Kent Health and Safety Group
description
Transcript of Kent Health and Safety Group
Kent Health and Safety Group
2nd March 2006
Delphi Diesel Systems
Hazards of Working in Hot Conditions.
David Wigens
David Wigens
17 years as a health and safety practitioner in:
Electronics
Pharmaceuticals
Waste
Consultancy
Legal RequirementsEmployers’ Duties
• The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974– Safe Systems of Work– Safe Place of Work– The provision and maintenance of a working
environment for his employees that is SFARP, safe, without risks to health
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regs. 1999– Risk Assessment
• Identify Hazards• Identify who might be at risk
• Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regs. 1992– Effective and suitable provision shall be
made to ensure that every enclosed workplace is ventilated by a sufficient quantity of fresh or purified air.
• Manual Handling Operations Regs. 1992– make a suitable and sufficient assessment
of all such manual handling operations to be undertaken (Schedule 1 Factor 3 – The working environment - extremes of temperature or humidity)
Legal RequirementsEmployers’ Duties
No upper temperature limits
Basis is Risk Assessment
Legal RequirementsEmployers’ Duties
Five Steps to Risk Assessment
Risk Assessment
Step 1: Identify the hazards
Risk Assessment
Hazards• High Temperature• High Humidity• High physical
demand/work rate• Low Air Movement• Type of PPE worn
Hard Hats
RPE e.g. BA, Filtering masks
Overalls
• Confined Space• Sun Light (UV)• Combinations of above
Heat Stress - Health Effects• Fatigue• Dehydration• Hyperthermia
– Heat Exhaustion– Heat Stroke/, Core Temp ≥40ºC (Normally
37 ºC )• Classic – summer months• Exertional – may continue sweating
• Central Nervous System dysfunction – Core temp >41.1ºC (hyperpyrexia) brain damage possible
• Cardio-respiratory failure• Organ failure
Heat Stress - Symptoms• Inability to concentrate• Muscle cramps• Heat rash• Severe thirst - a late symptom• Fainting• Heat exhaustion - fatigue, giddiness,
nausea, headache, moist skin• Heat stroke - hot dry skin, confusion,
convulsions and eventual loss of consciousness. Can result in death if not detected and treated at an early stage.
Body Responses
As core temperature increases, the body response is activated by the hypothalamus
– Sweat glands open to allow heat loss by evaporation. (Main mechanism to regulate body temperature).
Body Responses
• Vasodilation – increases blood flow to skin surface to permit heat loss by radiation, convection and some conduction.
Body Responses
• For both sweating and vasodilation responses, the cooling effects are reliant on air movement, air temperature and humidity.
• If there is a high humidity and/or low air movement, heat loss through sweating (evaporative cooling) can be impaired.
Body Responses
• If the body is unable self cool, then:• In these circumstances the body's core
temperature will rise, and the individual will become fatigued.
• If the core temperature is allowed to continue to increase then heat exhaustion and heat stroke can follow.
• Heat stroke is serious and can lead to death if not treated.
Step 2: Identify individuals who may be harmed and how
Risk Assessment
Hot Work Environments
Some Industries/Occupations where hot environments or work may be present
Agriculture
Armed Forces
Bakeries
Construction
Electronics
Fire fighters
Foundries
Leisure
Mines
Paper & Board
Pharmaceuticals
Restaurants Shipping
Sport
Waste Industry
Warehousing
Individuals
• Susceptibility due to:– Medical conditions e.g.
• heart conditions• Respiratory conditions, asthma
– Illness– Medication– Pregnancy
Step 3: Evaluate the risks and decide whether existing
precautions are adequate or more should be done
Risk Assessment
Controls
• Engineering Controls– Reduce temperature of equipment where possible– Insulate sources of heat, pipes ovens etc.– Mechanical Aids
• Environmental control systems– Ventilation
L24 ACOP (WHSWR)Enclosed workplaces should be sufficiently well ventilated
so that stale air, and air which is hot or humid because of the processes or equipment in the workplace, is replaced at a reasonable rate.
– Air movement, open windows, use of fans.– Air conditioning, (refrigeration, humidity control, air
movement, air changes)
Controls• Separation
– Barriers/screens– Thermal refuges (cool rooms)
• Safe Systems of Work– Rest breaks– Restrict exposure to heat– Control amount of work expected of individual– Rehydration, provide water and encourage to
drink before, during (not practical in some circumstances) and after activity
• PPE– Need to ensure does not introduce other
hazards
Health Surveillance• The Management of Health and Safety at Work
Regulations– Regulation 6: Health Surveillance– “Every employer shall ensure that his employees are provided
with such health surveillance as is appropriate having regard to the risks to their health and safety which are identified by the assessment.”
ACOP:Health surveillance will be required where the assessment shows the following criteria to apply:
there is an identifiable disease or adverse health condition related to the work concerned, e.g. skin cancer; and
valid techniques are available to detect indications of the disease or condition, observation and tests; and
there is a reasonable likelihood that the disease or condition may occur under the particular conditions of work; and
surveillance is likely to further the protection of the health and safety of the employees to be covered.
Step 4: Record findingsStep 5: Review assessment
Risk Assessment
References
• HSG 194, Thermal comfort in the workplace
• GIS 1, Heat stress in the workplace. What you need to know as an employer
• INDG 147, Keep you top on – health risks from working in the sun
• RR337 The effects of thermal environments on the risks associated with manual handling