Workshop Safety

INTRODUCTION

This topic contains guidance in providing for safe working in the workshop. However, the conditions and particular circumstances of the specific workplace must be evaluated as part of the risk assessment carried out by the employer, e.g. workplaces with a high ambient noise level may pose additional risks to operators such as the possibility of distracting them. Sites on which a large proportion of the operators do not have a sufficient grasp of the English language may need special efforts to communicate safety and operating instructions.

Slips, Trips and Falls

One of the most common injuries in the workshop is that sustained from slipping, tripping or falling. Where the workshop contains machinery, the injuries resulting from contact with the machinery as a result of slipping or tripping can be serious. Falling can result in fractures and other injuries whether machinery is involved or not.

Workshop Transport

The most common form of transport used in the workshop is the forklift truck. Heavy goods vehicles can also be brought into the workshop when dispatching or receiving goods as can specialised equipment such as diggers and mobile cranes for tasks such as the installation or maintenance of machinery.

Hazards

Most accidents occur when personnel are struck, run over or fall from moving vehicles, or from vehicles overturning. Another source of danger is the load being carried by the vehicle such as a fork lift truck, as often the load will not be within the dimensions of the vehicle and particular care needs to be taken by the driver to ensure that overhangs do not injure personnel.

Accidents can also happen when loading or unloading delivery vehicles.

1. Provide facilities to ensure that personnel do not have to climb onto loads, for example to secure them.

2. Provide safe means of lifting goods onto or off delivery vehicles.

3. Ensure that vehicles reversing into the workshop are clearly visible. If this is not possible, erect temporary barriers to exclude personnel from the danger area.

4. Ensure that the fumes from the engines of delivery vehicles are properly ventilated and do not pollute the atmosphere of the workshop.

Manual Handling

Manual handling is the operation of supporting or transporting loads by hand. This includes the lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving of a load.

Safe Manual Handling

The initial approach to avoiding the hazards presented by manual handling is first to investigate whether the need for manual handling can be eliminated or reduced.

Solutions could involve:

1. Mechanical handling to eliminate all need for manual handling.

2. Mechanical assistance such as manual or electrical hoists or pneumatic platforms to assist the manual handling.

If manual handling still has to be used then investigations should be carried out to see if improved design of the process can eliminate some of the hazards associated with the manual handling. The aim in this should be to consider all aspects of the lift.

Hazardous Substances

A hazardous substance is simply a substance or mixture of substances which is hazardous to health.

1. Substances classified as dangerous to health under current CHIP regulations.

2. Substances with occupational exposure limits.

3. Certain biological agents (for example bacteria).

4. Dust in concentration.

5. Any substance, such as pesticides, which has comparable hazards to peoples' health (HSE publications).

Hazardous Substances in the Workshop

Exposure to hazardous substances can occur during most workshop operations but frequently occurs during:

1. Machining where the material being machined may result in a harmful dust or may give off toxic fumes.

2. Welding, where the heating of metal can give off hazardous fumes.

3. Painting where the vapour from paint thinners or solvents may be present a hazard.

4. Cleaning and degreasing where solvents can present a hazard.

The following section contains further advice for the correct operation of LEV.

It is important that the local exhaust ventilation (LEV) is correctly designed and installed to ensure that it has sufficient capacity to handle the volume of the harmful substances anticipated, that the substances are drawn away from the operator and that the ductwork discharges the contaminated air safely and not where it will cause contamination.

The system must be checked regularly to ensure that it is working effectively. It is a legal requirement that LEV equipment is examined and tested:

1. Every 14 months.

2. Or if metal articles are abraded or polished for more than 12 hours a week, every 6 months.

Work Equipment

The legislation covering the supply and use of work equipment is the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (S.I 1998, No 2306) (PUWER98). The aim of the regulations is to ensure that work equipment, of any age or source, is safe to use and its use does not result in any health and safety risks.

The definition of work equipment is very wide and covers for example:

1. Hand tools such as hammers, knives, handsaws and meat cleavers.

2. Workshop machinery such as drilling machines, milling machines and circular saws.

3. Office machinery such as photocopiers.

4. Laboratory equipment such as Bunsen burners.

5. Lifting equipment such as hoists, lift trucks and lifting slings.

6. General-use equipment such as ladders and steps.

7. A series of machines connected together in a manufacturing line such as a transfer line in an automotive plant.

Hand Tools

Hand tools, whether powered or unpowered, can give rise to hazards in a workshop. Contact hazards are significant and flying debris and heated parts can cause eye injuries and burns.

Machinery

Non-movement accidents account for 10% to 15% of all accidents and these are usually related to the use of machinery such as drilling machines, lathes, milling machines and grinding machines. Power presses are particularly potentially dangerous and this is reflected in the specific legislation covering the guarding, inspection, use and maintenance of these machines incorporated into the PUWER 1998 Regulations. Another group of machines considered particularly dangerous because of their high accident rate are woodworking machines.

Welding

The main hazards that are likely to arise when carrying out welding or flame cutting are:

1. Burns.

2. Fire or explosions caused by a flame.

3. By sparks or the hot material resulting from the welding or flame-cutting process.

4. Exposure to gases or toxic fumes.

5. Shock and electrocution when arc welding.

6. Exposure to infra-red or UV radiation.

7. Injury from falling gas cylinders.

Storage of Gas Cylinders

It is important that consideration is given to the safe storage and transport of gas cylinders.

Cylinders should be stored:

1. In a place with good ventilation, preferably outside, so that gas leakage will be dissipated. They should never be stored by features such as cellars or drains which could be filled by heavy gases.

2. Protected from damage by using suitable racks and securing unstable cylinders.

Ladders

Ladders are convenient to use for short jobs where it would be prolonging the job considerably. If other means such as scaffolding were to be contemplated. This however does lead to misuse of ladders when more appropriate equipment should be used. Mobile platforms should be used wherever possible in preference to ladders.
Precautions

If ladders are used the following precautions should be noted:

Airlines

The use of airlines in a workshop should only be used as a source of power for such things as air operated drills. Airlines should not be used to clear away swarf from fixtures being used on machinery or for cleaning down the machinery after use. The use of airlines for this purpose can result in eye injuries as debris can be blown with some force across the workshop.

Working Alone

It is unlikely that it would be reasonable for an employer to allow an employee to work in a workshop alone. The general workshop contains many items of machinery that could pose a hazard to an operator and the risk to the operator from that hazard will be reduced by the presence of a second person. It follows from this that the two employees should be sited close enough together to communicate and give each other assistance in the case of an emergency.

Noise

An employer has a duty to protect employees from excessive noise. If you cannot hear a person speaking 2m away in a normal voice anywhere in the workshop then the noise is likely to be 85dB(A) or above and a noise survey should be carried out.

Electricity

Electricity is used extensively in all workshops often at a higher voltage, 415v, than domestic supplies. This section will concentrate on some hazards to be found in the workshop.

The dangers from electricity can come from:

Portable Electrical Equipment

If at all possible, portable electrical equipment should be operating at voltages of 50v AC or less. The supply to the equipment should be fitted with some earth monitoring equipment to remove the supply should earth current become present.

The selection of portable electrical equipment should always be made with reference to the environment in which it is to be used.

Leads, Plugs and Sockets

Leads and their plugs are a source of many electrical accidents. The problems usually arise from damage to the insulation on the lead or strain on the connection into the plug.

The following section shows some of the more common ways that these problems occur and suggested solutions.

Work clothing

A significant contribution to safety in the workshop can be made by personnel being dressed appropriately.

Footwear

If heavy objects are moved at any time in the workshop, boots with steel-capped toe protectors should be used. The boots should be impervious to the fluids being used in the workshop and have non-slip soles with a tread if ever used on wet floors.

Clothing

Clothing which has belts, ties or any other form of loose ends, that can become entangled in machinery, should be avoided. Personnel, regularly employed in the workshop, should not wear ties for the same reason. Loose, full sleeves should be avoided. A one piece boiler-suit with buttoned cuffs should be considered for all personnel regularly working at machinery.

Hair

If personnel in the workshop have long hair there is a danger of this being entangled on rotating machinery and the person drawn in. The hair should be tied close to the head using a hairnet to ensure no stray strands of hair can fall free.

Eye Protection

All personnel working in the workshop and visitors should wear protective safety glasses whilst in the workshop.

Head Protection

If there is any risk of tools or materials being dropped from above, or if personnel have to move around under structures and machinery or the overhangs of these, then hard hats should be considered.

Hand and Arm Protection

Hands and lower arms are the most vulnerable parts of the body as they frequently come in contact with machinery and work pieces.

Training and Instruction

Suitable training and instruction as well as being required by law, can help minimise risk of injury to employees and other persons using the workplace.

Instruction for Other Personnel on Site

All other persons working on the site, including contractors, should be aware of the hazards present in the workshop and the safety and hygiene rules to be observed and procedures to be followed. This will include emergency procedures and prohibition of persons using work equipment, unless trained and authorised.

Useful Publications

Health and Safety Executive Publications available from HSE books

1. Safe use of work equipment, L22 AcoP, £8.00,

2. Getting to grip with manual handling IND (G) 143, (2000) free leaflet  See copy online 

3. Health and safety in engineering workshops, HS(G)129 (1999), £9.50

4. HSE website