Volume 2 Issue 2
June 2000
Feature Article:
Farm Safety-Confined Spaces
OHSAS 18001 Update
Outdoor workers - Care in the Sun
Farm Transport Accidents
Farm Chemical Safety
Training Courses
Newswire
Volume 2 Issue 1
web-safety.com
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The articles contained in Newswire are summaries only and should not be considered definitive. Appropriate advice must be obtained before proceeding.
The following are available from Expert Ease International
Confined spaces
Confined spaces entry
Breathing Apparatus
Chemical safety suits
Confined spaces law
Permits to work
Emergency response
Rescue training
Safety Management
Designing
safe systems
OHS Auditing
Risk Assessment
General risk assessment
Hazardous Substances
COSHH 2000 - NI
COSHH 1999 - UK
Dealing with chemical spills
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According to HSE figures, the largest single cause of death in agriculture has been transport accidents. In the past 11 years over 100 people have been killed as a result of being struck by a vehicle. In 1999 the HSE took 12 prosecutions on transport issues,
- in one case a farmer was fined £20,000 when an untrained driver lost both legs in an accident involving a poorly maintained telescopic handler.
- In another over £75,000 in fines were imposed when a lorry driver was killed after being run over by a loading shovel.
By next year the HSE aim to cut by 10% the number of farm fatalities directly involving transport. New initiatives to achieve this include;
- The production of new rider training video and guidance on All Terrain Vehicles produced in conjunction with the industry and due to be launched this Summer.
- The publication of two new free guidance notes on seat belts and trailer safety.
- The development, in conjunction with the Agricultural Machinery Advisory Group (AMAG) of a maintenance schedule for safety related components such as brakes and steering for tractors and other agricultural vehicles.
- This will be developed with further initiatives to encourage tractor drivers to check and maintain their vehicles.
- A series of tractor maintenance workshops on the HSE stand at the royal agricultural shows at Edinburgh, Stoneleigh and Builth Wells.
- An advertising campaign in farming journals and related media.
Further information can be obtained from the HSE at:
Farms are amongst the most dangerous of workplaces. Many people die every year on farms, and many more are seriously injured or exposed to disease and long term illness. Though farms are often also the homes of those who work them, it cannot be stated strongly enough that they are nonetheless high risk industrial environments with the consequent obligation on those who own them to manage safety in a way that eliminates or reduces risk to acceptable levels. This is particularly so in respect of confined spaces. Regulations recently enacted in the UK and N.Ireland and about to be enacted in the Republic of Ireland make it a requirement that employers and self employed persons identify confined spaces in the workplace and restrict entry to authorised persons working to a written safe working procedure.
A "confined space" means any place, including any chamber, tank, vat, silo, pit, trench, pipe, sewer, flue, well or other similar space in which, by virtue of its enclosed nature, there arises a reasonably foreseeable specified risk;
"specified risk" means a risk of -
(a) serious injury to any person at work
arising from a fire or explosion;
(b) without prejudice to paragraph (a) -
(i) the loss of consciousness of any person at work arising from an increase in body temperature;
(ii) the loss of consciousness or asphyxiation of any person at work arising from gas, fume, vapour or the lack of oxygen;
(c) the drowning of any person at work
arising from an increase in the level of a liquid; or
(d) the asphyxiation of any person at work arising from a free flowing
solid or the inability to reach a respirable environment due to entrapment
by a free flowing solid;
Confined spaces are therefore defined primarily by the nature of the risk that they pose to persons entering or in the vicinity of them. On the farm confined spaces are found throughout and include:
- slurry pits
- rain silos and stores
- poorly ventilated buildings
- wells, culverts, sewers
Atmospheres immediately dangerous to life and health (IDLH) are caused by;
- slurry gases (incl. hydrogen sulphide, methane, ammonia and carbon dioxide)
- fermentation of organic materials,
- welding, machine and heating exhaust,
- animal waste
Explosive and flammable atmospheres are caused by;
- dust,
- chemicals, and
- gases.
A rise in fluid levels can arise from;
- flooding (rain, burst pipes and tanks),
- accidental and controlled release of fluids on the farm or other from another source
Engulfment can occur in grain stores and silos.
The principal safety requirement is to remove the need for entry into confined spaces to carry out work. If it is not reasonably practicable to avoid entry to a confined space to carry out the work, then the measures and precautions necessary to ensure a safe system of working must be identified, and that safe system must give priority to eliminating the source of dangers before deciding on the precautions necessary for entry. The safe system of working must also include details of the arrangements to be followed in the event of an emergency arising.
It is important therefore that:
- actual and potential confined spaces on the farm are identified and labeled as such,
- they are secured when not in use and warning notices posted,
- risk assessments for each confined space have been carried out, ask
- what can cause harm?
- how is it controlled?
- is this sufficient?
- a safe system of work is prepared before each necessary entry,
- confined spaces are sufficiently ventilated before entry,
- suitable and sufficient equipment is available, (e.g. harness, line & winch, PPE, RPE)
- you and others are trained in all aspects of confined space entry and use of equipment.
Further help and advice can be obtained from:
Confined space regulations and other safety law can be obtained from HMSO/Dublin Govt. Publications. Web site address
Confined Spaces, Approved Code of Practice
from HMSO
Confined Spaces and RPE Training Handbook (N.I., U.K. USA) from EEI
Confined Spaces Expert (complete training and management CD ROM) from EEI
Preventing Fatalities Due to Fires and Explosions in Oxygen-Limiting Silos NIOSH ALERT: July 1986
by Philip McAleenan
Managing Partner Expert Ease International
Outdoor Workers and the Potential for Skin Cancer
“The
incidence of malignant melanoma has risen dramatically in the past 25
years”, reports Dr Anna Gavin Director of the NI Cancer Registry. In NI
alone the number of current cases is in the order of 180/ year compared to
less than 50/ year in the mid 1970s.
Over
exposure to solar ultra-violet radiation is the main cause of most skin
cancers, including melanoma. There
is continuing evidence that exposure to sunlight and sunburn in childhood
is important in the development of both melanoma and non-melanoma skin
cancer. The strong message
coming from The NI Cancer Registry is that people need to take care in the
sun. Those with outdoor occupations such as farmers, fishermen and
construction workers as well as those who pursue outdoor recreations such
as golfing, gardening and sailing must protect their skin.
Indoor workers are not excluded from this risk.
Many would argue that there is a tendency for a higher degree of
exposure since those craving suntans will take the opportunity to sunbathe
in the lunch hour, a period when the UV radiation is at its strongest.
The
following advice is offered;
☼
Your
natural skin colour suits you,
☼
Increase
personal shade with hats and clothing,
☼
Seek
the shade were possible,
☼
If
it is practical avoid the sun between 11.00 am and 3.00 pm,
☼
Use
sunscreen (minimum sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 is recommended in NI
and GB. Check your physician or pharmacist for advice on the SPF in other
countries), and
☼
Sunscreens
need to be regularly re-applied.
The
Australian slogan ‘slip, slap, slop’ is worth remembering. Slip on a
shirt, slap on a hat and slop on the sunscreen.
In
addition to taking all the necessary precautions there is much to be
gained by early detection. Skin
cancer survival rates are greatly improved, especially malignant melanoma,
if it is caught early and treated appropriately.
The NI Cancer Registry offer the following checklist of symptoms
and signs for suspected melanoma.
|
Major
Signs |
Minor
Signs |
|
Moles; |
Moles; |
Remember
malignant melanoma is potentially fatal and not limited to the elderly. If
you have any one major sign you should seek urgent referral. Young people
are at risk to and outdoor workers particularly.
Take the precautions and watch for the signs.
Oh and don’t forget to enjoy the sunshine!
Northern Ireland Cancer Registry Ulster Cancer Foundation
The United Kingdom proposal to the International Standards
Organisation (ISO) in Geneva for a new work item on an international
standard for occupational health and safety management systems was rejected
on the 18th April 2000. This proposal is therefore deleted as a possible
standard, leaving the way open for an alternative proposal from another
source. Current indications are that the International Labour Office (ILO)
will now proceed with an application as they have strong world-wide support
from the international trade union organisations. It is believed that an
initial ILO document could be available by the end of this year.
Stephen Fulwell
Head of Technical Affairs.
IOSH
COSHH
Regulations (NI) 2000
Effective from 1 June 2000
The use of chemicals on farms is widespread and extensive, being commonly used as fertilisers, for weed and pest control, in animal foodstuffs and for animal welfare. Other common substances includes fuels and oils, slurry and other animal waste, stagnant and contaminated water, preservatives, organic and other material fibre (grains, wood dust, asbestos), gases and fume, paints and solvents.
Exposure to any of these substances can be harmful to health in a variety of ways, from minor irritation of skin and eyes to more serious and permanent respiratory and internal organ conditions, depression and anxiety. Some exposures have fatal consequences. A single exposure for example may have an immediate, possibly fatal effect, but also the effect may not materialise until some time after exposure. Other exposures have cumulative effects, which may in some cases be irreversible.
The effects of substance exposure occurs after the substance has entered the body. This may be by way of inhalation, swallowing, entry via the eyes, cuts and sores. Some substances enter the body through the skin. Other substances can harm in a number of ways, as a liquid they may irritate or burn the skin, or poison if ingested, and as an evaporate may inhibit the breathing function, and in either condition may also be flammable.
It is essential that all substances on the farm are identified and their properties fully recorded, (the suppliers’ material safety data sheets will provide a substantial amount of this information). Where unidentified substances exist, advice and information from the HSE must be sought.
When not in use all substances must be stored in suitable and secure containers and places and unauthorised access forbidden. In particular all substances must be stored in manner that prevents access by children and young people. Secure storage facilities must be labelled and warning notices posted.
Exposure to hazardous substances is to be prevented/controlled and monitored so as to avoid health risks. A formal independent risk assessment is required which will detail the hazards, the risks and the control measures. Such controls measures will include procedures for safe handling and use, personal protective equipment (PPE) which must be used, information, instruction and training that is to be provided before anyone is exposed to the substance.
The risk assessment will also detail what necessary health surveillance is to be provided.
Employees must follow the safe working procedure and instructions for handling and using hazardous substances, use correctly the PPE that has been identified and provided. They must comply with health surveillance requirements and undertake any training provided.
Note. This paper is not definitive and appropriate advice must be obtained before working with hazardous substances.
Further help and advice can be obtained from:
- Health & Safety Executive
- Occupational Health & Safety Administration
- Farmers Union
- Machinery and Equipment suppliers
- Chemical and feedstuff suppliers
- Expert Ease International
- Other Safety Consultants
Website addresses available from the hot sites page