life/basic-electrical-safety

• https://www.creativesafetysupply.com/qa/electrical-safety/what-are-electrical-safety-
standards