CERTIFICATE IN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

AND SAFETY LEVEL 4

MODULE:ID 849 - MONITOR PROCEDURES TO SAFELY
CONTROL WORK OPERATIONS
INSTRUCTOR: MR. TAPIWA FAIFE
Lesson objectives

 The worker’s relevant health and safety competencies are

confirmed
 Identification of health and safety training needs
 Communication of workplace instructions to other workers is
carried out effectively
 Non-compliances are rectified and recommendations for changes to
workplace instructions are formulated according to legal and
company’s specifications
 Review health and safety risks effectively
 Accurate and legible records of workplace risks identified or
reported are kept according to company’s specifications
Terminologies

1. Worker's health and safety competence – refers to the

knowledge, skills and attitude in order to perform a particular job/
task safely.
2. competency – the ability to perform a task as required.
3. Risk assessment – a systematic examination of a task in order to
identify, evaluate and reduce the risk to an acceptable level.
Continues….

‘Safety’ refers to an ongoing process where by all risks are assessed

and appropriate action is taken to bring those risks to an acceptable
level
‘Health’ refers to a state of complete physical, mental and social
wellbeing, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
‘Risk assessment’ refers to a systematic process for identifying
workplace hazards and assessing the risks involved from those hazards.
Continues…

‘Appropriate’ means or refers to the correctness and suitability of the

selection and usage of processes, tools and equipment
‘Hazards’ refers to an actual or potential cause or source of harm
associated with but not limited to process, activities, environment,
equipment, work organisation,
facilities, and materials.
'Specifications' refers to and includes any, or all of the following:
manufacturer’s specifications and recommendations, legislation and
statutory requirements, and organisation’s policies, procedures and
guidelines.
5. Risk – the probability of someone getting harmed.
6. Policy – a written statement by an employer stating the company’s
commitment for the protection of the health and safety of employees
at work and to the public at large.
7. Monitoring – to observe or to look at something carefully in order to
record the result of measurement.
Terminologies cont.…

8. Procedure – a written step by step process on how to perform a task

safely.
9. Training – acquisition of skills, knowledge and ability to complete a
task safely.
Common / Key Abbreviations

• SOP- Standard Operating Procedure

• SWP- Safe Work Procedure
• SWMS- Safe Work Method Statement
• LTIFR- Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate
• LTI- Lost Time Injury
• ACOP- Approved Code of Practice
• BA- Breathing apparatus
Continues…

• BAT- Best Available Techniques

• BEBOH- British Examining Board in Occupational Hygiene
• BIOH- British Institute of Occupational Hygiene
• BPM- Best Practicable Means
• CAR- Control of Asbestos Regulations
Continues…

• OHSAS- Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series

• OSH- Occupational Safety and Health
• OEL- Occupational Exposure Limit
• OES- Occupational Exposure Standard
• PPE- Personal Protective Equipment
• Ppm- Parts per million
 Legislation or legal framework

• The Constitution of the Republic of Namibia 1 of 1990.

• Labour Act (Act no. 11, 2007)
• Government Notice No. 156 Labour Act, 1992: “Regulations Relating
to the Health
• and Safety of Employees at Work”
• Presidential Proclamation No. 10 Labour Act, 1992 Part XI, Section
101 of the Labour Act 1992)
• HIV Code on Employment and all subsequent amendments.
 Unit 1: what is a health and
safety procedure?
Health and safety procedure – is a step by step process on how to
complete a task safely without risks to the health and safety of employees.

Steps in developing a health and safety procedure

 Conducting pre-start discussion on the task to be carried out
 Encourage workers to identify and highlight hazards while performing
the work
Steps to develop OHS
procedures cont.…..

 Carrying out safety inspections and OHS audits.

 Conducting a job safety analysis (JSA/JHA).
 Monitoring, measuring and testing the working environment such as
noise.
 Conducting risk assessment
 Reviewing product information e.g. safety data sheet, newspaper
articles and industry/safety regulators.
 Looking at past incidents and near-miss report
Safe Work procedure
SWP – is a step by step description of a process
when deviation may cause a loss.
SOP – is a set of step by step instruction compiled
by an organization to help workers carryout
complex routine activities.
Types of procedures
• Maintenance procedure
• Control systems
• Training
• First aid
• Emergency response procedure/spill control
Activities/areas where SWP/SOP
are applied

• Confined space
• Use of PPE
• Dealing with workplace violence
• Emergence evacuation
SWPs provide information to assist
workers to perform tasks safely:

They provide information such as:

• Describing how the work is carried out
• Describing the control measures that will be applied to the work
activities
• Describing how measures will be implemented to undertake the work in
a safe manner
• Outlines the legislation and standard applied
• Describing the equipment used in the workplace
• Stating the risks associated with such an activity
 Four (4) elements of a good
work procedure

A good work procedure should be:

• Written down and expressed in bold
• Clearly written in simple language
• Easy to read and understand
• Placed at a conspicuous place
 How to communicate safe work
procedures in the workplace

• Post on the equipment (charts, pictures, photographs, OHS videos.

• Near the area where the task is carried out
• In safety manuals/ files
• Written in a language understood by all employees
• Conducting toolbox talks
• Work briefing
• Ensure you have adequate signage
Example of a SWP: Lifting
procedure: box
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A (SWP)

LADDER: PROCEDURE

• Read and follow all labels/marking on the ladder.

• Avoid electrical hazards.
• Always inspect the ladder before use.
• Always maintain a 3 point ( two hands a foot or two feet and a hand).
• Ladders must be free of any slippery material.
• Use a ladder only on a stable and surface
• Do not place a ladder on boxes
• Do not move or shift a ladder while a person or equipment is on the ladder.
Safety signs instructions that
needs to be complied to
Cont…
Cont…
Cont.…
1.4 Provision of
Comprehensive Written
Operating procedures
Comprehensive written operating procedures
should be generated where applicable to address:
• Standard operating procedures and operating
philosophy – set of step by step instruction
compiled by an organization to help employees
carry out complex routine operations.
• Abnormal operating procedures- To help the
normal operating procedure in case breakdown/
leakages, relief valves of operating procedures.
Cont..

• Temporary operating procedures – is used to ensure that

the procedure is conducted correctly and to ensure that the
process is back to normal. Generators, mobile trucks with
water tanks, small reserve tanks within the organization.
• Plant trials – include any machinery, equipment, appliance
and where they are connected or fitted.
Cont.…
• Emergency operating procedures
– In case of accidents ,firefighting, first aid.
• Commissioning – practical test of the
operations, including training of
personnel and operating instructions.
• Plant Start-up – guidelines to bring the
installation online
• Plant Shut-down – guidelines to bring
the installation offline.
Cont..

• Bulk loading and unloading – logistics, bulk

cargo ships, trailers, bulk trucks loaders, forklifts
truck, cranes.
• Process change – are considered to be those
that results from the introduction of new tools
or machineries e.g wood laser cutter over
stamping machine.
• Plant change – change in the plant design,
change in the operating methods/ plant
modification.
These procedures should cover
the following:
• Material safety data sheet (GRN Notice 156:
Chapter 5 section 177-195)
• Plant operatives should have an awareness and
understanding of material safety data for raw
materials- intermediates- products and
effluent/waste
Cont..
• Control measures and personal
protective equipment
• Location of plant where process to be
undertaken
• Roles and responsibilities of individuals
involved in plant operations
Cont..

• Plant fit for purpose;

• The condition of main process plant and equipment (clean,
empty etc. as appropriate) should be established as being fit
for purpose
• The condition of ancillary process plant and equipment
(clean, empty etc. as appropriate)
Cont.…
• Plant correctly set-up for processing;
• Process monitoring and recording;
• Monitoring and recording of key process
parameters (temperature, pressure etc.) in
plant logs -
• Quality
• Sampling of raw materials, intermediates
goods, final products and effluent/waste
• Packaging of final product.
Standard operating procedures may
be revised for the following reasons:

• Introduction of new equipment into the

process
• Introduction of new chemicals into the
process
• Significant change to process, task,
personnel or equipment covered by the
procedure;
• Plant trials have been successful and
need to be incorporated into standard
operating procedures.
1.5 Limits of Intervention,
Control Systems Interface
• Clearly states the action of fixing the
boundaries or limits of something to come to
an end.
• States critical step in defining the operating
procedures for a given plant or process.
• During the hazard and operability stage
(HAZOP) states the structured and systematic
examination of a complex planned or existing
process or operation in order to identify and
evaluate problems that may represent risks to
personnel or equipment's.
 1.6 Commissioning procedures

• Commissioning of process plant is the practical test of the

adequacy of prior preparations.
Includes
• Training of operating personnel
• Provision of adequate operating instructions.
• The need for safety precautions should be reviewed.
• This should form part of the HAZOP / Risk Assessment processes
applied to the installation.
• Full written operating instructions should be provided for all
commissioning activities.
Continues…

• Document a logical progression of steps necessary to verify

that installed plant is fully functional and fit for purpose.
General sequences of steps in
commissioning
Commissioning steps may typically include:
1. System Configuration Check
• The purpose of this activity is to trace all pipework and
connections to verify the system configuration.
• To inspect items of equipment to ensure that they are clean,
empty and fit for purpose as appropriate prior to
undertaking water trials(routes).
Cont.…

2. Instrumentation System Check

• Verification of Alarms and Trips
• To ensure that all instrumentation, alarm settings, microprocessor
signals and hardwire trips pertaining to the installation are functional.
• To check that signals from the field instrumentation are displayed locally
and are being correctly relayed to the computer interface rack, as well
as to the computer system.
Cont.…

3. Flushing and Cleaning of Lines and Vessels with Water.

• The purpose is to clean all items of pipework and the vessels that make
up the installation.
• To ensure that there are no obstructions, blockages or any potential
contaminants in any of the process lines or vessels that may have
resulted from materials being left inside the system from the
construction phase.
Cont.…

• If chemicals incompatible with water are to be used

• it is important that the pipelines and equipment are thoroughly dried
prior to introduction of the chemicals.
• This is normally done by passing dry air through the plant.
Cont.….

4. Assessment of Ancillary Equipment

- The main aim of this assessment is to verify the performance of all
ancillary equipment.
This may include
• pumps
• fans
• heat exchangers
• condensers etc.
Cont…

5. Calibration(measurements) of Vessels(container/tanks)
and Instrumentation.
- To check the calibration and performance of all vessels and
instrumentation pertaining to the installation.
• Pre-checks to ensure that the correct set points and alarm
points have been established for use in the water trials.
Cont…

Start Up Protocol (procedure)

- The purpose of this procedure is to provide guidance for bringing the
installation online starting from an empty non-operational system.
Shut Down Protocol (procedure)
- The purpose of this procedure is to provide guidance for taking the
installation offline starting from a fully operational system.
Examples
• Boilers
• furnaces
Cont.…
Chemical Trials
-To verify the performance of the installation by
simulating ‘live’ conditions by following standard
procedures.
-To check the performance of equipment/ machineries
installed in the workplace by following standard
operating procedures to see if those machines are
working properly and effective or fit for purpose.
- By doing so, you need to run some chemicals with
different colours into the machine to see if there is a
leakage
- To see if it was installed correctly
- Therefore, the inspector from the ministry of labour
will come and check all those requirements like ISO
standards.
- If not meeting the requirements then they have to
reinstall the machine and install it again.
Handover
This includes workplace shifts and a checklist

• Each section should be read in detail to gain understanding

about the particular requirements of the activity prior to
undertaking the activity itself and completing the associated
check list.
• The checklist will serve as a permanent record of the activity
• and can be reviewed if future modifications are undertaken.
• It is assumed that prior to the commencement of
commissioning activities that full support from plant personnel
has been obtained.
Cont.…

1.7 Start-up / shutdown procedures – high powered tools/

equipments.
- To check for oil level, water for cooling, fuses, belts, leakages.
• Many potential hazards can be realised during start-up or shut-down
of plant or process.
• Specific operating procedures should be provided which take account
of all eventualities.
• For some specific plant items, start-up is known to present particular
additional hazards;
Cont….
• Reactors – start-up of batch reactors after agitator
failure may cause an uncontrollable exothermic
reaction.
- batch reactors are used for most reaction carried
out in a laboratory.
- the reactants are placed in a test-tube, flask or
beaker.
- they are mixed together, often heated for the
reaction to take place and then cooled.
• The start-up and shut-down procedures should be
ordered and phased so that interlinked plant
operations can resume or cease in a safe and
controlled manner.
Cont…
Start-up procedures are known to present additional
hazards
Some examples of these are:
• Dryers – these types of machines uses motors and
turbines rotating
• when starting up a drying system after maintenance or
a plant shutdown, the actual temperature the dryer
might reach before settling out with the control system
may result in an increased chance of a dust explosion;
• Furnaces – explosions may occur if ignition of fuel is
delayed.
• Vessels, Tanks, Reactors – ignition of flammable
vapours introduced may occur for systems relying on
elimination of oxygen to prevent explosions, unless
inert gas purging is carried out effectively.
1.7 Emergency procedures
Definition
Is a plan of actions put in place in order to prepare or
be able to respond to an emergency situation.
• Any potential deviations to normal operation that cannot be
addressed by design or control identified in the Hazard and
Operability studies should be covered by emergency procedures.
• These should detail how to make plant and process safe, minimising
risks to operators at all stages.
• They should cover PPE, the level of intervention which is safe and
when to evacuate.
This should include emergency response procedures
Fire drills/fire alarms
Fire marshals
Fire fighters
First aiders
First aid rooms
Fire extinguishers
This should also include evacuation
procedures

Fire emergency procedures

• Close the door as you leave the room.
• Pull the nearest fire alarm (located at any exit)
• Evacuate the building. DO NOT use elevators. Proceed to an assembly
area across the street and away from the building.
• Report the fire.
Types of potential workplace
emergencies

• Floods
• Fires
• volcanoes
• Earthquakes
• tornadoes
• Chemical spills
How to suppress/ extinguish the fire
during an emergency
• 1. know the classification of fires – (class A, B, C, D, and
K)
• 2. Identify the types of fire extinguishers
• 3. Inspect the fire extinguishers before use, read the
instructions and warnings, check the broken nozzle,
the pressure gauge etc.
• 4. Decide whether to evacuate or stay and fight the fire
• 5. Use the acronym PASS
P – pull the safety pin
A – aim the base of the fire
S – squeeze the handle
S – sweep side to side
Another example: chemical spill and
response procedure(clean up)
• 1. First off all you need to wear appropriate PPE(respiratory
protective equipment) and make sure you have proper equipment
to be used
• 2. Check the MSDS information
• 3. Control/ contain –
include spill kit
Absorbent
Neutralizing materials – bases neutralize acids
Broom
Dust pan
Plastic bag
Cont.…

Containers
Cleaners
Labels
4. Decontaminate
5. Dispose
6. Document
1.8 Management / supervision

• A clear management structure should be in

place that defines competent responsible
person(s) for generation of operating
procedures and supervision of plant and
personnel.
• The role of the supervisor in terms of training
of operators, overseeing certain critical
operations and checking of OHS logs and other
activities to ensure compliance with operating
procedures.
• This should fulfil the requirements of the
company’s health and safety policy.
1.9 Human factors

• The appropriate design of a procedure is critical

in the reduction of human error within process
operations.
• In other words controls and attempts to design
systems that optimize safety and minimize the
risk of error in complex environment.
• The benefits of procedures are that they can aid
an operator when they are faced with a
complex diagnosis, or they can act purely as an
aide memoir during non-critical routine
operations.
Task analysis

• The content of important procedures should be based

on some form of formal task analysis method to ensure
that the procedure accurately describes the task it
refers to.
• On some plants, a process may have a safety-related
action or task that has become an accepted ‘unofficial’
part of the procedure, but which is not documented
anywhere.
Task analysis involves
• Selecting the job
• Breaking down the job into sequences of steps
• Identify the hazards
• Determine the control measures.
Cont.…
• In this situation the task analysis will pick up on this and
allow it to be incorporated into the procedures.
• Conversely, any dangerous actions that an operator
might routinely carry out will also be detected.
• The most commonly used method of task analysis is
Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA). Operating instructions
should be close to the user and kept up to date.
Validation
• A procedure should always be formally
validated prior to it being issued.
- in other words this is just the action of
making something legally or officially
acceptable.
• The best method to achieve this is a
comprehensive walk-through assessment of the
procedure in the plant, or with reference to the
relevant plant drawing when plant assessment
is not possible.
 unit 2: Reviewing health
and safety risks

As part of managing the heath and safety of your

business/ organization, you must control risks in your
workplace.
To do so you need to think about what might cause
harm to people and decide whether you are taking
reasonable steps to prevent harm. This process is
known as risk assessment.
Continues….

1. Identify the hazards

• One of the most important aspects of your risk assessment
is accurately identifying the potential hazards in your
workplace.
• A good starting point is to walk around your workplace and
think about any hazards (things that may cause harm). In
other words, what is it about the activities, processes or
substances used that could injure your employees or harm
their health?
• When you work in a place every day it is easy to overlook
some hazards, so here are some tips to help you identify
the ones that matter:
Continues….
• Check manufacturers' instructions or data sheets for chemicals
and equipment as they can be very helpful in explaining the
hazards and putting them in their true perspective
• Look back at your accident and ill-health records – these often
help to identify the less obvious hazards
• Take account of non-routine operations (e.g maintenance,
cleaning operations or changes in production cycles)
• Remember to think about long-term hazards to health (eg high
levels of noise or exposure to harmful substances)
• There are some hazards with a recognised risk of harm, for
example working at height, working with chemicals, machinery,
and asbestos. Depending on the type of work you do, there may
be other hazards that are relevant to your business.
Types of hazards

• Physical hazards such as noise, vibration,

radiation, and heat.
• Biological hazards such as viruses, bacteria's and
fungi's.
• Chemical hazards such dust, gases and asbestos.
• Psychological hazards such as workplace stress or
workload stress, harassment, workplace violence
etc.
• Ergonomic hazards such as poor working station,
poor posture, body strains, and musculoskeletal.
Risk assessment cont.….
2. Identify those who may be at risk
• Think of employees and others who
may be present such as contractors
and visitors.
• Think about people who might not be
in the workplace every time such as
maintenance workers.
• Take members of the public into
account if they could be harmed by
your work activity.
Risk assessment cont.…
3. Evaluate the risk
• This means employers must consider how
likely, unlikely, possible, probable and certain
of each hazard that could cause harm.
• This will determine whether or not your
employer should reduce the level of risks. Even
after all precautions have been taken, some
risk usually remains (residual risk).
• Employers must decide for each remaining
hazard whether the risk remains high, medium
or low.
Risk matrix – is a risk assessment tool used to
define the level of risk by considering the
category of likelihood against the category of
severity
Formula to calculate risks in the
workplace

• Risk = likelihood x severity

Likelihood
1.Rare – not much important
2.Unlikely – might occur
3.Possible – chance to cause injuries
4.Likely – the probability to cause damage and
injuries
5.Certain – catastrophic/ death
Severity
1. Insignificant – not important not that much serious
2. Minor injury – they include small scrapes, cuts and
bruises
3. Moderate injury – injuries that may cause loss of
consciousness
4. Major injury – blindness, paralysis, fractures deafness
5. Death – severe injuries to the spinal cord, brain injuries
and severe burns.
After the calculation you need to prioritize the risks into:
- High
- Medium
- low
Use the Risk Matrix on Annexure 1 to
identify the raw risk ratings of the given
hazard scenarios by indicating the raw risk
rating in the space provided next to each
scenario
Questions may be as follows:

1. Fires are caused by ignition sources that ignite combustibles,

flammables and/or explosives in the presence of oxygen. If trapped, all
staff and visitors could suffer from smoke inhalation or burns which
could potentially kill. Related fatalities in workplace environments are
unlikely.
= 19
2. Dust consists of tiny solid particles carried by air currents. There are
many different types of dusts for example flour, grain, wood, coal, metal
and cotton. Prolonged exposure to dust inhalation can cause irreversible
(major) respiratory diseases. Related diseases in dusty workplace
environments are very likely.
= 21

3. Vehicle accidents cause fatal injuries and damage on a daily basis due
to collisions and impacts caused by vehicle movement.
=25
4. Control measures/ risk
control
Risk assessment Continues…….

5. Record your findings

• Make a record of your findings – the hazard,
how people might be harmed by them and
what you have in place to control the risk.
• Any paperwork you produce should help you
to communicate and manage the risks in your
organization.
risk assessment cont.…
6. Monitor and review your risk assessment
• This includes checking for compliance and non-
compliance based on the control measures that
were put in place to minimize or reduce such risks
• and this is done through workplace inspection, job
observations.
• In addition, the management should continue
reviewing the risk assessment to ensure that
agreed safe working practices continue to be
applied and to take account of any new working
practices, new machinery or more demanding
work targets.
UNIT 3: HAZARD PREVENTION
AND CONTROL
Importance of effective control measures applied
• Effective controls protect workers from workplace
hazards
• help avoid injuries, illnesses, and incidents
• minimize or eliminate safety and health risks
• help employers to provide workers with a safe and
healthful working conditions.
- The process described in this section will help
employers to prevent and control hazards
identified in the previous section(risk assessment)
To effectively control and prevent
hazards, employers should:
• Involve workers who have the best understanding of the
condition that create hazards and insights into how they
can be controlled.
• Identify and evaluate options for controlling hazards using
a ‘’hierarchy of hazard control.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of existing controls to determine
whether they still continue to provide protection or
whether different controls may be more effective.
• Develop plans with measures to protect workers during
emergencies and non-routine activities.
• Review new technologies for their potential to be more
protective, more reliable or less costly.
USE OF THE HAZARD
CONTROL PLAN
Hazard control plan – is a standard operating procedure for s
pecific processes performed in your laboratory or departme
nt
.
• Action item 1: Identify control options
• Action item 2: Select controls
• Action item 3: Develop and update a hazard control plan
• Action item 4: Select controls to protect workers during no
n-routine operations and emergencies
• Action item 5: Implement selected controls in the workplac
e
• Action item 6: Follow up to confirm that controls are effecti
ve
Action item 1: identify
control options

How to accomplish it
• Collect, organize, and review information with workers to
determine what types of hazards may be present and
which workers may be exposed
This may include reviewing sources such as:
• OSHA standards and guidance – rules that employers use to
protect their workers from hazards
• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
(NIOSH) - conducting research and making
recommendation
• Publications – books or newspapers/magazines
Cont..

• Manufacturers' literature
• Engineering reports to identify potential
control measures.
• Investigate control measures used in other
workplaces and determine whether they
would be effective at your workplace.
• For complex hazards, consult with safety
and health experts/ professionals
Action item 2: Select controls
Action item 3: Develop and update
a hazard control plan –
implementation of the controls
• A hazard control plan describes how the selected
controls will be implemented.
• An effective plan will address serious hazards first.
• It is important to track progress toward completing
the control plan and periodically (at least annually
and when conditions, processes or equipment
change)
• Verify that controls remain effective.
Continues…

How to accomplish it
• List the hazards needing controls in order of
priority.
• Assign responsibility for installing or
implementing the controls to a specific
person or persons with the power or ability
to implement the controls.
Continues….

• Establish a target completion date.

• Plan how you will track progress toward
completion.
• Plan how you will verify the effectiveness of
controls after they are installed or
implemented.
Action item 4: Select controls to
protect workers during non-routine
operations and emergencies

- The hazard control plan should include provisions

to protect workers during non-routine operations
and foreseeable emergencies.
Depending on your workplace, these could include
• fires and explosions
• chemical releases
• hazardous material spills
• unplanned equipment shutdowns
Cont…

• infrequent maintenance activities

• natural and weather disasters
• workplace violence
• terrorist or criminal attacks
• disease outbreaks (e.g. pandemic influenza
or medical emergencies).
Continues…

• Non-routine tasks, or tasks workers don't

normally do, should be approached with
particular caution.
• Prior to initiating such work, review job
hazard analyses and job safety analyses with
any workers involved and notify others
about the nature of the work, work
schedule, and any necessary precautions.
How to accomplish it
• Develop procedures to control hazards that may arise
during non-routine operations (e.g., removing machine
guarding during maintenance and repair).
• Develop or modify plans to control hazards that may arise
in emergency situations.
• Procure any equipment needed to control emergency-
related hazards.
• Assign responsibilities for implementing the emergency
plan.
• Conduct emergency drills to ensure that procedures and
equipment provide adequate protection during emergency
situations.
Action item 5: Implement selected
controls in the workplace

- Once hazard prevention and control measures have been identified,

they should be implemented according to the hazard control plan.
How to accomplish it
• Implement hazard control measures according to the priorities
established in the hazard control plan.
• When resources are limited, implement measures on a "worst-first"
basis, according to the hazard ranking priorities (risk) established during
hazard identification and assessment.
• (Note, however, that regardless of limited resources, employers have an
obligation to protect workers from recognized, serious hazards.)
• Promptly implement any measures that are easy and inexpensive—e.g.,
general housekeeping, removal of obvious tripping hazards such as
electrical cords, basic lighting—regardless of the level of hazard they
involve.
Action item 6: Follow up to
confirm that controls are effective

• To ensure that control measures are and remain effective, employers

should track progress in implementing controls, inspect and evaluate
controls once they are installed, and follow routine preventive
maintenance practices.
How to accomplish it
• Track progress and verify implementation by asking the following
questions:
• Have all control measures been implemented according to the hazard control
plan?
• Have engineering controls been properly installed and tested?
• Have workers been appropriately trained so that they understand the controls,
including how to operate engineering controls, safe work practices, and PPE use
requirements?
• Are controls being used correctly and consistently?
Cont…

• Conduct regular inspections (and industrial hygiene monitoring, if

indicated) to confirm that engineering controls are operating as
designed.
• Evaluate control measures to determine if they are effective or need
to be modified.
• Involve workers in the evaluation of the controls. If controls are not
effective, identify, select, and implement further control measures
that will provide adequate protection.
• Confirm that work practices, administrative controls, and personal
protective equipment use policies are being followed.
• Conduct routine preventive maintenance of equipment, facilities,
and controls to help prevent incidents due to equipment failure.
Unit 4: Personal
Training and First Aid
Personal protection:
personal Protective equipment
- The use of personal protective equipment should not be
regarded as an alternative to engineering or other suitable
control measures but should be provided and maintained
where such control measures cannot ensure protection.
Effective action should continue to be taken by the employer
to ensure that control measures are developed and applied
in order to eliminate or minimize the risk to a level at which
personal protection may not be required.
Cont.…

Personal protective equipment includes

• Respiratory protective equipment,
• Protective clothing and footwear,
• Equipment to protect the face, eyes and hands,
• Equipment to prevent an accumulation of static electricity, e.g. anti-
static footwear.

• Personal protective equipment should afford adequate protection

against the risk from those hazardous chemicals to which the wearer
is exposed throughout the period during which such equipment is
necessary, having regard to the type of work.
cont.…

• Items of personal protective equipment provided should comply

with national law or be in accordance with criteria approved or
recognized by the competent authority and based on national or
international standards.
• The equipment provided should be suitable for its purpose and
there should be a sufficient supply readily available in the work
place for workers who require it.
Cont.…

• Workers required to wear protective equipment should be fully

instructed in its use.
• Employers should provide supervision to ensure that the equipment
is properly used.
• All personal protective equipment that is necessary for safety in the
use of chemicals should be provided and maintained by the
employer without cost to the worker.
Respiratory protective
equipment
• Respiratory protective equipment should be selected in
compliance with national law or national or international
standards ,approved or recognized by the competent
authority, concerning the suitability of the design of such
equipment for the type hazardous chemical and the degree
of exposure involved.
• Respiratory protective equipment should also be selected
taking into account the work involved and should be
matched to the wearer.
• Respiratory protective equipment should be used only as a
supplementary, temporary, emergency, or exceptional
measures and not as an alternative to technical control.
Protective clothing
Continues…

The selection of protective clothing should take into

account:

(a) The ability of the material from which it is made

to resist penetration by the hazardous chemicals
concerned;
(b) The adequacy of the design and the fit of the
clothing, and whether it is suitable for intended use;
(C) The environment in which it will be worn.
Cont.….

(d) In the case of dust, the dust release

characteristics of the clothing material
(e) In the case of flammable substances, its
characteristics in the event of a fire
(f) The need to prevent fire or explosions due
to static electricity
Protective clothing should not be
used as an alternative to technical
control.

Cleaning and maintenance of personal protective equipment

and clothing.
• All protective equipment necessarily provided should be
maintained in good condition and replaced, at no cost to
the worker, when no longer suitable for its purpose.
• The protective equipment should not be used longer than
the time indicated by the producer.
• Workers should make proper use of the equipment
provided, and maintain it in good condition, as far as this is
within their control.
Cont.…..

• Respiratory protective equipment, other than one-shift

disposable respirators, should be cleaned, disinfected and
thoroughly examined either (depending on which is first)
each time it is reissued or after a period specified by
national law or by national or international standards
approved or recognized by the competent authority, or
specified as part of the employer`s control measures.
• A record should be kept of the cleaning, disinfection and
examination of such respiratory protective equipment, and
of its condition and defects, in accordance with national
law and practice.
Cont.….
• The record should be authenticated (show) by the person
carrying out the test, who should be properly trained for
the purpose.
• Employers should provide for the laundering, cleaning,
disinfection and examination of protective clothing or
equipment which have been used and may be
contaminated by chemicals hazardous to health.
• It should be prohibited for protective equipment which
may be contaminated by chemicals hazardous to health to
be laundered, cleaned or kept at workers homes.
• When a contract laundry is employed, care should be taken
to ensure that the contractor fully understands the
precautions necessary for handling contaminated clothing.
Welfare facilities and personal
hygiene
• Government Gazette 156 of 1992 –
regulation relating to the health and safety
of employees at work.
• Chapter 3 – welfare and facilities at
workplace.
• Section 36 – washing facilities such as
toilets, showers, and washing basins.
Cont.….

- Adequate washing facilities should be provided to enable workers to

meet a standard of personal hygiene.
• The washing facilities should be conveniently accessible but situated
so that they do not become contaminated from the workplace.
• Clothing accommodation should be provided.
• Changing facilities should be situated and designed to prevent the
spread of contamination.
• Employers should prohibit eating, chewing, drinking or smoking in a
work area contaminated with chemicals.
Cont.….

• Workers should be informed of the hazards associated with chemical

used at their workplace.
• Workers should be instructed on how to obtain and use the
information provided on labels and chemical data sheet
• Workers should be trained in the correct and effective use of control
measures.
• Employers should use chemical data sheet along with information
specific to the workplace, as a basis for the preparation of instruction
to workers, which should be in writing if appropriate
cont.….

• Workers should be trained on a continuing basis in the working

system and practices to be followed and their significance for safety
for safety in the use of chemical at work and how to deal with
emergencies
The extent of the training and
instruction received and required
should be reviewed
The review should include the examination of:
1. Whether workers understand when protective equipment is required
2. Whether workers understand the most effective use of engineering
control measures provided
3. Whether workers are familiar with procedures in the event of an
emergency involving a hazardous chemical
Unit 5: emergency
preparedness and training
Emergence procedure and first Aid
Emergency – a serious, unexpected and often dangerous situation
requiring immediate action.
Emergence – the act or action/process of becoming visible after being
concealed.
- is the process of coming into existence.
• Arrangements should be made to deal at all times, in accordance
with any requirements laid down by the competent authority or as
advised by the assessment of risks, with emergencies and accidents
which might arise from the use of hazardous chemicals at work.
Cont..
• These arrangements, including the procedures to be
followed, should be kept up to date in the light of new
information such as that provided in chemical safety data
sheets, experience with the chemicals and any changes in
the work activity.
This includes procedures to be followed when handling
chemicals in the workplace
• Storage facilities of chemicals
• Preparation of chemicals
• Chemical spill control
• Transportation of chemicals
• Disposal manner
• Fire safety measures
• Toxicology information
Cont.….
-Workers should be trained in the relevant procedures.
These should be:
(a)Arrangements for raising the alarm.
• Conducting fire drills or mock drill
(b) Arrangements for calling for appropriate emergency
assistance, whether in plant or offsite, e.g. Fire-fighting
services in the event of a fire and emergency medical
services.
• Emergency number (EMS) hospitals
• Police number (e.g reserve force, Namibian police
force)
• External help (fire brigade) department
Cont…

(c) The use of appropriate personal protection and its limitations.

The use of PPE to the appropriate type of tasks
• Safety boots
• Safety harness
• Overall
• Safety goggles
• Reflector vest
• Helmet
• Hand gloves
Cont.….

• (d) The evacuation of the work area, premises or establishment and

the location of the emergency exits and escape routes(safety signs).
Fire emergency procedures
• Close the door as you leave the room.
• Pull the nearest fire alarm (located at any exit)
• Evacuate the building. DO NOT use elevators. Proceed to an assembly
area across the street and away from the building.
• Report the fire.
Cont…
• (e) Action to minimize the incident e.g. tackling the fire,
controlling leaks and spills, emergency shut-down, removal of
portable pressure vessels in case of fire, and actions specifically
prohibited if persons are put at risk.

• 1. know the classification of fires – (class A, B, C, D, and K)

• 2. Identify the types of fire extinguishers
• 3. Inspect the fire extinguishers before use, read the
instructions and warnings, check the broken nozzle, the
pressure gauge etc.
• 4. Decide whether to evacuate or stay and fight the fire
• 5. Use the acronym PASS
P – pull the safety pin
A – aim the base of the fire
S – squeeze the handle
S – sweep side to side

(f) The evacuation of nearby premises

First Aid
First aid – help given to injured employees before the full
emergency medical services (EMS) is available.
First aider – someone who is trained to give first aid/ a
competent person who has gone undertraining and holds a valid
certificate in first aid e.g class A certificate.
Roles of first aiders
• To preserve/save life
• To prevent further harm
• To promote the recovery
Cont…

How to carryout a primary survey to make sure the scene is

clear of threats before stepping in to help.

D: danger – assess the area, check for dangers to the injured person and
yourself.
R: response – check if the person is conscious or unconscious by asking
questions to see if they will respond.
Carryout ABCD:
A- check the airways
B- check breathing rate
C- check the blood circulation
D – defibrillation
First kit

First aid items/contents but not limited to the

following:

• First aid manual – contain detailed information on

how to use those items.
• Safety pins – to hold the bandage in position
• Disposable sterile gloves – barrier to prevent
infection.
• Triangular bandages – used as an arm sling to
support a limb.
Cont..
• Tweezers – are small tools used for picking up
objects too small to be handled with fingers.
• A pair scissors – to cut bandages
• Antiseptic wipes – to kill germs and sanitize the skin
to minor cuts
• Sterile gauze pads – to clean around the wound
• Alcohol cleansing wipes – to clean around the wound
(cut)
Cont…
The employer shall provide a readily accessible first aid unit or
station that contains –
• (a) a first aid box made of durable material (strong plastic or metal or
equal), marked with a green cross on white background, fitted with
straps and/or a handle, containing the supplies and equipment
specified
• (b) a suitable first aid manual.
If there are not less than five employees at a distant or isolated
work-site, the employer shall provide and make readily accessible
at such work-site –
• (a) two blankets – to prevent hypothermia (decrease in
temperature.
• (b) a stretcher – a bed to carry injured or unconscious employees.
(Hospital porters)
• (c) a set of splints – to hold broken bones in position
Transportation of injured employees

The employer shall ensure that –

(1) A suitable means of transportation for injured employees is readily
available; If an employee –
(a) is seriously injured
An ambulance service is available within a period of 30 minutes of
travel time from the ambulance base to the worksite, under normal
travel conditions within the applicable speed limits; and
(b) provide a means of summoning the ambulance service, or a means
of transportation
in the opinion of a first aid attendant, requires to be accompanied by
a person able to apply the necessary first aids during transportation
the employer shall ensure that the injured employee is accompanied
by a competent person during transportation.
Cont…

• Adequate first-aid arrangements should be provided. These

arrangements should account of the hazardous chemicals used at work,
ease of communications, and the emergency services and facilities
available.
• They should be in accordance with any requirements laid down by the
competent authority.
• As far as is practicable, appropriate means and trained personnel for
rendering first aid should be readily available at all times during the use
of hazardous chemicals at work.
• The term “trained personnel’’ includes persons trained in the first aid,
registered nurses or medical practitioners, for example.
Cont.…

- Where hazardous chemical are used, first aiders should be trained on:
• (a) the hazards associated with the chemicals and how to protect
themselves from these hazards
• (b) how to take effective action immediately
• (c) any relevant procedure associated with sending a casualty to the
hospital.
Cont.…

• First aid equipment and facilities should be appropriate for dealing

with the hazard encountered.
• First aid rooms should be provided in accordance with national laws
or standards.
• Suitable fire fighting equipment should be provided.
• employers should train firefighters and fire marshals.
UNIT 6: MONITORING
WORKPLACE
6.1 Monitoring in the workplace
General principles: Employers should monitor and record the exposure
of workers to hazardous chemicals to ensure their safety and health.
• They should ensure that workers are not exposed to chemicals to an
extent which exceeds exposure limits control of the working
environment.
• Based on the monitoring data, employers should assess the
exposure of workers to hazardous chemicals.
Cont..
• Airborne concentrations of hazardous chemicals should be
measured in all places of work where this is necessary to ensure the
safety and health of workers against inhalation risks.
This includes: respirator zone – an area where the concentration of
airborne hazardous chemical substances exceeds OEL.
• Asbestos dust – silicate minerals from cement, mine- blasting of
rocks.
• Lead – paint, battery manufacturing, soldering.
• Silica dust – crystalline silica found in stones, rocks, gravel and clay.
Instruments used
- Personal air sampling pump and a membrane filter.
- PCM – phase contrast microscopy analysis
Cont..
- Therefore, no employers shall permit/require a
female employee who is pregnant, or who is likely to
be pregnant, to work in a respirator zone.
• Measurements of airborne contaminants are
necessary if other techniques do not
suffice(enough/adequate) to provide a valid
estimate of the risk of exposure and to assess the
existing control measures.
Cont.…

Techniques for this risk assessment may include the following:

• information on the intrinsic health and physical hazards obtained
from the chemical safety data sheets
• estimation of exposure based on the method of work and work
pattern
• advice from the supplier; experience of exposure in the workplace or
of other users; and simple qualitative tests.
Simple qualitative tests include
• where appropriate, the use of smoke tubes or pellets to determine
ventilation characteristics, and of the dust lamp for illuminating dust
emissions.
Cont…
The need for a programme for the measurement of airborne
contaminants should be based on the factors and the extent of the
exposure of workers established as a result of the measurements
taken, and the reliance on, and the consequent need to check the
effectiveness of engineering control measures.
6.2 Measuring methods

• Sampling equipment should be compatible with the analytical

methods available and should have been validated over a suitable
range of concentrations above and below the exposure limits or
other exposure criteria in accordance with published national or
international standards, where they exist.
• Static monitoring should be used to determine the distribution of an
airborne chemical throughout the general atmosphere of the
working area and to identify problems and priorities.
Air samples should be taken:

• Close to sources of emission in order to evaluate

concentrations or the standard of engineering
controls.
• at various places in the working area to assess the
extent of the chemical’s general distribution; and
• from working areas which represent typical
exposure.
• Personal monitoring should be used to evaluate the
risk of exposure to the individual worker.
Cont..
• Air samples should be collected in the worker’s
breathing zone by means of personal samplers.
• Sampling should be carried out while the work
activity is in operation.
• Where concentrations vary from one work operation
or phase to another, personal sampling should be
done in such a manner that the average, and in any
case the maximum, level of exposure of each
individual worker can be determined.
Cont.…

• The exposure should be compared to occupational exposure limit

values, which are usually quoted for an eight-hour period or, for
short-term limits, 15 minutes. The measurement may be continuous
over the whole shift or intermittent, so long as this allows a valid
calculation of the average exposure and where necessary is
supplemented by short-term sampling during periods of peak
emission.
• Exposure profiles of particular jobs or occupational categories should
be constructed from the air-sampling data of different operations and
from the workers’ exposure time in these jobs.
6.3 Monitoring strategy

• Where a systematic measurement programme has been decided, it

should evaluate whether the exposure of workers to certain
hazardous chemicals prescribed by the competent authority or
determined by the initial assessment is being kept under control.
The aims of this programme should be:
• (a) to ensure that the health of the workers is efficiently protected
• (b) to ensure that the preventive actions which have been taken are
still effective
Cont..

• (c) to ensure that the levels as measured previously remain

unchanged or fall.
• (d) to ensure that any changes made in manufacturing processes or
work practices will not lead to an excessive exposure to hazardous
chemicals.
• (e) to promote the implementation of more efficient preventive
measures such as:
Cont.…

The monitoring of airborne concentrations of chemicals in the

working environment should be performed only by:
• skilled personnel with adequate equipment and technical training.
Cont..

• The employer should arrange for regular inspection, maintenance

and calibration of the measuring equipment.
• The service responsible for monitoring the working environment
should be kept informed about any change in plant, equipment,
process, materials or work practices likely to bring about any
substantial alteration in levels of exposure to hazardous chemicals.
Record keeping
• Records should be kept by employers on measurements of
airborne hazardous chemicals.
• Such records should be clearly marked by date, work area
and plant location.
• Personal sampling measurements exposures should be
recorded.
• Workers, their representatives, and the competent
authority, should have access to these records.
Cont.…

Measurements and monitoring data should include

• (a) the marking of hazardous chemical
• (b) the location, nature, dimensions and other distinctive features
of the workplace,
• where static measurements were made; the exact location at which
personal monitoring measurements were made,
• and the names and job titles of the workers involved.
• (c) the source or sources of airborne emissions, their location and
the type of work and operations being performed during sampling.
Cont…
• (d) relevant information on the functioning of the process,
engineering controls, ventilation and weather conditions
with respect to the emissions.
• (e) the sampling instrument used, its accessories and the
method of analysis;
• (f) the date and exact time of sampling
• (g) the duration of the workers’ exposure, the use or non-
use of respiratory protection.
Cont.…

• (h) Names of the persons responsible for the sampling and for the
analytical determinations.
• Records should be kept for a period of time determined by the
competent authority.
Employer keep the records or a suitable summary for:
• (a) at least 30 years where the record is representative of the
personal exposures of identifiable employees
• (b) at least five years in all other cases.

………END……..