Industrial Safety
Introduction
With the advancement of scientific and technology developments in various areas of design and manufacturing the of life of human being is increasing day by day. The importance of industrial safety was realized a century ago because every year millions of industrial or other accidents occur which result in either death or in temporary disablement or permanent disablement of the industrial employees.
Objectives of Industrial Safety
The objectives of industrial safety are as follows:
- Industrial safety is needed to check all the possible chances of accidents for preventing loss of life and permanent disability of any industrial employee, any damage to machine and material as it leads to the loss to the whole establishment.
- It is needed to eliminate accidents causing work stoppage and production loss.
- It is needed to prevent accidents in industry by reducing any hazard to minimum.
- It is needed to reduce workman’s compensation, insurance rate and all the cost of accidents.
- It is required to educate all members regarding the safety principles to avoid accidents in industry.
- It is needed to achieve better morale of the industrial employees.
- It is required to have better human relations within the industry.
- It is needed to increase production means to a higher standard of living.
ACCIDENTS AND THEIR TYPES
The accidents are the mishaps leading injury to man, machines or tools and equipment and may cause injury and result either death or temporary disablement or permanent disablement of the industrial employees.
An industrial accident may be defined as an event, detrimental to the health of man, suddenly occurring and originating from external sources, and which is associated with the performance of a paid job, accompanied by an injury, followed by disability or even death.
There are various types of common accidents needing due attention to prevent them which are as follows:
1. Near Accident
An accident with no damage or injury is called near accident.
2. Trivial
An accident with very less damage is called trivial.
3. Minor Accident
It is an accident with damage and injury more than trivial.
4. Serious Accident
An accident with heavy damage and lot of injury is called serious accident.
5. Fatal
It is an accident with very heavy damage. There may be loss of lives also.
CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS
The accidents may take place due to human causes, environmental causes and mechanical
causes. These causes are discussed as under.
Human Causes
- Accidents may occur while working on unsafe or dangerous equipments or machineries possessing rotating, reciprocating and moving parts.
- Accidents occur while operating machines without knowledge, without safety precautions, without authority, without safety devices.
- Accidents generally occur while operating or working at unsafe speed.
- Accidents may occur while working for long duration of work, shift duty etc.
- Accidents commonly occur during use of improper tools.
- Accidents may occur while working with mental worries, ignorance, carelessness, nervousness, dreaming etc.
- Accidents occur because of not using personal protective devices.
Environmental Causes
- Accidents may occur during working at improper temperature and humidity causes fatigue to the workers so chances of accidents increases with workers having fatigue.
- The presence of dust fumes and smoke in the working area may causes accidents.
- Poor housekeeping, congestion, blocked exits, bad plant layout etc. may cause accidents.
- Accidents occur due to inadequate illumination.
- Improper ventilation in the plant may also leads to industrial accidents.
Mechanical Causes
- Continued use of old, poor maintained or unsafe equipment may result in accidents.
- Accidents commonly occur due to use of unguarded or improper guarded machines or equipments.
- Unsafe processes, unsafe design and unsafe construction of building structure may lead to accidents in the plant.
- Accidents occur due to improper material handling system and improper plant layout.
- Accidents may occur due to not using of safety devices such as helmets, goggles, gloves, masks etc.
However the other general causes of accidents in workshops are listed under:
1. Because of ignorance to work with equipments, hand tools, cutting tools and machine tools.
2. Operating machine and equipments without knowledge.
3. Extra curiosity to work without knowing.
4. Due to poor working conditions.
5. Because of speedy work.
6. Improper method to work.
7. Due to use of improper tools.
8. Because of lack of discipline.
9. Uninterested in work.
10. Due to carelessness.
11. Due to over confidence.
12. Bad working environment.
13. Because of excessive over times duty by industrial workers.
14. Dangerous materials with which to work.
15. Lack of cleanliness.
16. Due to poor planning.
COMMON SAFETY METHODS
The common methods of safety are as follows:
- Safety by construction or design.
- Safety by position.
- Safety by using fixed guards.
- Safety by using interlock guards.
- Safety by using automatic guards.
- Safety by using trip guards.
- Safety by using distance guards.
- Safety by workplace layout and proper working conditions.
- Safety by proper material handling.
- Safety by using personal protective devices.
RECOMMEND : Daily Workplace Safety Tips in Manufacturing
Safety by Construction
Whenever the new tools, devices, equipments and machine are designed, they should be ensured that
all their dangerous parts are either enclosed in suitable housings or provided with suitably designed safety guards in order to eliminate any chances of danger that could occur due to exposure of the dangerous parts. A common example involve belt drive and motor in a in drilling machine, lathe machine, milling or in other machines are enclosed, the back gears and tumbler gears in a lathe are either enclosed or provided with cast iron guards or covers. All control levers and handles of machines should be carefully located to ensure adequate safety in their operation. Generally, lubricating points are provided on the outer surface that the interior parts are not required to be opened every now and then.
Safety by Position
The main principle involved in the method for safety by position is to design the machine in such a way that the dangerous parts are so located or placed that they are always beyond reach of the operator. It is therefore always advisable that all the dangerous parts of the machine should invariably be guarded or enclosed in the body or housing of the machines as far the design conditions permit. If it is not possible suitable external fencings must be incorporated suitably.
Safety by Using Fixed Guards
Such fixed guards either form an integral part of the machine or are so tightly secured to them that they are not easily removable. In all cases, fixed guards are developed to have a robust and rigid construction and they should be so placed that any access to the dangerous parts of the machine is totally prevented from all directions particularly in the running condition of the machines. Fixed guards adjusted in position remain fixed and they are neither moved nor detached. In some cases the fixed guards are provided at a distance from the danger point. Such a provision will carry a remote feeding arrangement and, therefore, the operator will not be required to go near the dangerous points.
Safety by Using Interlock Guards
An interlocking guard may be mechanical, electrical, pneumatic or some sort of a combination of these. Such guards cannot be removed and the dangerous parts are not exposed until and unless the machine is totally stopped. Similarly, the machine cannot be started to work unless the guards return in position and protects the dangerous parts. It is essential that such guards should always acquire their positions to guard the dangerous parts before the machine can be started,. Such arrangements prevent the starting and operation of the machine in case the interlocking device fails and remain closed in position until the dangerous part is completely at rest. Scotch interlocking and control interlocking designs of these guards are common used to protect accidents. The former interlocking consists of a solid metal piece, called scotch connected to it which is so located that it remains between two moving parts of the machine. This prevents the machine from starting so long as the same is not removed and the guard brought in proper position for protection. The latter comprises of the movable portion of the guard as connected to some starting device or mechanism of the machine viz., fast and loose pulleys, clutch, starter of the motor or tile hydraulic valve, etc. This connection is made in such a way that it will not allow the operation of the said device or mechanism until and unless the guard is brought in protecting position, which automatically enables its removal from that position from where it prevents the operation of the starting mechanism.
Safety by Using Automatic Guards
The main principle of an automatic guard is that its operation is actuated by some moving part of the machine. Automatic guard and machine operation is so linked that the part will automatically bring the guard in protecting position before the operation of the machine starts. The design of this guard is of such a kind that it automatically forces the operator to move away from the dangerous area of work before the operation starts. Such arrangement of such guard does not permit the operator access to this area again until and unless the machine stops. The use of such guard is largely favored for heavy and slow acting machines like heavy power presses.
Safety by Using Distance Guards
Distance guard helps to fence the dangerous components of machine such as bars or rails and position them at a suitable distance from the machine such that even operator by chance, extends his hands over it, his fingers, clothes or any of the body does not reach within the area of dangerous parts. For additional safety, some sort of tripping device should always be incorporated to stop the machine rapidly in case of an accident.
