1

heal t h &
safet y
HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE AT WORK
This module aims, through the medium of discussion, worksheets, exercises and
information. to :
1. create an awareness of the i mportance of safety i n the work envi ronment;
2. hel p students recogni se hazards i n worki ng envi ronments;
3. create an opportuni ty for students to appreci ate the i mportance of safe worki ng practi ces;
4. know the ri ghts and responsi bi l i ti es of empl oyees and empl oyers;
5. understand some of the termi nol ogy rel ati ng to heal th and safety;
6. understand basi c safety l egi sl ati on and the rol e of the Heal th and Safety Authori ty.
7. el i ci t questi ons and sti mul ate di scussi ons
8. provi de an opportuni ty to devel op personal ski l l s
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Resources
Congress
31/32 Parnel l Squar e, Dubl i n 2
Tel : 8897777 http://www.i ctu.i e
The Health and Safety Authority has a vari ety of l eafl ets and bookl ets whi ch coul d be a
useful addi ti on to worki ng on thi s modul e.
10 Hogan Pl ace, Dubl i n 2. Tel : 6620400
http://www.has.i e/osh
There are al so a number of regi onal offi ces.
The Health Promotion Unit can pr ovi de a wi de range of i nformati on on i ssues such as
smoki ng, l i fti ng postur e, eyesi ght, heari ng and other heal th i ssues.The uni t can be
contacted at
The Department of Heal th and Chi l dren,
Harcourt House, Dubl i n 2.
Tel : 6354000 http://www.doh.i e e-mai l queri es: heal th.i rl gov.i e
or
Irish Cancer Society Heal th Promoti on Secti on
Tel : 6681855
or
Irish Heart Foundation, 4 Cl yde Road, Dubl i n 4
Tel : 6685001 http://www.i ri shheartfoundati on.i e
Al so avai l abl e on C.D. (Safety Heal th and Wel fare at Work) from
The National Parents Council Post-Primary,
Mari no Insti tute of Educati on,
Gri ffi th Avenue,
Dubl i n 9
Tel : 8570522
Some of the tasks outl i ned i n thi s modul e and the worksheets provi ded coul d be used as
materi al for a Heal th and Safety Awareness Day at the school .
Parents coul d, i f given adequate noti ce, provi de exampl es of safety bookl ets and safety
statements for di scussi on and use i n the cl assroom.
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Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989
At the end of a working day a person should be able to enjoy a full, active,
social and family life.
The most i mportant l aw to protect workers i s the Safety Heal th and Wel fare at Work Act
1989.Thi s Act i s an i mportant pi ece of l egi sl ati on that refers to everybody i n pai d
empl oyment i ncl udi ng the empl oyer, sel f-empl oyed and empl oyees.The mai n purpose of
the l aw i s to make work safe.
The Act re q u i res consul tati on wi th the wo r k f o rce on matter s of Safety, Health and We l f a re.
Empl oyers must ensure a safety representative i s appoi nted from the workforce .
In consul tati on wi th empl oyees, the empl oyer must publ i sh the name or names of peopl e
wi th responsi bi l i ty for safety and heal th i n the workpl ace.
S/he must al so pr epare a Safety Statement i n consul tati on wi th empl oyees.The Safety
Statement must i ncl ude i denti fi cati on of workpl ace hazards, dangers and ri sks, pl us
regul ati ons for the safe operati on of equi pment machi nery.
Empl oyers must ensure that equi pment i s safe and workabl e.
Empl oyees are obl i ged to avoi d causi ng i njury to themsel ves or others.
Empl oyees are requi red to r eport dangers i n the workpl ace to the empl oyer and make use
of cl othi ng and equi pment provi ded for heal th and safety reasons.
Al l workpl aces are requi red to have an anti -bul l yi ng pol i cy as part of thei r Safety
Statement. Procedures shoul d be cl earl y l ai d out and consi stentl y i mpl emented.
Irel ands l aws on heal th and safety are admi ni stered and enforced by
The Heal th and Safety Authori ty
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By Tim OBrien
S I X T Y-SIX people were reported killed
at work during 1998, a 40 per cent increase
on 1997, according to figures issued by the
Health and Safety Authority (HSA)
y e s t e r d a y. The highest number of deaths,
27, was in the farming sector. There were
22 in the construction industry and six in
the fishing industry. Manufacturing
accounted for two deaths.
Of the 66 people killed, 31 were self-
e m p l o y e d .
The HSApointed out that the figures for
the self-employed indicated that it was
d i fficult for the authority to send a message
to people about the duty of care to
t h e m s e l v e s .
The figures were just the tip of the
i c e b e rg in terms of the total number of
accidents and occasions of ill-health at
work, according to the director-general of
the HSA, Mr Tom Wa l s h .
He described the 27 deaths in the
farming industry, including six children, as
completely unacceptable. The causes of the
farm deaths were the obvious ones, he said,
:for example, eight deaths were from
transport equipment, five from falling
objects, three deaths caused by animals and
three from machinery.
Mr Walsh said that the authority would
continue its random inspections, which he
acknowledged would reach only a limited
number of farms. The HSAs view was that
farm bodies such as Teagasc should make a
renewed effort to advise farmers on safety.
He said that the authority welcomed the
recent proposals from the Minister for the
Marine, Dr Woods, to improve safety in the
fishing sector.
Atotal of 17 deaths occurred in the
mainstream construction sector, of which
eight resulted from falls from heights. Other
fatalities involved collapsing walls, burial in
trenches and transport accidents. Af u r t h e r
five died in construction maintenance work,
three from falls and two in accidents
involving machinery.
According to Mr Walsh, the fact that
there were no deaths in the construction in
the Dublin area, compared to nine in the
previous two years, was a glimmer of
h o p e .
Next year, he said, the authority would
continue to meet representatives of the
industries concerned and produce advisory
literature for employers and workers.
Irish Times 31/12/98
Concern as accidents at work
account for 66 deaths in year
By Aideen Sheehan
There has been a 40pc rise in
workplace deaths this year, reversing the
downward trend of previous years, the
Health and Safety Authority (HSA)
revealed yesterday.
Sixty-six people died in the workplace
this year, 55 of them in the high-risk
sectors of farming, fishing and
construction. This compared with 48
deaths in 1997 and was the highest level
since 1995 and the second highest in the
last seven years.
The stark figures were only the tip of
the iceberg however as many others were
injured or became ill through work, said
Tom Walsh, Director General of the HSA.
The grim tally raised questions about
whether employers were losing sight of
their legal and moral obligations to keep
people safe and healthy at work, he said.
Are employers and workers
themselves taking chances in the booming
economy? Are deadlines and work targets
too tight to allow jobs to be finished
safely?
It was completely unacceptable that
in farming alone 27 people, including six
children, had been killed this year, almost
double the 15 who died in 1997, said Mr
Walsh.
The causes of death on farms had been
very obvious and unavoidable, with eight
deaths from transport equipment such as
tractors, five from falling objects and
three caused by animals.
CONSTRUCTION
Seventeen deaths took place in
construction in 1998, eight of them
involving falls from heights while others
were caused by collapsing walls,
trenches and transport accidents. T h e
fact that no workers died in construction
this year, compared with nine the
previous two years, showed what could
be done when industry shouldered a
greater responsibility, Mr Walsh said.
The authority would keep a very high
level of vigilance in the capital next year
because so much of the building boom in
concentrated there, but industry chiefs on
small scale developments must also wake
up to their responsibilities, he said.
ENFORCE
Six people died in the fishing industry
and the authority welcomed measures by
the Marine Minister to improve safety in
this sector.
However, as 31 of those killed were
self-employed it was difficult to enforce
safety standards, Mr Walsh said.
The self-employed must undertake
every job as carefully as if their lives
depended on it, he added.
The authority will publish guidelines
on health and safety problems posed by
the millennium bug early next year.
Irish Independent 30/12/98
Death toll in the
workplace rises by 40pc
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Group discussion
How many peopl e were reported ki l l ed at work i n 1989?
Who i ssues fi gures on acci dents and deaths at work?
Who i s responsi bl e at nati onal l e vel for heal th and safety.
How many acci dents occurred i n farmi ng?
How many acci dents occurred i n the constructi on i ndustry?
How many peopl e di ed i n the fi shi ng i ndustry?
How many sel f-empl oyed workers were affected?
What are the probl ems faced by the sel f-empl oyed?
Summari se Mr Wal shs comments.
What i s your reacti on to thi s i nformati on?
Can you l i st the three hi gh-ri sk sectors for acci dents?
Assi gnment.
Fi nd out about more recent exampl es of acci dents and i njuri es i n l ocal and nati onal
newspapers. For an update on acci dents and i njuri es at work vi si t the Heal th and Safety
Authori ty Websi te at http://www.has.i e/osh
Each year approxi matel y 17,000 peopl e are i njured at work.
Injuri es cause pai n, sufferi ng and l oss to empl oyers and empl oyees.
Most acci dents can be predi cted and can usual l y be prevented.
There are l aws to protect your heal th and safety at work and you must al so take care to
obey the safety at work r egul ati ons.
Empl oyers have a responsi bi l i ty to l ook after thei r own and thei r empl oyers safety by
provi di ng a safe pl ace to work i n and a safe way to get i n and out of a bui l di ng.
The Safety, Heal th and Wel fare at work Act 1989 requi res al l empl oyers to pr epare safety
statements i n wri ti ng for thei r work pl acement.
A safety statement i s a very i mportant document. By wri ti ng up a safety statement you
can check out possi bl e acci dents and put i n pl ace ways of pr eventi ng them.
To wri te up a safety statement, empl oyer and empl oyees must i denti fy any hazards i .e .
anythi ng that coul d potenti al l y cause harm i n the workpl ace.
Hazards can be di vi ded i nto categori es such as physi cal , chemi cal , human, bi ol ogi cal and
transport.
Hazards can al so be descri bed as hi gh ri sk, medi um ri sk, or l ow ri sk.
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Arrange the fol l owi ng l i st of hazards i n
the workpl ace i n the appropri ate
categori es
Chemical Physical Human Biological Transport
Hazards Hazards Hazards Hazards Hazards
List of Hazards
Bri ght l i ght from a photocopi er; ul tra vi ol et l i ght from a sunbed; excess heat; excess col d;
mi crowaves; X-r ays; noi se; fungi ; bacteri a; vi ruses; parasi tes; farmers l ung; l ubri cants;
pai nts; gl ues; asbestos cement; drugs; aerosol s; al cohol ; fork l i fts; trucks; cranes; hoi sts;
el evators; vi ol ence; stabbi ng; robbery; aggressi on; verbal abuse; shooti ng; bul l yi ng.
What woul d you regard as a hi gh-ri sk hazard?
Are there some workpl aces whi ch have a hi gher ri sk of some hazards than others?
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Assi gnment
Prepare a Safety Statement
Di vi de i nto groups.
Wi th assi stance from teacher/tutor dr aw up a Safety Statement for one or a number of
departments i n the school bui l di ng, dependi ng on ti me constrai nts.
Each group coul d take a parti cul ar secti on or al l students coul d focus on one department,
for exampl e, the Home Economi cs Department.
Provi de each student wi th a sampl e Safety Statement and request them to compl ete i t.
Al ternativel y, students coul d desi gn thei r own Safety Statement.
Questi ons that need to be asked are:
Are there any physi cal hazards?
Are there any chemi cal hazards?
Are there any human hazards?
Are there any bi ol ogi cal hazards?
Are there any movement hazards?
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Safety Statement
This Safety Statement is our programme in writing to highlight the importance of health
and safety in ____________________________________________ (Name of classroom or
department). We want to protect ourselves from accidents and injury while at school.
We promise to be safety conscious, act responsibly, follow instructions and accept
directions when given. We will check and revise this statement regularly.
Examples of Hazards Risk of Injury is We need to do the
following to avoid
accidents and injuries
Ex: faulty socket Ex: Electric shock Ex:Report the fault
horseplay
bullying
litter
Si gned: _____________________________________________________
Cl ass group: ________________________________________________
Teacher/Tutor si gnature: ____________________________________
Date: _________
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Guidelines for Safe Practice at Work
The main duties of employers towards health and safety in the workplace are as follows:
Ensure, as far as i t i s reasonabl y practi cabl e, the heal th safety and wel fare at work of al l
empl oyees
Identi fy hazards to safety and heal th and provi de a safe and heal thy pl ace to work i n
El i mi nate bul l yi ng/harassment i n the workpl ace
Proper guards must be fi tted to dangerous machi nery
Establ i sh safe work practi ces
Machi nes must be servi ced r egul arl y and kept i n good worki ng order
Provi de personal protecti ve equi pment where necessar y
Machi nes and chemi cal s must be used, stored and transported safel y
Provi de as much advi ce, i nformati on, trai ni ng and supervi si on as i s possi bl e to ensure
heal th and safety of empl oyees
Empl oyer must provi de safe entrances and exi ts
Empl oyer must pr ovi de a wri tten safety statement and bri ng i t to the noti ce of al l
empl oyees
Adequate l i ghti ng and venti l ati on and heati ng at 16C must be provi ded
Toi l ets and washrooms must al so be provi ded
The empl oyer must ensure that the fi rms acti vi ti es do not pl ace the heal th and safety of
vi si tors at ri sk from dust, chemi cal s, noi se, fumes and fi r e.
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Guidelines for Safe Practice at work.
As an employee:
Treat any trai ni ng you recei ve seri ousl y - i t i s there to protect you!
Do not undertake tasks you have not been properl y trai ned to do.
Take reasonabl e care to avoi d i njury to onesel f and others
Avoi d horsepl ay or i nappropri ate use of equi pment
Do not use equi pment that you have not been trai ned to use
Fol l ow the regul ati ons that appl y i n your workpl ace
Stop and thi nk!
Ask questi ons!
Report anythi ng that coul d be potenti al l y dangerous
Co-operate to make your workpl ace safe
Make proper use of personal protecti ve equi pment
Behave i n a sensi bl e responsi bl e manner
Do not engage i n bul l yi ng or harassment at any ti me
Do not mi suse or abuse anythi ng that woul d make your workpl ace unsafe for your
col l eagues
Make proper use of al l machi nery tool s and substances
If your work isnt safe speak immediately to your supervisor, the safety representative or
a union representative.
If there is no action, call the Health and Safety Authority in confidence. They will
provide advice, information and prompt action
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Smoking in the workplace
Read the following information.
Many peopl e spend a l ar ge part of thei r worki ng l ives worki ng wi th others i n a worki ng
envi ronment.
Can you gi ve some exampl es of worki ng envi ronments?
Most workers nowa d ays want their homes and thei r workpl aces as free as possible fro m
health ri sks and hazard s . It is now ack n ow l e d ged that smoki ng and passive smoking is a
signi fi cant heal th ri sk, t h e re f o re a smoke free atmosphere is now the norm for most people.
It i s i mportant that you know and understand the reasons for smoke free pol i ci es i n any
organi sati on you may work i n as a student or an empl oyee. There may be a ban on
smoki ng or a parti al ban on smoki ng for a number of reasons.
Heal th reasons
Fi re safety
Hygi ene
Legi sl ati on
Product i mage reasons
The or gani sati on i tsel f i s a promoter of heal th
Deal i ng wi th the publ i c
Posi ti ve i mage to customers or the market i n general
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Role Play
Imagi ne you are gi ven responsi bi l i ty for deci di ng on a non-smoki ng pol i cy i n your
workpl ace. A number of col l eagues have vol unteered to work on a commi ttee wi th you to
i mpl ement a fai r and reasonabl e pol i cy i n the workpl ace .
You and your col l eagues have di fferent opi ni ons and atti tudes to smoki ng and your task
i s to come up wi th an agreement regardi ng a non-smoki ng pol i cy i n the workpl ace, whi ch
i s acceptabl e to everyone and obeys the present l e gi sl ati on.
Your pl ace of work i s a retai l store. There i s a bri sk trade i n l ei surewear such as tracksui ts
and shi rts and ki ts for vari ous teams are sol d i n the shop. The company l ogo pl aces an
emphasi s on heal th and fi tness and sponsors vari ous sports events.The mai n area of the
company i s fl oor space to sel l the product, there are i ndi vi dual offi ces, a meeti ng room, a
smal l canteen and rest area, toi l ets and washi ng faci l i ti es, fi tti ng rooms, a smal l di spl ay
area assi gned to the sporti ng events and personal i ti es that the company sponsors. There
i s an open area to the front of the store for parki ng and there i s a smal l l andscaped area
near the entrance to the bui l di ng where there i s l i mi ted seati ng.
There are 14 peopl e worki ng i n the company, 6 who are smokers. Two are very heavy
smokers and have on several occasi ons tri ed to stop, the other 4 need to smoke at break
ti mes and l unch breaks.They are not parti cul arl y i nterested i n stoppi ng and feel they
need to smoke when they have thei r breaks.
Another four peopl e on the staff used to smoke but have stopped for vari ous reasons and
range from havi ng given up smoki ng twenty years ago to just a few months ago. One
worker, a non-smoker, i s pregnant, one i s a severe asthmati c and one worker, who i s
neari ng reti rement, i s prone to respi ratory probl ems.
The Task
Your task i s to set out a no smoki ng pol i cy for the retai l store and the peopl e
worki ng ther e.
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People
Di vi de your cl ass group i nto groups of four. The four peopl e are a manager, a safety
r epresentative, a uni on r epresentative and a sal es assi stant. Of the four peopl e one i s
asthmati c, another i s pr egnant, one i s a heavy smoker and another i s a non-smoker! You
may al so appoi nt an extra person as a neutral observer to take notes and report back to
the mai n group.
Your brief is to set out a no-smoking policy for the store.You must suggest four
proposals that your group would like to put forward.
Time
The meeti ng i s hel d at l unch hour so you have appr oxi matel y 30 mi nutes to come up
wi th some suggesti ons. The staff may wi sh to conti nue di scussi ons at a number of
meeti ngs and thi s wi l l have to be agreed.
Possible discussion points or agenda for the meeting:
You must decide:
What type of smoki ng ban woul d be fai rest to the staff.
Shoul d there be a ban on smoki ng i n al l areas or i n certai n areas?
Shoul d peopl e be al l owed to smoke i n the canteen or on the seats outsi de the entrance?
At certai n ti mes and restri cted to certai n areas?
What rul es for (a) the shop fl oor (b) shared offi ces?
What rul es for meeti ngs and i n the meeti ng room?
What rul es for (a) corri dors (b) l i fts (c) toi l ets (d) washi ng areas?
What i mpressi on mi ght smoki ng give to customers, especi al l y i f the companys l ogo i s
emphasi si ng heal th and fi tness?
How woul d you offer support for peopl e who want to stop?
Woul d you hand out i nformati on from vari ous organi sati ons such as the Iri sh Heart
Foundati on, The Iri sh Cancer Soci ety the Heal th Promoti on Uni t? (Addresses and Websi tes
are at the be gi nni ng of thi s modul e)
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How woul d you deal wi th peopl e who broke the rul es or i gnored the rul es?
How woul d you go about fi ndi ng out e veryones vi ew, opi ni ons and suggesti ons?
What gui del i nes or si gns woul d you suggest for vi si tors to the premi ses?
Shoul d the vi ew of non-smokers take pri ori ty?
Di scussi on or Debate
In the interests of everyones health there should be a total ban on smoking in all
workplaces.
Do you agree or di sagree?
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Working in a Shop
Many young peopl e work part-ti me i n shops and stores. Customer safety i s ver y
i mportant, and so too i s the safety of peopl e worki ng i n the workpl ace.
Here i s a l i st of hazards that workers need to be al ert of whi l e worki ng i n a shop, store or
supermarket or si mi l ar workpl ace.
After each hazard:
(a) Descri be a possi bl e i njury or acci dent that coul d occur
(b) Suggest one way the acci dent or i njury coul d be prevented.
Accident Prevention
Wet fl oors pool s of water:
Mats on fl oors:
Water:
Frui t:
Steps/stai rs:
Contai ners of oi l :
Boxes l eft around:
Ci garettes:
Cooki ng faci l i ti es l eft on:
Vandal i sm and robbery:
Heavy l oads:
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Objects fal l i ng or droppi ng:
Meat sl i cers:
Roti sseri es:
Sharp kni ves:
Steam / hot water:
Col d rooms:
Changi ng bul bs, l oose wi res,
faul ty sockets:
Chri stmas l i ghts:
Si gns:
Cl eaners, chemi cal s,
pai nts and gl ues:
Handbags:
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Working on a Farm
Did you know that over 30% of acci dents on farms invo l ve ch i l d ren and young peopl e?
S t u dy the li st that foll ow s , e a ch i tem listed is ve ry famil iar on a far m and anyone worki ng on
a farm or visiting a farm could have access to all or some of the i tems and ani mal s li sted.
Usi ng the l i st name some hazards one coul d expect on a farm.
What accidents could happen? What injuries could occur?
Pesti ci des
Sheep di ps
Weedki l l ers
Ferti l i sers
Si l age
Sl urry pi ts
Tractors, trai l ers
Other vehi cl es
Farm bui l di ngs
Hay sheds
Bal es of str aw
Cattl e crushes
Bul l s
Si ck ani mal s
Cal vi ng cows
Dogs
Ladders
Roofs
Wet ground
Gates
Moul dy fodder and feedstuffs
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Group work
In groups of four, work out some advi ce and i nformati on you woul d gi ve to someone
vi si ti ng a farm.
Your pri mary ai m i s to ensure that the vi si tor has a pl easant and safe vi si t to the farm.
Wri te a funny and entertai ni ng story or poem about l i fe on a farm, poi nti ng out as man y
dangers as possi bl e that the farmer may meet i n a days work.
Working on a Construction Site
Di d you know that over 100,000 peopl e are empl oyed i n constructi on i n Irel and and, as
you read thi s, the fi gure i s ri si ng.
Some points to note!
Safety equi pment and hel mets do prevent i njury and death
The fi rst week on si te i s the most dangerous
Acci dents are more frequent at the end of the day
Smal l bui l di ng jobs are the most ri sky
Trai ners and runners are not sui tabl e footwear on si te
Hazards on a Construction Site
Read the fol l owi ng handout and i n pai rs answer the questi ons
1. Ladders- how coul d acci dents occur?
2. Li fti ng what are the dangers?
3. Roofs what are the dangers?
4. Transport dumper trucks, cranes etc what must workers watch for?
5. Scaffol di ng what are the dangers?
6. Power tool s what i s the greatest ri sk to workers usi ng them?
7. Excavati on work what are the dangers when di ggi ng hol es, trenches, foundati ons etc?
8. El ectri ci ty what coul d happen and how?
9. Dust, pai nt, asbestos, wel di ng cements what are the ri sks?
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Usi ng your answers from the pr evi ous questi ons try and i denti fy at l east twel ve (12)
common hazards for workers on a constructi on si te.
Imagine you have been elected safety officer on site.
What advi ce woul d you give to a young person about to start work on the si te?
What rul es woul d you put i n pl ace to ensure the safety of everyone on si te.
What gui del i nes and i nstructi ons woul d you gi ve to vi si tors to the si te?
What woul d be your bi ggest concerns on a day to day basi s?
What protecti ve cl othi ng woul d workers need to wear at al l ti mes?
What woul d you say or do to a worker who consi stentl y refused to wear a hard hat or
proper boots?
Prepare a safety statement outl i ni ng the hazards and the steps needed to ensure safety
on the si te.
Desi gn one poster wi th a speci fi c warni ng.
Pri nt up one rul e whi ch al l workers and vi si tors shoul d observe.
Make a si mpl e safety rul ebook, whi ch coul d be gi ven to empl oyees on a constructi on si te.
Students may be able to get a copy of a rulebook from a parent working in an
organisation and this could be used to get the project started.
Students could also make a simple booklet for a retail store a laboratory or any other
work area they may have visited on work experience.
Personal Protective Equipment
Personal Protecti ve Equi pment i s used to protect peopl e agai nst hazards that ar e
unavoi dabl e. P. P. E. shoul d onl y be worn or hel d i f the hazards cannot be el i mi nated,
mi ni mi sed, i sol ated or a barri ng on entry to the hazard zone made. Empl oyers ar e
requi red to i ssue protecti ve equi pment by l aw.
P. P. E. shoul d be the l ast l i ne of defence agai nst ri sks. True Fal se
There ar e disadvantages to weari ng P. P. E.
It onl y protects the wearer from the ri sks.
It can restri ct movement and mobi l i ty.
It can restri ct breathi ng and vi si bi l i ty.
It can cause ski n i rri tati on and di scomfort to parts of the body such as the ears.
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P. P. E. i s worn when the body i s exposed to ri sks. Some of these ri sks are as fol l ows :
Physical Risks Mechanical Risks Chemical Risks Biological Risks
Put the fol l owi ng l i st of ri sks i nto the di fferent categori es
* Fal l s / bl ows / cuts *Sl i ppi ng *Thermal *Aerosol s *Heat / fi re *Col d *Harmful vi ruses
*El ectri cal *Radi ati on *Noi se *Gases/vapours *Stabs / grazes *Spl ashes/spurts *Fumes
*Mi st *Li qui ds *Immersi on *Harmful bacteri a *Dust *Vi brati on
Can you make a l i st of workers who mi ght need Personal Protecti ve Equi pment worki ng
wi th the above menti oned ri sks.
Here are examples of protective equipment
- Hel mets
- Foot protecti on
- Eye and face protecti on
- Body arms and hands protecti on
- Metal mesh gl oves
- Weather proof cl othi ng
- Respi rators
- Breathi ng apparatus
23
- Safety harness
- Ear protecti on
- Bul l et proof jackets
- Li fe jackets
- Refl ective cl othi ng
- Boots, gl asses, face shi el ds
- Aprons, gl oves
24
Protective Equipment.
Match a worker wi th Protecti ve Equi pment
Worker Type of Protective Equipment needed
Wel der
Boner
Workers i n a deep-freeze room
Fi sherman/woman
Landscape gardener/farmer
Fi refi ghter
Spray pai nter
Pneumati c dri l l worker
Refri gerati on pl ant worker
Saw mi l l i ng operator
Mast erector
Surgeon
Detecti ve Garda
Ground staff at an ai rport
Li fe boat rescuer
Nurse taki ng bl ood
Cl eaner usi ng toxi c cl eani ng materi al s
Scaffol der
Excavator and earthworkers
Shi pbui l der
Roofer
Mi ners
Ci vi l engi neers
Furnace worker
Fi nal l y can you gi ve other exampl es?
Safety Signs
Safety si gns pr ovi de i mportant i nformati on i n the workpl ace. They are used to dr aw your
attenti on qui ckl y to objects and si tuati ons capabl e of causi ng hazards for you at work.
Four col ours are used:
Redfor prohi bi ti on and fi re equi pment
(si gns are usual l y di sc shaped)
Yellow for cauti on (si gns shaped as tri angl es)
Green for posi ti ve acti on (si gns are usual l y rectangl es or squares)
Bluefor mandatory (si gns are di sc shaped)
Note for Teacher/Tutor
T h ree colour versi ons of a number of safety si gns are prov i d e d .
Te a cher/tutor coul d:
i ntroduce students to the di fferent si gns and gui de them through
the i nformati on pr ovi ded;
use handouts to hel p students recogni se the si gns;
ask students to wri te correct word pr ovi ded at the bottom of
handout under each si gn to rei nforce the i nformati on;
ask students to l ook out for warni ng si gns around them on the
streets, bui l di ng si tes, school , shops, househol d goods etc.
25
26
Match the correct si gn wi th the correct
warni ng i n words
Make a l i st of pl aces where you woul d
see these si gns
Teacher/Tutor
If you want students to work out si gns for themselve s , fol d over before copying or di splay i n g
1. Eye protecti on must be worn 2. Safety hel met must be worn 4. Ear protecti on must be
worn 5. Respi ratory Equi pment must be used 7. Safety boots must be worn 8. Safety
gl oves must be worn 6. Safety overal l s must be worn 9. Face protecti on must be worn
3. General Mandatory Si gn
BLUE SAFETY SIGNS: MANDATORY
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
27
Match the correct si gn wi th the correct
warni ng i n words
Make a l i st of pl aces where you woul d
see these si gns
Teacher/Tutor
If you want students to work out signs for themselve s , fold over before copying or di splay i n g
9. Fi re hose 8. Ladder 3. Fi re exti ngui sher 6. Emergency fi re tel ephone 2. No smoki ng
1. Smoki ng and naked fl ames forbi dden 5. Pedestri ans forbi dden 4. Do not exti ngui sh
wi th water 7. Not dri nkabl e
REDSAFETY SIGNS: PROHIBITION
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
28
Match the correct si gn wi th the correct
warni ng i n words
Make a l i st of pl aces where you woul d
see these si gns
Teacher/Tutor
If you want students to work out si gns for themselve s , fol d over before copying or di splay i n g
1. Fl ammabl e matter 12. Strong magneti c fi el d 9. Danger, el ectri ci ty 6. Laser beam
3. Toxi c matter 2. General danger 4. Corrosive matter 7. Beware, l oad overhead 10. Oxi dant
materi al 11. Non-i oni si ng radi ati on 8. Beware, i ndustri al trucks 5. Radi oacti ve matter
Y E L L O WS A F E T Y SIGNS: CAUTION! POSSIBLE DANGER
1 2 3
4 5 6
7 8 9
10 11 12
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
K
Match the definition with the correct word
The second one is done for you!
1 Hazard A Numbness i n arms, ti ngl i ng or pai n i n fi ngers and
wri sts whi l e worki ng l ong hours at a keyboard.
2 Exposure B Cancer produci ng substance.
3 Ri sk C Wears away or destr oys gradual l y
4 Acci dent D Irri tati ng or i nfl ammatory to the ski n.
5 Ergonomi cs E An event unexpected that causes i njury
or damage.
6 Toxi c F The technol ogy of fi tti ng the workpl ace to sui t the
requi rements of the peopl e who work there.
7 Carci nogeni c G Causes physi cal di scomfort to the body i nternal l y
or external l y.
8 Corrosive H Responsi bl e for i mpl ementi ng the l aw and
protecti ng the heal th of the publ i c.
9 E. H. O. I Anythi ng that coul d cause harm.
10 Dermati ti c J Caused by poi son, poi sonous
11 Irri tant K Leavi ng a person unprotected.
12 R. S. I. L Expose to the chance of i njury, i l l -heal th or
other dangers .
30
Quiz on Safety and Health and Welfare at Work
The Heal th and Safety Authori ty pr ovi des i nformati on and advi ce to empl oyers and
empl oyees and sel f-empl oyed on al l aspects of workpl ace heal th and safety.
The Safety, Heal th and Wel fare Act was passed by Government i n 1989.
Tick true or false to the following statements True False
1 The i deal temperature for worki ng i n i s 16C
2 An empl oyer i n the workpl ace must pr ovi de adequate eati ng faci l i ti es.
3 An empl oyer i n the workpl ace must pr ovi de cl ean toi l ets and
washi ng faci l i ti es.
4 Col d rooms must open from the i nsi de.
5 In 1998, 66 peopl e were ki l l ed i n acci dents i n the workpl ace.
6 Hi gh ri sk sectors for acci dents at work are farmi ng, constructi on,
and fi shi ng
7 The Heal th Safety and Wel fare at Work Act requi res al l empl oyers to
prepare a safety statement i n wri ti ng for thei r workpl ace.
8 The Heal th and Safety Authori ty l ooks after the wages and sal ari es of
workers i n the workpl ace .
9 Mandatory warni ng si gns are round i n shape and are bl ue and whi te.
10 Emergency si gns are green and whi te and usual l y rectangul ar i n shape.
11 A hazard i s anythi ng,whi ch potenti al l y can cause harm; such
as i l l -heal th, i njury or damage to property
12 Hydrogen Sul phi de (sewer gas) has a smel l si mi l ar to rotten eggs.
13 Ti nni tus i s a di sease caused by over exposure to ti n.
14 A person worki ng i n a confi ned space such as a tank, and depri ved
of oxygen for more than four mi nutes i s l i kel y to suffer brai n damage.
15 It i s acceptabl e to wear soft shoes on a bui l di ng si te.
16 Never transfer chemi cal s i nto l emonade or beer bottl es..
17 An acci dent i s an unpl anned event, whi ch may resul t i n i njury or death.
18 Hygei a i s the name of the Greek Goddess of Heal th.
19 Most acci dents i n constructi on i nvol ve tri ps, sl i ps and fal l s.
20 P.P.E . shoul d be the l ast l i ne of defence agai nst ri sks.
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Crossword
Clues Across
1 Another word for cancer causi ng substances (13)
7 Protects ears from noi se (7)
8 Loss of bal ance caused by somethi ng i n your way (4)
10 The best pl ace to control noi se (6)
13 Where dermati ti s occurs (4)
14 Safety boots protect these! (4)
17 Every workpl ace must have one of these (3)
19 Capabl e of catchi ng fi re easi l y (9)
21 Thi s safety document i s requi red by l aw and every empl oyer and empl oyee must have one (8)
23 If i n doubt, i ts the best w ay to get i nformati on (3)
24 An unpl anned or unwanted e vent (8)
Clues Down
2 A dangerous substance found i n brake pads and cei l i ngs (8)
3 Easy to step on! (4)
4 A type of P.P.E. (7)
5 A wi despread and common hazard (5)
6 We need thi s to recover from noi se (7)
9 Chi ps and hot oi l i n thi s - be careful (3)
11 A l ayer i n the stratospher e, protects from radi ati on (5)
12 The l i kel i hood, great or smal l , that someone coul d be harmed (4)
15 Can be a dangerous odourl ess materi al (3)
16 Anythi ng that can potenti al l y cause harm (6)
18 A pl ace to dump sol i d materi al - a wai ter mi ght expect one too! (3)
20 Consul t for further i nformati on on heal th and safety (3)
22 Do not wear l oose and hangi ng near machi nes (3)
1 2 3 4 5 6
7
8 9
10 11 12
13
14
15 16 17 18
19
20 21 22
23
24
C A N G N S
E
T P
S O R
S
T
G H K T
F
H S T
A
A
32
Environmental Health Officers
There are appr oxi matel y 250 offi cers responsi bl e for i mpl ementi ng the majori ty of Iri sh
l egi sl ati on rel ati ng to the envi ronment and the effects of envi ronmental hazards on the
heal th of the publ i c.
EHOs check for:
Pollutants such as l ead, ni trogen oxi des, carbon monoxi de, smoke and sul phur di oxi de.
The quality of bathing water: beaches, swi mmi ng pool s, jacuzzi s.
The quality of drinking water - al l resul ts of the moni tori ng are avai l abl e to the publ i c.
Accommodation - they carry out bui l di ng surv eys to check i f houses and fl ats are fi t for
human habi tati on.They check for fi re safety, el ectri cal safety, dampness, overcrowdi ng,
venti l ati on etc.
Food safety - They must ensure that al l food and dri nk offered for sal e to the publ i c i s fi t
for human consumpti on. They check food manufacturi ng and retai l premi ses and offer
advi ce. They i nvesti gate cases of food poi soni ng and food borne i l l nesses and al so
consumer compl ai nts.
EHOs ensure food i s adequatel y l abel l ed and i ngredi ents and addi tives are l abel l ed as
requi red by the l aw. EHOs pol i ce publ i c areas where smoki ng i s prohi bi ted by l aw. They
determi ne the envi ronmental i mpact of new i ndustri al devel opments i n an area at the
pl anni ng stage. They check and control buri al grounds.They ensure publ i c decency i s
uphel d.
They check port heal th and moni tor port traffi c for possi bl e breaches i n the l aw. They
check hygi ene and safety at rock concerts and other publ i c gatheri ngs. They provi de
hygi ene advi ce and trai ni ng.
The Envi ronmental Heal th Offi cers Associ ati on i s at 9 Aston Quay, Dubl i n 2.They may be
abl e to give the name of someone who woul d tal k to a group about envi ronmental heal th
i ssues. Make sure to pl an your tal k wel l i n advance and thi nk out questi ons that you
woul d l i ke di scussed.
Tal k to your gui dance teacher about qual i fi cati ons and trai ni ng needed to become an
Envi ronmental Heal th Offi cer.
33
Discussion
Envi ronmental Heal th Offi cers may have vi si ted your l ocal area over the l ast few years.
Can you suggest possi bl e checks that they may ha ve carri ed out i n your l ocal area.
Make a l i st of thi ngs you woul d l i ke checked i n your l ocal area by an Envi ronmental
Heal th Offi cer.
34
Group Activities
1. Study the fi re dri l l i nstructi ons i n your school .
Make sure you know the exi ts and exi t routes.
What col our are the si gns for exi ts and exi t routes?
2. Practi se maki ng an emer gency phone cal l for an ambul ance, the gardai , the fi re bri gade.
Woul d you know the tel ephone numbers?
What woul d you do?
Draw a di agram of three fi re-fi ghti ng si gns. Dont forget to use the ri ght col our!
3. Fi nd out the work of the Safety Representative i n your school .
Wi th thei r permi ssi on, set out a seri es of questi ons you woul d l i ke to ask hi m/her.
4. Choose three of your teachers and i ntervi ew them about safety i n thei r departments.
What are the mai n hazards for students and teachers?
Case Study 1
Accident on a Construction Site
On a bui l di ng si te a young worker was wal ki ng across the roof of a mul ti -storey bui l di ng
whi ch was under constructi on.The roof was to have a skyl i ght desi gned to gi ve natural
l i ght to the stai rwel l . It was a concrete roof and an openi ng had been l eft where the
skyl i ght woul d l ater be fi tted.
Safe worki ng practi ce i n such si tuati ons woul d i n vol ve pl aci ng ti mber over thi s openi ng,
nai l i ng i t down and wri ti ng HOLE i n red pai nt.Thi s was not done on thi s occasi on. When
rai n water from the roof be gan to pour i nto the stai rwel l a young worker was asked to
spread a l ayer of pl asti c across the roof to keep out the rai n. Another young worker coul d
see that the roof was co vered i n pl asti c and assumed that i t was safe. When he stepped
on to the openi ng, he fel l to hi s death.
In groups of four di scuss the fol l owi ng
questi ons:
Who was responsi bl e for thi s acci dent?
How coul d i t have been avoi ded?
How do you thi nk the worker who spread the pl asti c fel t?
35
Case Study 2
Safety in the Office
A l ar ge ci ty centre offi ce contai ns work areas on the ground fl oor and the fi rst fl oor. A
tearoom and canteen i s l ocated on the ground fl oor.
A practi ce devel oped where staff worki ng on the fi rst fl oor woul d bri ng tea or coffee
upstai rs to consume at thei r desks. On the day of the acci dent a person unknown spi l l ed
tea or coffee on the upper steps of the stai rs. A young femal e staff member sl i pped on
these steps and fel l to the bottom of the stai rs i njuri ng her back severely.
Who was responsi bl e for thi s acci dent?
Coul d the acci dent have been avoi ded?
How?
In groups of four i magi ne you are a
group of workers i n the company.
Who do you thi nk the person unknown mi ght be?
What questi ons woul d you want to ask?
What recommendati ons woul d you make for the future?
Why i s i t that workers are not usi ng the tea room and canteen?
What do you thi nk the empl oyers response mi ght be?
36
Case Study 3
Tidying up
A young person on work experi ence i n a l arge computer company was sent to the
storeroom to ti dy i t up.
There were a number of contai ners stacked i n the storeroom, some wi th warni ng l abel s
on them.
The contai ners stored oi l s, pai nts, general cl eani ng materi al s, hydrochl ori c aci d, causti c
soda and cyani de.
A number of contai ners that have been pr evi ousl y opened are l eft on the fl oor of the
storeroom.
Discussion
What are the possi bl e hazards for the young person worki ng i n the storeroom?
Hints: skin; poison; inhalation.
What questi ons shoul d the young person ask before ti dyi ng up or movi ng the contai ners?
What questi ons mi ght s/he need to ask others? Who coul d s/he ask?
Is protecti ve cl othi ng or speci al equi pment needed i n thi s si tuati on?
How i n your opi ni on coul d the student approach thi s task?
37
Case Study 4
Doi re, a 17-year-ol d student, worked as a l ounge assi stant i n a pub. A coupl e of her
fri ends worked there too.
As part of her work Doi re was requi red to bri ng food to and from the col d room.
One day her workmates l ocked Doi re i nto the col d room and l eft her there for 2 hours.
Thi s was a common practi ce, especi al l y for new empl oyees.
She was weari ng l i ght cl othi ng, a short sl eeved shi rt and a ski rt. In the end another
worker opened the door and l et Doi re out. Whi l e she was l ocked i n the col d room Doi re
ate some appl e pi e and her workmates thought thi s was very funny and ri di cul ed her as a
resul t.
Doi re l eft the job l ater that day and di d not return to i t agai n.
Discussion
How do you thi nk Doi re fel t?
What safety measures coul d have ensured that thi s di d not happen?
What woul d you do i f you saw thi s happeni ng?
What woul d you do i f someone tri ed to do thi s to you?
Do you thi nk Doi re was ri ght to l eave?
What do you thi nk shoul d happen to the peopl e who di d thi s?
38
Health and Safety in the Food and Catering Industry
Many young peopl e are empl oyed i n the food and cateri ng i ndustry, often on a temporar y
or part ti me basi s. Hygi ene and safety i n the food i ndustry i s extremel y i mportant and
i rresponsi bl e behavi our can have huge i mpl i cati ons such as prosecuti on, i nstant
di smi ssal , food poi soni ng and e ven death. Personal hygi ene i s a very i mportant i ndi cator
of a young persons sui tabi l i ty to work i n the food and cateri ng i ndustry. Good personal
hygi ene al so pr events dermati ti s - a di ffi cul t and troubl esome ski n condi ti on caused by
i mproper handl i ng and use of cl eaners and chemi cal s.
John and Sarah are i nterested i n worki ng i n the food cateri ng i ndustry. John wants to be a
chef and Sarah hopes to set up her own busi ness organi si ng events for compani es and
other organi sati ons. Both students opted to parti ci pate i n work experi ence i n a l arge
cateri ng company. Sarah and John had an appoi ntment to meet the Heal th and Safety
Manager on the fi rst morni ng they were due to start thei r work experi ence. She bri efed
them about:
devel opi ng a safety consci ous atti tude
personal hygi ene
proper dress code
food contami nati on and forei gn bodi es
bacteri a and food poi soni ng
customer rel ati ons.
Both John and Sarah had taken parti cul ar care of thei r appearance and personal hygi ene
before they arri ved at thei r pl acement. The Heal th and Safety Manager requested them to
read the dress code careful l y. John wore a very smal l stud i n hi s nose and hi s jeans were
cl ean and neat. He al so wore hi s hi gh qual i ty trai ners. He had a smal l cut on i ndex fi nger
whi ch had al most heal ed.
Sarah wore earri ngs. She used hai r cl i ps to hol d back her l ong hai r and she wore several
ri ngs on her hands. She had l ong nai l s, whi ch she took very speci al care of and pol i shed
them the pr evi ous eveni ng.
Sarah and John had to make a number of changes to thei r dress and appearance before
starti ng work experi ence.
Read the dress code on the next page to fi nd out the changes they need to make.
39
DRESS CODE
Read a copy of the Dress Code that the Health and Safety Manager gave to Sarah and
John and complete the exercises that follow.
Uniform
The company bel i eves that the appearance of al l staff i s very i mportant. You wi l l be
provi ded wi th uni form, safety shoes and a name badge on commencement of
empl oyment and i t i s company pol i cy that al l staff wear a uni form. Each empl oyee must
si gn when they recei ve thei r uni form. These uni forms remai n the property of the
company at al l ti mes, and shoul d be returned when you l eave the empl oyment of the
company. The mai ntenance of the uni form i s your responsi bi l i ty, and you shoul d ensur e
that i t i s kept i n good condi ti on and i s presentabl e at al l ti mes. Uni forms may not be
worn outsi de of worki ng hours. Shoul d you mi sl ay your uni form, you wi l l be responsi bl e
for i ts r epl acement.
In order to compl y wi th safety and hygi ene regul ati ons, the fol l owi ng standards wi l l appl y
to al l staff.
Male Dress Code Policy
Hai r: Wel l groomed and short.
Uni form: The current corporate uni form shoul d be adhered to at al l ti mes.
Shoes: Al l members of staff must wear safety shoes.
Socks: Bl ack or navy socks - onl y when weari ng dark trousers.
Faci al : Cl ean - aftershave i s not permi tted.
Jewel l ery: Weddi ng ri ngs onl y.
Nai l s: Short and cl ean.
Name badges: Must be worn by al l staff.
Female Dress Code Policy
Hai r: Wel l groomed. Hai rnets must be worn at al l ti mes.
Uni form: The current corporate uni form must be worn at al l ti mes
Shoes: Al l members of staff must wear safety shoes.
Ti ghts: Ti ghts shoul d be neutral / fl esh col oured.
Socks: Col oured ti ghts are not al l owed. Socks bl ack or navy.
Make-up: Keep i t si mpl e and subtl e . Perfume i s not permi tted.
Jewel l ery: Weddi ngs ri ngs onl y.
Nai l s: Short and cl ean. Nai l varni sh i s not permi tted.
Name badges: Must be worn by al l staff.
40
41
Personal Hygiene
As you are worki ng i n the food and servi ce i ndustry, your appearance and personal
hygi ene are of vi tal i mportance, both from a safety and personal poi nt of vi ew. Personal
hygi ene i s your responsi bi l i ty. As wel l as weari ng your correct uni form each day, any
i l l nesses, ski n di seases, stomach troubl e, eye, ear, nose or throat i nfecti ons must be
reported to your manager. Certai n i l l nesses wi l l requi re a doctors certi fi cate stati ng that
you are fi t to return to work. Al l cuts, burns and abrasi ons must be covered. Food i s easi l y
contami nated, so you must wash your hands regul arl y throughout the day. Smoki ng i s
forbi dden i n food areas and may be prohi bi ted on some si tes.
Work for you to do!
Read the Dress Code careful l y. What, i n your opi ni on, are the most i mportant poi nts made
i n the Code?
Make a l i st of the changes to thei r dress and appearance that John and Sarah must make
before worki ng i n the compan y.
Proper food handl i ng i s a pri ori ty wi th the company. Can you expl ai n why thi s i s so?
Did you know that food poisoning is a killer?
Many of the peopl e ki l l ed by food poi soni ng are el derl y and young peopl e can suffer for
up to 72 hours wi th si ckness before recoveri ng.
Can you expl ai n why i t i s very i mportant for hospi tal s, nursi ng homes, crches and
restaurants to have hi gh standards of food hygi ene and safety?
42
Golden Rules for handling food.
John and Sarah were gi ven a l i st of gol den rul es when handl i ng food.
Usi ng the words pr ovi ded make out a l i st of gui del i nes when handl i ng food.
Your Home Economi cs teacher can hel p you check that they are correct.
Water proof dressi ngs - The rul e i s:
Infecti ons - The rul e i s:
Head coveri ng - The rul e i s:
No smoki ng - The rul e i s:
Wash hands - The rul e i s:
Do not touch! - The rul e i s:
Cl ean equi pment - The rul e i s:
De-frosti ng - The rul e i s:
Cooked food - The rul e i s:
Danger zone - The rul e i s:
Te m p e ra t u re / d eg rees C - The rul e i s:
Wi pi ng cl oths - The rul e i s:
Spi l l ages - The rul e i s:
Di sposal of waste - The rul e i s:
Ani mal s - The rul e i s:
Food contami nati on - The rul e i s:
Forei gn bodi es - The rul e i s:
Noise-Induced Deafness
Until you have lost some or all of your hearing you have no idea what
you will be missing.
Pause for a moment a l i sten to al l the sounds you can hear - those nearby and those
further away.
Many peopl e through i gnorance, reckl essness and carel essness have permanentl y
damaged thei r heari ng and deepl y r egret thi s l oss.
Sandra and Li am were mad about musi c. They both l earned to pl ay gui tar and as soon as
they coul d afford i t, they purchased el ectri c gui tars wi th ampl i fi ers.They pl ayed them as
l oud as they possi bly coul d wi thout offendi ng the nei ghbours too much. Two of thei r
fri ends who al so sang and pl ayed often joi ned them.They practi sed and pl ayed as often
as they coul d. Sandra worked as an apprenti ce fi tter i n a l arge, noi sy engi neeri ng
company and Li am was a trai nee chef i n a l arge hotel . Soon they fel t confi dent enough to
start thei r own band. Sandra and Li ams parents al l owed them the use of thei r garage
where they practi sed and pl ayed and dreamed of bei ng ri ch and famous some day.
When Sandra was not pl ayi ng her gui tar she l oved to go to di scos and, i f she had the
money, rock concerts. She stayed as cl ose as possi bl e to the stage and the huge ampl i fi ers
so that she coul d real l y see and hear what was happeni ng. Li am was not very i nterested
i n di scos or concerts and rarel y went. Sandra and Li am and thei r two fri ends were thri l l ed
when they were asked to pl ay a few gi gs and as a resul t began to establ i sh a name for
themsel ves and eventual l y had a sl ot on a regul ar popul ar nati onal T.V. programme.
Enqui ri es and booki ngs be gan to fi l ter i n for some l ocal events but to Sandras di smay and
di scomfort she began to have di ffi cul ty heari ng the musi c unl ess the sound was up to ful l
vol ume. She al so experi enced a ri ngi ng sensati on i n her ears, whi ch was di agnosed as
ti nni tus. She had suffered permanent damage to her heari ng. Over a peri od of two years
her heari ng was permanentl y dama ged and she al so real i sed that her career choi ce, i f the
band di d not work out (she was an apprenti ce fi tter) was no l onger possi bl e. Sandra al so
l ost much of her confi dence and was constantl y strai ni ng to hear and understand what
her fri ends and others were sayi ng.
Li am too came to real i se that hi s heari ng was al so i mpai red. An audi ogram reveal ed that
hi s abi l i ty to detect sound at di fferent frequenci es had di s-i mproved. Hi s pl ans to be a
chef were al so affected.
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44
Study the fol l owi ng chart.
What l evel of deci bel s (appr oxi matel y) were Sandra and Li am exposed to?
Source Intensi ty i n deci bel s
Army ri fl e.(undefended ears) 160 deci bel s
Passenger jet pl ane at 30 metres. 150 deci bel s
Di sco cl ose to l oudspeaker 120 deci bel s
Pneumati c dri l l (unprotected ears) 115deci bel s
Very noi sy factor y 100 deci bel s.
Symphony orchestra (peak) 100 deci bel s
Motorcycl e at 8 metres 90 deci bel s
Hi -fi stereo equi pment 80 deci bel s
Loud conversati on 70 deci bel s
Li ght traffi c at 30 metres 50 deci bel s
Di d you know?
If you work where noi se i s measured at more than 85 deci bel s you are advi sed to wear ear
protecti on.
Noi se measured at over 90 deci bel s can seri ousl y damage your heari ng.
If your col l eague i n the work pl ace has to shout l oudl y for you to hear hi m or her then i t
i s l i kel y that your heari ng wi l l be damaged.
Forty of every hundred workers who have worked al l thei r l i ves at hi gh noi se l evel s (90
deci bel s) wi l l at the age of 65 years fi nd i t di ffi cul t to hear other peopl e tal ki ng. Some wi l l
even be deaf!
Prol onged exposure over 90 deci bel s can l ead to permanent ti nni tus and deafness. It i s
recommended that 85 deci bel s and l ower are safe but prol onged exposure at l ower l evel s
may al so be harmful .
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Make a l i st of workers who are
suscepti bl e to noi se-i nduced deafness
That i s where the del i cate hai r cel l s i n the i nner ear (the cochl ea) are permanentl y or
temporari l y damaged by constant l oud vi brati ons.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Read the story about Sandra and Li am agai n and i n groups of 3 or 4 di scuss and answer
the questi ons that fol l ow.
What l evel s of noi se were Sandra and Li am exposed to?
Expl ai n how Sandra was exposed to more noi se than Li am.
Were they above the l egal l i mi t for work when they pl ayed thei r gi gs?
Sandras deafness is incurable and could have been prevented.
What shoul d she have done?
How coul d Li am have protected hi s heari ng?
How di d thei r damaged heari ng affect thei r personal l i ves and thei r futures?
Perhaps you know of peopl e in a si mi lar si tuation ri ght now. What woul d you say to them?
Do you protect your heari ng?
If your heari ng i s i mpai red how mi ght i t affect your future?
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Fi nd out more about
The cochl ea
Deci bel s.
Di d you know that al l workers who are exposed to 85 deci bel s or more are enti tl ed to
have a heari ng test at thei r empl oyers expense.Thi s test must i ncl ude a speci al test of
heari ng cal l ed Audi ometry.Thi s test must be carri ed out i n sui tabl e qui et condi ti ons
wi th speci fi ed equi pment, by a person properl y trai ned to do the test.
Student project.
Is there a Safety Representative i n your school ?
Make a l i st of questi ons that you as a group woul d l i ke to ask the Safety Representative.
El ect two peopl e i n your group to i ntervi ew hi m or her.
Gi ve the questi ons to the Safety Representative and make an appoi ntment to meet hi m or
her at a sui ta bl e ti me.
Report back to your group what you l earned.
Student project
Do you have a part ti me job?
Do you know who the Safety Representati ve i s at your workpl ace?
Compi l e a l i st of questi ons that you woul d l i ke to ask and at a conveni ent ti me.
Intervi ew the Safety Representati ve i n your pl ace of work and report back to your group
what you l earned.
Group Work
Safety Meeting in Progress!
Bri dget Souhan owns and manages a gar age and shop i n a mi dl ands town. She empl oys
three mechani cs ful l -ti me and two sal es assi stants to run the shop and supervi se the
petrol pumps. She al so empl oys three students from the l ocal post pri mary school s on a
part ti me basi s.The shop and petrol pumps are open l ate and suppl y groceri es,
newspapers, coal , bri quettes and gas. Two other men work part-ti me at the garage: John
repai rs punctures and Bri an hel ps wi th the l i fti ng and l oadi ng of fuel . Bri an al so keeps an
eye on the el ectroni cal l y operated car wash and provi des assi stance where necessar y.
Break i nto group of fi ve peopl e r epresenti ng the staff of Bri dget Souhans gar age.
Out of the group, appoi nt two peopl e to observe wi thout i nterrupti ng, take notes and
report back at the end of the meeti ng.They are outsi de observers and do not get i nvol ved
i n the actual meeti ng.
The group must
(a)Appoi nt a safety representative. Why i s i t i mportant to have a safety r epresentative?
(b)Identi fy hazards dangers and ri sks. Make a l i st and deci de hazards that must be gi ven
pri ori ty.
(c)Prepare a si mpl e safety statement on how to i mprove safety and heal th and wel fare i n
the shop and gar age.
(d)Agree on one safety sl ogan that coul d be wri tten up i n poster styl e i n the garage for
customers to see.
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The Effects of Accidents
Accidents affect:
The person who has the acci dent
The or gani sati on where the acci dent happened
The peopl e or person di rectl y responsi bl e
Worki ng team or group
The countr y, the government and the taxpayer.
Here i s a l i st of the effects of acci dents on peopl e, organi sati ons and the countr y.
Pai n and sufferi ng
Loss of earni ngs
Extra expense
Di sabi l i ty / Inabi l i ty to work
Unabl e to take up l ei sure acti vi ti es
Loweri ng of sel f-esteem
Has to depend on fri ends and fami l y
Loss of a trai ned ski l l ed experi enced worker
Ti me l ost by the worker
Ti me l ost by others out of sympathy or curi osi ty
Ti me l ost due to di scussi ons and meeti ngs as a resul t of an acci dent
Ti me l ost by peopl e i nvesti gati ng the acci dent
Damage to materi al s or equi pment
Repl acement of materi al s or equi pment
Insurance costs
Legal acti on
Loss of contracts or reputati on.
Worry and stress
Recri mi nati ons
Gui l t
Extra work - trai ni ng, wri ti ng r eports, meeti ngs
Loss of credi bi l i ty, reputati on or status
Shock
Anxi ety
Fear
Anger
Personal gri ef
Low moral e
Effects on work rate and motivati on
Soci al wel fare expense
Hospi tal and heal th car e
Worki ng days l ost
Di sabi l i ty pensi ons, death benefi ts and compensati on.
Li ves deepl y affected and requi ri ng counsel l i ng and support
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The Effects of Accidents
Usi ng the i nformati on on the previ ous page fi l l i n the fol l owi ng.
Make a list of ways accidents affect the person
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Make a list of ways accidents affect an organisation.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Make a list of ways accidents affect the person directly responsible.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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50
Make a list of ways accidents affect a team or group of workers.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Make a list of the costs of accidents to the taxpayer and the country.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
On day one, when you start your work experience,
you should find out:
The way out of the bui l di ng
Who i s responsi bl e for fi rst ai d?
How can you get to them?
Where i s the nearest fi re al arm poi nt?
Where i s your fi re assembl y poi nt or assembl y poi nt?
What the fi re al arm sounds l i ke
The meani ngs of al l safety noti ces i n your work area
Who i s the Safety Representati ve for your department
Draw a di agram of an emergency exi t/escape route. What col our shoul d i t be?
Draw a di agram of a Fi rst Ai d post. What col our shoul d i t be?
If you are unsure or need more i nformati on contact:
Heal th and Safety Authori ty at http://www.hsa.i e/osh
Tel : 01 614 7010
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A New Employee in the Workplace
In-groups of two or three or on your own i magi ne you were gi ven the task of i ntroduci ng
a new empl oyee to the workpl ace . As wel l as descri bi ng the type of work that s/he wi l l be
doi ng, you must al so pr ovi de advi ce and i nformati on on heal th, safety and wel far e.
Wri te up a si mpl e one-page i nformati on sheet outl i ni ng the mai n poi nts on safety and
heal th that a new empl oyee shoul d know about.
What woul d be your pri ori ti es and why?
What four warni ng si gns do you feel shoul d be di spl ayed promi nentl y i n the workpl ace .
Draw a di agram of each one .
1 2
3 4
Complete this section carefully
The si x most i mportant thi ngs I l earned about heal th and safety are:
1. _______________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________
4. _______________________________________________________________________
5. _______________________________________________________________________
6. _______________________________________________________________________
Wel l done! You have spent some ti me readi ng di scussi ng and l earni ng about heal th and
safety:
1. Make a l i st of four acti vi ti es that you parti ci pated i n:
Debate, di scussi on, i ntervi ews, survey, and group work
Descri be what you di d.
2. Descri be an acti on pl an that you had to carry out for one acti vi ty whi l e worki ng on thi s
topi c.
Fi l l i n the fol l owi ng statements. Whi l e worki ng on thi s topi c
I l earned ____________________________________________________________________
I l earned ____________________________________________________________________
I l earned ____________________________________________________________________
I l earned ____________________________________________________________________
I l earned ____________________________________________________________________
4. Li st four ski l l s/tal ents/qual i ti es that you were abl e to i mpr ove on whi l e worki ng on thi s
modul e.
5. Name three thi ngs that you woul d l i ke to i mprove on or l earn more about.
6. How much ti me di d you spend worki ng on thi s topi c?
7. How woul d you rate your l evel of work havi ng compl eted the topi c
Good very good excel l ent
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