Cranes - Construction Safety

Hazard: Significant and serious injuries may occur if cranes are not inspected before use and if they are not used properly. Often these injuries occur when a worker is struck by an overhead load or caught within the crane's swing radius. Many crane fatalities occur when the boom of a crane or its load line contact an overhead power line.

Solutions:

• Check all crane controls to insure proper operation before use.
• Inspect wire rope, chains and hook for any damage.
• Know the weight of the load that the crane is to lift.
• Ensure that the load does not exceed the crane's rated capacity.
• Raise the load a few inches to verify balance and the effectiveness of the brake system.
• Check all rigging prior to use; do not wrap hoist ropes or chains around the load.
• Fully extend outriggers.
• Do not move a load over workers.
• Barricade accessible areas within the crane's swing radius.
• Watch for overhead electrical distribution and transmission lines and maintain a safe working clearance of at least 10 feet from energized electrical lines.

Safety Courses in Chennai | Nebosh Courses in Chennai | International Diploma in OSH

Contact: +91 90258 02211 | info@poshesolutions.com

Common Causes of Fire in Businesses

Open Flames

• negligence in conducting hot work, such as welding, cutting or grinding; 
• improper use of candles;
• improper handling of flammable or combustible liquids or flammable gases in near-to-potential ignition sources; and
• matches and cigarettes that are improperly disposed of, or left unattended near combustibles.

Electrical

• damaged electrical conductors, plug wires or extension cords;
• use of faulty, modified or unapproved electrical equipment;
• insufficient space or clearance between electrical heating equipment and combustibles;
• short or overloaded circuits;
• loose electrical connections; and lighting.

Cooking

• deep frying in pots or pans on stove tops;
• unattended cooking appliances; and
• combustibles located dangerously close to cooking equipment.

Spontaneous Ignition and the Ignition of Waste Materials

• improper disposal of materials susceptible to spontaneous combustion, such as oily rags from wood finishing or polishing;
• accumulation of organic materials, such as green hay, grain or woodchips; and
• accumulation of waste combustible materials near potential sources of ignition.

Nebosh in Chennai | Nebosh course in Chennai | Iosh Ms Course in Chennai | Nebosh HSW Course in Chennai | Nebosh IOGC in Chennai

Tips For Fire Safety

Space Heaters Need Space
Keep portable and space heaters at least 3 feet from anything that may burn. Never leave heaters on when you leave home or go to sleep. Children and pets should always be kept away from them.

Smokers Need To Be Extra Careful
Never smoke in bed or when you are sleepy. Carelessly discarded cigarettes are a leading cause of fire deaths in the United States.

Be Careful Cooking
Keep cooking areas clear of combustibles and wear short or tight-fitting sleeves when you cook. Keep the handles of your pots turned inward so they do not over-hang the stove. If grease catches fire, carefully slide a lid over the pan and smother the flames, then turn off the burner.

Matches and Lighters are Dangerous
In the hands of a child, matches and lighters can be deadly! Store them where kids can't reach them, preferably in a locked area. Teach children that matches and lighters are "tools" and should only be used by adults.

Use Electricity Safely
If an appliance smokes or has an unusual smell, unplug it immediately and have it repaired. Replace frayed or cracked electrical cords and don't overload extension cords. They should not be run under rugs. Never tamper with the fuse box or use the improper size fuse.

Cool a Burn
If someone gets burned, immediately place the wound under cool water for 10 to 15 minutes. If the burn blisters or chars, see a doctor immediately!

Be Careful of Halogen Lights
If you have halogen lights, make sure they are away from flammable drapes and low ceiling areas. Never leave them on when you leave your home or office.
Safety Courses in Chennai | Nebosh Courses in Chennai | International Diploma in OSH

Contact: +91 90258 02211 | info@poshesolutions.com

Extinguish Fire - Fire Safety

How do you extinguish fires?

This involves the elimination of one side of the fire triangle.
Starvation - remove the fuel, e.g. turn off the gas supply, drag burning pallets away from the fire.

Smothering - remove the oxygen supply or adding inert gas (without oxygen) to the burning mixture, e.g. fire blanket onto a pan, or using a foam extinguisher. Main risk is that the fire may reignite when foam (wet chemical used for fat fryers) or blanket is removed as heat will still be present.

Carbon dioxide is commonly used in extinguishers and nitrogen is used in the petrochemical industry. Smothering is only effective when the source of oxygen is air. It is ineffective when the substance that is burning contains oxygen.

Cooling - commonest, cheapest and most effective method. For example,water sprayed onto a fire, will cause the temperature to be lowered. The steam produced acts as a blanket to smother reducing the potential for further ignition. Dry powder extinguishers rapidly absorb the heat and also smother.

Safety Courses in Chennai | Nebosh Courses in Chennai | International Diploma in OSH

Nebosh course in chennai | Nebosh courses in chennai | Nebosh in Chennai

For Details: +91 90258 02211 | info@poshesolutions.com

Sources and forms of Harm

Sources and forms of harm 

The sources and forms of harm are broadly - people, equipment, materials and environment;

People - commit unsafe acts, are infectious or violent

Equipment - Plant, machinery and tools have 4 broad categories of hazard associated with them - mechanical, chemical, electrical and physical.

Materials - can cause harm because they might hazardous to health, combustible, heavy, and cause slips and trips.

Environment - the environment can cause harm due to poor lighting, extremes of temperature, enclosed work space or work at height.

Safety Courses in Chennai | Nebosh Courses in Chennai | OHSAS 18001 | Apply Now !

For Safety course Details Contact: +91 90258 02211  |  info@poshesolutions.com

Prohibitory signs - Safety Signs

Intrinsic features:

• Round shape;
• Black Pictogram on white background, red edging and diagonal line (the red part to take up at least 35% of the area of the sign).

Safety Courses in Chennai | Nebosh Courses in Chennai | International Diploma in OSH

Contact: +91 90258 02211 | info@poshesolutions.com

A Simple Risk-Based Control plan

RISK LEVEL	ACTION AND TIMESCALE
TRIVIAL	No action is required and no documentary records need to be kept
TOLERABLE	No additional controls are required. Consideration may be given to a more cost-effective solution or improvement that imposes no additional cost burden. Monitoring is required to ensure that the controls are maintained.
MODERATE	Efforts should be made to reduce the risk, but the costs of prevention should be carefully measured and limited. Risk reduction measures should be implemented within a defined time period. Where the moderate risk is associated with extremely harmful consequences, further assessment may be necessary to establish more precisely the likelihood of harm as a basis for determining the need for improved control measures.
SUBSTANTIAL	Work should not be started until the risk has been reduced. Considerable resources may have to be allocated to reduce the risk. Where the risk involves work in progress, urgent action should be taken.
INTOLERABLE	Work should not be started or continued until the risk has been reduced. If it is not possible to reduce risk even with unlimited resources, work has to remain prohibited.

Safety Courses in Chennai | Nebosh Courses in Chennai | OHSAS 18001 | Apply Now

Contact for Safety Courses:  +91 90258 02211 | info@poshesolutions.com

Warning signs – Chemical labelling and packaging

GHS Hazard Pictograms

Safety Courses in Chennai | Nebosh Courses in Chennai | International Diploma in OSH

Contact: +91 90258 02211 | info@poshesolutions.com

Accidents in Terms of injury

There are several categories of accidents in terms of injury and these include: 

• Slips/trips/falls
• Falls from height 
• Falling objects 
• Collision with objects 
• Trapping/crushing under or between objects
• Manual handling 
• Contact with machinery/hand tools 
• Electricity 
• Transport 
• Contact with chemicals 
• Asphyxiation/drowning
• Fire and explosion 
• Animals
• Violence - either verbal or physical 

Health hazards 

Risk assessment is not only concerned with injuries in the workplace but also possible occupational health problems. Health hazards fall into four categories; 

• Chemical - paints, solvents, fumes. 
• Biological- bacteria e.g. leptospirosis, viruses. 
• Physical - noise, vibration, radiation. 
• Psychological- occupational stress. 

Safety Courses in Chennai | Nebosh Courses in Chennai | OHSAS 18001 | Apply Now

Contact for Safety Courses: 

+91 90258 02211 | info@poshesolutions.com

Precautions to prevent fires

The following precautions should be taken to prevent fires:

• use less-easily ignited and fewer flammable materials, eg use water-based or low-solvent glues and paint;
• keep the quantity of flammables at the workplace to a minimum;
• always keep and carry flammable liquids in suitable closed containers;
• have an extinguisher to hand when doing hot work such as welding or using a disc cutter that produces sparks;
• check the site at lunch time and at the end of the day to see that all plant and equipment that could cause a fire is turned off. Stop hot working an hour before people go home, as this will allow more time for smouldering fires to be identified; and
• provide closed metal containers to collect rubbish and remove them from the site regularly. Collect highly flammable waste such as solvent-soaked rags separately in closed fire-resisting containers.

Safety Courses in Chennai | Nebosh Courses in Chennai | OHSAS 18001 | Apply Now !

TYPES OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

Portable fire extinguishers are also known as chemical fire extinguishers or First Aid Fire Fighting Appliances.

These extinguishers are highly useful to prevent a small fire from becoming a big one, provided these are used when the fire is just in its starting stage, say within first five minutes. These are light weight, small in size which can be easily carried by hand.

Larger models of certain types are also available which are known as "engines". These are mounted on trolleys, which can be moved manually or toed to motor vehicles.

• Water Type Extinguishers
• Foam Extinguishers
• Dry Chemical Powder Extinguishers
• Halon Extinguishers
• Carbon dioxide Extinguishers

Safety Courses in Chennai | Nebosh Courses in Chennai | OHSAS 18001 | Apply Now !

For Safety course Details Contact: +91 90258 02211

Scaffolding

Scaffolding may be erected using traditional tubes and working platform.

The following terms are used to identify the component parts of a traditional tube and fitting scaffold:

• Standard: upright member.
• Ledger: horizontal member normally in the direction of the larger dimension of the working scaffold.
• Transom: horizontal member normally in the direction of the smaller dimensions of the working scaffold
• Putlog: horizontal member, flattened on one end, spanning from a ledger to sit in the pointing of brickwork.
• Raker: an inclined load-­bearing member used to support a cantilevered working platform.
• Façade bracing: bracing parallel to the façade of the building
• Ledger Bracing: Bracing perpendicular to the face of the building.
• Eyebolt: means of securing scaffold to the building.
• Through Tie: means of securing scaffold to the building.
• Reveal Tie: means of securing scaffold to the building.
• Base plate: plate used for spreading the load in a standard over a greater area; a base jack is a base plate with a means of vertical adjustment.
• Sole Board: a timber plank positioned beneath two or more base plates to distribute the scaffold load more evenly over the ground.
• Coupler: device used to connect two tubes.
• Platform: one or more platform units in one level within a bay.
• Bay: the distance between pairs of standards.
• Lift: a storey.

Safety Courses in Chennai | Nebosh Courses in Chennai | OHSAS 18001 | Apply Now !