Element 5 - Work Equipment

Question 1

What does PUWER stand for?

Answer 1

Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998

Question 2

The phrase “Work Equipment” is used in a very broad way, but is in keeping with PUWER. Identify what equipment is meant by “Work Equipment”?

Answer 2

• Simple hand tools (hammer, screwdriver or chisel).
• Hand-held power tools (portable electric drill or saw).
• Single machines (photocopier, etc).
• Mobile work equipment (tractor, etc).
• Machine assemblies, where several machines are linked together.

Question 3

List the methods by which employers must prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery?

Answer 3

• Fix enclosed guards.
• Fix other guards and protection devices such as interlocked guards and pressure mats.
• Protection appliances such as jigs, holders and push-sticks.
• Information, instruction, training and supervision.

Question 4

When ensuring that safeguards are put in place to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery, there are 3 distinct principles. What are they?

Answer 4

• The safeguards place a physical barrier between a person and a dangerous part.
• The safeguards use devices that only allow access while the equipment is in a safe condition.
• The safeguard devices detect a persons presence and stops the machine.

Question 5

Outline the various regimes where by maintenance can be carried out on work equipment?

Answer 5

• Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM).
• Condition-based maintenance.
• Breakdown maintenance.

Question 6

Explain why maintenance work often creates greater risk for the staff involved?

Answer 6

• Guards and enclosures have to be removed to allow access.
• Safety devices have to be removed or disabled.
• Equipment has to be partially or completely dismantled.
• Power sources may be exposed (electrical supply).
• Stored power may be accidentally released (compressed springs).
• Access may be awkward (Space constraints).
• Handling of parts may be difficult (heavy parts).
• Additional hazards might be introduced (power tools).

Question 7

List some additional precautions that may be required during maintenance work?

Answer 7

• Maintenance should only be carried out by competent staff.
• Power sources should be isolated and physically locked off.
• Stored power should be released or secured to prevent accidental damage.
• Where power cannot be isolated, additional precautions are required (covering live parts with insulating material, using additional PPE such as insulating rubber gloves).
• If dangerous moving parts have to be accessed, additional precautions are required ( run at very slow speed rather than normal operating speed, fit maintenance guards that have made specifically to allow minimum access to required areas).
• Precautions should be taken to allow safe access, especially when working at height.
• Handling aids and equipment should be used to reduce manual handling risk.

Question 8

Identify what “Equipment Controls” should be?

Answer 8

• Well designed so they are easy to use.
• Placed at suitable locations on the equipment.
• Easily identifiable.
• Kept in good working order.
• Compliant with relevant standards.
• That stop controls override all other controls.

Question 9

List some BASIC requirements that equipment should meet?

Answer 9

• Be stable.
• Be appropriately marked.
• Have appropriate warning signs.

Question 10

List some considerations with regard to the physical environment around work equipment?

Answer 10

• Lighting considerations.
• Markings.
• Warnings.
• Space considerations.

Question 11

Outline the lighting considerations around work equipment?

Answer 11

• Adequate for both operators safety and others.
• Local lighting (spotlights) for high level lighting in critical areas.
• Lighting is suitable for equipment (avoid flickering light around a rotating piece of equipment).
• Lighting suitable for environment (intrinsically safe lighting used in a potentially flammable atmosphere).

Question 12

Outline the marking considerations around work equipment?

Answer 12

• “Stop/Start” controls.
• Abrasive wheel rotation speeds.
• Safe working loads.
• Colour coding of gas cylinders for recognition of contents.
• Contents of storage vessels and nature of hazardous contents.
• Pipework colour coding.

Question 13

Outline the warning considerations around work equipment?

Answer 13

• Notices.
• Safety signs.
• Permit to work systems.

Question 14

Outline the space considerations around work equipment?

Answer 14

• Adequate space for workers to move around work equipment.

- Other people move around safely without coming into close proximity to dangerous parts of machinery.

Question 15

Identify the responsibilities of users of work equipment?

Answer 15

• Only operate equipment that they are authorised to use.
• Operate in accordance with instruction and training.
• Only operate equipment for it’s intended purpose.
• Carry out necessary safety checks before using equipment.
• Not use equipment if it is unsafe.
• Report defects immediately.
• Not use equipment, if under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• Keep equipment clean and maintained in a safe working order.

Question 16

Outline some relatively simple hazards associated with hand tools like the hammer, chisel or screwdriver?

Answer 16

• Tool may shatter throwing off sharp metal fragments.
• Handle may come loose (axe comes off of handle).
• Tool may be blunt leafing to excessive force, which leads to a loss of control.
• Simple human error (misjudge movement - hammer hits thumb).
• Tool misused/used in an inappropriate way (screwdriver used as a crow bar).

Question 17

Identify some simple precautions to minimise hazards when using simple hand tools?

Answer 17

• Tool is suitable for task and used for it’s intended use.
• Information, instruction and training is given to the user.
• Tools are visually inspected before use.
• Tools are maintained.
• Supervision is given.

Question 18

Explain why portable power tools create greater risk than simple hand tools?

Answer 18

• The forces generated are far greater, therefore the potential for greater/more severe injury exists.
• Power tools have additional hazards that are not present with simple hand tools.

Question 19

List some additional hazards associated with power tools?

Answer 19

• Electricity.
• Fuel.
• Noise.
• Vibration.
• Dust.
• Ejection.
• Trip hazards.

Question 20

Identify the mechanical hazards of machinery?

Answer 20

• Crushing.
• Shearing.
• Cutting or Severing.
• Entanglement.
• Drawing in or trapping.
• Impact.
• Stabbing or Puncture.
• Friction or Abrasion.
• High pressure fluid injection.

Question 21

Define mechanical hazards?

Answer 21

• Mainly from contact with or being caught by dangerous moving parts.

Question 22

Define non-mechanical hazards?

Answer 22

• Mainly from power source or things emitted by the machine.

Question 23

List the types of safety measures that can be fitted to machinery or implemented when operating machinery?

Answer 23

• Fixed guards.
• Adjustable and Self-adjusting guards.
• Interlocked guards.
• Sensitive Protective Equipment (Trip Devices).
• Two-hand controls.
• Hand to run controls.
• Emergency stop controls.
• Protective appliances.
• PPE.
• Information, instruction and training.

Question 24

List the basic principles of a “Fixed Guard”?

Answer 24

• It completely prevents access to dangerous parts.
• It is fixed in place.
• Fixings require a tool for removal (guard must not be removable by finger force alone).

Question 25

Identify the main limitations with adjustable and self-adjusting guards?

Answer 25

• They do not completely prevent access to dangerous parts.
• They are very easy to defeat.
• They rely on 100% operator competence.

Question 26

Outline the main principles of “Interlocked Guards”?

Answer 26

• Power to the machine is disabled and the machine will not operate until the guard is in place.
• Either the guard is locked shut until it is safe for the guard to open, or the act of opening the guard stops the dangerous parts and disables power.

Question 27

Identify the different types of Sensitive Protective Equipment (Trip Devices)?

Answer 27

• Pressure mats.
• Trip bars.
• Photoelectric devices.

Question 28

Outline the main limitations of Sensitive Protective Equipment?

Answer 28

• They do not provide a physical barrier to prevent access.
• They can be overridden (platforms to span a pressure mat).
• May not operate fast enough to prevent harm.
• May be overly sensitive, leading to frequent trips, which can lead to an operator attempting to bypass them.
• They are more complicated than simple physical guards, and therefore fail more frequently which encourages misuse.

Question 29

Outline the important principles of “Two-hand controls”?

Answer 29

• Controls must be more than one hand span apart (to prevent one-handed operation).
• Controls must have to be activated simultaneously.
• Releasing the controls must stop the machine immediately.

Question 30

Outline the main limitations with “Two-handed controls”?

Answer 30

• Does not protect other parts of the body.

- It’s relatively east for two operators working together, to bypass the system.

Question 31

Outline the key principles of “Emergency stops”?

Answer 31

• They should bring the machine to a safe stop as quickly as possible.
• They should latch or lock so that the machine can only be re-started by going to the location of the button to re-set it.
• Release of the button should not re-start the machine.

Question 32

Outline the main limitations of “Emergency stops”?

Answer 32

• They are only used once the danger has been sensed by the operator (it might be too late).
• Despite good design, a person trapped by a machine may not be able to reach the emergency stop.
• It may not be possible to emergency brake the machine quickly enough to prevent injury.

Question 33

Give some basic characteristics of a guard or safety device?

Answer 33

• It meets relevant standards.
• It is strong and robust.
• It is compatible.
• It is not easy to defeat or bypass.
• It must not interfere with vision.
• It must not interfere with ventilation requirements.
• Easy to maintain.
• Safety device or guard should not have to be removed for maintenance to take place.
• It does increase the overall risk.

Question 34

Define CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS?

Answer 34

Refers not only to tools and work equipment, but also to materials and products used in construction.

Question 35

Define DANGEROUS PARTS OF MACHINERY?

Answer 35

Are those parts of a machine which may cause personal injury, including moving parts, sharp edges, etc.

Question 36

List the checks to be carried out on PORTABLE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT?

Answer 36

• Visual inspection for cable damage.
• Confirm correct cable for the tool.
• External inspection of plug.
• Internal inspection of plug wiring (correct fuse and rating).
• Cable correctly clamped in the plug and in the tool.
• On/off switch correctly operating and not damaged.
• Outer case undamaged.
• Earth bond test if a metal case.

Question 37

Describe the 6 general factors about machines and the way people use them which cause specific MECHANICAL HAZARDS?

Answer 37

• Shape of machine (sharp edges, angular parts).
• Relative motion of parts in relation to a person.
• Mass and stability of the machine.
• Acceleration of moving parts.
• Inadequate mechanical strength of the machine.
• Potential energy of elastic components.

Question 38

Give the NON- MECHANICAL HAZARDS of machinery?

Answer 38

• Electricity.
• Noise.
• Vibration.
• Hazardous substances.
• Ionising radiation.
• Non-ionising radiation.
• Extreme temperatures.
• Ergonomics.
• Slips, trips, falls.
• Fire and explosion.