OHS An Overview

1
OHS - An Overview
2

• ILO estimates
• 2,000,000 die as a result of accidents and
  diseases
• 270,000,000 occupational accidents
• 160,000,000 occupational diseases

3

• In Malta
• Around 145,000 gainfully occupied
• In 2001
• 5,111 injuries, 4 fatalities

4

• Occupational diseases in general, but
  particularly
• Diseases caused by exposure to hazardous agents
• Psychological ill-health
• MSD

5
Notified work-related injuries
6
Promoting / maintaining a high degree of physical
/ mental / social well-being of workers in all
occupations. Preventing departures from health.
7

• Protecting workers from risks
• Placing workers in an occupational environment
  adapted to their needs.

8
Why OHS?

• In the national interest
• Decreases demand on social security /
  unemployment benefits
• Less hospitalisation / treatment / rehabilitation
  costs

9
Why OHS?

• In the employees interest
• Less human costs, eg misery
• Remain working

10
Why OHS?

• In the employers interest
• Enhances corporate image
• Less insurance costs
• Less civil / criminal costs
• Maintained productivity
• Healthy industrial relations
• Risk of closure

11

• Implementation / fulfilment of obligations
• Education / Information / Training
• Legislation - collective agreements
• Ultimately Self-regulation

12

• SOCIAL DIALOGUE
• Government - Employers -
• Workers (Unions)

13

• OHS Authority Act, 2000
• Establishes Authority
• - to promote and safeguard the well-being of all
  workers in all occupations
• - to ensure that levels of ohs are maintained

14
Applicability of Act

• The Act shall apply to all workplaces, to all
  sectors of activity, both public and private

15
Who is an employer?

• Any person for whom work or service is performed
  by a worker or who has an employment relationship
  with a worker, and includes a contractor or
  sub-contractor.

16
Who is an employer?

• In relation to work performed under a contract
  for services the contractor, and excludes
  directors, managers etc, except with regards to
  tools, materials or equipment ( and any defects
  thereof which are not declared)

17
Who is an employer?

• In respect of all other organisations or in
  respect of any other form of employment under a
  contract of service, includes any of the persons
  in overall direction or having day to day
  management.

18
What is work?

• Any duty, activity, task or service producing a
  product or result, and being performed for
  payment or for free or in exchange for goods, for
  services, for profit or for benefit.

19
Who is a worker?

• Any person employed by an employer to perform
  work, or who provides a service to another person
  under a contract of service or for service, and
  includes a trainee, an apprentice and a
  self-employed person.

20
What are the duties of an employer?

• To ensure the health and safety at all times of
  all persons who may be affected by the work being
  carried out for such employer

21
IMPORTANT TO NOTE

• Where an employer enlists outside services, this
  shall not discharge him from his
  responsibilities.
• Workers obligations in the field of ohs shall
  not affect the principle of the responsibility of
  the employer.

22
Who is a competent person?

• Any person who has the necessary technical
  expertise, training and experience.
• Could be an outside organisation, a self-employed
  person or a member of your staff

23
Duties of an employer

• Avoiding risk
• Identification of hazards
• Evaluation of unavoidable risks
• Control at source of unavoidable risks
• Reducing risks as much as reasonably practicable

24
Duties of an employer

• Giving collective protective measures priority
  over individual protective measures
• Adapting work to the worker - design of
  workplaces, choice of work equipment, choice of
  working and production methods - to alleviate
  monotonous work

25
Duties of an employer

• Adapting to technical progress
• Developing a coherent overall prevention strategy
  (including technology, organisation of work,
  working conditions, social relationships and the
  influence of factors related to the working
  environment.

26
Principle underlying all regulations Risk
assessment
Put simply, a risk assessment is identifying
what could cause HARM to yourself and others and
deciding if you have done enough, or need to do
more to protect yourself and others. The
purpose of risk assessment is to make sure that
no-one gets hurt or becomes ill as a result of
your work activities.
27

• Two key issues
• Hazard anything that can cause harm
• Risk the chance that somebody will be harmed by
  the hazard

28
So called obvious risks

• Working at heights and under heights.
• Rotating machinery.
• Electricity (overhead and underground).
• Heavy plant.
• Excavations.

29
Less obvious risks.

• Speeding through a built up area.
• Over exposure to the sun.
• Mixing chemicals.
• Walking under a ladder.
• Winter driving.
• Incorrect Manual Handling.
• Noise induced hearing loss.
• Slip / Trips / Falls.

30

• Five steps to RA
• Identify hazards
• Evaluate who might be harmed and how
• Evaluate risks and adequacy of existing
  precautions
• Record findings
• Review the assessment and revise if necessary

31
Risk assessment seriousness x probability
32

• An employer shall provide such information,
  instruction, training and supervision as is
  required to ensure ohs.

33

• An employer shall ensure consultation of workers
  on matters affecting OHS - in advance and in good
  time
• Workers HS Representatives

34
Workers HS Representatives

• General Provisions for Health and Safety at Work
  Places Regulations, 2003.
• Workers shall choose from among their number a
  rep/s to represent them in consultations with
  employer.
• Where no representatives are appointed
  individual consultations

35
Workers HS Representatives

• Conflicts of interest precluded.
• Various rights to make representations,
  proposals, to be consulted, accidents and
  diseases, measures to be taken etc.
• Right to ask for appropriate measures.
• Not to be discriminated against.
• To be trained.

36
Duties of workers.

• To safeguard ones own health and safety and that
  of other persons who may be affected by reason of
  the work which is being carried out
• To cooperate with the employer and the HS
  representative on all matters relating to health
  and safety

37
What are the duties of the OHSA?

• It shall be the duty of the Authority to
• monitor compliance
• promote the dissemination of information
• promote education and training

38
Duties of OHSA

• collate and analyze data
• carry out investigations
• promote and carry out research
• keep registers of persons competent to give
  advice

39

• Any guilty person liable to imprisonment for a
  period of not more than 2 years or to a fine of
  not less than Lm200 but not exceeding Lm5000, or
  both.
• The Court may also cancel all licenses, warrants
  or permits

40

• OHS Authority Act, 2000
• OHS Appeals Board (Procedural)
• Workplace (First Aid)
• WP (Min. HS requirements)
• WP (Provision of HS) Signs
• Min. HS Requirements for work with Display
  Screen Equipment

41

• General provisions for HS at WP
• Protection of Maternity at Work
• Protection of Young Persons
• Protection against risks of back injury at WP
• Control of Major Accident Hazard
• Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection

42

• Minimum requirements for the use of personal
  protective equipment
• Protection of workers from the risks related to
  exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work
• Protection of workers from the risks related to
  exposure to asbestos at work
• OELVs

43

• Soon
• Chemical agents
• Biological agents
• Quarries
• Explosive atmospheres

44

• Building Safety 1968
• Factories (H,SW) 1986
• Factories (Superintendence and Control of Plant)
  1954
• Factories (Woodworking Machinery) 1949
• Power Presses 1984
• Steam and Hot Water Boilers 1976

45

• Non-binding documents
• Min. HS Requirements for the Handling of
  Asbestos-Containing-Material
• Code of Practice for the Building and
  Construction Industry in Malta, 1997

46

• Chapter 13 - (Employment and Social Affairs)
• - around 35 Directives
• Chapter 22 - (Environment)
• - over 70 Directives
• Other chapters - Free movement of goods,
  consumer protection etc

47
Some practical examples

• The workplace
• Buildings in good state of repair
• Measures to prevent people/materials falling (e.g
  fencing, guard-rails)

48

• Covered floor openings
• Space for safe movement and access
• Unencumbered floors/corridors/stairs
• Windows that can be opened/cleaned safely
• Weather protection for outside workers

49

• Do not overload floors/surfaces
• Space for storing tools/materials
• Mark all edge openings
• Do not forget people with disabilities

50
Workplace.cont.

• Lighting
• Ensure good light (natural), but avoid glare
• Good level of local lighting
• Suitable forms of lighting
• Special fittings for flammable explosive
  atmospheres

51
Workplace.cont.

• Moving around
• Safe passage for pedestrians/vehicles
• Level, even surfaces
• Hand-rails on stairs, ramps
• Safe doors e.g. vision panels
• Non-slippery surfaces
• Well-lit outside areas

52
Workstations

• Workstations and seating must fit the worker and
  the work
• Back rests support the lower back foot rests
• Work surfaces are at a suitable height
• Easy access to all controls
• Remember RSI

53
(No Transcript)
54
Housekeeping

• Provide clean floors, stairs
• Provide clean premises, furniture and fittings
• Remove dirt, refuse, waste regularly
• Clean up spillages promptly
• Keep internal walls/ceilings clean

55
Welfare

• Clean toilets (males and females)
• Wash-hand basins, showers
• Facilities for clothes, including lockers,
  changing facilities
• Clean drinking water supply
• Smokers/non-smokers
• Rest facilities for pregnant/nursing

56
Emergency procedures

• Emergency procedures, including evacuation/first
  aid
• Emergency exits
• Training, information of workers

57
Comfortable conditions

• Reasonable work temperature
• Good ventilation
• Heating systems which do not give off dangerous
  fumes
• Avoid overcrowding

58
An important tool

• The enterprise health and safety policy

59
The policy..

• A clear, implementable policy
• Written down
• Should cover organisational arrangements
• Allocates ohs responsibilities
• Made known to all
• Consultation / participation

60
The policy..

• Expresses commitment signed and dated
• Depends on employee cooperation
• Reviewed as often as necessary