Common Hazards
There are common hazards that exist in the Primary & Natural Resources Industry. It is important to learn about these hazards and how to work safely in these environments.
Within this industry you may be involved in a range of work activities such as vehicle and machinery maintenance, working in a paddock, shade house or aquarium, handling stock, felling timber, or harvesting farm produce.
The 3 Step Approach to Hazard Identification:
Hazard identification is a key step in preventing injury and disease in the workplace. Where there's a risk, you need to stop and think. You need to think about what you are about to do the potential risks and the likely effects on yourself and other people.
- 1. Spot the Hazard.
Be alert at work! Notice potential hazards and work out what the
problem is.
- 2. Assess the Risk
Talk to your supervisor about the hazard and work out a way to solve the
problem.
- 3. Make the Changes
Follow through. Carry out the agreed actions in order to solve the
problem.
Hazardous substances
Hazardous Substances are dangerous. How dangerous depends on the type of substance, what it is made of, the way it enters the body, and the amount of substance that enters the body.
A hazardous substance can be any substance, whether solid, liquid or gas, that may cause harm to you.
Harm to health may occur suddenly, such as dizziness, nausea and itchy eyes or skin; or it may occur gradually over years, such as dermatitis or cancer. Some people can be more susceptible than others.
Manual Handling is not just about lifting heavy objects. It includes any activity requiring the use of force exerted by a person to lift, lower, push, pull, hold or restrain a person, animal or thing.
Placing boxes and other items on shelves, painting, gardening, cleaning, writing and typing are examples of manual handling tasks.
Manual Handling injuries include:
- Strains and sprains.
- Neck and back injury.
- Slips, falls and crush incidents.
- Cuts, bruises and broken bones.
- Hernia.
- Strained heart muscles.
- Occupational overuse syndrome (OOS).
People suffering a manual handling injury at work may spend the rest of their lives coping with pain and be unable to do many things other people can do.
If you are a young worker, you are more likely to be injured through manual handling work than an older worker is, as your body is still developing and is less able to cope with strain. This, however, does not reduce the risk to the older worker.
You should be informed and trained in:
- Safe manual handling methods.
- Specific manual handling hazards.
- Safe work procedures.
- Use of manual handling aids.
- the right to ask for assistance.
Manual handling injuries to workers can be prevented by instruction, training and supervision. Safe work procedures should be prepared by employers, in conjunction with employees, to care for the special needs of inexperienced workers.
Even though you are a worker new to the job, you have the responsibility to speak up if you feel your job is too heavy, too difficult, too tiring or puts you at risk of injury.
It is the host employer's responsibility to provide you with safe work procedures, and with instruction, training and supervision for manual handling tasks.
Ways to Reduce the Risk:
- Lighten loads( break loads into smaller quantities).
- Reduce bending, twisting, reaching movements.
- Prevent muscle strain and fatigue, including warming up before working, allocating time for rest breaks, and allowing time to gradually get used to a new job.
Electric shock occurs when a person becomes part of an electrical circuit and current flows through their body. A fatal shock is called electrocution.
One of the most common causes of electrocution in the workplace is contact with overhead wires. This is because people can misjudge heights and distances between the ground and overhead wires when carrying equipment like poles and ladders, or operating equipment with height extension such as cranes.
Maintenance work on live electrical circuits is another too frequent cause of electrocution.
Accidents and deaths can also result from equipment becoming "live" because of electrical faults, lack of maintenance or short circuit.
Electrical accidents are most often caused by a combination of factors such as:
- A lack of training.
- A lack of supervision.
- Inadequate work practices.
- Poorly maintained equipment or installations.
- Unauthorised electrical repairs.
General Safety Precautions
Keep your appliances in safe working order through inspection and preventative maintenance programs.
Disconnect broken appliances and have frayed cords or broken power points replaced.
Even after a piece of electrical equipment, appliance or machine has been disconnected from the power source, it may still partially operate. This is because of stored energy within the equipment. After disconnecting the power source, activate the machine or appliance to release the stored energy.
Always switch off appliances at the power point before you pull out the plug.
Keep electrical cords off the floor to reduce the risk of damage from drag or contact with sharp objects. A damaged electrical cord can cause a fatal electric shock.
Apprentices and Trainees must be supervised at all times by a qualified electrical worker..
Don't overload circuits and fuses by using too many appliances from the one power point. Don't use double adaptors or "piggy back" plugs. Use a power board with individual switches.
Only licensed electrical workers can be legally contracted to perform electrical work. This includes new electrical installations and alterations and repairs to existing installations. An unqualified person should not be employed to undertake electrical work.
Know the location of the main electricity supply.
Check the location of overhead wires and stand clear of any fallen power lines.
Use your appliances correctly. Read the instruction booklet and follow all instructions.
Electricity and water don't mix. Bare feet and wet skin lower the body's electrical resistance. Keep electrical appliances away from water and wet areas.
This is a way of preventing machinery or electrical current becoming operational during maintenance. A lock is attached to the machine switch so that can not be turned on.
The person working with the machine should hold the only key to the lock. A lock must only be removed by the person who attached it to the equipment or machinery. Procedures must be in place for the removal of the lock should the person not be available, for example, if there has been a change of shift workers.
The Primary and Natural Resources Industry deals with a diverse range of sub-industries and consequently an enormous range of machinery and equipment may be used.
Most workers are informed of procedures for plant maintenance during induction at the beginning of their working life. Training, instruction and supervision need to be emphasised and reinforced so that workers retain this knowledge.
It is the responsibility of the host employer to ensure that machinery and equipment is properly maintained and repaired. This includes both fixed and mobile plant.
Machinery, plant and equipment in the Primary and Natural Resources Industry can include:
- Tractors.
- Front end loaders.
- motor bikes.
- haul packs.
- off orad vehicles.
- harvesting machinery.
- generators.
- skidders, forwarders and loaders.
- prime movers.
- chain saws.
- power tools and equipment.
- firearms.
Your workplace should have a maintenance program to ensure that all equipment and machines are in safe working order.
The most common mechanical equipment injuries are to hands and fingers, which may be cut, sprained, dislocated, broken, crushed or severed by machinery or tools.
Over 45% of all eye injuries recorded in 1997/1998 were due to mechanical equipment injuries.
These injuries can cause lengthy periods of time off work and sometimes permanent disability.
A large number of injuries occur in the construction, agricultural and manufacturing industries.
Eye injuries caused by mechanical equipment accidents include:
- Being hit by an object.
- Heat, radiation.
- Hitting an object.
- Falls, trips, and slips.
When working with mechanical equipment, plant or machinery, personal protective clothing and equipment may include:
- Gloves.
- Arm guards.
- Safety helmets or caps.
- Safety footwear.
- Hearing protection.
- Appropriate eye protection.
- Leg protection.
- Respitory protection.
Guards are attached to mechanical equipment and must be used to protect you from the moving parts of machines.
Keep all guards in place. If guards are removed during cleaning, make sure they are replaced. Do not start the machine during cleaning.
Danger and Out of Service Tags
Red and Black "DANGER" tags are used to warn workers about hazards associated with equipment and machinery maintenance.
Yellow and Black "OUT OF SERVICE" tags are used to prevent accidents or damage to machinery that is out of service for repairs.
Any faulty equipment should be tagged so that it cannot be used until it is replaced or repaired.
The safe work procedures for the removal of "DANGER" and "OUT OF SERVICE" tags at your workplace must be followed.
Generally, workers should not work alone with machinery unless it has "deadman" switches. This is a type of switch often used on electrical vehicles. It is designed so that if the driver releases pressure on the switch, handle or pedal, owing to sudden illness or other causes, the current is cut off and the machine ceases to operate.
If a worker must work alone, the machine's controls should be clearly marked in such a way that another person who may not be familiar with the machine would be able to turn it off in case of an emergency
Material Safety Data Sheets
A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) provides detailed information on a hazardous substance. It gives more details than a label. MSDS are provided to your host employer by the manufacturers and suppliers of hazardous substances to the workplace. Where you are to work with certain hazardous substances the appropriate MSDS should be available near the work area for consultation when required.
Read the MSDS before you use the product. Always consult with your supervisor before commencing work with any substance you might be exposed to and ensure you get proper training in its use.
If you require more information on what you are using, ask your supervisor or health and safety representative for an MSDS.
It is important that hazardous substances in workplaces are used in accordance with:
- The manufacturer or supplier's written instructions (MSDS)
- Agreed safe work procedures.
First Aid treatment for hazardous substances should be part of your training.
Remember:
- Follow safe work procedures.
- Always correctly wear the appropriate safety equipment provided by your host employer.
- Do not eat, drink or smoke while working with a hazardous substance.
- Do not keep food or drink near the substance.
- Wash your hands and face and other exposed areas with soap and water before going to the toilet or eating and drinking.
- Read the MSDS.
It is the responsibility of your host employer to provide you with safe work procedures for handling hazardous substances and to provide information, training and supervision.
When someone loses their hearing it can be devastating for themselves and annoying for others around them. People with poor hearing are often left out of conversations and social activities. Hearing loss can also cause people to become less efficient at work and study.
Some early warning signs of hearing loss include:
- Ringing in the ears after a noisy activity.
- Having difficulty understanding what people say.
- Needing to turn the volume up to hear the radio or television when others appear to hear adequately.
- Failing to hear background noises such as a ringing telephone or doorbell.
If you are experiencing any of the warning signs of hearing loss, discuss ways to control and reduce your exposure to the noise with your supervisor and health and safety representative.
It is the responsibility of your host employer to provide the correct personal hearing protectors. Personal hearing protectors (earmuffs and earplugs) should be used as a temporary measure or last resort.
Every effort should be made to reduce the noise at the source.
Hearing protectors should be regularly cleaned and maintained. Worn or damaged parts should be replaced and protectors kept near the area of noisy activity.
Headphones for radios and tape recorders do not provide good protection from noise.
People do not become "used" to noise. It only seems that way because of hearing loss.
LOST HEARING IS LOST FOREVER, THERE IS NO CURE!
It is wise to avoid working alone, particularly if the location is isolated. Young workers are often inexperienced in the field, which can further impact on the risk associated with working alone or in an isolated location.
Examples of where you may be required to work alone in the Primary/Natural Resources Industry include cleaning dams, repairing fencing, seeding or harvesting, or care taking an isolated site.
It is important that you have some form of communication if you are working alone (eg mobile phone, two-way radio) so that you are able to make contact should you require assistance or in an emergency. Advise others of where you will be working and your expected time of return to the main work site, location or home.
Generally, workers should not work alone with machinery unless it has "deadman" switches. This is a type of switch often used on electrical vehicles. It is designed so that if the driver releases his pressure on the switch handle or pedal, owing to sudden illness or other causes, the current is cut and the machine ceases to operate.
Hazardous Substances are dangerous. How dangerous depends on the type of substance, what it is made of, the way it enters the body, and the amount of substance that enters the body.
A hazardous substance can be any substance, whether solid, liquid or gas, that may cause harm to you.
Harm to health may occur suddenly, such as dizziness, nausea and itchy eyes or skin; or it may occur gradually over years, such as dermatitis or cancer. Some people can be more susceptible than others.
Within agriculture, forestry work, fishing and other
sub-industries, there are many different types of chemicals used including pesticides, herbicides, and animal medications, fuel, acids and solvents.
These chemicals enter the body by absorption through the skin, breathing, accidental injection, or by insufficient cleansing of the hands and face prior to eating, drinking or smoking.
The types of health and safety effects people are exposed to through the incorrect use of chemicals include:
- Contact dermatitis.
- Eye injuries.
- Systemic poisoning (poisoning of particular organs or whole of the body)
- Hearing loss from solvent exposure.
- Chemical burns.
- Chemical fires and explosions.
Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing
Personal protective equipment and clothing (PPE) for employees should be used when hazards in the workplace cannot be eliminated.
After receiving training, employees are required to use the personal protective equipment supplied by the host employer and follow all safety instructions
Personal protective equipment and clothing used in the Metals and Engineering Industry can include such things as eye protection, hearing protection, protective gloves, safety footwear; arm guards, respirators and safety hats as appropriate.
Employees should be instructed and trained in the correct use of the PPE provided by the host employer.