3.8 Safe Systems of Work (SSW) Flashcards
When is a SSW required?
when hazards cannot be eliminated and a degree of risk remains after technical control measures are introduced.
A job safety analysis (JSA) may be used to…
break the task down into its component steps and identify hazards at each stage.
A simple SSW may be defined verbally, as a written procedure or become a formal Permit-to-Work (PTW), depending on the level of risk and the needs of the organisation. In all cases the SSW should:
Consider the preparations and authorisations necessary before beginning work; Ensure the job sequence is logically and clearly planned; Specify safe methods for undertaking specific activities; Specify safe means of access and egress if relevant; and Consider the end of activity tasks such as dismantling and disposal.
Once implemented the SSW will require periodic monitoring to ensure:
The system is workable and employees are comfortable following it; The procedures as specified are being followed and are effective; and Any changes to the workplace or work practises that would necessitate a review and reiteration of the SSW are identified ea
The Confined Space Regulations 1997 define a confined space as:
“any place, including any chamber, tank, vat, silo, pit, trench, pipe, sewer, flue, well or other similar space in which, by virtue of its enclosed nature, there arises a reasonably foreseeable specified risk.”
With regard to confined spaces, specified risks are risks of:
serious injury from a fire or explosion; loss of consciousness as a result of an increase in body temperature; loss of consciousness or asphyxiation arising from gas, fume, vapour or the lack of oxygen; drowning from an increase in the level of liquid; or asphyxiation from a free flowing solid, or entrapment by a free flowing solid preventing access to a breathable atmosphere.
Examples of doing work without entering a confined space include:
Sampling contents using long handled tools; Inspection of vessel interiors by remote controlled cameras and CCTV monitors; Cleaning by designed in self-cleaning systems