1.

2 OHS requirements and personal protection needs

OHS (occupational health and safety) is a cross disciplinary area concerned with protecting
the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment.
The goal of occupational health and safety (OHS) is:-
 To protect every working man against the dangerous of injury, sickness or death
through safe healthful working condition.
 To protect co-workers, employers, customers, suppliers and other members of the
public who are impacted by the work place environment.
The requirements of OHS are:-
 Safety
 Personal protective equipment/ need/
 First aid
 Fire extinguisher
 Hazardous materials
Safety: - means protecting our selves and others from injury or any other accidents. These
accidents in the workplace are prevented by the following;
a. Working safely and
b. Follow the right work procedure.
The ways to learn and understand safety are;
a. Accidental experiences and
b. Safety education.
Accidental experiences:- are experiences which were caused by accidents. But, you cant
afford to learn safety through experiences. However, being safe can mean the difference
between life and death.
Safety education:- means knowing by learning safety before performing anything. This is a
method which makes us aware of dangerous situations to avoid accidents or injuries.
In general, there are three safety guide lines and called general workshop safety
procedures. These are:-
 Personal safety,
 Tools and equipment safety and
 Work area safety
Personal safety /personal protection equipment or needs/
Personal safety means protecting ourselves from injury or accidents. How to protect or take
care yourself in the workshop?
 Protecting yourself from injury is by wearing of personal protective equipments(PPE)
and clothing. These are:
 Wearing eye glasses(goggles)
 Wearing ear protection
 Wearing cap head band or hairnet.
 Wearing proper clothing, shoes, and gloves.
Tools and equipment safety:- this is
 Correctly handling of tools and equipments
 Proper use of tools and equipments
When working with any tool and equipment;
 Make sure it is make properly,
 It should be properly maintained
  Check it before you use it.
Work area safety:- that means;
 Keeping the workshop clear of obstructions,
 A clean and an organized work area
This is done by implementing workshop activities, such as:
 Regular inspection
 Cleaning of areas
 Disposal of wastes
 Storage of equipment’s that are not in use.
First aid:- is an immediate care given to person who has been injured or suddenly taken ill.
It includes self care and home care.

Fire extinguisher
 In the case of fire, first you should;
 Know class of fire,
 Know type of fire extinguisher.
 Know how to use fire extinguisher.
 Know the location of fire extinguisher in the workshop.
Classifications of fire
Class A fires:- fires involving freely or ordinary burning materials. Eg. Paper, plastic….etc.
Class B fires:- fires involving flammable, combustible liquids. Eg. Gasoline, diesel,
kerosene…
Class C fires:- fires involving flammable gasses (e.g. butane and propane) and energized
electrical equipments ( e.g. switches, panel boxes, power tools appliances)
Class D fires:- fires involving flammable metals ( sodium, lithium, magnesium) and
electrical apparatus.
Types of fire extinguisher
Water fire extinguisher:- the cheapest and most widely used fire extinguisher. It is used for
class A fire. Not suitable for class B (liquid) and where electricity is involved.
Foam fire extinguisher:- more expensive than water and used for class A and class B fires.
Not for fires involving electricity.
Dry powder fire extinguisher:- termed as multi purpose and used for class A, B, & C fires.
It is best for class B(liquid) fires. Special powders are available for class D (metal) fires.
CO2 fire extinguisher:- fires involving for electrical apparatus. It will also extinguish class
B liquid fires.
Color code of fire extinguisher
1. Red for water fire extinguisher
2. Cream for foam fire extinguisher
3. Blue for dry powder fire extinguisher
4. Black for carbon dioxide
How to use fire extinguisher?
To use a fire extinguisher simply remember the word PASS which means,
 P – pull the pin
 A – nozzle to the fire
  S – squeeze the lever
 S – swipe the nozzle on the fire (right to left)
Hazardous materials
A typical shop may contain many potential hazards for those works in it. This hazard can
cause injury, sickness, health impairments, discomfort and even death. Hazards can be
classified as;
a. Chemical hazards:- caused by high concentration of vapors, gases or solids in the
form of dust.
b. Waste hazard:- are due to substances that are the result of a service.
c. Physical hazard:- excessive noise, vibration, pressure and temperature.
d. Ergonomic hazard:- due to human comfort designs.