1CDB2012

Health, Safety and Environment

FALLING , IMPACT, ACCELERATION and LIFTING HAZARDS

Lecture 7

Dr. Abrar Inayat

Lecture OutcomeBy the end of this lecture, students should be able to:

Differentiate between falling, impact, acceleration and lifting hazards

Identify factors causing falls & the preventive strategy

List the fall protection system

Describe ladder safety

Describe impact & acceleration hazards and their preventive strategy

Practice good lifting method and avoiding hazards.

2A fall can be fatal, especially if head injuries are incurred.

Falls are a major cause of accidental death in the home and the workplace.

The consequences of a fall depend on three major factors:

Velocity of the initial impact

Magnitude of deceleration upon impact

Orientation of the body upon impact

Falls

Causes of Falls

A foreign object on the walking surfaceany object that is in a position to trip someone or cause a slip.

Design flaw in the walking surfaceuneven surfaces, poorly designed floor coverings, etc.

Slippery surfacespoor choice of material, accidental spills, poor housekeeping etc.

An individuals impaired physical conditionvisual impairment/distraction, lack of awareness etc.

3Step and fall

accidents occur when a persons foot encounters an unexpected step down (e.g. a hole in the floor or a

floorboard that gives way).

Slip and fall

accidents occur when the workers center of gravity is suddenly thrown out of balance (e.g. an oily spot

causes a foot to shoot out from under the worker).

Kinds of Surface Falls

0.2 0.40.3

Slipper and

hazardous

Slippery but

not

hazardous

Good

traction

Very

slippery and

very hazardous

Ice

0.10

Concrete

0.43

Linoleum

0.33

Surface Traction

Surface traction is the force that prevents an object, such

as a wheel, from sliding on a surface.

Related to the coefficient of friction.

Coefficient of friction is a numerical comparison of the

resistance of one surface against another surface.

4Require non-skid footwear

wear shoes with special non-skid soles.

Inspect surfaces frequently

There should be frequent inspections and action should be taken immediately when a hazard is identified.

Strategies For Preventing

Slips & Falls

A Few Quick Questions

Is it a good idea to

have a door

opening onto a

stairway?

What sort of tiles

would you use for

bathroom/kitchen

floors?

5Fall Protection

Very vital in the construction industry.

It is recommended that any employee working higher than 6 feet must be provided with fall protection.

This height limit is known as the trigger height.

Fall protection: e.g. guardrails, safety nets, fall restraint system, fall arrest system etc.

Fall arrest system: system that will stop a

workers fall before the worker hits the ground below.

Fall restraint system: system that restrains

movement of a worker so to position the worker or

to prevent the worker from moving to an edge.

These systems may include: body harness/belt,

lanyard, shock absorber, lifeline, connecting

devices, anchorage.

Fall Protection

6Full

body

harnes

s

Shock

absorbing

lanyard

Anchor point

Personal Fall Arrest

System

Anchorage

Lifeline

Personal Fall

Restraint System

7Ladder Safety

The accident happened right after lunch... I was the first one going up

the ladder and I was almost to the

roof. And another guy had followed

me up the ladder...It was an old

ladder and it busted in the middle.--Ed Kandel, Roofer injured in fall

Ladder Hazard

Most ladder deaths involve falls of 10 feet or less.

The average persons reaction time is half a second. In that time you fall 4 feet.

As you fall, gravity pulls you down and your speed quickly increases. That means your impact force increases too. And, once you start falling, you will stop only when you hit a lower surface.

A person who weighs about 200 pounds and falls just 6 feet will hit the ground with almost 10,000 pounds of force.

8Ladder Hazards

Ladders with missing or broken parts.

Using a ladder with too low weight rating.

Using a ladder that is too short for the purpose.

Using metal ladders near energized electrical equipment.

Objects falling from ladders.

Ladder Inspection

Inspect ladders before each use!

All rungs and steps are free of oil, grease, dirt, etc.

All fittings are tight.

Spreaders or other locking devices are in place.

Non-skid safety feet are in place.

No structural defects, all support braces intact.

Make sure the ladder is placed on an even surface.

9Climbing Step by Step

Face Ladder Going Up & Down When climbing any ladder, you must face it. Never turn out or away.

Use 3-Point Contact3-point contact means you have 2 hands and 1 foot or 1 hand and 2 feet in contact with the ladder at all times. It is the safest and most sensible way to go up and down a ladder, and youll always be sure to have at least one hand on the ladder.

One Person at a time Wait for the person who went up the ladder first to get all the way off at the top. Then you can climb. This applies when coming down the ladder, too.

Be aware when getting on and off Be especially careful as you step onto and off of the ladder. To make sure you have the proper foothold at the top of the ladder, you should be able to fit your foot on the step closest to the upper landing without your toes hitting the wall.

Climbing Step by Step No standing on top 3 rungs of straight or extension ladder

On straight or extension ladders, you can climb up only to the fourth rung from the top.

Keep CenteredFollow the belt buckle rule by keeping your body centered within the ladders side rails.

Carry no LoadsCarry only small objects in a tool kit on your belt. You cannot carry any load that could cause you to lose your balance. Use hoists or chain falls to lift materials.

Avoid Exerting Force To maintain stability while on the ladder, dont pull, lean, stretch, or make sudden moves. These could all cause you to lose your balance. And, never try to take a shortcut by walking a ladder over to a new position.

No standing on top or top step of stepladderOn an A-frame or stepladder, climb no higher than the second step from the top. Never climb on the cross bracing. And never sit on any step, including the top.

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Impact And Acceleration Hazards

Impact and acceleration hazards refer to

falling/moving objects that accelerate until

impacting a surface.

To safeguard from such

hazards, Personal Protective

Equipment (PPE) are used.

One out of every seven

construction deaths involves

someone crushed or hit by

falling or moving objects

Recognition

Crushed/hit deaths include construction people killed by collapsing buildings

falling walls or structures

heavy objects or loads

falling material or wreckage.

Victims were demolishing part of a building

erecting a wall or structure that collapsed

moving heavy objects or loads

installing building material that fell.

Impact And Acceleration Hazards

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Head Protection

To protect the head from the impact

and penetration of falling or flying

objects in the workplace.

Common terms are hard hats,

safety hats and safety helmets

Designed for high mass, low velocity or

low mass, high velocity impact.

Protection from injury by physical agents,

chemicals agents or radiation.

Safety goggles

glass: greater resistance to abrasion, scratching & most chemicals.

plastic: more resistance to high-speed projectiles, breakage by sharp objects &

more shatter-resistant at extreme

temperatures.

Eye and Face Protection

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Foot Protection

Protects against:

Falling objects

Rolling objects

Punctures through the

sole

Electrical hazards

Slips

Temperature extremes

Lifting Hazards

Back injuries are typically

caused by improper

lifting, ergonomic factors

and personal lifestyles.

Most back injuries can be

prevented.

Back injuries are among common workplace

problems.

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STAND

close

to the

load

Let

your

legs do

the

lifting

Bend

your

knees,

not your

back!

Get Help

with

heavy or

awkward

loads!

Use

the

right

tools!

Use Your Head and Save

Your Back!Safe Lifting

Summary

We learnt about:

the difference between falling, impact,

acceleration and lifting hazards

factors causing falls & the preventive strategy

the fall protection system

ladder safety

good lifting method and avoiding hazards

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