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SECTION 9: health & safety
Before starting this section you should review and reflect on your school knowledge of:
Using tools and equipment
Safety signs and symbols
Product labels
the work of the British Standards Institution (BSI)
9.1 how can safety be insured when working with materials in a workshop environment?
Health & safety is quite often referred to as the 'boring bit', when in-fact it is actually the 'important bit'. It's the bit that ensures everyone is kept safe and ultimately, ensures no one dies.
Accidents generally happen for a small number of reasons:
an inexperienced operator
Faulty equipment
Stupidity (not using equipment as intended/ equipment misuse)
removal of control measures
Depending on the type of workplace the type of accident may vary, Imagine a foundry processing aluminium compared to a hair salon or barbers. Each have potential risks and will be approached differently. Within the UK there is legislation and guidance to inform and minimise risks in the work place. Some examples of this legislation includes:
Employers have a legal obligation to follow the guidance and minimise risks to its employees (and other stakeholders).
Employees also have an obligation. They must take responsibility to take care of them selves and those around them, following the guidance and rules put in place by their employer.
Risk assessments
any activity that has potential to cause danger will have a risk assessment carried out on it - this is where the risk of the activity is assessed and appropriate control measures are outlined. It is not necessary for the risk to be eliminated (as lots of activities can be dangerous), just that reasonable measures have been put in place to reduce the risk of the activities hazards (anything that could cause harm).
To clarify:
Risk = the chance of someone being harmed by a hazard (High/ medium/ low)
Hazard = something that could cause harm
Identify the hazards
Identify who might be harmed and how
Evaluate the risks and decide the control
Record the findings and implement actions
Choose a review date
how to carry out a risk assessment:
> Complete Observations
> have discussions with specialists
> Use data sheets
> Refer to manufacturers details.
> Check records for previous accidents etc
identify the hazards
> Groups or individuals
> what type of injury could occur
> Outline specific types of people if required
How likely is the hazard to occur?
identify who might be harmed and how
> 'Reasonably practical' control measures to be decided
> What is current best practice?
> Reduce or remove the risk
> Measures could include:
> appropriate training
> Use of PPE
> machine guard use
Evaluate the risks and decide the control measures
> Produce a document (RA)
> include clear/ concise points
> specify locations of specific hazards
Avoid lengthy statements (people are less likely to read these)
Record the findings and implement actions
> review annually
> review if an incident occurs
> review if anything changes
Choose a review date
It is common to see a matrix similar to this being used to assess the risk of the hazard
click the link to take you to individual ra's for the materials, equipment and processes you come into contact with at ncb
9.2 what are the implications of health and safety legislation on product manufacture?
This sub-section specifically look at H&S during the manufacture of products, not just being in an environment with hazards.
When looking at practical environments, There are various pieces of legislation which are aimed at minimising the risks in the workplace. there are some listed with links at the top of the page but additional ones are included below:
Consider this before you explore any of the areas below.
If you want to design a product for manufacture, it must be safe to make, safe to use, safe to repair and safe to dispose of. All of these things need to be considererd at the design stage, by the designer.It may be that later down the line, Products need developing when other stakeholders are considered to help meet the requirements and standards outlined by the various bodies below.
Time to test your knowledge. Click on the link below and enter the room ncbdtnine
log into memrise and then click below
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test your section 9 key terms understanding here
Design Technology @ NCB
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