Working in confined spaces is a high risk working environment.
Any significantly enclosed space where there is a risk of death or serious injury from hazardous substances, lack of oxygen or other dangerous conditions is classed as a confined space. Confined spaces with small openings such as silos, drains, sewers and storage tanks are fairly obvious. Others are not. Ductwork, vats, open-topped chambers may be less obvious.
Before working in confined space commences, certain steps should be taken. All hazards present must be identified and the risks assessed. This information should then be used to determine what precautions are needed and safety procedures developed (including emergency rescue).
If working in confined spaces can be avoided – it should be avoided.
According to the Health and Safety Authority of Ireland and the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Confined Spaces) Regulations 2001, Regulation 5 states that:
A person shall not carry out work in Confined Spaces if it is reasonably practicable that it could be avoided.
If the work must be carried out Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment must be carried out prior to the work commencing.
A person shall not enter a confined space unless there is a system of work in place that has been planned, organised, performed and maintained so as to render that work safe and without risk to health.
Anyone entering a confined space must be provided with appropriate information, training and instruction appropriate to the particular characteristics of the proposed work activities.
Before working in confined space commence, the following should be considered:
If someone is working in a confined space, think about the following:
The Health and Safety Authority of Ireland (HSA) has a very useful info page titled Working in Confined Spaces. This page covers some of the most frequently asked questions about working in confined spaces.
In addition, the UK’s Health and Safety Executive info page titled Introduction to working in confined spaces can provide additional very useful information about working in confined spaces.
As The Irish Times reported; on June 10th, 2015 brothers Alan (45) and Stephen Harris (32) were overcome by fumes while working in an underground sewer at Drumnigh Woods, Portmarnock, Co Dublin. They were taken from the sewer and taken to hospital but unfortunately died of hypoxia due to toxic levels of hydrogen sulphide.
The brothers were wearing wader boots and rain jackets and Stephen Harris was wearing a dust mask.
A toxic gas incident that claimed the lives of two brothers almost killed a fireman attempting to rescue them.
Health and Safety Authority inspector Frank Kerins said the job required specialist equipment in accordance with confined space regulations, including a gas detector and breathing apparatus.
Proactive Health and Safety training is critical to ensure a safe workplace. An effective training program can reduce the number of worker injuries and deaths. It can also reduce instances of property damage, legal liability, illnesses, and missed time from work.
Health and Safety training helps establish a culture in which employees themselves help promote proper safety procedures while on the job. It is important that new employees be properly trained and embrace the importance of workplace safety. The role of training in developing and maintaining effective hazard control activities is a proven and successful method of intervention.
This is why we have established Myelearsafety school. We pride ourselves in how we guide, support and mentor our students. They receive support throughout their learning experience and into their working lives. Our staff have extensive training experience and also have many years industry experience. We understand the challenges that exist within Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety. Our priority is to ensure that all learners are fully prepared to differentiate themselves in the workplace after completing our Health and Safety courses.
Myelearnsafety offers fully online Health and Safety courses.
To find out more, please check our Courses page.
Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie
Use of plant and equipment that produces vibration is often not considered as a serious risk and dangers of vibration at work are often overlooked.
Vibration is the transmission of force from work processes into the worker. The Health and Safety Authority of Ireland (HSA) defines vibrations as ‘rapid movement to and fro or oscillating movement‘.
People in the course of their work life may be exposed to many sources of vibration. Dangers of vibration at work are more often overlooked than not. Some vibration affects the whole body (WBV), e.g. when driving a dumper truck over rough and even ground. Here the vibration, in the form of large shocks or jolts, is transmitted to the whole body via their feet or the seat. This could cause injury to the lower back and spine.
The most common problem is Hand Arm Vibration (HAV). HAV is caused by exposure to vibration, e.g. from using hand power tools. This can be very disabling, causing severe pain in hands and arms and lack of hand movement and feeling in the fingers. It is preventable but permanent once the damage is done.
The most common HAV symptoms to look for are:
Dangers of vibration at work, i.e. risk from vibrating tools or machines can be minimised by:
Health surveillance is crucial to spot and respond to early signs of damage.
Chapter 2 of Part 5 and Schedule 6 to the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 299 of 2007) as amended by the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) (Amended) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 732 of 2007) sets down the minimum requirements for the protection of workers from the health risks associated with vibration in the workplace. This is a legislation that looks into dangers of vibration at work.
The Health and Safety Authority of Ireland (HSA) on their webpage Vibration at Work provide relevant to vibration at work information.
Proactive Health and Safety training is critical to ensure a safe workplace. An effective training program can reduce the number of worker injuries and deaths. It can also reduce instances of property damage, legal liability, illnesses, and missed time from work.
Health and Safety training helps establish a culture in which employees themselves help promote proper safety procedures while on the job. It is important that new employees be properly trained and embrace the importance of workplace safety. The role of training in developing and maintaining effective hazard control activities is a proven and successful method of intervention.
This is why we have established Myelearsafety school. We pride ourselves in how we guide, support and mentor our students. They receive support throughout their learning experience and into their working lives. Our staff have extensive training experience and also have many years industry experience. We understand the challenges that exist within Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety. Our priority is to ensure that all learners are fully prepared to differentiate themselves in the workplace after completing our Health and Safety courses.
Myelearnsafety offers fully online Health and Safety courses.
To find out more, please check our Courses page.
Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie
Almost all businesses use some form of workplace transport and vehicles. There are many examples. A busy factory site with lorries being loaded for despatch. Forklift trucks whizzing around the site. Staff arriving for work in cars. Visitors and staff walking around the site and delivery vehicles reversing into dock loading bays.
Without controls aimed at workplace transport and vehicles, there is a high likelihood of an accident occurring. Unfortunately, almost every year a number of people are killed in vehicle accidents at the workplace.
A risk assessment must be carried out to identify the hazards and implement controls to minimise the risk. Such controls may include:
When we talk about workplace transport and vehicles, one of the most common vehicles used in the workplace is a forklift truck. They account for many of all workplace transport accidents.
Common causes of accidents are:
Reversing of workplace transport and vehicles is a frequent cause of accidents. Consideration should be given to ensure adequate space for reversing vehicles and restricting access to the reversing area. This area should be clearly marked and signed.
Visiting drivers should be made aware of the site layout and transport routes. It may be necessary to provide instructions in other languages for foreign drivers and allow for the fact they may have different visibility from left hand drive vehicles.
There are many different types of workplace and transport vehicles that can be used. A proper selection will depend on the task to be performed. It is very important that the correct vehicle is selected for the appropriate task and that the vehicle is safe to use. As well as regular routine maintenance, there are some basic pre-use checks drivers should make. These include:
Whichever vehicle is being driven, the driver must be trained and competent. Safe system of work should be in place to make sure unauthorised staff cannot operate vehicles and there are sufficient work breaks to stop drivers becoming overtired.
The Health and Safety Authority of Ireland provides a comprehensive key transport safety management resources available on their website page titled Vehicles at Work. The resources are a convenient and easy to use information portal. In addition, the HSA has published a convenient Information Sheet that provides basic guidance on the management of vehicles and mobile work equipment in the workplace.
Proactive Health and Safety training is critical to ensure a safe workplace. An effective training program can reduce the number of worker injuries and deaths. It can also reduce instances of property damage, legal liability, illnesses, and missed time from work.
Health and Safety training helps establish a culture in which employees themselves help promote proper safety procedures while on the job. It is important that new employees be properly trained and embrace the importance of workplace safety. The role of training in developing and maintaining effective hazard control activities is a proven and successful method of intervention.
This is why we have established Myelearsafety school. We pride ourselves in how we guide, support and mentor our students. They receive support throughout their learning experience and into their working lives. Our staff have extensive training experience and also have many years industry experience. We understand the challenges that exist within Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety. Our priority is to ensure that all learners are fully prepared to differentiate themselves in the workplace after completing our Health and Safety courses.
Myelearnsafety offers fully online Health and Safety courses.
To find out more, please check our Courses page.
Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie
Most people use some form of electricity in the workplace daily. It is this familiarity that leads to carelessness with electricity and a disregard for the risks associated with it. Common issues are overloading electricity outlets, maintaining electrical equipment while it is still connected to the power supply, using plugs fitted with the wrong fuse and using equipment that does not have a fused plug fitted.
Electricity can affect the worker in a number of ways:
The risk of injury from electricity is strongly linked to where and how it is used. In addition, there is greater risk in wet and/or damp conditions.
Once the human body comes into contact with the electricity, it can be impossible to let go of the source of electricity. If the person who is in touch with electricity gets touched by another person, the electricity will flow through the other person as well. The human body is a good conductor of electricity.
Every electric shock has the potential to kill!
This incident was reported in the UK by the Health and Safety Executive.
Refrigerated display cabinet in a café
A 19-year-old man was electrocuted and killed when he touched a refrigerated display cabinet in a café. Investigation showed that the 13A plug had been incorrectly refitted to the cabinet’s main lead.
This meant the metalwork of the cabinet, which should have been safe to touch, was dangerously live at mains voltage. The man’s sister received two shocks from the cabinet before realising what had happened to her brother.
How to avoid similar accidents
You must ensure that your electrical installation and equipment is safe. Don’t cut corners – electrical installations must be installed by someone who has the necessary training, skills and experience to carry out the work safely.
To ensure safe use of electrical equipment:
Electrical cables, flexes, tools and equipment should be regularly checked and faults reported. Portable appliances should be checked periodically by a competent person.
A high percentage of faults with electrical equipment can be found by just looking at it. Everyone can play a role in improving safety by making quick visual checks of the equipment they use.
When carrying out preventive maintenance things to look for are:
If any of these faults, or any other unusual state of the equipment can be noticed, a qualified person should undertake any necessary repairs. No electrical equipment should be used if there is any sign of damage.
Additional information can be found on Health and Safety Authority website and their Electricity pages.
A shock occurs when an electrical current passes through the body. This can interfere with the body’s own electrical impulses and may cause the heart or breathing to stop. Burns may be seen where the current enters and exits the body. There may also be deep internal damage which cannot be seen along the path of the current.
In the event of someone suffering an electric shock:
Proactive Health and Safety training is critical to ensure a safe workplace. An effective training program can reduce the number of worker injuries and deaths. It can also reduce instances of property damage, legal liability, illnesses, and missed time from work.
Health and Safety training helps establish a culture in which employees themselves help promote proper safety procedures while on the job. It is important that new employees be properly trained and embrace the importance of workplace safety. The role of training in developing and maintaining effective hazard control activities is a proven and successful method of intervention.
This is why we have established Myelearsafety school. We pride ourselves in how we guide, support and mentor our students. They receive support throughout their learning experience and into their working lives. Our staff have extensive training experience and also have many years industry experience. We understand the challenges that exist within Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety. Our priority is to ensure that all learners are fully prepared to differentiate themselves in the workplace after completing our Health and Safety courses.
Myelearnsafety offers fully online Health and Safety courses.
To find out more, please check our Courses page.
Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie
