Work Equipment (General) Flashcards
PUWER 1998
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
Reg 4 (1) PUWER
Requires every employer (or self-employed) person to ensure work equipment provided for use at work is so constructed or adapted as to be suitable for the purpose for which it is used or provided
Definition of Work Equipment
Any machinery, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation for use at work.
Extremely wide scope and covers almost any equipment used at work
Motor vehicles under PUWER
Any motor vehicle not privately owned is included under PUWER, however more specific road traffic legislation takes precedence.
Definition of Use under PUWER
Starting, stopping, programming, setting, transporting, repairing. modifying, maintaining, servicing or cleaning
3 aspects to consider for suitability and safety of work equipment
1) Initial integrity
2) the place it will be used
3) the purpose for which it will be used
Ergonomics
Employers must consider ergonomic risks of work equipment
Ergonomic principles to take into account
Allowing for variability in the operators physical dimensions
Providing enough space for movements
Avoiding a machine-determined work rate
Avoiding monitoring requiring lengthy concentration
Adapting the man/machinery interface to the characteristics of the operative
Effective work equipment controls
Accessible
Identifiable
Usable
Regs 14 - 18 PUWER
Deals with controls and control systems
Equipment controls
Located in a safe position and easy to identify and understand the effect it has and what equipment it effects
Stop Controls
Should bring equipment to a safe condition in a safe manner and take priority over operating or start controls
Emergency stop controls
Provided at control points and other appropriate locations to enable action to be taken quickly
EHSRs
Essential Health and Safety Requirements for controls
Reducing the need for access
Need for access for operators and maintainers should where possible be designed out before manufacture by automation or remote systems
Anthropometric guard design
Guards designed and constructed to prevent any part of the body from reaching the danger zone
Openings in guards
Should be sufficient distance to prevent the person reaching the hazard
Testing effectiveness of guard openings
Carry out a reach test with the machinery at rest and in a safe condition
Barriers
Where guards are not practicable barriers can be used to prevent people reaching the danger zone
Calculation of safety distance measurements required for barriers
Height of Danger Zone (a) Height of protective structure (b) Horizontal distance (c)
Recommended height of perimeter fencing for barrier
1.8m
Risk Assessment under PUWER
No specific requirement however implied and referenced under several of the regulations (4,6,7,11,12)
Identify Hazards
Consider who may be harmed
Evaluate the Risk
Ensure the adequacy of control
Initial Integrity
When work equipment is first provided for use it meets certain essential H&S requirements.
Location and purpose of use
Employees must not be put at any additional risk as a result of using the equipment in a particular location and/or for a particular purpose.
Employer must assess the risks associated with location and purpose of use to ensure no additional danger is posed
Equipment should only be used for tasks it was intended for.
Ensuring equipment is Suitable
Employer has to foresee any likely problems that might arise which could affect H&S of operators while they are using the equipment and address them.
Installation where safe operation is critically dependant
Must be properly installed by competent person
Competent person must carry out suitable inspection before use
Deterioration of work equipment
Wear and tear or the effects of damp or corrosive atmosphere could lead to significant risk to operator. Periodic suitable inspections should be arranged.
Exceptional circumstances which may result in need for inspection
Major modifications, refurbs or major repair work
Known or suspected serious damage
Substantial change in nature of use
Protection against specific hazard under PUWER
Material falling from equipment Material held in equipment being thrown out Parts breaking off Parts coming apart Overheating or fire Explosion of equipment Explosion of substances in the equipment
Risk control hierarchy - PUWER
Eliminating Risks
Taking ‘hardware’ (physical) measures
Taking ‘software’ (management) measures
Absolute duty under PUWER for Maintenance
Maintain work equipment in and efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.
Efficient relates to how it might effect H&S not productivity.
MTBF
Mean Time Between Failures - failure incidence
MTTR
Mean Time To Repair - Reducing downtime after failure
Why are Maintenance Strategies required?
To reduce the likelihood of ‘chance failures’ and to replace components before ‘ware out failures’ occur
Maintenance Methodologies
Breakdown
Planned Preventative
Condition Based
Breakdown Maintenance
Practice to restore defective or damaged equipment to full operational capability and reliability and ‘as built’ condition.
Cannot be scheduled,
Only appropriate if the failure does not present an immediate risk.
Should not form the basis of a maintenance policy or be the major percentage of the maintenance workload
Planned Preventative Maintenance
Lubrication, oil changes, parts replacement, adjustments, alignments, cleaning etc.
Scheduled at pre-determined intervals.
Can reduce unexpected failures but can be expensive as it is often carried out without regard to equipment condition
Condition Monitoring
Effective to diagnose the symptoms of impending failures.
Can include sampling and analysis, vibration monitoring, Non-Destructive techniques and electrical testing.
The availability of trend analysis can help reduce the number of breakdowns.
Inspection Reg 6 PUWER
Every employer to ensure that, where the safety of work equipment depends on the installation conditions, it is inspected to ensure it has been installed correctly and is safe to operate
Inspection regimes are required for what equipment?
Fairground Rides
Machinery where the danger zone is approached during operation
Complex automated equipment
Integrated production lines
Purpose of an Inspection
To identify whether the equipment can be operated, adjusted and maintained safely and that any deterioration can be detected before it creates unacceptable risks
Examples of Inspection
Quick checks before use
Weekly checks
More extensive examinations (every few months or longer)
Who decides the need for any testing?
The competent person, they also determine the nature of the inspection
Functional Testing of Safety-related parts
Includes:
Guard and protective devices
Brakes and lights
Emergency stop controls
Safe Maintenance Operations
Duty under Reg 22 to ensure that maintenance operations can be carried out (SFARP) without risk to health and safety.
Material Failure
When a material becomes unable to do the function it was originally intended or designed for
Primary causes of Material Failure
Operating Loads - stress, impact and frictional loading
Environmental conditions - Corrosive, high temp, high energy
Stress and Strain - Materials
Stress - Relationship between applied force and the area over which it acts
Strain - Measurement of change in the shape of the material/object as a result of the application of force
Material stress formula
Stress = Force / Area
Material strain formula
Strain = Change in length (extension) / Original length
Common failure modes
Fatigue
Ductile Failure
Brittle Fracture
Buckling
Corrosive Failure
Failure mode - Fatigue
Extremely common.
Occurs when a material fractures into 2 or more pieces after being subjected to a cyclic stress (fluctuating load) over a period of time.
Metals and polymers are typically susceptible to fatigue failure whilst ceramics are more resistant.
3 stages of Fatigue Failure mechanism
Crack initiation
Crack propagation
Material rupture
Failure mode - Ductile Failure
Ductile materials will elastically or plastically strain to accommodate the load and absorb energy. When the load is too much they can no longer return to its original shape and size, and then can lead to ductile fracture
Failure mode - Brittle Failure
Brittle facture occurs when mechanical loads exceed a materials ultimate tensile strength causing it to fracture into 2 or more parts, without undergoing any significant plastic deformation or strain failure.
Naturally brittle materials include glass and ceramics
Failure mode - Buckling
Occurs when a material subjected to compressive or torsional stress can no longer support the load and it fails by bulging, kinking, bowing etc..
Depends on the shape and dimensions of the material not it’s strength or hardness.
More likely to occur at higher temperatures
Failure mode - Corrosion
Metal or alloy deteriorates due to chemical or electrochemical reaction.
Uniform/General Corrosion
Corrosive attack over large surface area resulting in thinning of the material until failure occurs
Galvanic Corrosion
Occurs when 2 dissimilar metals are electrically connected. This results in increased rate of oxidation leading to surface corrosion in the areas they connected.
Non-Destructive Testing
Detection and evaluation of flaws in materials which could lead to loss of strength or failure in service of a material or structure
Form of condition monitoring.
Range of test processes which produce no harmful effects on the material being tested
NDT is important in
Quality Control
Assessing Plant Life
Assuring on-going safe operation
NDT - Simple Visual Inspection
Examination of surfaces can reveal many flaws. Can be done by sight or using microscopes or borescopes.
Can be filmed and recorded.
Cost increases with magnification and equipment needed
NDT - Dye Penetrant Techniques
Simple low cost method to detect surface breaking flaws (cracks etc.)
Unsuitable for rough or dirty surfaces.
Advantages - Speed, low cost, large area coverage
Dye is placed on the surface and then checked under UV light so the cracks can be detected
NDT - Radiography
X-rays or Gamma rays to inspect the item for flaws.
Can use x-ray machine which is less exposure to radiation but more expensive and less portable
or
Gamma pellet which is cheaper and more portable but can lead to more exposure.
NDT - Acoustic Methods
depends on exciting vibrations in a specimen by impact and measuring the vibrations against resonant frequency or decay over time.
Resonant inspection - Allows an entire component to be inspected in one test which will identify defects
Acoustic Ranging - Directs a burst of energy towards and acoustically reflect target object. The time it takes the echo to return is measured
NDT - Acoustic Emission Testing
Detects transient electric waves produced by sudden redistribution of stress in material
NDT - Ultrasonic Methods
Use beams short wavelength and high frequency mechanical waves transmitted from a small probe and detected by the same or other probes
Detects internal hidden deformities below the surface
NDT - Eddy Current Testing
Places a coil carrying an AC current close to the specimen surface. The current in the coil generates circulating eddy currents close to the specimen surface which affect the current in the coil by mutual induction.
NDT - Magnetic Particle Inspection
Used for detection of surface or near surface flaws in ferromagnetic materials for crack detection.
Specimen is magnetised and fine iron particles are applied. They accumulate in regions of flaws
Competence
Ability to perform activities within an occupation or function to the standards expected in employment.
Competence assessment is necessary to ensure a person can perform to the required standard.
Competence definition in MHSWR Reg 7
A person shall be recognised at competent where he has sufficient training, experience or knowledge and other qualities to enable him to properly assist in undertaking the measures referred to.
Regulation 9 of PUWER re Training
All persons who use work equipment have received adequate training for the purposes of H&S including:
Training in methods which may be adopted
Any risks
The precautions
Any employees who supervise or manage the used of work equipment also receives training as above
Adequate Training
Evaluate existing competence
Evaluate competence required
Train to make up any shortfall
Training needs assessment
On recruitment
If risks exposed to change
New equipment or technology is introduced
System of work changes
Refresher Training
Necessary to protect against the natural decline in skills not used regularly
Training for Young People
Particularly important because of relative immaturity and unfamiliarity with the working environment
Training for Managers / Supervisors
Same as operator.
Includes risks posed and any preventative or protective measures in place to safeguard the operator.
Specific types of Hazardous Work Equipment under the syllabus with specific training needs
Chainsaws Power presses Woodworking machines Abrasive wheels Self-propelled work equipment
Specific Training needs - Chainsaws
Must attend a LANTRA approved training course and receive a National Proficiency Test Council certificate of competence
Specific Training needs - Power Presses
Must be an appointed person to undertake daily inspection and tests
Designated persons who are responsible for setting, resetting, adjustment or trying out tools on a power press or who install or adjust guards
Managers and supervisors
Specific Training needs - Woodworking Machines
Training should be provided for not only operators but those who assist in the process, such as those taking off, feeding and loading work pieces. Also for those who clean and maintain the machinery. Must include:
General Instruction on safety skills and knowledge common to woodworking processes
Machine specific instruction, including dangers arising from the machine and caused of accidents and safe working practices
Familiarisation through on job training under close supervision
Competence for Woodworking Machines
Demonstrated when safe working practices are consistently used when working at the machine.
When deemed competent the worker should be authorised in writing by a responsible person
Authorisation for Woodworking Machines
Given when the responsible person is satisfied the operator is sufficiently trained and competent and has demonstrated safe working practices.
Should list the machines and operations which are being authorised, and should make clear other machines should not be used until authorisation is given.
Specific Training needs - Abrasive Wheels
Covers: Hazards and risks arising from use Methods of marking abrasive wheels How to store, handle and transport How to inspect and test Functions of all components used How to assemble correctly Proper method of dressing an abrasive wheel Correct adjustment of the work rest Suitable use of PPE
Specific Training needs - Self-propelled Work Equipment
Generally means driver operated powered mobile work equipment but can included remote controlled.
Should only be driven by workers who have received appropriate training in the safe driving of the equipment.
3 stages of training for Rider Operated Lift Trucks
Basic Training
Specific Job Training
Familiarisation Training
Information and Warnings - Regulations
Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008
Information as per Supply of Machinery Regs
Before machinery is placed on the market or put into service the responsible person must provide in particular information necessary to operate it safely, such as instructions
Info and Warnings on Machinery
Should preferably be easily understandable symbols or pictograms. Must be unambiguous and easy to understand.
Pressure System Definition
a) System with one or more pressure vessels or rigid construction and any associated pipework and protective devices
b) The pipework with its protective devices which a transportable pressure receptacle is connected
c) A pipeline and its protective devices
Pipework definition
A pipe or system of pipes together with associated valves, pumps and compressors and other pressure containing components but does not include pipeline or any protective devices
Pipeline definition
A pipe or system of pipes used to move relevant fluid across the boundaries of a premises
Protective devices definition
Devices designed to protect the pressure system against system failure, or devices designed to give warning failure might occur
Relevant fluid definition
- Steam
- Any fluid or mixture of fluids which is at pressure greater than 0.5bar above atmospheric pressure and which is a gas or a liquid which would have a vapour pressure greater than 0.5bar above atmospheric pressure
- A gas dissolved under pressure in a solvent
Vessel definition
A housing designed to contain fluids under pressure, including its direct attachments.
A vessel may comprise of more than one chamber
Regulations covering Pressure Systems
Pressure Systems Safety Regs 2000 (PSSR)
WSE
Written Scheme of Examination
Purpose of WSE
Specifies the nature and frequency of inspection of the following system parts:
All protective devices
Every pressure vessel and every pipeline in which a defect may give rise to danger
Those parts of the pipework in which a defect may give rise to danger
Definition of Examination of Pressure System
Careful scrutiny of a pressure system or part of a pressure system, in or out of service as appropriate using suitable techniques, including testing where appropriate
Frequency of Examination
Carried out at an early stage to identify any deterioration or malfunction.
Protective devices should be examined at the same frequency as the plant they are fitted to
Failure of Pressure Vessels
Overpressure Over Temperature Excessive Stress Abnormal External Loading Mechanical Fatigue and Shock Thermal Fatigue and Shock Brittle Fracture Creep Hydrogen Attack Corrosion
Information that must be marked on a pressure vessel
Manufacturers name Serial number Date of manufacture Standard to which is was constructed Min and Max allowable pressures Design temperature CE mark should also be affixed
