Deborah Williams CMIOSH RMaPS at Compass Ltd. Deborah specialises in assisting private sector organisations within the construction, waste management and extractive industries.


01257 482256 | dwilliams@compass-ms.co.uk HEALTH & SAFETY


Protecting workers from dangerous machinery


TWO recycling companies have recently been fined in separate cases for injuries to employees who were trying to remove waste material from plant equipment. The injuries in both incidents were due to the absence of guarding around dangerous machinery.


Every year, a significant proportion of accidents (many serious and sometimes fatal) occur as a result of poorly guarded work equipment or improper use, such as clearing blockages being undertaken when machinery is running.


To prevent and reduce the risk of serious or fatal injury, adequate arrangements and systems of work are required, including isolation (or ‘lockout’) procedures and permits to work.


Lockout procedures Where maintenance requires that normal guarding is removed, or access is required inside existing guarding, additional measures are needed. There should be clear company rules on what isolation procedures are required, and in what circumstances.


The basic rules, however, are that there should be isolation from the power source, the isolator should be locked in position (for example by a padlock), and a sign should be used to indicate that maintenance work is in progress.


Isolation requires the use of devices that are specifically designed for this purpose, not devices such as key- lockable emergency stops or other types of switches that may be fitted to the machine. Any stored energy (hydraulic or pneumatic power, for instance) should also be released before the work starts.


If more than one worker is involved in the work, each of them should lock off the power with their own padlock. Multi-padlock hasps can be used in such circumstances.


Before entering or working on the equipment, it is essential that the effectiveness of the isolation is checked and verified by a suitably competent person.


Permits to work A 'permit to work' is a formal, written, safe system of work to control potentially hazardous activities. The permit details the work to be done and the precautions to be taken. Permits should be issued, checked and signed off as being completed by someone competent to do so, and who is not involved in undertaking the work.


Permits to work will tend to be appropriate in the following types of situation:


• where a contractor's work interfaces with normal production activities;


• when working on plant machinery which must be isolated from the possible entry of fumes, liquids, steam or gases; or


• hot work which could cause fire or explosion, and entry into vessels, machines or confined spaces.


Confined spaces are often doubly dangerous and have regularly killed not only the first person - who is overcome by fumes or lack of oxygen, etc - but also a second or third person who has attempted a rescue without the proper equipment.


Another issue to consider is ensuring safe access and work at height. Falls can occur both when gaining access to places of work, and from the place of work itself (which may not have been designed


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To prevent and reduce the risk of serious or fatal injury, adequate arrangements and systems of work are required, including isolation (or ‘lockout’) procedures and permits to work.


for this purpose). Where employees are required to access elevated positions or work at height, suitable risk assessments and systems of work must be in place.


A suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks for all work activities must be undertaken for the purpose of deciding what measures are necessary for safety for maintenance and repair activities.


You can contact me for assistance in developing standard risk assessments and risk assessments for specific one- off activities.


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