Hazard Assessment and Control Programs PDF

Introduction to Plant Safety • Chapter 1 OBJECTIVE ( 5 Describe Hazard Assessment and Control programs. HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT Hazard Identification and Assessment Process A good hazard identification and assessment process is key to create an effective Health and Safety Manageme...

Introduction to Plant Safety • Chapter 1 OBJECTIVE ( 5 Describe Hazard Assessment and Control programs. HAZARD IDENTIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT Hazard Identification and Assessment Process A good hazard identification and assessment process is key to create an effective Health and Safety Management System. Canadian Occupational Health and Safety legislation requires employers to identify and assess the existing and potential hazards in a worksite before any work starts. The data collected from the hazard identification and assessment can be useful to develop Health and Safety Management Systems. This data • Forms the basis of a Worksite Inspection checklist. • Identifies the critical areas required for an Emergency Response Plan. • Helps the Incident Investigation process by determining whether the incident is the cause of the system failure. • Helps to determine the requirements for job-specific training, and health and safety orientation for new and returning workers. 1. Hazard Identification ( Hazards at a worksite are generally divided into two categories: 1. Safety hazards that can cause worker injury. For example, icy footpaths can lead to trips and falls. 2. Health hazards that may produce long-term health effects. For example, noise can produce gradual long-term hearing loss. CSA Z1002 outlines hazards, hazard identification and hazard assessment procedures. Refer to Table 1 for samples of workplace hazards that must be identified. 2. Hazard Assessment There are many types of hazard assessments. Some are directly related to a job or task, some to a process, and some to operations. The key is to realize that hazards are everywhere. Some hazards can be eliminated, whereas others need to be mitigated through training. Brief descriptions of the two categories of hazard assessments that are common to the workplace follow below. They include general steps in conducting the assessments. 2a. Formal Hazard Assessment The formal hazard assessment is a process that identifies potential hazards and levels of risk associated with all job tasks performed at a specific worksite. This process provides critical information for the implementation of controls for the hazards and risks identified. The information collected is documented within the Health and Safety Management Administrative Program and on the worksite. Specific Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) are created for each job task. 4th Class Edition 3 • Part A 1-27 Unit A-4 • Introduction to Plant and Fire Safety == Formal hazard assessment- general steps (with alignment to the SOPs process). 1. Establish an inventory of all job tasks performed by workers at the worksite. ( 2. Identify potential hazards and risks associated with each job task. 3. Determine control methods to eliminate, remove, and reduce hazards and risks associated with the specific job task. 4. Update, review, and re-assess whenever there is a change or a scheduled review of the SOP associated with the specific job task. 2b. Field Level Hazard Assessment Field level hazard assessment is conducted just before work begins. Often this is done as part of the Safe Work Permit (SWP) process. The following are the general steps for conducting the assessment: a) Workers perform the job task to identify potential hazards. This takes place just before work begins, especially if working under new and unfamiliar environments. b) Hazards that have been identified and assessed must be eliminated. Risks are controlled and managed to a safe level before work begins. Many worksites employ Hazard Identification Cards to support the hazard assessment process. Workers are encouraged to report unsafe work practices and conditions they have observed at the worksite. The report along with suggestion for improvements can be recorded on the card and dropped off in a suggestion box. The suggestions and ideas are then reviewed and, if required, implemented in a timely manner. 3. Job Safety Analysis (JSA) In addition to the field level hazard assessment, the Job Safety Analysis OSA) process provides the following: • Identifies the hazards and risks of specific jobs • Evaluates the potential hazards • Determines the safest way to do the work JSAs are also known as Job Hazard Analyses or Job Hazard Breakdowns. A JSA focuses primarily on the health and safety aspects of a job. Often operators experienced in the JSA process are involved in the development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure job tasks are done correctly and safely. There are great benefits to doing a Job Safety Analysis. While performing a JSA, safety committee members and skilled operators both discuss and observe the actual job, to uncover and mitigate the many hazards. Once developed, the JSA becomes a useful standardized training tool for supervisors to direct the employees performing a task. Safe Work Procedures are developed directly from JSAs. In the case of an accident, the JSA can be referred to in an investigation. There are four basic steps in conducting a JSA: 1. Rank jobs according to their hazards. This step is called a risk analysis. Workers and management list all the jobs that workers do. Then the most critical jobs are ranked. Critical jobs are ones that: a) Are done most often. b) Have a high probability for accidents to occur. c) Have severe consequences if an accident does occur. Jobs that are done infrequently, have changed in procedure, or are new jobs are also potentially hazardous. The JSAs are completed for the most critical jobs first. All jobs must be examined. 1-28 E-/ S: _ 4th Class Edition 3 • Part A ( Introduction to Plant Safety • Chapter 1 2. ( Identify the job steps. Each job should have no more than 10 basic steps, listed in the order that the actual job is performed. For example, the basic steps in starting up a Boiler Feedwater Pump are shown in left column of Table 2. 3. Identify potential hazards. All hazards are listed in the JSA beside the job step, under "Potential Accidents or Hazards." 4. Determine Preventative Measures. Eliminate or control the hazards that were identified in the job action. These are listed beside the job step and the related hazard. There are a variety of ways to implement preventative measures. a) Eliminate the hazard. Redesign the equipment, modify the process, lockout, and de-energize the equipment that is creating the hazard. b) Contain the hazard. Install temporary shielding, install guards and covers. c) Revise the work procedures. Change the process, implement extra measures (some plants that have presses will not allow the press to operate until the operator has each hand on two buttons separated from each other). d) Reduce the exposure. The last line of defense, but effective - use required PPE, install eyewash fountains, create walkways to navigate around equipment, install platforms and guardrails. It is interesting to note that for three similar pumps there could be three significantly different procedures, depending on the type of hazards unique to each pump. One pump could be close to a traffic area and at risk of exposure to mobile equipment. Another one farther away could be difficult to access without a work platform. The procedures listed in Table 2 were adopted from guidelines set by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. ( Table 2 - Example of Chart of JSA for Feedwater Pump Sequence of Events i ii iii Potential Accidents or Hazards Preventative Measures Evaluate area prior to performing start up Unintended exposure to heat, hot water. Verify area is clear, equipment connected securely. Close drain and vents (if open) Spray with hot water if open. Close drain. Vent before opening inleUoutlet valves. Possible exposure to hazardous elements due to previous work activities not completed. Inspect and repair as required all valves, fittings, lines, etc. for safe configuration. Pump could start up remotely from control room, surprising operator performing tasks. Prepare for possibility of pump start, also de-energize breaker if practical. Exposure to hot water from leaking packing. Stand slightly off to the side while opening. Strain/scrape while opening valve Wear gloves, safety glasses, use proper wheel wrench. Open inlet valve iv Open outlet valve Same hazards as opening inlet valve. Same preventative measures as opening inlet valve. v Open minimum flow control valve Same hazards as opening inlet valve. Same preventative measures as opening inlet valve. vi Prime pump if necessary Hot water spray. Wear gloves, safety glasses. ( 4th Class Edition 3 • Part A 1-29 Unit A-4 • Introduction to Plant and Fire Safety Sequence of Events Potential Accidents or Hazards Preventative Measures vii Energize breaker Remote possibility of electrical hazard when energizing breaker. Look away (to avoid electrical flash). Breathe out (so as not to be surprised and breathe in possible fumes generated). Use 'other' hand to close breaker uust in case door blows open) to prevent damage to primary hand. Stand out of possible 'swing range' of door. viii Press start button Jumping at start due to noise, vibration, jarring. PPE, be prepared for surprise, have finger hovering over stop button for quick stop. ix Observe operation of pump Hot water leaks, heat. Wear PPE, stand back. ( 4. Hazard Control The methods used to control potential work related hazards are based on the data collected by hazard identification and assessments. Canadian Occupational Health and Safety legislation requires employers to take reasonable steps to eliminate or control identified hazards to make the workplace safe. To ensure the safety of the workers, exposure to hazards must be eliminated or controlled. This is done in three ways. They can be used separately or in combination. 1. Engineers can design new equipment or modify equipment designs to make them safer. 2. Supervisors can ensure that only trained and certified employees do work that requires specialized training. 3. If a hazard cannot be completely eliminated or controlled by design or workforce management, personal protective equipment (PPE) must be used to reduce exposure to workplace hazards. All workers must always use their assigned PPE for the specific job task. It is the worker's last line of defense for safety in a workplace. Hazard controls are developed by using the information collected from the hazard assessment process. This usually starts with the job tasks that have the greatest risk potentials to the workers. Then, the best possible controls for the identified hazards are determined. Some of the best resources are the experienced workers who are the most familiar in performing the job tasks. Their knowledge and understanding will greatly benefit the development of control measures and encourage the acceptance of other workers. Often these same workers are the ones driving the implementation of the change by submitting a request for engineering controls through design and modification. Hazard re-assessment is performed after controls are fully implemented to assess the safety of the controls. Review and further assessment are scheduled at acceptable intervals. These include inspections and preventive maintenance scheduling to ensure established controls are sound and adequate. 1-30 <(------------------------------4 -th_ _C-Ia_s_ s _E_d-itw__ n _J_ ·_P_a_n_A _ ( Introduction to Plant Safety • Chapter 1 ================================ == CHAPTER SUMMARY ( In conclusion, power plant employees should be aware of all conditions affecting workplace safety. They should be appropriately trained to do the job tasks safely. This requires that Power Engineers recognize and report workplace hazards, follow safe work procedures, and ensure the use of PPE for the safety of all plant workers. The goal is for all workers to have safe shifts. ( ( 4th Class Edition 3 • Part A 1-31