Industrial Safety and

Environmental Management
23MECH40H

Prof. Tamer A. Mohamed

Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department
The British University of Egypt
 Health & Safety in the
Workplace
Slipping, Falling, and Improper Lifting
Prof. Tamer A. Mohamed
The British University of Egypt
• Some of the most common workplace accidents
are result of slipping, falling, and improper lifting.
– Falling object impact is also a common accident cause.

Some of the types of personal

protective equipment (PPE)
widely used in the workplace.
 CAUSES OF FALLS
• Falls are a major safety & health concern.
– Over 16% of all disabling work injuries result from
falls.
• Primary causes of falls:
– A foreign object on the walking surface.
– A design flaw in the walking surface.
– Slippery surfaces.
– An individual’s impaired physical condition.
 KINDS OF FALLS
• Common surface falls can be divided into four
categories:
– Trip and fall accidents occur when workers encounter
an unseen foreign object in their path.
– Stump and fall occurs when a worker’s foot suddenly
meets a sticky surface or defect in a walking surface.
– Step and fall accidents occur when a person’s foot
encounters an unexpected step down.
– Slip and fall occurs when the worker’s center of gravity is
suddenly thrown out of balance.
• This is the most common type of fall.
 Measuring Surface Friction
• An effective way for comparing the relative Friction
of a given surface is to use the coefficient of friction.
– A numerical comparison of the resistance of one surface
(shoe or boot) against another surface (the floor).
 Measuring Surface Friction
• An effective way for comparing the relative Friction
of a given surface is to use the coefficient of friction.
– Ice has a coefficient of friction of 0.10; Concrete, 0.43; Waxed
white oak 0.24.
 WALKING AND SLIPPING
• Good housekeeping can be a major factor in
reducing slip and fall hazards.
– Water, oil, soap, coolant & cleaning solvents on a
floor can decrease friction, turning a safe surface
to a danger zone.
 General Strategies for Preventing Slips
• Strategies that can help prevent slipping:
– Choose the right material from the floor.
– Retrofit an existing surface.
• Using materials like skid strips, carpet, grooves, abrasive
coatings, and textured coverings.
– Practice good housekeeping.
• Remove spilled water, grease, oil, solvents, etc., immediately.
– Require slip-resistant footwear.
• Such footwear should be a normal part of a worker’s PPE.
– Inspect surfaces frequently.
– Make sure stairs have handrails.
Recommendations for Fall Protection
– Have a plan - An organization should develop a written plan that
is part of its larger safety & health plan.
– Establish proper fall protection requirements - Any time an
employee works above 4’ feet in general industry; 6’ in
construction, and 10’ or more when on scaffolding.
– Provide proper fall protection equipment/procedures and
require their use - Personal fall arrest systems, guardrails, safety
nets, warning lines, controlled access zones, and safety
monitoring.
– Ensure fall protection device replacement - Regularly, even if
there are no significant signs of wear.
– Provide training - Including how to recognize hazards & properly
use all applicable fall protection equipment.
 LADDER SAFETY
• National safety Council (NSC) recommends
that ladders be inspected before every use.
– Look for a manufacturer instruction label about
weight capacity and applications.
• Determine if the ladder is strong enough.
– Look for cracks on side rails; and loose parts.
• Check for heat damage and corrosion.
– Check metal ladders for burrs and sharp edges.
 Do’s and Don’ts of Ladder Use
• Following simple rules for proper use can reduce
risk of falls and other ladder-related accidents.
– Check for slipperiness on shoes & ladder steps.
• Don’t lean a ladder against a fragile, slippery, unstable
surface.
– Secure the ladder firmly at the top & bottom.
• Set the ladder’s base on a firm, level surface.
– Apply the four-to-one ratio
• Base one foot away from the wall for every 4 feet between
the base and the support point).
– Face the ladder when climbing up or down.
• Don’t carry tools in your hands while climbing a ladder.
 Do’s and Don’ts of Ladder Use
• Following simple rules for proper use can reduce risk of
falls and other ladder-related accidents.
– Don’t lean too far to either side while working.
• Stop and move the ladder.
– Don’t allow more than one person at a time on a ladder.
– Don’t allow your waist to go any higher than the last
step when reaching upward on a ladder.
– Don’t place a ladder on a box, table, or bench to make
it reach higher.
 WHAT TO DO AFTER A FALL
• What employees do immediately after the fall
mean the difference between life and death
for the victim.
• Make sure your organization has a fall rescue
plan:
– Training for all personnel in how to carry out a
rescue—what to do and what not to do.
– Coordination with local emergency authorities
IMPACT AND ACCELERATION HAZARDS
• Examples of accidents involving acceleration
and impact:
– An employee working on an elevated place drops
a wrench.
– A robot loses its grip on a part, slinging it across
the plant and striking an employee.
– Any type of fall
– Motor vehicle accidents involve acceleration and
impact.
 Head Protection
• Approximately 25% of workplace accidents
each year involve objects that become
projectiles.
– Falling objects are involved in many of these
accidents.
– Head protection required
 Head Protection
• Hard hats are designed to provide limited
protection from impact, primarily to the top of
the head.
– To reduce impact transmitted to head, neck, and
spine.
• It is important to wear them properly.
– Never wear them backwards.
• They are also designed to limit penetration of
sharp objects.
 Eye and Face Protection
• Eye & face protection are critical in the workplace.

Three out of every five workers with

eye injuries weren’t wearing eye
protection, or not wearing the right
kind of eye protection.

– Flying particles cause most eye injuries.

– 70% resulted from flying or falling objects or sparks.
– About 20% were caused by contact with chemicals.
 Eye and Face Protection

Eye and face protection typically

consist of safety glasses, or face
shields.
 Aid for Eye Injuries
• When an employee sustains an eye injury:
– Be gentle with the employee.
– Don’t add to the injury with rough treatment.
– Do not attempt to remove objects embedded in
the eyeball.
– Rinse the eyes with water for 15 to 30 minutes to remove
the chemicals.
– Call for professional help.
– Cover both eyes after the rinsing has been completed.
– Never press on an injured eye or put any pressure
on it.
– Do not allow the employee to rub his or her eyes.
 Foot Protection
• Foot and toe injuries account for almost 20% of
all disabling workplace injuries.
• Major injury types to the foot & toes:
– Falls or impact from sharp or heavy objects.
– Compression when rolled over/pressed by heavy objects.
– Conductivity of electricity.
– Slips on unstable walking surfaces.
– Hot liquid/metal splashed into shoes or boots.
– Temperature extremes.
 Foot Protection
• The key to protecting workers’ feet & toes involves:
– Identify the various types of hazards present in
the workplace.
– Identify the types of footwear available to counter
the hazards.
– Require that proper footwear be worn.
 Foot Protection
• The best safety boots provide these types of
protection:
– Steel toe for impact protection.
– Rubber or vinyl for chemical protection.
– Hard shoes for protection against
sharp objects.
– Slip-resistant soles for protection against slippery
surfaces.
– Electricity-resistant material for protection from
electric shock.
 Foot Protection
• Employers are required to provide training on
foot protection:
– Conditions when protective footwear should be
worn.
– Type of footwear needed in a given situation.
– Limitations of protective footwear.
– Proper use of protective footwear.
 STANDING HAZARDS
• Prolonged walking and/or standing can cause
lower back pain, sore feet, varicose veins, and
a variety of other related problems.
 Antifatigue Mats
• Antifatigue mats provide cushioning between feet hard
working surfaces such as concrete floors.
– This effect can reduce muscle fatigue and lower back pain.

Test mats on a trial basis before

buying a large quantity.
Mats that become slippery
when wet should be avoided.
Where chemicals are used, select
mats that will withstand chemicals
 Shoe Inserts
• When antifatigue mats are not feasible, shoe
inserts may be the answer.
– Providing the same type of cushioning as mats,
they can help reduce lower back, foot, and leg
pain.
• It is important to ensure proper fit.
– If too tight, they will do more harm than good
– Employees may need to wear a slightly larger shoe
size.
 Workplace Design
• The key to workstation design is allowing
employees to move while they work, and
adjust height of the workstation to match
their physical needs.
• Sit/stand chairs—higher-than-normal chairs—
allow employees who typically stand while
working to take quick mini-breaks and return
to work.
 HAND PROTECTION
• Employers are required to base selection of
hand protection (gloves) on:
– Comprehensive assessment of the tasks
performed for a given job
– Hazards present
– Duration of exposure to the hazards.
 HAND PROTECTION
• Selecting the right gloves is not a simple task.
– A poorly fitted set of gloves cannot offer the degree of
protection that a responsible employer or employee
wants.
– The only way to determine whether a pair fits properly
is for the employee to try them on.
– Other critical features include, protection capability,
comfort.
• Greater comfort can mean less protection.
• Greater protection can mean less comfort.
 HAND PROTECTION
• ANSI hand-protection standard simplifies
gloves selection by defining characteristics of
protection, and standardizing tests to measure
them.
– Cuts, penetrate resistance, abrasion.
– Protection from cold and heat; flame/heat
resistance.
– Chemical resistance (permeation and degradation).
– Viral penetration.
 Common Glove Materials
Depending on individual hazards in a given situation,
the right gloves for the job may be made of a variety
of different materials.
 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
• The use of PPE is a critical component in the
safety program of most firms.
• Making employees comfortable with PPE is a
serious, sometimes difficult challenge.
– They don’t like the way it looks or how it feels.
– They think it is difficult to work in or
time consuming to put on and take off.
– Sometimes, they just forget to use it.
 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
• Strategies can be used to meet this challenge:
– Maximum use of engineering/administrative controls.
• Use every control available to minimize potential hazards.
– Ensure optimum PPE choice by using risk assessment.
– Employees may be able to provide input that will
improve the quality of the decisions being made.
– Provide comprehensive education and training program
to understand why PPE is important, and
how to properly use it.
 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
• Strategies can be used to meet this challenge:
– Reinforce the proper PPE use & challenge improper use.
– Be clear on who pays for PPE (probably the employer )
– Be sensitive to fit, comfort, and style issues.
• Ill-fitting PPE may not provide the necessary
protection, and if it does not fit well, employees may
be reluctant to wear it.
 FORKLIFTS & POWERED INDUSTRIAL
TRUCKS
• Forklifts differ from cars & trucks in several
ways, and employees who drive them must
understand how different.
– Forklifts are typically steered by the rear wheels.
– Forklifts are frequently driven in reverse.
• It is important to ensure that only properly
trained employees drive forklifts.
 FORKLIFTS & POWERED INDUSTRIAL
TRUCKS
• General rules of accident prevention.
– Keep arms, hands, and legs inside the vehicle at all
times.
– Face in the direction of travel at all times.
– If the load blocks your view, drive backward.
– Allow plenty of room for braking—at least three
vehicle lengths.
– Make sure there is sufficient overhead clearance
before moving a load.
 FORKLIFTS & POWERED INDUSTRIAL
TRUCKS
• Rules for Picking Up a Load:
– Make sure the load is within the capacity of the forklift.
– Make sure forks are positioned properly.
– Make sure the load is properly balanced.
– Make sure the load is secure.
– Raise the load to the proper height.
– Back out and stop completely before lowering the load.
 FORKLIFTS & POWERED INDUSTRIAL
TRUCKS
• Rules for Traveling with a Load:
– Always give pedestrians the right-of-way.
– Never allow passengers on the forklift.
– Keep the forks low while moving.
– Keep the load tilted back slightly while moving.
– Drive slowly—a forklift is not a car.
– Slow down at intersections—stop & sound horn
at blind intersections.
– Drive up and back down ramps and inclines.
– Never lift or lower the load when traveling.
– Keep to the right just as you do when driving a car.
 FORKLIFTS & POWERED INDUSTRIAL
TRUCKS
• Rules for Placing a Load:
– Stop the forklift completely before raising or
lowering the load.
– Move slowly and cautiously with the load raised.
– Never walk or stand under a raised load or allow
anyone else to do so.
– Stack the load square and straight.
– Check behind and on both sides before backing
up.
 Industrial Safety and
Environmental Management
23MECH40H

Prof. Tamer A. Mohamed

Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department
The British University of Egypt
Risk Assessment - NEBOSH
 Definitions
• Hazard – something with the potential to cause harm.
You will remember that hazards can be broadly classified
as physical (e.g. electricity), chemical (e.g. mercury),
biological (e.g. hepatitis), ergonomic (e.g. very repetitive
handling) and psychological (e.g. stress).
• Risk – the likelihood that a hazard will cause harm in
combination with the severity of injury, damage or loss
that might foreseeably occur. Risk can be described
qualitatively using words such as “high”, “medium” or
“low” or quantitatively using probabilities and/or
frequencies that have been derived from hard data.
 Why we do Risk Assessment
• The objectives of risk assessment are to
prevent:
– Death and personal injury.
– Other types of loss incident.
– The occurrence of breaches of law which might
lead to enforcement action and/or prosecution.
– The direct and indirect costs that follow on from
accidents.
 Different Types of Incident
• A failure to adequately assess and control risk in the
workplace will lead to incidents, which can be categorised
into various different types depending on outcome:
– Injury accident – an unplanned, unwanted event which leads to
personal injury of some sort.
– Damage only accident – an unplanned, unwanted event which
leads to damage to equipment or property.
– Near miss – an unplanned, unwanted event that had the
potential to lead to injury, damage or loss (but did not, in fact,
do so).
– Dangerous occurrence – a specified event that has to be
reported to the relevant authority by statute law.
– Ill-health incident – an unplanned, unwanted event which leads
to ill-health of some sort.
Accident Triangle
 Hazard Identification Methods
• There are various methods that might be used to identify
hazards in a workplace as part of a risk assessment
process:
• Inspections
– A formal inspection can reveal the various hazards that are
present and that need to be considered in the risk assessment.
– One problem with this method is that it is being carried out in
an existing workplace and so any identified hazards already
exist.
– This is contrary to the general principle of safety management,
which is that the hazard should not be introduced until after
the risk assessment has been carried out and the controls put
in place.
 Hazard Identification Methods
• Task Analysis
– This is a useful method for identifying hazards, since
it allows hazards to be spotted before work starts,
rather than after the work has started.
– There is a useful acronym for task analysis - SREDIM:
• Select the task.
• Record the steps or stages of the task.
• Evaluate the risks associated with each step.
• Develop the safe working method.
• Implement the safe working method.
• Monitor to ensure it is effective.
 Hazard Identification Methods
• Legislation
– Knowledge of the legal standards that apply to a
particular workplace is an important aid to
identifying any significant hazards that need to be
identified.
– For example, knowledge of the law relating to
work at height will allow a competent assessor to
identify what work might fall within the definition
of work at height and what could be ignored.
 Hazard Identification Methods
• Manufacturers’ Information
– When a new item of plant, machinery or
equipment is purchased it usually comes with an
instruction book that contains information about
all the related hazards and instructions for safe
use, cleaning and maintenance.
– Similarly, when a new substance is purchased it
comes with labels and a Material Safety Data
Sheet (MSDS) that clearly identify the hazards of
the substance.
 Hazard Identification Methods
• Incident Data
– Internal accident and near miss data can be useful
in identifying hazards.
– The main limitation here is that a hazard may be
very significant but may not yet have caused harm
in the organisation and may therefore go
unnoticed.
– External data, such as national statistics published
by the authorities, can be more useful since it
identifies the real hazards and risks based on a
much larger population size.
 Safety Hazards
• There are many hazards that are capable of causing immediate physical injury
and these can be referred to as safety hazards. These hazards can be
categorised according as follows:
– Slips, trips and falls
– Falls from height
– Falling objects
– Collision with object
– Trapped/crushed under or between objects
– Manual handling
– Contact with machinery
– Electricity
– Transport
– Contact with chemicals
– Asphyxiation/drowning
– Fire and explosion
– Animals
– Violence.
 Health Hazards
• Some hazards can cause occupational disease or illhealth
conditions. This can follow a single event (such as a needle
stick injury infecting a worker with the hepatitis virus), but
more often occurs as a result of prolonged exposure to the
hazard over a period of weeks, months or years.
• These hazards might be referred to as health hazards and can
be categorised into five groups:
– Physical, e.g. radiation, vibration, noise, extremes of temperature,
etc.
– Chemical, e.g. lead, mercury, sulphuric acid, silica, cement dust, etc.
– Biological, e.g. hepatitis B virus (HBV), legionella bacteria
(responsible for legionnaires’ disease), rabies virus, etc.
– Ergonomic, e.g. very repetitive movement, stooping, twisting,
manual handling, etc.
Principles and Practice of Risk Assessment

There are five steps to risk assessment:

1. Identify the hazards.
2. Identify the people who might be harmed
and how.
3. Evaluate the risk and decide on precautions.
4. Record the significant findings and
implement them.
5. Review and update as necessary.
 1. Identify the hazards
• The first step in the risk assessment process is
to identify all the significant hazards (safety
and health) associated with the work
• This hazard identification might be done by
task analysis, reference to guidance or
manufacturers’ information or by inspection
of the workplace.
 2. Identify the People who might be
Harmed
• When identifying people at risk, think not only of those
carrying out particular activities, but also of those who
may be affected by those activities.
• Individuals do not need to be named; rather general
groups or populations identified as:
– Employees
– Maintenance staff
– Cleaners
– Contractors
– Visitors
– Members of the public
 3. Evaluating the Risk and Deciding on
Precautions
• Having identified a particular hazard and the
people who might be harmed by it, the next
step in the risk assessment process is to
answer a simple question: Is the level of risk
generated by the hazard acceptable or does it
need to be reduced?
• The question may be simple, but the answer
can at times be complex.
 3. Evaluating the Risk and Deciding on
Precautions
• Risk is a combination of the likelihood that a hazard
will cause harm in combination with the foreseeable
severity of injury should harm occur.
• Risk can be qualitatively described using words such
as “very high”, “high”, “medium”, “low” or
“insignificant” (difficult to achieve consistent
outcomes from their use).
• An alternative approach that is commonly adopted is
to break risk down into its two component parts and
define each separately quantitatively:
Risk = Likelihood x Severity.
3. Evaluating the Risk and Deciding on
Precautions
 3. Evaluating the Risk and Deciding on
Precautions
• Using this scoring system the risk generated by
a trailing electrical flex positioned across a
busy corridor might be calculated as 5 x 4 = 20
(very probable x hospital treatment).
• The same electrical flex trailing on the floor
close to the rear wall of a rarely visited plant
room might be rated as 1 x 4 = 4 (extremely
unlikely x hospital treatment).
3. Evaluating the Risk and Deciding on
Precautions
T2

T1
 3. Evaluating the Risk and Deciding on
Precautions
• The assessment should take into account all
the current controls and precautions that
exist. What is being assessed is the real
situation with all the current controls in place.
• When existing controls are taken into account
the current risk level can be estimated as
described above -Likelihood x Severity.
Residual, Acceptable and Tolerable Risk
• The risk that remains once these existing controls have
been taken into account can be referred to as the residual
risk.
• If the residual risk is low then it might be considered
acceptable - the existing controls are adequate.
• Nothing more need be done. In effect the risk assessment
has confirmed that the current situation is acceptable.
• If the residual risk is high, a decision has to be made about
whether this residual risk is tolerable or unacceptable:
– Tolerable implies that it is not acceptable but it can be tolerated
for a short time while interim controls are put into place.
– Unacceptable implies that the risk level is too high for work to
be allowed.
 4. Recording Significant Findings
• The significant findings of a risk assessment should be recorded to
provide a statement of the hazards in the workplace, the extent of
the risks that they present and the action taken to control those
risks.
• Typical content would include:
– Identification of the activity/area assessed and of the significant
hazards.
– Identification of groups at risk and those especially at risk.
– Evaluation of the risks and the adequacy of existing control
measures.
– Action plans for implementing further precautions needed.
– Date of assessment, name of the competent person carrying out
the assessment, and the review date.
5. Review and Update as Necessary
• There are a number of situations that might trigger a
review of a risk assessment:
– Significant change to a matter that the risk assessment relates to:
• Process ; Substances; Equipment; Workplace environment
• Personnel; Legal standards.
– There is reason to suspect that the assessment is not valid:
• Accident
• Near miss
• Ill-health.
• It is also good practice to review risk assessments on a
regular basis. This is often done by determining a frequency
of review based on the level of risk associated with the
activity in question. An annual review of risk assessments is
common practice in many workplaces.
 Pregnant Women at work
• Hazards that present greater risk to pregnant women:
– Certain hazardous chemicals (e.g. lead).
– Certain biological agents (e.g. virus).
– Manual handling, especially later in pregnancy.
– Extremes of temperature.
– Whole body vibration.
– Radiation.
– Night shift work.
– Stress.
– Violence.
 Pregnant Women at Work
• In all cases where a woman reports that she is
pregnant a risk assessment should be carried
out focusing on the work that she is doing and
the hazards that might increase risk to her and
the child.
• It may then be necessary to:
– Change the type of work or the way that it is done.
– Change the hours of work.
– Suspend the woman from the workplace.
 Generic Risk Assessment Form
Date (1) Assessed by (2) Checked/Validated by (3) Location (4) Assessment Ref. No. (5) Review Date (6)

Task/Premises (7)
 Generic Risk Assessment Form
Date (1) Assessed by (2) Checked/Validated by (3) Location (4) Assessment Ref. No. (5) Review Date (6)
30/5/2011 Eng. X Dr. …. Workshop (filled by Safety Committee) 30/11/2011
Task/Premises (7)

Risk Rating (12)

Who might be
Existing Measures
No. Activity (8) Hazard (9) harmed and how
to Control Risk (11)
(10)
Result Additional
(13) Controls (14)
Severity Likelihood Risk
 Filling the form
(1) Date
Insert the date that the assessment form is completed
(2) Assessed by
Insert the name and signature of the assessor
(3) Checked/Validated by
Insert the name and signature of someone in a position
to check/validate that the assessment
(4) Location
Insert details of the exact location
 Filling the form
(5) Assessment ref. no.
Use this to insert any local tracking references used by
the department or support service (to be filled by the
Safety Committee)
(6) Review date
Insert details of when the assessment will be reviewed as
a matter of routine
(7) Task / premises
Insert a brief summary of the task or premesis
 Filling the form
(8) Activity
Use the column to describe each separate activity
covered by the assessment
(9) Hazard
For each activity, list the hazards
(10) Who might be harmed and how
Insert everyone who might be affected by the activity
and specify groups particularly at risk
 Filling the form
(11) Existing measures to control the risk
list all measures that already mitigate the risk
(12) Risk Rating
• The risk is LOW - if it is most unlikely that harm would
arise under the controlled conditions listed
• The risk is MEDIUM - if it is more likely that harm might
actually occur and the outcome could be more serious
(e.g. some time off work, or a minor physical injury)
• The risk is HIGH - if injury is likely to arise and that (e.g.
injury might be serious )
 Filling the form
(13) Result
– A = Acceptable, no further action necessary
– T1 = Tolerable
– T2 = Tolerable
– UA = Unacceptable
(14) Additional controls
If existing controls are inadequate
 Risk Rating (12)
Existing
Who might be
Activity Measures to Result Additional
No Hazard (9) harmed and how
(8) Control Risk (13) Controls (14)
(10) Severity Likelihood Risk
(11)

Students and Wearing

Making
1 Foreign objects staff/ Eye injury from protective 1 1 1 A
the mold
sand goggles
Students and staff/
Wearing
Burns for hands
protective
Pouring Hot surface when anyone 2 2 4 A
clothes and
the touches the Molten
2 gloves
molten Metal
metal Students and
Fumes staff/ Suffocation or Air vent 3 2 6 T1
difficulty breathing

Cleaning
the part Students and staff/ Wearing
3 surface Sharp edges Minor cuts due to protective 1 2 2 A
after abrasion surface gloves
casting