INDUSTRIAL SAFETY
DEFINITION OF ACCIDENT: An accident is a mishap or disaster that
results in some sort of injury to man, machine, equipment or tools and hence
causing loss of manpower, time and money to the establishment.
TYPES OF ACCIDENTS: Accidents
may be classified according to their seriousness:
·
Near accident or almost an accident but
controlled in time to prevent any damage.
·
Trivial or accident of little or almost
negligible damage.
·
Minor accident, where no major injury or damage
to equipment has taken place.
·
Serious accident, where serious injury resulting
in loss of limb/s and/or major damage to workplace and equipment has taken
place.
·
Fatal accident, where there is loss of
life/lives due to seriousness of accident.
NEED FOR SAFETY:
Accidents result in
pain, loss of limbs or life, loss in terms of money and time, damage to
workplace, equipment, tools and raw or finished materials.
It is therefore of
utmost importance to practice safety rules and install safeguards at critical
places. Also of importance is to train all personnel to practice and follow
safety instructions at all times. Understand the need for safety and practice
till it becomes a habit.
CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS IN
INDUSTRY: Accidents don’t
happen; they are caused either due to human error or negligence. It is not
necessary that the error or negligence may have been caused by the directly
involved persons but can also be on the part of people who are involved in
policy decisions, purchases or quality assurance. Broad classifications of causes
are as given below:
- UNGUARDED MOVING OR SHARP PARTS OF A
MACHINE: Unprotected moving parts like chucks, flywheels, fan blades,
gears, belts, grinding wheels etc. or sharp edges of blades, dies etc can
cause accidents.
- EXPLOSIVE AND INFLAMMABLE MATERIAL: All
petroleum products, inflammable gases and chemicals can cause serious
damage if not handled or stored carefully.
- DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT:
Defective switches, plugs, sockets, safety breakers, wires and cables.
Electrical equipment not properly earthed and faulty wiring can cause
serious damage to life and equipment and is main cause of fire accidents.
- DEFECTIVE TOOLS AND IMPROPER USE :
Trying to use a drill machine with faulty chuck, or using a lathe whose
tool holder is loose or damaged. Trying to make and use unsafe tackle or
use a tool for a purpose for which it is not designed. Such practices are
usual cause of accidents taking place every day in workshops and small
scale industry.
- FATIGUE : A
tired person can loose focus and can commit mistakes. If the person is
operating and equipment, he/she can cause accident.
- USE OF EQUIPMENT BY UNTRAINED WORKER
: Another major cause of majority of accidents is the
intentional or unintentional operation of equipment by personnel not
supposed to operate them. This can cause serious damage to man and
machine.
- UNSAFE WORKING CONDITIONS :
Congested work place, slippery floors, improper ventilation, open and
loosely hanging electrical wires, improper lighting, unbearable working
temperatures. Such conditions also cause accidents.
All
the above mentioned probable conditions are violation of safety norms as laid
in INDUSTRIAL SAFETY ACT 1948. This act has been revised many times since then
to take care of changes and development in manufacturing practices and technologies.
But it still needs to be upgraded to include software industry.
PREVENTION : INDUSTRIAL SAFETY ACT 1948 is a complete document in itself and if all
the provisions of this acts are followed diligently, the chances of accidents
occurring will reduce drastically. The highlights of the safety provisions
under this act are given below:
1.
Fencing of machinery
(1) In every factory the following, namely:
(i) every moving part
of a prime mover and every flywheel connected to a prime mover, whether the prime
mover or flywheel is in the engine house or not;
(ii) the headrace and
tailrace of every water-wheel and water turbine;
(iii) any part of a
stock-bar which projects beyond the head stock of a lathe; and
(iv) unless they are in
such position or of such construction as to be safe to every person employed in
the factory as they would be if they were securely fenced, the following,
namely,-
(a) every part of an
electric generator, a motor or rotary converter;
(b) every part of
transmission machinery; and
(c) every dangerous
part of any other machinery;
shall be securely
fenced by safeguards of substantial construction which shall be constantly
maintained and kept in position while the parts of machinery they are fencing
are in motion or in use:
2. Work
on or near machinery in motion
while the machinery is in motion, such
examination or operation shall be made or carried out only by a specially
trained adult worker wearing tight fitting clothing (which shall be supplied by
the occupier) whose name has been recorded in the register prescribed in this
behalf and who has been furnished with a certificate of this appointment, and
while he is so engaged-
(a) such worker shall
not handle a belt at a moving pulley unless-
(i) the
belt is not more than fifteen centimeters in width;
(ii) the pulley is
normally for the purpose of drive and not merely a fly-wheel or balance wheel
(in which case a belt is not permissible);
(iii) the belt joint is
either laced or flush with the belt;
(iv) the belt,
including the joint and the pulley rim, are in good repair;
(v) there is reasonable
clearance between the pulley and any fixed plant or structure;
(vi) secure foothold
and, where necessary, secure handhold, are provided for the operator; and
(vii) any ladder in use
for carrying out any examination or operation aforesaid is securely fixed or
lashed or is firmly held by a second person.]
No young
person shall be allowed to clean, lubricate or adjust any part of a prime mover
or of any transmission machinery while the prime mover or transmission
machinery is in motion, or to clean, lubricate or adjust any part of any
machine if the cleaning, lubrication or adjustment thereof would expose young
person to risk of injury from any moving part either of that machine or of any
adjacent machinery.
3.
Employment of young persons on dangerous machines
(1) No young person shall be required or allowed
to work at any machine to which this section applies, unless he has been fully
instructed as to the dangers arising in connection with the machine and the
precautions to be observed and-
(a) has received
sufficient training in work at the machine, or
(b) is under adequate
supervision by a person who has a through knowledge and experience of the
machine.
4.
Striking gear and devices for cutting off power
(1) In every factory-
(a) suitable striking gear or other efficient
mechanical appliance shall be provided and maintained and used to move driving
belts to and from fast and loose pulleys which form part of the transmission machinery,
and such gear or appliances shall be so constructed, placed and maintained as
to prevent the belt from creeping back on to the fast pulley;
(b) driving belts when
not in use shall not be allowed to rest or ride upon shafting in motion.
(2) In every factory suitable devices for
cutting off power in emergencies from running machinery shall be provided and
maintained in every workroom:
5.
Self-acting machines
No traversing part of a self-acting machine in
any factory and no material carried thereon shall, if the space over which it
runs is a space over which any person is liable to pass, whether in the course
of his employment or otherwise, be allowed to run on its outward or inward
traverse within a distance of [forty-five centimeters] from any fixed structure
which is not part of the machine:
6. Casing
of new machinery
(1) In all machinery driven by power and
installed in any factory after the commencement of this Act,-
(a) every set screw, bolt or key on any
revolving shaft, spindle, wheel or pinion shall be so sunk, encased or
otherwise effectively guarded as to prevent danger;
(b) all spur, worm and other toothed or friction
gearing which does not require frequent adjustment while in motion shall be
completely encased, unless it is so situated as to be as safe as it would be if
it were completely encased.
7. Prohibition
of employment of children near cotton-openers
No child shall be employed in any part of a
factory for pressing cotton in which a cotton opener is at work:
8. Hoists
and lifts
(1) In every factory-
(a) every hoist and
lift shall be-
(i) of
good mechanical construction, sound material and adequate strength;
(ii) properly maintained, and shall be
thoroughly examined by a competent person at least once in every period of six
months and a register shall be kept containing the prescribed particulars of
every such examination;
(b) every hoistway and
liftway shall be sufficiently protected by an
enclosure fitted with gates, and the hoist or lift and every such enclosure
shall be so constructed as to prevent any person or thing from being trapped
between any part of the hoist or lift and any fixed structure or moving part;
(c) the maximum safe
working load shall be plainly marked on every hoist or lift, and no load
greater than such load shall be carried thereon;
(d) the cage of every
hoist or lift used for carrying persons shall be fitted with a gate on each
side from which access is afforded to a landing;
(e) every gate referred
to in clause (b) or clause (d) shall be fitted with interlocking or other
efficient device to secure that the gate cannot be opened except when the cage
is at the landing and that the cage cannot be moved unless the gate is closed.
(2) The following additional requirements shall
apply to hoists and lifts used for carrying persons and installed or
reconstructed in a factory after the commencement of this Act, namely:
(a) where the cage is supported by rope or
chain, there shall be at least two ropes or chains separately connected with
the cage and balance weight, and each rope or chain with its attachments shall
be capable of carrying the whole weight of the cage together with its maximum
load;
(b) efficient devices
shall be provided and maintained capable of supporting the cage together with
its maximum load in the event of breakage of the ropes, chains or attachments;
(c) an efficient
automatic device shall be provided and maintained to prevent the cage from
over-running.
9.
Lifting machines, chains, ropes and lifting tackles
(1) In any factory the following provisions
shall be complied with in respect of every lifting machine (other than a hoist
and lift) and every chain, rope and lifting tackle for the purpose of raising
or lowering persons, goods or materials:
(a) all parts,
including the working gear, whether fixed or movable, of every lifting machine
and every chain, rope or lifting tackle shall be-
(i) of
good construction, sound material and adequate strength and free from defects;
(ii) properly
maintained; and (iii) thoroughly examined by a competent person at least once
in every period of twelve months.
(b) no
lifting machine and no chain, rope or lifting tackle shall, except for the
purpose of test, be loaded beyond the safe working load which shall be plainly
marked thereon together with an identification mark and duly entered in the
prescribed register; and where this is not practicable, a table showing the
safe working loads of every kind and size of lifting machine or, chain, rope or
lifting tackle in use shall be displayed in prominent positions on the
premises;
(c) while any person is employed or working on
or near the wheel track of a traveling crane in any place where he would be
liable to be struck by the crane, effective measures shall be taken to ensure
that the crane does not approach within six meters of that place.
(3) For the purposes of this section a lifting
machine or a chain, rope or lifting tackle shall be deemed to have been
thoroughly examined if a visual examination supplemented, if necessary, by
other means and by the dismantling of parts of the gear, has been carried out
as carefully as the conditions permit in order to arrive at a reliable
conclusion as to the safety of the parts examined.
10.
Revolving machinery
(1) In every factory in which the process of
grinding is carried on there shall be permanently affixed to or placed near
each machine in use a notice indicating the maximum safe working peripheral
speed of every grindstone or abrasive wheel, the speed of the shaft or spindle
upon which the wheel is mounted, and the diameter of the pulley upon such shaft
or spindle necessary to secure such safe working peripheral speed.
(2) The speeds indicated in notices shall not be
exceeded.
(3) Effective measures shall be taken in every
factory to ensure that the safe working peripheral speed of every revolving
vessel, cage, basket, fly-wheel, pulley, disc or similar appliance driven by
power is not exceeded.
11.
Pressure plant
(1) If in any factory, any plant or machinery or
any part thereof is operated at a pressure above atmospheric pressure,
effective measures shall be taken to ensure that the safe working pressure of
such plant or machinery or part is not exceeded.
12.
Floors, stairs and means of access
(a) all floors, steps, stairs, passages and
gangways shall be of sound construction and properly maintained and shall be
kept free from obstructions and substances likely to cause persons to slip],
and where it is necessary to ensure safety, steps, stairs, passages, and
gangways shall be provided with substantial handrails;
(b) there shall, so far as is reasonably
practicable, be provided and maintained safe means of access to every place at
which any person is at any time required to work.
(c) When any person has to work at a height from
where he is likely to fall, provision shall be made, so far as is reasonably
practicable, by fencing or otherwise, to ensure the safety of the person so
working.
13. Pits, sumps, opening in floors, etc.
(1) In every factory every fixed vessel, sump,
tank, pit or opening in the ground or in a floor which by reason of its depth,
situation, construction or contents, is or may be a source of danger, shall be
either securely covered or securely fenced.
14.
Excessive weights
(1) No person shall be employed in any factory
to lift, carry or move any load so heavy as to be likely to cause him injury.
15.
Protection of eyes
In respect of any such manufacturing process
carried on in any factory as may be prescribed, being a process which involves-
(a) risk of injury to
the eyes from particles or fragments thrown off in the course of the process,
or
(b) risk to the eyes by
reason of exposure to excessive light.
16. Precautions against dangerous fumes, gases, etc.
(1) No person shall be required or allowed to
enter any chamber, tank, vat, pit, pipe, flue or other confined space in any
factory in which any gas, fume, vapour or dust is
likely to be present to such an extent as to involve risk to persons being
overcome thereby, unless it is provided with a manhole of adequate size or
other effective means of egress.
(2) No person shall be required or allowed to
enter any confined space as is referred to in sub-section (1), until all
practicable measures have been taken to remove any gas, fume, vapour or dust, which may be present so as to bring its
level within the permissible limits and to prevent any ingress of such gas,
fume, vapour or dust and unless-
(a) a certificate in writing has been given by a
competent person, based on a test carried out by himself that the space is
reasonably free from dangerous gas, fume, vapour or
dust; or
(b) such person is
wearing suitable breathing apparatus and a belt securely attached to a rope the
free end of which is held by a person outside the confined space.
16A. Precautions regarding the use of portable
electric light
(a) no portable electric light or any other
electric appliance of voltage exceeding twenty-four volts shall be permitted
for use inside any chamber, tank, vat, pit, pipe, flue or other confined space,
unless adequate safety devices are provided; and
(b) if any inflammable
gas, fume or dust is likely to be present in such chamber, tank, vat, pit,
pipe, flue or other confined space no lamp or light other than that of
flame-proof construction shall be permitted to be used therein.
17. Explosive or inflammable dust, gas, etc.
(1) Where in any factory any manufacturing
process produces dust, gas, fume or vapour of such
character and to such extent as to be likely to explode to ignition, all
practicable measures shall be taken to prevent any such explosion by-
(a) effective enclosure
of the plant or machinery used in the process;
(b) removal or
prevention of the accumulation of such dust, gas, fume or vapour;
(c) exclusion or
effective enclosure of all possible sources of ignition.
(2) Where in any factory the plant or machinery
used in a process such as is referred to in sub-section (1) is not so
constructed as to withstand the probable pressure which such an explosion as
aforesaid would produce, all practicable measures shall be taken to restrict
the spread and effects of the explosion by the provisions in the plant or
machinery of chokes, baffles, vents or other effective appliances.
(3) Where any part of the plant or machinery in
a factory contains any explosive or inflammable gas or vapour
under pressure greater than atmospheric pressure, that part shall not be opened
except in accordance with the following provisions, namely:
(a) before the fastening of any joint of any
pipe connected with the part or the fastening of the cover of any opening into
the part is loosened, any flow of the gas or vapour
into the part of any such pipe shall be effectively stopped by a stop-valve or
other means;
(b) before any such
fastening as aforesaid is removed, all practicable measures shall be taken to
reduce the pressure of the gas or vapour in the part
or pipe to atmospheric pressure;
(c) where any such
fastening as aforesaid has been loosened or removed effective measures shall be
taken to prevent any explosive or inflammable gas or vapour
from entering the part of pipe until the fastening has been secured, or, as the
case may be, securely replaced:
(4) No plant, tank or vessel which contains or
has contained any explosive or inflammable substance shall be subjected in any
factory to any welding, brazing, soldering or cutting operation which involves
the application of heat unless adequate measures have first been taken to
remove such substance and any fumes arising there from or to render such
substance and fumes non-explosive or non-inflammable, and no such substance
shall be allowed to enter such plant, tank or vessel after any such operation
until the metal has cooled sufficiently to prevent any risk of igniting the
substance.
18.
Precautions in case of fire
(1) In every factory, all practicable measures
shall be taken to prevent outbreak of fire and its spread, both internally and
externally, and to provide and maintain-
(a) safe means of
escape for all persons in the event of a fire, and
(b) the necessary
equipment and facilities for extinguishing fire.
(2) Effective measures shall be taken to ensure
that in every factory all the workers are familiar with the means of escape in
case of fire and have been adequately trained in the routine to be followed in
such cases.
PROTECTION AGAINST FIRE : Fire hazards can be caused due to various
reasons. Different kinds of materials that cause fire hazard are to be dealt
differently. For example, an electrical fault that causes fire is to be dealt
with different kind of fire fighting material than the fire caught by wood or
paper. Therefore fires are classified in three categories:
- Class
A fire: Fires in ordinary combustible materials like wood, paper,
cloth etc are classified as ‘A’ class fire. This fire can be most
effectively dealt with water. Fire extinguishers that are water based such
as water CO2
and Soda acid types of fire extinguishers are also
very effective.
- Class B fire: Fires of inflammable
materials like petroleum products such as petrol, diesel, kerosene, LPG, paints, solvents, greases, varnish etc. are classified
in this category. These fires generated very high temperatures and if
water is used on such fires it decomposes at such high temperatures and
instead of extinguishing it, it inflames it. Therefore, sand or
extinguishers that are foam type, carbon dioxide type or dry powder type
should only be used.
- Class
C fire: Fires in electrical circuits, equipments and panels are called
‘C’ type fires. Water being a conductor of electricity, should never be used to extinguish class
‘C’ fires. Water based extinguishers such as water CO2 type should also
not be used. Dry powder type extinguishers are most ideal for such fires.
In fact, dry powder type extinguishers have gained popularity over the
years and are now termed as universal type extinguishers and can be easily
and effectively used on any type of fire. Other class ‘C’ type
extinguishers are vapour liquid type &
carbon dioxide type.
Storage
houses and offices which are not manned 24 hours should be fitted with
automatic sprinkler system. In this system water is stored at high pressure in
pipes. The pressure is maintained by pumps at one end of the piping system and
on the other end, which is inside office or store house complex, sprinklers are
fitted. The opening of these sprinklers is blocked by capsules filled with
volatile liquid. When temperatures inside these complexes rise beyond
permissible limits due to fire, this volatile liquid expand and break the glass
capsules. The opening is then free and water is sprinkled at high pressure in
the high temperature zone, extinguishing fire.
Care
should be taken while installing this system in warehouses where petroleum
products are stored. There, sprinklers should be backed by powdered chemicals
instead of water.
Water
hydrant systems should be installed in buildings which are having four or more
floors.
Fire
alarm systems should be installed. Alarm systems sense change in temperature
due to fire and activate audio alarms so that security personnel can
immediately take suitable action.
All
personnel working in a premise should be trained to use fire extinguishers.
Drills should be conducted to train people how to react and vacate premises in
case of fire. This training should be imparted by trained people.
Places
of large gathering such as cinema halls, auditoriums, stadiums, multistoried
buildings normally using electrically operated lifts or escalators, etc. should
have emergency exits and stairs. These should be clearly marked and passages
leading to them should also be marked so. There should be battery supported
lighting backup to all such exits so that if electricity is switched off to
prevent spreading of fire, these exits are well illuminated. All the doors for
exit should open outward to avoid accidental locking in.
