COVID-19 AND SAFETY


FEATURE MACHINE SAFETY


Why inspecting your machines during the COVID-19 pandemic is still crucial to safety


C


OVID-19 is one of the greatest risks posed to modern society. On our


way to conquering this seemingly insurmountable challenge, we need to get back to work and kick start our economy in a safe and controlled manner. From 1 July 2020, the ‘Flexible


furlough scheme’ started, enabling businesses to bring employees back to work on a part-time basis as part of the government’s plans to kick start the UK economy. In manufacturing, this may mean that your employees will be back at work and faced with machines which may have been left dormant or been used less than normal. Although COVID-19 safety


management is paramount, it is important not to let the day-to-day maintenance checks and PUWER inspection planning regimes to get lost along the way. The HSE issued an update back in April,


giving guidance to employers to make it clear that whilst COVID-19 measures had to be applied immediately, this in no way let the employer ‘off of the hook’ for compliance with the existing requirements e.g. PUWER ‘98. New HSE guidance clearly states that


if “machinery has not been used for a long period of time (weeks, possibly months) then additional risks can be created from the inactivity.” “You must ensure that you assess


these risks before restarting plant and equipment. In doing so, you need to consider the following: any extended period of inactivity is


likely to degrade the condition of machines, leading to increase in corrosion (rust) and possible seizure. it is possible that automated


machine parts or processes may have moved out of calibration, from their previously recorded or registered positions. This could cause machinery to move out of sequence and make contact with passing products or other machine parts when restarted.”


HOW DO WE PLAN FOR PUWER WHEN COVID-19 IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS? Our collective response to COVID-19 has been one of shock and awe to which it was necessary to get a fast and diligent response from employers, workers, and our great societies as a whole. However, now that the awareness is becoming firmly ingrained in our everyday lives, perhaps a more balanced approach to compliance and risk management would be appropriate? This is not to say that we ignore


COVID-19, but perhaps we need a more nuanced approach to prioritising focus and resources to ensure the best overall outcomes for your workers and your employer? As with all risk management, you


need to start with a risk assessment of your operation and develop appropriate policy and implementations in proportion to those risks. All risk assessment in relation to COVID-19, will acknowledge a risk of death, and quite rightly so. However, most


26 AUTUMN 2020 | INDUSTRIAL COMPLIANCE


/ INDUSTRIALCOMPLIANCE


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