Entry Level Award in Workplace Hazard Awareness

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1 Entry Level Award in Workplace Hazard Awareness Student resource sheets Membership Training Qualifications Audit and Consultancy Audit and Policy Consultancy and Opinion Policy Awards and Opinion Awards

2 Too young to die Young worker injuries A 15-year-old had his arm amputated in a butcher s shop after it became trapped in a mincer. The boy was stuck in the machine for two hours at the shop where he had a Saturday job. A 17-year-old had his arm crushed in a cardboard baling machine at a supermarket. He was trapped in the machine for 90 minutes. He suffered broken bones and had to have operations including a bone graft. A 17-year-old lost part of her finger after only one hour of starting her holiday job. It was crushed in a machine at the bakery where she worked. The safety guard was faulty, she had not received proper training, and her supervisor was unaware that she was using the machine. Young worker deaths A 17-year-old died in his first week at work after falling from a roof. He had received no training and had no safety equipment. An 18-year-old died after helping his manager pour a mixture of petrol and diesel into a waste oil tank. Fumes were sucked into the flue of a boiler sparking a massive fireball. An 18-year-old was crushed to death when the vehicle he was working under slipped from a supporting jack. An 18-year-old was killed while attempting to do a 180 degree turn in a forklift truck. The truck overturned and fractured his skull. The teenager had received no training in the use of forklift trucks. A 17-year-old was killed while working at a fairground. He was crushed under a carriage, suffering severe internal and spinal injuries. He died in an ambulance on the way to hospital. A 17-year-old was crushed to death inside an industrial recycling machine. It is thought his clothing may have been caught in the machine s conveyor belt. A 16-year-old was killed when he was dragged into machinery only weeks after starting an apprenticeship at an engineering company. A 16-year-old was killed when he fell through a fragile roof while retrieving a football during a lunchtime kickabout with friends.

3 Did you know? Facts and figures Last year, in the UK, 142 people were killed at work and more than 21,000 were seriously injured. The main cause of deaths in UK workplaces is falling from height. Last year, falls from height led to 35 deaths and 4,654 major injuries. 43% of major injuries in UK workplaces are caused by slips and trips. This is the main cause of major injuries. 1.1 million people in the UK are suffering from an illness they believe was caused or made worse by their current or past work. Workplace injury and illness costs the UK an estimated 13.8 billion each year. Prosecutions A cardboard manufacturer was fined 4,000 after an employee s arm was dragged into unguarded machinery resulting in crush injuries to the hand and a broken arm. A timber company was fined 18,000 after an employee severed three fingers in an unguarded roller conveyor. A recycling company was fined 200,000 after a worker was killed as a result of being struck by a loading vehicle. A high street retailer was fined 1,000,000 for putting public, staff and contractors at risk of exposure to asbestos during refurbishment work at two of their stores. A company director was jailed for three years after a demolition worker fell to his death.

4 Hazards and risk Hazard A hazard is something that may cause harm. Harm may be injury or ill-health to people, damage to equipment or property, or damage to the environment. Examples of health and safety hazards Hazard Type How it may cause harm Working at height Safety Death through a fall Fire Safety Death through burns or smoke inhalation Electricity Safety Death through electrocution Wet floor Trailing cable Safety Safety Fractured wrist caused by slipping and falling Fractured wrist caused by tripping and falling Manual handling Health Back injury through lifting heavy items Noise Health Tinnitus (ringing in the ear) Chemicals Health Poisoning through swallowing Computers Health Backache through sitting incorrectly Dirty surfaces Health Sickness through germs Risk Risk is the likelihood of harm occurring and an indication of how serious that harm could be. We normally refer to activities as high risk, medium risk or low risk. When considering risk we think about: What are the chances (likelihood) of the hazard causing harm, and how serious the harm might be (severity).

5 Health and safety signs Where there is a risk to staff that hasn t been fully controlled, employers must provide health and safety signs to highlight the risk. There are four main types of health and safety sign. Each colour means a different thing. Blue (things you must do) Red (things you must not do) Yellow (warning of danger) Green (indicating a safe condition) Examples of health and safety signs: Safety helmets must be worn in this area No admittance Danger Electricity Drinking Water Pedestrians must use this route No mobile phones Caution Fork lift trucks operating Emergency Stop

6 Personal protective equipment Personal protective equipment (PPE) protects a person from one or more health and safety hazards. Safety helmets Designed to protect you from falling objects or banging your head on objects. They are not designed to protect you if you fall. Safety glasses Designed to protect your eyes. They can also offer protection against impact from objects or chemicals depending on the type. Safety boots Designed to protect your feet from something dropped on them. Many safety boots protect the feet if you stand on a sharp object. Gloves Depending on the type of glove they can protect your hands from sharp objects, rough objects, chemicals and cold temperatures. Dust masks Designed to protect you from dust or vapour in the air that may be breathed in. High visibility jackets Designed to make the wearer more visible. They are often used when people are working in areas where there is traffic movement.

7 Health and safety responsibilities Employers By law employers must ensure that all employees and visitors are kept healthy and safe. They must provide: A safe workplace Areas must be well-lit, floors must be in good condition and there must be good air quality. Safe work equipment Any tools or machinery must be in good condition and suitable for the job. Personal protective equipment (PPE) Where necessary, this must be supplied free of charge and must be suitable for the person and the hazard it is protecting against. Health and safety training All staff should receive training when they start at the company (induction training) and further training, when needed, after that. Adequate supervision All workers should be supervised. The amount of supervision should be based on the age and experience of individual workers. Adequate welfare facilities There should be enough wash basins, toilets and rest facilities provided for workers. Drinking water must be provided. Employees Employees also have some legal duties in relation to health and safety. As an employee you must: take reasonable care of yourself and others not put yourself, or others, at risk by what you do (or don t do) co-operate with your employer on health and safety matters report anything that you think is dangerous

8 Top tips for young workers Be aware of your new surroundings There are hazards in every workplace Follow the health and safety rules The rules are there for a reason Follow the correct procedures Cutting corners is a fast track to injury Wear the required protective equipment A safety helmet could save your life Use the correct tools and equipment Use a proper ladder instead of standing on a chair Don t be afraid to ask for training Always ask how to safely use a new bit of kit Don t be afraid to ask questions Asking questions will help keep you safe Trust your instincts If you think that something is unsafe, don t do it Never work under the influence of alcohol or drugs You re more likely to get hurt Report anything that you think is wrong You might save someone s life Remember: you cannot be punished or sacked for reporting a health and safety problem.

9 I chose to look the other way I could have saved a life that day, But I chose to look the other way. It wasn t that I didn t care, I had the time, and I was there. But I didn t want to seem a fool, Or argue over a safety rule. I knew he d done the job before, If I spoke up, he might get sore. The chances didn t seem that bad, I d done the same, he knew I had. So I shook my head and walked on by, He knew the risks as well as I. He took the chance, I closed an eye, And with that act, I let him die. I could have saved a life that day, But I chose to look the other way. Now every time I see his wife, I ll know, I should have saved his life. That guilt is something I must bear, But it isn t something you need share. If you see a risk that others take, That puts their health or life at stake. The question asked, or thing you say, Could help them live another day. If you see a risk and walk away, Then hope you never have to say, I could have saved a life that day, But I chose to look the other way. by Don Merrell