JIMMAA POLY TECHNIC COLLEGE

DEPARTEMENT OF:

STRUCTRAL CONSTRUCTION WORK

LEVEL 1

INFORMATION SHEET OF: Work safely in the construction

industry

LEARNING GUIDE ONE

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Module Title: Work safely in the construction industry

LEARNING OUT COME 1: IDENTIFY OHS LEGISLATIVE

REQUIREMENTS.
1.1 OHS legislative requirements.
What Does Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Mean?
Occupational health and safety is one of the most important aspects of human concern. It aims
an adaptation of working environment to workers for the promotion and maintenance of the
highest degree of physical, mental and social wellbeing of workers in all occupations.
The question of occupational health and safety, as a global issue, is now taking a new turn. The
main contributory factors towards thisidiocyncracy seem to be due to the rapid industrial and
agricultural development that are taking place in the developing countries, and the emergence
of new products and product processes from these places.
According to WHO (1995), occupational safety and health can be defined as a multidisciplinary
activity aiming at:
• Protection and promotion of the health of workers by eliminating occupational factors and
conditions hazardous to health and safety at work
• Enhancement of physical, mental and social well-being of workers and support for the
development and maintenance of their working capacity, as well as professional and social
development at work
• Development and promotion of sustainable work environments and work organizations
The top 10 benefits of an occupational health and safety management system are:
 Improved health and safety performance
 Reduced cost associated with accidents and incidents
 Improved staff relations and morale
 Improve business efficiency
 Improved public image and PR
 Lower insurance premiums
 Easier access to finance
 Increased regulatory compliance
 Improved confidence
 Boost corporate and social responsibility

How to Stay Safe on the Job

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 Some of the topics covered by OHS include the following:
1. Appropriate use of PPE - It is the employer's responsibility to ensure that workers have the
personal protective equipment required to work safely. Depending on the job and work
environment, this can include fall protection devices, hard hats, high-visibility clothing, or
safety gloves.
2. Safe operation of the work equipment - Safety procedures ensure that employees can use
heavy machinery, power tools, and other work equipment with minimal risk of injury. This
includes not only the appropriate handling of the equipment, but also regular inspections and
maintenance to ensure that it functions optimally.
3. Maintaining hydration - Since they are at work for extended periods of time, workers are at
risk of dehydration if clean drinking water isn't provided for them. While this affects all
workers, it is especially important for those who do intense physical labor, wear heavy PPE, or
work in high-heat environments.
4. Good bodily movements - Musculoskeletal disorders are an extremely common type of
workplace injury. To prevent them, workers need to follow ergonomic best practices. This
includes safe lifting techniques, good posture, and avoiding repetitive motions while carrying
out their work tasks.
OSHA Best Practices
 Train managers, supervisors, and employees.
 Be prepared for inspection.
 Self-inspect.
 Evaluate the workplace.
 Communicate about any hazardous chemicals.
 Prevent and control hazards.
 Get buy-in from employees and leadership

1.2 Identify Duty of care requirements

What It Means to Have a Duty of Care
 Providing and maintaining safe physical work environments.
 Ensuring compliance with appropriate industry standards and statutory safety
regulations.
 Ensuring that people work a reasonable number of hours, and have adequate rest breaks.
 Conducting work-based risk assessments.
Duty of care: The responsibility or legal obligation of a person or organization to avoid
acts or omissions that could likely cause harm to others. Standard of care: Standard of care
is only relevant when a duty of care has been established.Duty of care is a term for the legal
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 responsibility of maintaining the health and well-being of others. Each of us has a moral
obligation to take care not to harm someone else.
Examples are putting fences around our swimming pool or driving at a slower speed when
we see children.
A duty of care is a legal duty to provide a reasonable standard of care to your patients and
to act in ways that protect their safety. A duty of care exists when it could reasonably be
expected that a person’s actions, or failure to act, might cause injury to another person. A
duty of care is owed by all healthcare professionals, which includes full and part-time
workers, permanent or temporary roles, agency workers, those who run their own
businesses, support workers, students and volunteers
Duty of care requires everything ‘reasonably practicable’ to be done to protect the health
and safety of others at the workplace.
This duty is placed on:
 All Contractors/Principal Contractors/Employers.
 Their employees/workers; and
 Any others who have an influence on the hazards in a workplace.
Generally, a duty of care arises where one individual or group undertakes inactivity which
could reasonably harm another, either physically, mentally, or economically. Duty of care
relates to ALL people that could be affected by someone’s actions or inactions, including
when at work.
To prove negligence a person must be able to prove that:
 A duty of care was owed to them;
 The duty was breached; and
 The breach caused a detrimental effect to them, e.g. injury

1.3 Safe work practices

What are safe work practices?
Safe work practices are written documents used to train and guide workers in the safest way
to perform their jobs. A safe work practice is a set of guidelines established to help workers
perform at ask which may not require a step by step procedure. An example of a safe
housekeeping practice: when liquid is spilled on the floor, a “wet floor” sign is placed in the
area until such time as the spill is cleaned up and the floor is dry.
Important things to keep in mind regarding safe work practices:

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  Safe work practices should be easily understood and coverall the activities that
occur in the workplace.
 Safe work practices need to be completely and clearly communicated to all staff.
 Safe work practices should be strictly and consistently enforced.
 Safe work practices can become unsafe if they are not regularly reviewed and
updated as needed.
Safe work practices include: access to site amenities, such as drinking water and toilets. General
requirements for safe use of plant and equipment. General requirements for use of personal
protective equipment and clothing.
Safety of workers (also known as worker safety and occupational health and safety) refers to the
provision of a safe working environment, safe equipment, policies, and procedures in order to
ensure workers' health and safety.
Construction Safety Rules
1. Always wear PPE. ...
2. Be mindful and follow signs. ...
3. Provide clear instructions. ...
4. Keep site tidy. ...
5. Organize and store tools properly. ...
6. Use the right equipment for the right task. ...
7. Have an emergency response plan. ...
8. Set up safeguards.
Developing safe work practices
Safe work practices should be prepared with input from all staff who will be required to follow
them. The safe work practices are reviewed regularly and revised as needed (by the originating
group or the occupational health committee). It may be the responsibility of all workers of the
department to recommend changes to the safe work practices based on the needs of employees
for a safe and healthy work environment.

Safety is everyone's responsibility!

 Managers are responsible to ensure that safe work practices are current, available at all
worksites and followed by employees. Managers must provide their workers with training
on all applicable safe work practices. Management must also provide training for specific
job tasks.
 Workers are responsible to follow safe work practices for all job tasks. They must assist
with the preparation of the safe work practices. Workers are responsible for reporting to
their supervisors any hazardous work environment encountered that should have a safe
work practice or the revision of a safe work practice already in place.
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  Occupational Health Committees will assist with the preparation of safe work practices
by identifying hazardous work through inspections, investigations, and concerns and
complaints brought to the OHC.

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 LO.2 Identify construction hazards and control measures.

2.1 identifying Basic principles of risk management

Risk Management - A Basic Understanding
Risk management is the process of minimizing or mitigating the risk. It starts with the
identification and evaluation of risk followed by optimal use of resources to monitor and
minimize the same.
Risk generally results from uncertainty. In organizations this risk can come from uncertainty in
the market place (demand, supply and Stock market), failure of projects, accidents, natural
disasters etc. There are different tools to deal with the same depending upon the kind of risk.
Principles of Risk Management
Various organizations have laid down principles for risk management. There are risk
management principles by International standardization Organization and by Project
Management Body of Knowledge. The various principles are:
A .Organizational Context: Every organization is affected to varying degrees by various factors
in its environment (Political, Social, Legal, and Technological, Societal etc.). For example, an
organization may be immune to change in import duty whereas a different organization operating
in the same industry and environment may be at a severe risk.
B. Involvement of Stakeholders: The risk management process should involve the stakeholders
at each and every step of decision making. They should remain aware of even the smallest
decision made. It is further in the interest of the organization to understand the role the
stakeholders can play at each step.
C. Organizational Objectives: When dealing with a risk it is important to keep the
organizational objectives in mind. The risk management process should explicitly address the
uncertainty. This calls for being systematic and structured and keeping the big picture in mind.

D. Reporting: In risk management communication is the key. The authenticity of the

information has to be ascertained.
E. Roles and Responsibilities: Risk Management has to be transparent and inclusive. It should
take into account the human factors and ensure that each one knows it roles at each stage of the
risk management process.
F. Support Structure: Support structure underlines the importance of the risk management
team. The team members have to be dynamic, diligent and responsive to change. Each and every
member should understand his intervention at each stage of the project management lifecycle.

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G. Early Warning Indicators: Keep track of early signs of a risk translating into an active
problem. This is achieved through continual communication by one and all at each level. It is
also important to enable and empower each to deal with the threat at his/her level.
H. Review Cycle: Keep evaluating inputs at each step of the risk management process - Identify,
assess, respond and review. The observations are markedly different in each cycle. Identify
reasonable interventions and remove unnecessary ones.
I. Supportive Culture: Brainstorm and enable a culture of questioning, discussing. This will
motivate people to participate more.
J. Continual Improvement: Be capable of improving and enhancing your risk management
strategies and tactics. Use your learning’s to access the way you look at and manage ongoing
risk.

2.2 Common construction hazards

Construction Site Hazards & Their Solutions
1.Slips, Trips and fall
In practically all industries, and especially construction – the most common kinds of accidents
are slips, trips and falls. In fact, several thousand workers are injured each year because of trips
and slips at construction sites.
Uneven surfaces, unstable grounds, and building sites at varying levels of completion are some
of the main construction site hazards that cause these kinds of accidents.
While carelessness, lack of productivity, and distractions also play a huge factor in slips and
trips, remaining vigilant and aware of one’s surroundings are key when working on a
construction site.
FALLING
OSHA cites that falls account for the greatest number of fatalities in the construction industry
each year. These falls may occur due to unstable work surfaces, the misuse or failure to use fall
protection equipment and human error. Though falls can happen in a variety of situations, many
occur when workers are using ladders.
How to minimize these construction hazards:
 Compile safety information in a way that employees can continuously reference
 Have inspection checklists ready-made for employees on the clock
 Communicate which surfaces are unstable at the moment

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2.Workingat Height
In 2019, a staggering one in five fatal work-related accidents occurred in construction. And about
a quarter of those incidents came from construction site hazards attributed to working at height.
Some of the root causes behind these alarming numbers include:
 Unstable surfaces
 Restricted mobility in high places
 High chances of human error (dropping tools, for example)
 Misuse of safety equipment
How to minimize these construction hazards:
 Ensure that all relevant safety equipment such as ladders, fall protection systems,
guardrails are up to standard.
 Train workers on safety tips and your company policy
 Open a safety-specific employee team chat as a backup for last minute updates
3.Moving& Falling Objects
Falling and moving objects are notoriously overlooked for how common they are. In fact, 96%
of nonfatal struck-by injuries in construction are caused by falling/moving objects. Construction
sites are rife with objects that are constantly moving and could potentially fall at the drop of a
hat. number/rate of nonfatal injuries from falling/moving object construction site hazards by job
Significant construction site hazards come from cranes, forklifts, supply vehicles (especially
when driving in the winter), heavy equipment, and hazardous materials that are being
transported. Also, these objects are often moving in harsh conditions and uneven surfaces. Not to
mention the fact that collapse could occur at any given time.
How to minimize these construction hazards:
 Conduct safety meetings to keep workers on the lookout
 Send workers reminder videos or new relevant material of how to protect oneself
 Have employees fill in checklists, to confirm that they are wearing Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE)
 Provide “exit and inspection” forms and risk assessments of buildings at risk of collapse.
4.Manual Handling
Construction workers are at a 64% rate of exposure to manual handling, one of the highest rates
by industry. While many of these workers are physically capable and qualified to lift heavy
objects, the chances of manual handling-induced injuries is still high.
This hazard puts workers at a high risk of the following health issues:
 Musculoskeletal disorder
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  Repetitive motion injuries
 Hand-arm vibration syndrome
 Back injuries
Construction teams need to be properly taught how to lift heavy objects. A lack of regular
training on the matter can lead to complacency, disengagement, laziness, and bad habits, which
can result in the aforementioned injuries (both short and long-term) and even worker fatalities.
How to minimize these construction hazards:
 Conduct full risk assessments
 Provide a list of lifting equipment that each employee should have on hand
 Introduce protocols and workflows that will reduce the time spent lifting/carrying heavy
objects.
 Provide safety training resources so that employees can stay clued up on what constitutes
safe manual handling.
5. Excessive Noise
Noise pollution is part and parcel of working on a construction site. But as construction site
hazards go, many in the field underestimate its potential to cause serious damage.
For a start – using loud machinery such as drills and compressors for long periods of time can
cause long-term hearing problems and can even lead to deafness. Not to mention how distracting
noise can be, leading to other accidents in the process.
How to minimize these construction hazards:
 Managers can fill in noise risk assessment forms before workers start each work day
 Perform maintenance checks of PPE and fill in quality control forms
 Provide two-way communication for employees to inform their superiors of noise that
they weren’t adequately prepared for
6. Electrical Hazards
While electricity can be dangerous in all industries, it is one of the most common construction
workplace hazards. The harsh, outdoor conditions that construction workers often work in can
lead to electrical shocks.
According to OSHA, the following construction site hazards are the most common causes of
electrical injuries:
 Direct contact with power lines
 Ungrounded power supply to electrical equipment
 Equipment used inadequately
 Misused flexible cords and extensions
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  Lack of ground protection
 worker facing construction site hazards
 Photo by SAMS Solutions on Unsplash
 How to minimize these construction hazards:
 Set-up workplace safety guidelines specific to electrical work hazards
 Hold an annual safety meeting where employees can ask questions
Supply training guides on how to detect damaged/exposed wires and understand the severity of
coming into contact with electrical current.
 Get employee signatures on their acknowledgment
 Perform safety procedures
 Take photos to confirm that safety warnings and barrier systems are in place.
7.Harmful Airborne Materials
When it comes to construction, using materials that are potentially very dangerous comes with
the territory. If workers on site use damaged PPE or fail to use it properly, then they can expose
themselves to harmful materials such as asbestos, as well as dust particles from brick, cement,
plaster, and stone.
Construction workers are also at risk from frequent handling of toxic substances such as paint,
solvents, adhesives and a variety of other chemicals. This can lead to various eyesight and mouth
issues, as well as respiratory conditions such as asthma, asbestosis, and silicosis.
How to minimize these construction hazards:
 Employees can complete checklists to inspect the quality of their PPE.
 Minimize exposure of these materials by sharing harmful material handling guidelines
and emergency protocols in the event of spillage or accidents.
 Managers can complete risk assessment forms specifically for the storage and handling of
the aforementioned materials.

What are the main ways to control a hazard?

1. Elimination: remove the hazard from the workplace.
2. Substitution: replace the hazard (e.g., hazardous products, machines, etc.) with a less
hazardous one.
3. Engineering Controls: includes designs or modifications to plants, equipment, ventilation
systems, and processes that reduce the source of exposure.
4.Administrative Controls: controls that alter the way the work is done, including timing of
work, policies and other rules, and work practices such as standards and operating procedures
(including training, housekeeping, and equipment maintenance, and personal hygiene practices).
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5. Personal Protective Equipment: equipment worn by individuals to reduce exposure such as
contact with chemicals or exposure to noise.

2.3 Measures for controlling hazards

Hazard Prevention and Control
After hazards are identified, how can they be prevented and controlled? Some ways to prevent
and control hazards are:
 Regularly and thoroughly maintain equipment
 Ensure that hazard correction procedures are in place
 Ensure that everyone knows how to use and maintain personal protective equipment
 Make sure that everyone understands and follows safe work procedures
After detection, all current and potential hazards must be prevented, corrected or controlled.
Systems used to prevent and control hazards include:
1. Engineering Controls
The first and best strategy is to control the hazard at its source. Engineering controls do this,
unlike other controls that generally focus on the employee exposed to the hazard. Engineering
controls can be simple in some cases. They are based on the following principles:
 If feasible, design the facility, equipment, or process to remove the hazard or
Substitute something that is not hazardous.
 If removal is not feasible, enclose the hazard to prevent exposure in normal
Operations.
 Where complete enclosure is not feasible, establish barriers or local ventilation to
Reduce exposure to the hazard in normal operations.
2. Administrative Controls
While safe work practices can be considered forms of administrative controls, OSHA uses the
term administrative controls to mean other measures aimed at reducing employee exposure to
hazards. These measures include additional relief workers, exercise breaks and rotation of
workers.
3. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
When exposure to hazards cannot be engineered completely out of normal operations or
maintenance work, and when safe work practices and other forms of administrative controls
cannot provide sufficient additional protection, a supplementary method of control is the use of

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protective clothing or equipment. This is collectively called personal protective equipment, or
PPE.
PPE may also be appropriate for controlling hazards while engineering and work practice
controls are being installed. The evaluation should be used to set a standard operating procedure
for personnel, then train employees on the protective limitations of the PPE, and on its proper use
and maintenance. Using PPE requires hazard awareness and training on the part of the user.
4. Systems to Track Hazard Correction.
An essential part of any safety and health system is the correction of hazards that occur despite
the overall prevention and control program. For larger sites, documentation is important so that
management and employees have a record of the correction. Many companies use the form that
documents the original discovery of a hazard to track its correction. Hazard correction
information can be noted on an inspection report next to the hazard description. Employee
reports of hazards and reports of accident investigation should provide space for notations about
hazard correction.
5. Preventive Maintenance Systems
Good preventive maintenance plays a major role in ensuring that hazard controls continue to
function effectively. It also keeps new hazards from arising due to equipment malfunction.
Reliable scheduling and documentation of maintenance activity is necessary. The point of
preventive maintenance is to get the work done before repairs or replacement is needed.
Documentation is not only a good idea, but is a necessity. Certain OSHA standards also require
that preventive maintenance be done.

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 LO 3. Identifying OHS communication and reporting processes

3.1 OHS communication processes, information and documentation

Documentation in a Safety and Health Management System Any management system has
documentation requirements. After all, if it isn’t documented, then there is no proof that it was
done. System documentation provides, not only the proof that the system is in place, but the
review and understanding of the documentation provides for the continual improvement of the
system and the achievement of the management system goals

3.2 Role of designated OHS personnel

The Health & Safety Officer’s role is to prevent accidents, injuries, and work-related illnesses in
the workplace. They have a large number of duties to ensure that the workplace maintains high
standards of Health & Safety.
They must create and implement policies and procedures in accordance with current legislation.
It is also their responsibility to ensure that the policies and procedures are followed by all
employees.
If the Health & Safety Officer is working for an organization that employs five or more people,
they must also create a written Health & Safety policy and ensure that it is regularly updated to
reflect any changes to the law. They must ensure that each member of staff is aware and adheres
to this policy.
Another important aspect of the role of a Health & Safety Officer is running regular inspections
and reflecting their finding in risk assessments, which are used to ensure that any hazards are
rectified and risks are at a minimum.
They will also oversee the workplace's accident book and thoroughly investigate all accidents
that have occurred. They can use this information to ensure that accidents aren’t repeated as they
can recommend safety improvements to avoid a similar accident from occurring.

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Health & Safety Officers must also ensure that all staff receive adequate Health & Safety
Training appropriate for their job. This includes distributing mandatory training, like Fire
Awareness and Manual Handling.

3.2.1 Officer inspection and investigation authorities

The full authorities of an OHS officer to conduct inspections (section 51) and investigations
(section 53) have been expanded and updated in the new OHSAct. Some of the updated duties of
OHS officers are listed below.
During an inspection or investigation, officers may:
 require proof of corporate, business, or individual identity,
 access electronic documents relating to worker health and safety,
 bring along specialized equipment and/or technical experts e.g. OHShygienist or
process engineer,
 state any other terms and conditions the officer determines are appropriate,
 require the employer or a person designated by the employer to demonstrate how
a piece of equipment or machinery works,
 collect statements from persons not present at the work site (this may include
members of the public who have relevant information), and
 Enter a private dwelling that is a worksite with consent or with a warrant.

3.2.2 Specific Roles and Responsibilities to All Employees

All staff are required to take all reasonably practicable steps to:
 take care of their own health and safety
 carefully consider how their acts or omissions may affect the safety of others
 not intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse any school or office
resources that may impact on their health, safety and welfare or that of others
 comply with all Safe Working Procedures and safe systems of work at all times
 use appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at all times
 assist with the preparation of risk assessments and implementation of risk control
measures in relation to identified hazards
 update their school or office leadership about any medical condition they have
that: is life threatening or may require Emergency Services to be called
 could impact on their ability to perform their duties
 complete all OHS, first aid & emergency management training courses, as
required
 participate in all safety and compliance briefings as directed
 complete all site safety inductions as required; andundertake all other health and
safety duties as directed

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3.3 Safety signs and symbols
Safety signs and symbols are easily recognizable graphic labels that represent the general
protocol and safety instructions in either workplaces, establishments, or public spaces. The
appearance of safety signs and symbols can sometimes vary depending on the country or region,
but their general goal is to communicate safety information which transcends language barriers
and can be intoHealth and safety signs come in four distinct colors, and each indicates a different
warning or precaution. Signs and symbols are important as safety communication tools. Symbols
are easily identifiable and are used to direct and organize, record, and communicate. They also
help to indicate various hazards that present in plant sites or workplaces.
Blue safety signs are mandatory signs that explain a specific action. A yellow safety sign is a
warning or caution sign. Red safety signs usually indicate danger or prohibition of a certain
substance or act. Green signs are not designed to highlight danger, and instead indicate helpful
information and safe points, such as fire exits or first aid points.
Safety sign
Using the correct safety sign as an employer is a legal requirement set out by the Health and
Safety Executive, and it is therefore essential to understand health and safety signs and their
meanings in order to ensure your workplace is being kept safe.
1. Danger or prohibition signs
These safety symbols must be red and indicate that dangerous behavior must be stopped. They
can also tell the reader to stop or not enter. For a prohibition sign to be within the law, red must
cover at least 35% of the sign. Usually, these safety symbols have a black image on a white and
red background. For prohibition signs, a red circle with a strike-through line indicates which
action must be stopped. The most common red prohibition signs are no-smoking signs.

2. Warning safety signs

These are health and safety signs with a yellow background that tell the reader to take
precautions or be careful. They warn of possible dangers, such as an electric or trip hazard.
Warning signs are often triangular in shape, with a black image and black edging. These warning
safety signs are usually accompanied by some text explaining the warning in more detail

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3. Mandatory signs
Mandatory health and safety signs are always blue and tell the reader that a certain action is
required. If you work in construction, these are commonly seen at the entrance to the
construction site and tell employees that they must follow a certain action, such as wearing the
appropriate PPE.

These mandatory signs are on a blue background with white text and a white image.
4. Emergency exit signs
When things go wrong, people need to know where to go to find things such as emergency
related facilities, emergency exits, first aid or safety equipment. Emergency Information safety
signs help you to put SAFETY FIRST and the locations and directions to emergency items are
displayed through white symbols and text on a green background, usually reading FIRST AID
KIT or EMERGENCY PHONE

5. First aid signs

First aid signs are also green and indicate a first aid zone within an area. As green is a neutral
color, it can indicate help and safety. First aid signs are not always mandatory, but can be helpful
depending on your work setting. They can also be used to indicate where specialist first aid
equipment is kept, such as a defibrillator.
6. Fire safety signs and fire equipment signs

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Fire safety signs are always red, as this color represents danger or fire, and is eye-catching in an
emergency situation. It could indicate a fire alarm call point or firefighting equipment. Usually,
these are a rectangular or square shape with a white image on a red background. They may also
be accompanied by some text.

7. DANGER signs: are designed to indicate the warning of a particular hazard or conditions that
are potentially life threatening and could KILL YOU. They have a red and black header with the
word DANGER and commonly include HIGH VOLTAGE and DO NOT ENTER.

LO 4. Identify OHS incident response procedures.

4.1 General procedures for responding to incidents and emergencies

Incidents and Near Misses
Workplaces may have different response procedures for managing incidents, however, the
general principles and steps for responding to incidents are the same
Incident response procedures involve minimizing harm to people and damage to the site,
equipment, building or environment. Most worksites conduct incident response drills for the
common incidents that may occur, such as fire or evacuations.
Incidents can be:
 accidents causing injury or damage to property, or
 Near misses or dangerous occurrences which do not cause injury but may pose a risk to
persons or property and which need to be reported to prevent a recurrence.
Near misses and dangerous occurrences vary between states and territories, but can include:
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  damage to equipment, machinery or plant that could cause injury or endanger the health
or safety of people in the workplace
 damage or collapse of plant or equipment, cranes, hoists, lifts or scaffolding collapse or
failure of excavations, shoring or any structure
 collapse or partial collapse of a building or structure uncontrolled fire, explosion, gas or
other dangerous substancesany other occurrence involving imminent risk of any of the
above

Emergency Responses
Emergencies are sudden unforeseen events that require immediate action. They have the
potential for serious personal injury, illness, death and catastrophic property damage. An
emergency is usually the product of an unplanned incidentthat may have occurred as a
result of unforeseen forces such as storm, flood, fire, collapse or some type of natural or
manmade physical act or failure.

Emergencies usually occur when they are least expected or with very short response time.
Types of workplace emergencies include: chemical spills
 fires
 structural collapse
 serious injuries to personnel bomb threat
 medical evacuations, casualties from accidents explosion
 vehicle or plant accidents
 toxic or flammable fumes emissions

The allocation of roles and responsibilities of people assigned to carry out various tasks
should be included. The following should be considered:
 The provision of any plant or equipment, rescue or retrieval equipment, first aid,
crane lift box stand by, fire extinguishers, post traumatic counselling and/or de-
briefing of employees. If people on site are affected an emergency team may be
required.
 Communication channels to outside emergency services and an indication of who
will take charge. List of emergency phone numbers, agreed places where
emergency services are to come to, such as “south gate”.
 Agreed maps or plans of site showing exit and assembly points, on-site
transportation arrangements and coordination. Site visits and orientation for
emergency services depending on size and complexity of site.
 Training, instruction, providing information about evacuation procedures to be
followed such as an agreed assembly point for site personnel, checking off
personnel list to ensure all are accounted for and conducting emergency drills and
assembly point orientation and timing.
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  Regular checks of the provision of emergency equipment such as firefighting
equipment, rescue equipment, first aid and adequacy of emergency exits.

 As the site changes there may be a need to expand emergency resources or to

revise the emergency plan. It should be regularly reviewed and updated with input
from all workers.

Emergency plans should:

 provide simple information on evacuation procedures, exit routes and safe assembly
points
 outline quick responses to eliminate or control the danger
 provide a fail-safe communication system to report emergencies and monitor evacuations
Emergency plans help to prevent: panic
 breakdown of the usual lines of authority and communication
 poor judgment decisions under pressure
 Emergency plans also help in: keeping people safe making the right decisions
 quick effective evacuations
The plan should also include:
 contact details for all emergency services including on-site emergency personnel
 contact details for employees who can provide more information to workers

4.2 Requirements for the selection and use of relevant personal protective
equipment
4.2.1The Requirement for PPE
To ensure the greatest possible protection for employees in the workplace, the cooperative efforts
of both employers and employees will help in establishing and maintaining a safe and healthful
work environment.
In general, employers are responsible for:
 Performing a “hazard assessment” of the workplace to identify and control physical and
health hazards.
 Identifying and providing appropriate and adequate PPE for employees.
 Training employees in the use and care of the PPE.
 Maintaining PPE, including replacing worn or damaged PPE.

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  Periodically reviewing, updating and evaluating the effectiveness of the PPE program.
4.2.2 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
In general, employees should:
 Properly wear PPE,
 Attend training sessions on PPE,
 Care for, clean and maintain PPE, and
 Inform a supervisor of the need to repair or replace PPE.

4.2.3 Selecting PPE

All PPE clothing and equipment must be of safe design and construction, and be maintained in a
clean and reliable fashion. Employers shall take the fit and comfort of PPE into consideration
when selecting appropriate items for their workplace. PPE that fits well and is comfortable to
wear will encourage employee use. Most protective devices are available in multiple sizes and
care should be taken to select the proper size for each employee. If several different types of PPE
are worn together, make sure they are compatible. If PPE does not fit properly, it can make the
difference between being safely covered or dangerously exposed. It may not provide the level of
protection desired and may discourage employee use
Training Employees in the Proper
Use of PPE
Employers are required to train each employee who must use PPE. Employees must be trained to
know at least the following:
 When PPE is necessary.
 What PPE is necessary?
 How to properly put on, take off, adjust and wear the PPE.
 The limitations of the PPE.
 Proper care, maintenance, useful life, and disposal of PPE.
Employers shall make sure that each employee demonstrates an understanding of the PPE
training (i.e., in a language they understand) as well as the ability to properly wear and use PPE
before they are allowed to perform work requiring the use of the PPE.

4.3 Fire safety equipment

Fire safety tips for construction sites
Fires on construction sites cause major property loss and can be deadly. Developing a site-
specific fire prevention and inspection policy can minimize the potential for fires on construction
sites. Consider these tips for fire safety.
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Fire prevention policy
OSHA requires that each job site have a fire prevention plan and such plan should include these
items:
 Access to all firefighting equipment must be maintained at all times.
 All firefighting equipment must be conspicuously located and maintained.
 Training must be provided to employees who will use fire protection equipment.
 Portable fire extinguishers are required on all job sites.
 Fire emergency reporting numbers should be prominently posted.
 Flammable and combustible liquids must be stored and dispensed properly.
 LP gas-fired equipment must be used and LP cylinders stored in accordance with
regulations.
 Ensure workers know how to report a fire or other emergency to minimize response time.
 Develop an inspection program that periodically reviews the fire prevention efforts on the
project.
Here is an overview of the different types of firefighting equipment that are currently available.
Fire Extinguishers
You should always be aware of the dangers of the incorrect use of firefighting equipment. This is
true for all firefighting equipment, including fire extinguishers.
A fire extinguisher should never be used to prop open a door. It should always be fixed to the
wall, and it should be checked monthly by a service technician.
Most modern fire extinguishers are developed to deal with many different fire scenarios. Fire
extinguishers can be filled with powder, water additive, foam, or carbon dioxide.
When choosing a fire extinguisher, be sure to pick one that will fight the fires that are most likely
to develop in your business or home.

Fire hose
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The fire hose reel lets out a powerful stream of water that extinguishes large fires. The hoses
usually come in a fire hose reel, which holds 30 meters of tubing. This makes the hose easy to
unravel so a fire can be fought quickly. Fire brigades can also attach different nozzles to the end
of the hose to fight a variety of fire situations. A fire hose is one of the standard types of
firefighting equipment, and it is effective against even the largest fires.

Fire Buckets
A fire bucket is considered the simplest piece of firefighting equipment, but still serves a
purpose. The standard red bucket has the word ‘Fire’ written on it and it is made of metal or
plastic.
It can be filled with water or you can fill it with a flame smothering powder like Flamezorb.To
use, dump the bucket over the fire and keep repeating the process until the fire is out

Fire and Welding Blankets

Fire blankets are used to smother small fires that start in the workplace or at home. Economy fire
blankets or white kitchen blankets are a good choice for a small kitchen or for a caravan. A
larger workshop or restaurant kitchen should have a 1.2m x 1.2m blanket in case of emergencies.
If you work in a commercial kitchen or in a place that stores flammable liquids, you’ll want the
large 1.8m x 1.75m fire blanket. These blankets have a special pull tab that allows you to open

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them quickly. Welding blankets are used to protect welders from sparks and splatter. These
blankets come in three different weights and sizes.

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