GROUP 4

Safety Analysis and

Hazard Prevention

Hazard
A condition or combination of conditions that, if left
uncorrected, might lead to an accident, illness, or
property damage
Need to analyze workplace, identify hazards, neutralize
hazards

HAZARD ANALYSIS

Systematic process
Identify hazards
Recommend corrective
action
Two approaches
Preliminary
Detailed

PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS

Identify potential hazards &

prioritize them
Likelihood for an accident or injury
Considerable, probable, unlikely
Severity of the injury, illness,
damage
Catastrophic, critical, marginal,
nuisance
Cost of correcting hazard

PRELIMINARY HAZARD ANALYSIS

PROCESS
Ad hoc team of SMEs
Team inspect technology
Ask what if questions
Identify potential hazards
Cost benefit analysis

DETAILED ANALYSIS
Failure mode and effects analysis
divide system into components
how might it fail
rating probability of failure
results of failure
Human error missing

DETAILED ANALYSIS
Hazard and operability review
Team of SMEs
Brainstorm for hazards and effects
Identifies potential hazards before body of
knowledge

Detailed analysis
Human error analysis
Predict human error
Predict potential effects
Observe task or do it
Use with failure mode and effects analysis and hazard
and operability review

Human error analysis

Detailed Analysis
Technic of operation review
Workers and supervisors conduct review
Respond to yes/no questions
Develop corrective strategies

Detailed Analysis
Fault tree analysis
Graphic display of analysis process
Trace the fault branch

Detailed Analysis
Risk analysis
How frequently does a given event occur?
How severe are the consequences of a given event?
Risk is decreased by decreasing the frequency and
severity

Risk analysis

Hazard Prevention
1. Eliminate the source of the hazard
2. Substitute a less hazardous equivalent
3. Reduce at source
4. Remove human from hazard
5. Isolate the hazard
6. Dilute the hazard

Hazard Prevention
Apply appropriate management strategies
Use appropriate PPE
Provide training
Practice good housekeeping

Assessing Facilities for

Safety and Health

Whats the purpose of Assessing

Facilities for Safety and Health?
To answer the question Is this a safe and healthy facility?

Assessing Mechanical Hazards

Mechanical hazards are associated primarily with machines that
perform operations such as cutting, drilling, shearing, punching,
stamping, chipping, stitching, shaping and slitting

Injuries that are associated with these operations include

cutting, tearing, shearing, crushing, breaking, straining,
spraining and puncturing

Assessing the hazards in a facility is a matter of touring it

and answering the following questions:

Are point-of-operation guards being properly used where

appropriate?
Are point-of-operation devices being properly used where
appropriate?
Are the safest feeding/ejection methods being employed?
Are lockout/tag out systems being employed as
appropriate?
Are automatic shutdown systems in place in place, clearly
visible and accessible?
Are safeguards properly maintained, adjusted and

Fall Related Hazards

One of the most common accidents in the workplace are
slipping/falling
Impact from a falling object is also a common cause of
injuries

Assessing Fall Related Hazards

Are foreign objects present on the walking surface or in
walking paths?
Are there design flaws in the walking surface?
Are there slippery areas on the walking surface?
Are there raised or lowered sections of the walking
surface that might trip a worker?
Is good housekeeping being practiced?
Is the walking surface made of or covered with a nonskid material?

Assessing Fall Related Hazards

Are employees wearing non-skid footwear as
appropriate?
Are ladders strong enough to support the loads they are
subjected to?
Are ladders free of cracks, loose rungs and damaged
connections?
Are ladders free of heat damage and corrosion?
Are ladders free of moisture that can cause them to
conduct electricity?
Are metal ladders free of burrs and sharp edges?

Assessing Fall Related Hazards

Are fiberglass ladders free of blooming damage?
Are employees wearing head and face protection as
appropriate?
Are employees wearing foot protection as appropriate?

Lifting Hazards
Back injuries from improper lifting are common in an
industrial setting
FACT: They account for approximately $12 Billion in
workers compensation costs annually (US only)

Assessing Lifting Hazards

Are posters that illustrate proper lifting techniques

displayed strategically throughout the workplace?

Assessing Lifting Hazards

Are machines and other lifting aids available to assist
employees in situations where loads to be lifted are too
heavy and/or bulky?
Are employees who are involved in lifting using personal
protective devices?

Heat and Temperature Hazards

Extreme heat or cold can be dangerous
Heat stress, cold stress and burns are serious hazards in
the modern workplace

Assessing Heat and Temperature

Hazards
Are workers in hot environments being gradually acclimatized?
Are workers in hot environments rotating into cooler
environments at specified intervals?
Are workers in hot environments wearing personal protective
clothing?
Are first aid stations and supplies readily available for the
treatment of burn victims?
Are central or spot heating surfaces, warm air jets, contact
warm plates or radiant heaters being used where employees
work in cold environments?

Assessing Heat and Temperature

Hazards
Are work areas in cold environments shielded from the
wind?
Are the handles of tools used in cold environments
covered with insulating material?
Are metal chairs in cold environments covered with
insulating material?
Are heated tents or shelters provided so that workers in
cold environment can take periodic warming breaks?

Assessing Heat and Temperature

Hazards
Are appropriate types of warm drinks made available to
workers in cold environments?
Are jobs done in cold environments designed to require
movement and minimize sitting or standing still?
Are jobs done in cold environments designed so that as
many tasks as possible are performed in a warm
environment?

Assessing pressure hazards

A pressure hazard is one caused by a dangerous
condition involving pressure(Chapter11). Critical injury
and damage to property can occur with relatively little
pressure. Therefore, it is important to include pressure
hazards in facility assessments by answering the
following question:

Questions
Are boilers properly installed?
Are control/safety devices on boilers present and in proper
working condition?
Is a schedule of regular inspection for all boilers posted and
clearly visible?
Is a schedule of preventive maintenance for all boilers posted
and adhered to ?
Are pulse dampening devices/strategies being employed on high
pressure systems?
Are high pressure systems installed with a minimum of joints?
Are appropriate pressure gauges in place and working property?
Are shield placed around high pressure systems?

Assessing electrical hazards

Electrical is the most widely used type of energy in
modern industry. In spite of its importance, electricity
does introduce hazards(Chapter 12). Assessing
electrical hazards requires answering the following
questions:

Questions
Are short circuits present anywhere in the facility?
Are static electricity hazards present anywhere in the facility?
Are electrical conductors in close enough proximity to cause an
arc?
Are explosive/combustible materials stored or used in proximity
to electrical conductors?
Does the facility have adequate lightning protection?
Has insulation degradation resulted in bare wire anywhere in the
facility?
Is all electrical equipment in proper working order?

Assessing fire hazards

Fire hazards are condition that favor the ignition and
spread or fire. Because of the damage fire can cause it
is important to include fire hazards in facility
assessments(Chapter 13). Assessing fire hazards
involving the following questions:

Questions
Are automatic fire detection systems employed in the facility?
Are flammable materials and substances stored in a way that
isolated them from oxygen and heat?
Are automatic fire extinguishing systems employed in the
facility?
Are fixed extinguishing systems strategically located throughout
the facility?

Assessing toxic substance hazards

Exposure to toxic substances that exceeds carefully
monitored guidelines can be dangerous or even fatal.
Therefore it is important to include toxic substance
hazards in facility assessments(Chapter 14). To assess
toxic substance hazards, answer the following
questions:

Questions
Are all hazardous substance clearly identified and marked?
Are all toxic substances properly stored?
Are persons handling toxic substances using appropriate
protective equipment that is properly maintained?
Is access to areas that contain toxic substances appropriately
restricted?
Is equipment used to produce, process, and/or package toxic
substances properly maintained.

EXPLOSIVE HAZARDS

ASSESSING EXPLOSIVE HAZARDS

Explosive is a reactive substance that contains that contains

a great amount of potential energy that can produce

anexplosionif released suddenly, usually accompanied by
the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure

Modern Industry uses materials including some flammable or

combustible ones. Under certain conditions, they can give off
vapors that may combine to oxygen which will explode.
Because of this, explosive hazards should be included in facility
assessment.

Questions in Assessing Explosive

Hazards
Is smoking prohibited in the vicinity of explosive materials?
Are methods employed to eliminate static electricity?
Are spark-resistant tools employed wherever possible?
Are processes that use explosive substances segregated in standalone facilities?
Are processes and facilities that use explosive materials well
ventilated?
Are automatic shut-down systems employed on all processes that use
explosives?
Are all areas where explosives are present free of ignition sources?
Is good housekeeping being practiced in all areas where explosives
are present?

RADIATION HAZARDS

ASSESSING RADIATION HAZARDS

Radiation - the emission of energy as electromagnetic
waves or as moving subatomic particles, especially highenergy particles that cause ionization.
Workers who work in companies that have radioactive
materials present are exposed to a special type of hazard.
Radiation can cause both acute and chronic injury.
With this reason, Radioactive hazards should be included
in facility assessments.

Questions in Assessing Radiation

Hazards
Are personal monitoring devices being used where appropriate?
Are radiation areas clearly marked with caution signs?
Are high radiation areas clearly marked with caution signs?
Are airborne radiation areas clearly marked with caution signs?
Are all containers in which radioactive materials are stored and/ or
transported clearly marked with caution signs?
Is an evacuation warning signal system in place and operational?
Are all containers in which radioactive materials are stored secured
against unauthorized removal?

NOISE HAZARDS

ASSESSING NOISE AND VIBRATION

HAZARDS
Noise - a sound, especially one that is loud or unpleasant or
that causes disturbance.
Vibration - a continuous slight shaking movement
Modern industrial worksites can be a noisy place. This can
cause distraction to workers which may lead to accidents and
also hearing problems
This should also be added in assessing facilities

Questions in Assessing Noise and

Vibration Hazards
What are the sound level meter readings taken at different times and
locations?
What are the dosimeter readings for each shift of work?
Are audiometer tests being conducted at appropriate intervals?
What are the results of audiometric tests?
Are records of audiometer tests being properly maintained?
What is being done to reduce noise at the source?
What is being done to reduce noise along the path?
Are workers wearing personal protective devices where appropriate?
Are low-vibration tools being used to limit employee to vibration?
What administrative controls are being used to limit employee
exposure to vibration?

Questions in Assessing Noise and

Vibration Hazards
Are employees who use vibrating tools or equipment
doing the following as appropriate?
Wearing properly fitting thick gloves?
Taking periodic breaks?
Using a loose grip on vibrating tools?
Keeping warm?
Using vibration-absorbing floor mats and seat covers as
appropriate?

AUTOMATION HAZARDS

ASSESSING AUTOMATION HAZARDS

Automation - or automatic control, is the use of various
control systems for operating equipment such as
machinery, processes in factories, etc. with minimal or
reduced human intervention.
Since it is the modern era, automation is now part of
factory processes
Thus, it is included in facility assessments

Questions in Assessing Automation

Hazards
Are workers who use VDTs as their primary work tool employing methods to
prevent eye strain?
Are all robots sites well lighted and marked off?
Are floors around robot sites clean and properly maintained so that workers
wont slip and fall into robots work envelope?
Are all electrical and pneumatic components of all robots equipped with guards
and covers?
Are the work envelopes of all robots equipped with guards and covers?
Are automatic shut-off systems in place for all robots and other automated
systems?
Are lockout systems used before workers enter a robots work envelope?
Are safety fences erected around all automated systems?
Are the controllers for all automated systems located outside of work
envelopes?

ERGONOMIC HAZARDS

ASSESSING ERGONOMIC HAZARDS

Ergonomics - the study of people's efficiency in their
working environment.
The increase of uncomfortable and dangerous
conditions in a workplace is recognized as hazardous to
health and safety of employees.
Which means that this is also included in assessing
facilities

Questions in Assessing Ergonomic

Hazards
Are tasks being performed
hazardous movements?
Are tasks being performed
lifting?
Are tasks being performed
wasted motion?
Are tasks being performed
uncomfortable postures?
Are tasks being performed

that involve unnatural or

that involve frequent manual
that involve excessive
that involve unnatural or
that should be automated?