Chapter 1 - Introduction to Plant Safety PDF

4th Class Power Engineering Introduction to Plant & Fire Safety, Chapter 1 – Introduction to Plant Safety Learning Objectives 1) Discuss the cost & effects of workplace accidents 2) Describe the basic hazards that may be in an energy plant, and the basic personal protective equipment that may be r...

4th Class Power Engineering Introduction to Plant & Fire Safety, Chapter 1 – Introduction to Plant Safety Learning Objectives 1) Discuss the cost & effects of workplace accidents 2) Describe the basic hazards that may be in an energy plant, and the basic personal protective equipment that may be required 3) Define, give examples of & describe common power house hazards Learning Objectives 4) Describe industrial health & safety management system 5) Describe hazard assessment & control programs Objective 1 • Discuss the cost and effects of workplace accidents Workplace Safety • Safety may seem overly cautious and taxing • However we all want to go home at the end of our shift in good health to our families • Workplace safety is in place for a reason, many times to prevent reoccurrences of previous accidents/incidents • Think before you act, you have a duty of care! There Really are No Accidents! There Really are No Accidents! Effects of Workplace Accidents • Effects include: 1. Capital costs 2. Administrative costs 3. Employee costs 4. Insurance costs 5. Legal & regulatory costs 6. Production costs Capital Costs • Capital costs include: a) Repair of damaged equipment & machinery b) Purchase & installation of replacement equipment c) Loss, removal & disposal of damaged raw material or product d) Site clean-up costs Administrative Costs a) b) c) d) e) f) g) Incident investigation Dealing with inspectors & improvement orders Filing & managing the claim process Managing return to work or modifying work Rescheduling & reassigning staff Replacement staff recruitment Developing new procedures Production Costs a) b) c) d) Loss of skilled productive workers Lower skilled & less experienced worker replacements Reduced productivity of injured worker upon return Low worker morale Insurance Costs a) Legal costs b) Fines c) Cost of compliance Employee Associated Costs a) Higher absenteeism & turnover b) More OT to cover shortfalls c) Wage supplements & benefits to injured workers & their families d) Wages & benefits of replacement workers Social Implications • Social Implications – Strain on personal and family relations – Support programs available through WCB – Statistics show most accidents occur during the most productive years 16 – 25 yrs old! Personal Impact • • • • • • • Loss of confidence Loss of self esteem Problems with personal relationships Worker’s attitude Rehabilitation Retraining Associated stress Objective 2 • Describe the basic hazards that may be in an energy plant, and the basic Personal Protective Equipment that may be required Plant Hazards • Power Engineer’s regularly come in contact with objects or environments that have the potential to harm you! 1. Hot surfaces & substances 2. Chemicals 3. Mists &Fumes 4. Explosive fuels 5. Electricity Personal Protective Equipment • PPE is designed to give the maximum protection for a specific body part • PPE can be considered uncomfortable or a nuisance • It is not meant to help you look cool • Get used to it, so it becomes second nature • Remember, PPE is the last line of defense Employer Vs Employee Responsibilities • Must provide PPE • Provide training in how to correctly use PPE • Enforce the use of PPE • PPE is regularly cleaned, maintained & inspected • • • • Correctly wears PPE Takes care of your PPE Inspect your PPE before use Ensure your PPE is repaired or replaced when required Personal Protective Equipment Signage indicates, “mandatory” All PPE must be CSA approved! PPE 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Head protection Eye/face protection Hearing protection Foot protection Clothing Safety belts & harnesses Respiratory protection Hard Hats – CSA Z94.1 • Where danger of injury to a worker’s head exists he/she must wear head protection • For effective hard hat suspension a clearance of 2.5 – 3 cm (1.25” minimum) is required Hard Hat Care • Hard hats should not be: 1. Painted 2. Dropped 3. Plastered with unapproved decals 4. Worn if cracked 5. Worn if improperly fitted 6. Worn if non-CSA approved 7. Worn over a baseball cap Eye Protection – CSA Z94.3 • Where there is danger of injury to ones eyes, CSA approved safety glasses should be worn • Eye/face protection includes: 1. Safety glasses 2. Safety goggles 3. Monogoggles 4. Welding goggles 5. Face shields Safety Glasses • • • • • Standard eye protection for the Power Engineer Shatter resistant glass Side shields give additional protection Some may be tinted for UV protection You can get prescription safety glasses Safety Goggles • Goggles provide full facial contact around the eyes to protect against: a) Flying objects b) Dust c) Mists d) Liquid splashes Monogoggles • Used for protection against: a) Dusts b) Fumes c) Chemicals d) Acids/alkalis Welding Goggles • Goggles used by welders and foundry workers with fitted protective lenses for UV & IR protection • Often used when using oxyacetylene torch Face Shields • The face shield protects the face and neck • Used to protect against: a) Chemical & acid/alkali splashes b) Grinding operations c) Welding UV & IR flash Hearing Protection – CSA Z94.2 • Hearing protection must be worn when the sound pressure level is above 80 dB as stated in the COHS • Any work environment with a noise level over 80 dB must have signage • Ear buds or ear muffs are used Protective Footwear – CSA Z195 • CSA approved footwear with steel toe caps to provide protection against: a) Puncture b) Crushing c) Chemicals, acids/alkalis Work Clothing • Long sleeve fire resistant coveralls made of synthetic fibres • The label “FR” indicates they are fire resistant • Different weights for winter/summer wear • Arc flash coveralls are available for electrical workers Fall Protection • Fall protection is required when: a) A worker may fall 3 m or more b) There is unusual risk of injury if a worker falls less than 3 m As a Power Engineer you will be required to complete a Fall Protection course Safety Harness & Lanyard – CSA Z259.1 & Z259.12 • Safety harnesses to be worn when working at heights with a safety lanyard • If the lanyard has a shock absorber the fall must not exceed 2 m • If there is no shock absorber the fall must not exceed 1.2 m Respiratory Protection – CSA Z94.4 • Respiratory protection must be worn any time there are respiratory hazards present, such as: a) Lack of or too much O2 b) Chemical fumes c) Sour gas – H2S d) Process mists e) Dusts & fibres Types of Respiratory Protection a) b) c) d) e) Filter type Air purifying type Powered air purifying type SCBA SABA SABA Considerations a) b) c) d) e) Nature of contaminants Need for mobility & emergency escape O2 content Warning properties of contaminants Likely duration of exposure Respiratory protection must be correctly fitted and inspected before use Filter Type Respirator • Changeable filters • Variety of filters depending upon application • Ideal for nuisance dusts (sand, wood), mineral dusts (silica, asbestos), toxic dusts (heavy metals) & mists (Legionnaires) • Half or full mask Air Purifying Respirator • Used for protection against chemical fumes • Canisters contain “activated” (heated to increase its absorptive property) chemicals like carbon • Half mask or full mask types • Can be used in combination with filter cartridges Limitations • Air purifying canisters do have limitations: a) They do not completely eliminate the contaminants, merely reduce them to a safe level b) They do not supply O2 c) They cannot be used in Immediate Dangerous To Life or Health (IDLH) environments Supplied Air Breathing Systems • SCBA – Self Contained Breathing Apparatus • SABA – Supplied Air Breathing Apparatus • Used when: a) Airborne contaminants cannot be filtered b) The atmosphere has an O2 content less than 19.5% or partial pressure of 18 kPa c) Hazard Gases are present and atmosphere is IDLH SABA Supplied Air Breathing Apparatus • The user has an attached escape bottle • Has a bottle tender to monitor pressure and unit • Used in IDLH environments where O2 < 19.5% or > 23% SCBA Self Contained Breathing Apparatus • Self contained bottle providing breathing air for the user of at least 30 mins (dependant upon breathing rate) • Positive pressure face mask & regulator • Portable and ideal emergency unit • Fitted with an audible alarm at ¼ remaining • Charged to 31 MPa with compressed breathing air • Inspected once a month and before use SCBA Training • SCBA & SABA training is required prior to use as incorrect operation could result in serious injury or death • As an operator this training is typically received on the H2S and confined spaces short courses Objective 3 • Define, give examples of, and describe common power house hazards Hazards in a Power Plant • As mentioned previously, there are many potential hazards that a Power Engineer maybe exposed to on a regular basis • The first step in addressing these hazards is to identify them and then perform a risk assessment to ascertain the danger they present • Let’s look at a few…. Health Hazards • Anything that can cause an occupational illness. There are five broad categories: 1) Chemical 2) Biological 3) Physical 4) Ergonomic 5) Workplace stress New WHMIS 2015 Symbol Safety Hazards • Anything that could cause an injury such as: 1) Slips, trips, falls 2) Pinch or nip points on machinery 3) Fall from height 4) Material falling on a worker 5) Fire or explosion Workplace Hazards Workplace Hazards Workplace Hazards Workplace Hazards Workplace Hazards Local Case Study Objective 4 • Describe Industrial health and safety management system Federal Legislation – COHS Regs • Federal legislation applies across all of Canada and can be commonly referred to as the Canada Labour Code Part II Regulations • Federal legislation applies to federal workplaces, work and undertakings of business such as airports, banks, highway transport, railways, pipelines, shipping etc • 10% of the workforce are under this category Jurisdictional Legislation • These regulations and act apply in the province (Alberta) or territory of that workplace/worker • Jurisdictional legislation includes: 1) Occupational Health & Safety Act 2) The Occupational Health & Safety Regulations 3) The Occupational Health & Safety Code OH & S Legislation • The primary goal of OH & S legislation is to ensure a safe & healthy work environment for all workers, regardless of their industry • There are two levels of OH & S legislation: 1) Federal – Canadian Occupational Health & Safety Regulations (COHS) 2) Jurisdictional – OH & S Act OH & S Regulations • Regulations are passed by cabinet • Regulations are minimum health & safety standards that must be met • Maintain how to meet duties set out in the Act • Spell out what must be in a health & safety program Legal Implications • Employer ensures the health and safety of their workers as far as is “reasonable and practical” • In the event of a serious injury or death OH & S need to be notified • Employer must conduct and investigation and prepare a reportRetained for 2 yrs! • In most cases OH & S will stop the work to conduct their own investigation • Responsibility and cause for the accident is sought Reporting • OH & S Regs require that accidents are reported to the OH & S as soon as is reasonably possible of every accident at a place of employment Safety Officer • In the event of an accident, the safety officer will want to determine: a) Who was responsible for the site conditions b) Who were the contractors involved? c) Who was the “principal contractor”? d) What were the arrangements for dealing with health & safety concerns? Accident Investigation • The safety shall: a) Take photographs b) Conduct interviews c) Talk to workers, supervisors & management d) Review records, diagrams, procedures, minutes of meetings, hazard assessments, SOPs & other documents e) Drug/Alcohol testing Objective 5 • Describe Hazard Assessment and Control programs Rehabilitation & Supervisor’s Impacts • • • • • • Relationship Recovery time Communication Investigative assistance Rehabilitation Retraining Minimizing the Effects • • • • • • • • Effective Health and Safety Program Emergency Plans – ERPs Supervisor’s impact on injured worker Employee training Safety drills SOPs PPE Hazard assessment & review Hierarchy of Controls Workplace OH & S Programs • Every workplace must have an OH & S program that ensures the employer & all employees are knowledgeable & involved in satisfying the requirements of all applicable safety legislation Occupational Health & Safety Committee (OHC) • • • • An OHC is comprised of employees and managers (employer) An OHC is required at a place of 10 or more workers An OHC consists of 2 to 12 persons At least half of the members must represent the workers OHC Meetings • • • • Once an OHC is established it must meet within 2 weeks Then once a month for the first three months Finally meetings every three months as a minimum Many companies have monthly OHC meetings OHC Discussions 1) Review reports on incidents, near misses, hazards & occupational diseases 2) Recommend remedial action on investigations & inspections 3) Review plant inspections 4) Recommend corrections for unsafe conditions & practices 5) Investigate safety concerns Employer/Worker Shared Responsibilities • • • • Everyone at the workplace is responsible for workplace safety Duty of care Prevent injuries and illnesses Ensure safe, healthy & productive workplace Workers Responsibilities 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) Use orientation, information & training Follow safe work practices & rules set by employer Use appropriate PPE correctly Inspect tools, equipment & machinery & report hazards Support OHC Know & comply with legislation Employer Responsibilities 1) 2) 3) 4) Provide a healthy & safe workplace Provide required safety procedures, programs & services Provide safe tools, equipment & machinery Ensure equipment, materials & protective devices are provided, used & maintained 5) Establish & support an OHC 6) Know & comply with legislation 7) Ensure supervisors are competent & workers are supervised Supervisor Responsibilities 1) All precautions taken to protect the health & safety of workers 2) Workers understand & follow the safe work procedures for their job duties & use required safety equipment & PPE 3) Workers are advised of safety & health risks in the work area & are trained before working with new/updated equipment or new task Supervisor Responsibilities! February 2018 Team Safety Meetings • A team of workers who work closely with each other meet to discuss safety monthly minimum, usually conducted daily 1) Share information & safety concerns 2) Discuss safety issues & find solutions 3) Build on communication 4) Promote discussion on safety items Worksite Health & Safety Administrative Program • Administrative programs include: a) Inspection records b) Incident reports c) Investigation records d) Safety meeting minutes e) Employee training records The Safety Pyramid Safety Reporting • Three Common Safety Reporting methods 1. Hazard ID’s 2. Near Miss 3. Incidents Ways to Identify Hazards 1) 2) 3) 4) Workplace inspections Inspect logbooks Inspect first aid register Talk to workers, supervisors, owners, suppliers etc Formal Hazard Assessment • The process of identifying potential hazards and their risks associated with a specific task in a specific environment • All information collected is documented within the administration program of the health & safety management program • This is how SOPs are created! Classification of Hazards • Inspection tours are performed regularly to identify any hazards • Hazards are prioritised according to their risk • Each company may have their own classification system so this is only a guideline 1) Class A 2) Class B 3) Class C Hazard Levels • Class A – One that could result in a fatality, or at least an injury in a day or more of lost work time • Class B Hazard – A condition or practice likely to cause injury or illness resulting in temporary disability and/or property damage that is disruptive but not extensive • Class C Hazard – Causing minor, non-disabling injury or illness and/or non-disruptive property damage Field Level Assessment • Conducted just before work begins: – Most commonly known as a Safe Work Permit or Permit To Work a) Workers perform the task to identify potential hazards b) Identified hazards are assessed, mitigated or ideally eliminated Job Safety Analysis (JSA) • Performed in addition to the field level assessment to provide: 1. Identification of hazards & risks of specific jobs 2. Evaluate potential hazards, how they can be mitigated 3. Determine the safest way to perform the task JSA Steps 1. 2. 3. 4. Rank jobs according to their hazards Identify job steps Identify potential hazards Determine preventative measures a) Eliminate hazard b) Contain hazard c) Revise work procedures d) Reduce the exposure Make Safety Your Thing An employer must ensure the health and safety of his/her workers: A. B. C. D. E. Reasonably and practicably Before their probationary period expires Only during times of production Except during company off site activities As per group life insurance policy As soon as is practical after an accident the employer must notify the: A. B. C. D. E. AEPEA OH & S IAPA WHMIS NFPA Whose responsibility is it to ensure that an emergency plan is in place to deal with incidents where injuries may occur? A. B. C. D. E. Safety Committee OH & S Committee Employee Employer Boiler Inspector A high proportion of reported injuries are from the age group of: A. B. C. D. E. 25 to 30 30 to 45 16 to 25 45 to 55 55 to 65 Individual responsibilities for health and safety must be done by: A. B. C. D. E. Management only Employees only All persons relative to the work place Owners only Owners and government The filter type respirators will effectively protect from: A. B. C. D. E. All poisonous gases Toxic vapours Hydrogen sulphide Mineral dusts Chemical fumes A personal protective device which can readily cause infection is the: A. B. C. D. E. Steel toed shoe Ear plug Steel reinforced glove Welding goggle Ear muff Shatter resistant glass or plastic applies to: A. B. C. D. E. Face shields Goggles Welding goggles Safety glasses Welding helmet lenses Respiratory equipment that is not used routinely but is kept for emergency use must be inspected: A. B. C. D. E. Monthly Yearly Semi-annually Weekly Daily End of Chapter 1. Complete the knowledge exercise at the end of your textbook 2. Complete the D2L chapter quiz