Operational Hazards

1
Operational Hazards

• The overall objective for this module is that the
  participants will recognize general safety
  hazards and safe work practices related to fixed
  facility work

2
Overview

• Common safety hazards
• Safe work practices
• Preventing and treating heat and cold stress
• Proper lifting and handling
• Confined space procedures

3
Expectations

• Define a general safety hazard
• Identify general methods to prevent accidents
• Recognize general safety-hazard categories and
  related precautions
• Identify symptoms and prevention measures for
  heat stress and cold stress

4
Expectations

• Recognize biological hazards
• Recognize ergonomic hazards
• Identify general precautions for confined space
  work
• Identify potential fire hazards and fire
  prevention strategies

5
What is an Operational Hazard?
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Operational Hazard

• Anything on or around a work site which may
  compromise worker safety or health if appropriate
  control measures are not implemented

7
Prevention of Accidents

• Aware of changing conditions
• Take initiative to correct potential safety
  hazards
• Understand the task
• Watch for weather conditions, wind direction and
  unusual odors

8
Ten Common Causes of Accidents

• Poor instructions
• Poor planning
• Improper design
• Improper equipment provided or
• used
• Failure to follow instructions

9
Ten Common Causes of Accidents

• Neglect or improper use of equipment
• Faulty equipment
• Untrained personnel
• Uncooperative personnel
• Uncontrollable or unexpected outside agents
  (e.g., weather or sudden illness)

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Death
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Site Hazards
Heavy Equipment Small Power Tools and
Equipment Hand Tools Lifting and
Carrying Compressed Gas Cylinders Electrical
Hazards
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Lifting Safely
Back injuries are the Nations
1
Workplace Safety Problem
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Lifting Safely

• Preparing to Lift
• Clear obstacles away
• Heft to check weight
• Performing the Lift
• Square with object
• Balance
• Squat, bend knees, grip object, tighten abdomen
• USE YOUR LEGS

14
Safe Lifting Tips

• Dont life objects over your head
• Dont twist
• Pace yourself
• Dont reach over an obstacle
• Follow your workplace safety guidelines

15
Common Site Hazards

• Heat stress
• Cold stress
• Biological hazards
• Confined spaces

16
Heat Stress

• Occurs within 15 minutes
• Factors to consider
• Poses serious health threats
• Environmental conditions (including air
  temperature and humidity)
• Clothing
• Workload
• Individual worker characteristics

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Forms of Heat Stress

• Heat Syncope
• Heat Cramps
• Heat Exhaustion
• Heat Stroke
• Heat Rash
• Transient Heat Fatigue

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Heat Syncope

• Fainting
• Frequently occurs when a worker is not acclimated
  to hot environments

19
Heat Cramps

• Caused by excessive loss of salt during sweating
• Symptoms
• Muscle spasms in the extremities, abdomen, or back

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Heat Cramps

• Treatment
• Massaging the cramped muscles
• Replenishing the victims water and electrolytes

21
Heat Exhaustion

• Victim suffers from a severe lack of fluids and
  salts
• Symptoms
• Pale or flushed skin
• Moist skin
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Normal or slightly elevated temperature
• Profuse sweating

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Heat Exhaustion

• Treatment
• Victim must rest in a cool place
• Drink water

23
Heat Stroke

• Most severe form of heat stress
• Caused by a failure of the bodys temperature
  regulation mechanism

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Heat Stroke

• Symptoms
• Absence or reduction of sweating
• Elevated body temperature
• Skin is red, hot, and dry
• Dizziness
• Nausea,
• Confusion
• Treatment
• Medical attention as soon as possible

25
Heat Rash

• Prickly heat and transpires in a hot, humid
  environment where sweat is unable to evaporate
• Prevention
• Worker must periodically rest in a cool place
• Skin must be bathed regularly and kept as dry as
  possible

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Transient Heat Fatigue

• Causes temporary discomfort accompanied by mental
  and/or psychological strain, which affects task
  performance, coordination, and alertness
• Treatment
• Lessened by gradual adjustment to heat conditions

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Prevention of Heat Stress

• Maintain adequate water intake
• Take breaks in a cool place
• Learn the signs and symptoms of heat stress and
  respond at the earliest point of detection
• Schedule heavy work or work in PPE for cool times
  of the day
• Move work location to shade or cooler area

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Prevention of Heat Stress

• Have workers drink 16 ounces of water before
  beginning work
• Urge workers to drink a cup or two of water every
  15 to 20 minutes
• Weigh workers before and after work to determine
  if fluid replacement is adequate

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Cold Stress

• Superficial Frostbite
• Deep Frostbite
• Hypothermia

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Superficial Frostbite

• Characterized by the freezing of only the outer
  skin layer
• Treatment
• Protect the exposed area by placing uncovered
  fingers under opposite armpits or placing bare
  frostbitten feet under clothes or against the
  skin of a companion until pain returns

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Superficial Frostbite

• NOTE DO NOTS
• Warm frostbitten parts by massaging
• Expose to an open fire
• Soak in cold water
• Rub with snow

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Deep Frostbite

• Characterized by the freezing of tissue beneath
  the outer skin layer
• Treatment
• Protect frozen parts from further cold exposure
• Keep victim warm while being transported to a
  hospital
• NOTE Protect frozen parts from additional
  injury
• Do not attempt to thaw them in
  the field

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Hypothermia

• Characterized by subnormal body temperatures
• Treatment
• Keep victim warm
• Give warm beverages or soup
• NOTE Alcohol consumption increases risk
• NOTE Death can occur

34
Prevention of Cold Stress

• Wear proper clothing
• Maintain a proper diet
• Use shelter
• Monitor workers conditions

35
Biological Hazards

• Ticks
• Bees and Wasps
• Spiders and Scorpions
• Snakes
• Rabid Animals

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Ergonomic Hazards

• Study of how a human physically and mentally
  interacts with the workplace
• Notify manager or supervisor of hazards

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Material Handling

• Use mechanical devices
• Drum dollies
• Pallet dollies
• Push carts and dollies so you can see ahead and
  around the load

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Material Handling

• Do it the easy way
• Push rather than pull
• Bend your knees, not your back
• Step with legs, dont rotate
• Use ladders for high loads
• Wear steel-toed boots
• Pick up stacks in two steps
• Dont block your visibility

39
Container Handling

• Hazard Recognition
• Detonation, fire and explosion
• Vapor generation
• Physical injury caused by lifting improperly or
  moving containers

40
Container Handling

• Drum Handling Safety
• Use forklifts, dollies and pallet jacks
• Wear protective PPE
• Check drum for sharp edges or rust
• Plan the move and clear obstructions
• Manually lift with good technique
• Do not handle or move if safety is questioned

41
Confined Space

• Adequate size and configuration for employee
  entry
• Limited means for entry and exit, one and/or
  small openings
• Is not designed for continuous employee
  occupancy, such as small utility spaces

42
Confined Space Permits

• Contains or has the potential for containing a
  hazardous atmosphere
• Contains a material that has a potential for
  engulfing an entrant
• Has an internal configuration such that an
  entrant could be trapped
• Contains any other recognized serious safety
  hazard

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Atmospheric Hazards

• Flammable gas in excess of 10 LEL
• Airborne combustible dust which meets LEL
• Oxygen concentration below 19.5 or in excess of
  23.5
• An atmosphere which could result in employee
  exposure in excess of PEL

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Other Potential Hazards

• Mechanical Hazards
• Slips, Trips and Falls
• ART - There is an art to preventing slips,
  trips and falls
• Awareness
• Responsibility
• Traction

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Slips, Trips and Falls

• Awareness
• Be alert throughout the workday
• Look ahead from the knee level
• Know where there are existing step hazards
• Look for wet areas
• Look for obstructions and electrical cords

46
Slips, Trips and Falls

• Responsibility
• Everyone in the workplace must assume
  responsibility for keeping a safe work area
• One is more likely to be injured from a slip,
  trip, or fall than from hazardous chemicals
• Take the time to remove the hazard or notify
  those who are able to do so

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Slips, Trips and Falls

• Traction
• Be aware of changing conditions
• Maintain good footwear with traction
• Enhance traction by using rough surfacing,
  lowering slopes of ramps and replacing
  low-traction surfaces

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Fire Safety (Uniform Fire Code)

• Check with your local fire officials
• Flammables and combustibles may be a large
  proportion of waste accepted
• Multiple hazards
• PROPER STORAGE IS A MUST !