Working at height is one of the hazardous occupations.

Working at height can be defines as a

place where a person is required to work at which he will be liable to fall a distance of more than
10 feet (3.05 metres), where the means shall be provided to ensure his safety.

(a) Explain FIVE hazards involves when working at height in a construction site.

i. The condition where the workers are working should be stable and sound. This includes the
condition of the equipments and the building structure. Unstable conditions may represent hazard in
two situations; the breaking of material when a person puts his//her body weight on it that results in
falling through the surface; and the falling materials that could hit the people at the lower levels of the
structure. For instance, the anchor points for the suspended scaffolds/lifelines/lanyards should be
tested throughly to ensure they are able to withstand the maximum expected load with an acceptable
safety factor. If it fails, everything can collapse and fall.

ii. Materials can deteriorate over the time. This could be due to the exposure to the effects of
extreme weathers. Deteriorated materials can easily break when heavy load applied on it. Usage of
deterioated materials for the base of scaffoldings and ladders can weaken the structure and can
collapse at anytime. Hence it is important to consistently ensure the materials used are secure and
sound.

iii. Walking on the weakened or fragile surfaces could also result in hazards. Old rooftops are
normally exceeded lifetime and the beams could be deteriorated due to the extreme weather
conditions. If the beams and roofs are unable to take the weight of the person it can collapse easily.

iv. Contact with electricity is high likely to happen when working at height. Cable installations
are normally located overhead and working without proper safety precautions could result in contact
with electicity. This is because most of the electric wires at height are uninsulated.

v. Not maintaining personal fitness for work. Working at height demands high stamina and
strength to climb stairways, carry working materials and even to perform task while hanging. People
with health issues are tend to easily give way in extreme working conditions which could lead to
fainting or falling.

(b) Describe with appropriate examples the FIVE highlights in Guidelines for the Prevention of
Falls at Work Places 2007.

i. General safety

Employee preplacement medical examinations. Employers shall make arrangements to conduct

preplacement examinations in finding the appropriate job fit for employees. The objective of the
examination is to ensure that workers are physically and psychologically fit to work at heights. The
preplacement examinations shall consist of; vital signs, vision screening, review of history, physical
examination and audiograms.

Access to confines spaces. Employees entering and working in confined spaces often have to wear
respiratory protection. This can reduce peripheral vision. It is therefore important that ladders, steps,
handrails, etc. are built to a regular pattern and to a high standard.

ii. Permanent fixed access and platforms

Handrails, Guardrails and Toeboards. Handrails are provided to assist balance; guardrails to prevent
falls. The top rail should be at least 1.0 metre above the floor or front of the stair nosing. For
guardrails, a midrail shall be fitted. A toeboard should be fitted anywhere there is a danger of tools or
materials being lost over the edge.

Stairway and Ramp Landings. Landings shall be placed so that stairs, ladders or ramps are divided into
approximately equal sections. The minimum width and depth of a landing shall be the width of the
steps or stairs; this shall be clear of any swinging door or other obstruction. Landings shall be level,
with guardrails fitted.

iii. Scaffolding

Tower Scaffold. Tower scaffolds are used by painters and others who need to do lightweight work
from a structure than can be readily moved from place to place. When mounted on wheels, they are
known as mobile towers.

Special Scaffolds. Special scaffolds are those scaffolds that due to their construction, design, expected
live loads are not built to match the accepted international Standard. Expert advice from a professional
engineer should be sort before such scaffolds are built and used. Every employee using the scaffold
shall be informed of its maximum safe live load and any other requirements for its safe use.

iv. Safety lines, belts and harnesses

Travel-Restriction Systems. A travel-restriction system generally consists of a safety belt or harness

connected by a line to an anchorage. The system shall be rigged in such a way that it will stop a
worker reaching a position from which a free fall is possible. Travel-restriction systems may include
safety belts fitted with groin or butt straps for greater comfort such as pole straps used by electrical
linesmen where they risk a restrained fall.

Fall-Arrest Systems. Fall-arrest systems are designed to support and hold a person in the event of a
fall. They are not designed to support a person while working. This would be a work-positioning
system. An evaluation of the different types of equipment combined with a task assessment is needed
to make a practical and safe selection for a particular job.
v. Ropes access systems

Descenders. Descenders shall be designed and constructed to safely and effectively control the speed
of descent. This control should be exercised by means of an adjustable rope path through the device
using a dead-man-type handle. The descender shall be capable of holding the operator with their hands
free. It shall not be able to be removed from the rope while the rope is under tension.

Safety System. A complete safety backup system, independent of the main system, shall be in use. It
should be capable of arresting any fall within 600 mm with a maximum arresting force of 6kN.
Normally the safety system will be comprised of a backup-type rope grab connected to a second static
rope, independent of the working rope.
CSR Manufacturing is a sugar manufacturing company located in Shah Alam, Selangor. CSR
also known as a well established company in term of the implementation of occupational safety
and health program for the last 5 years. One of the secret towards an excellence implementation
of safety and health program in the company is the hazard identification, risk assessment and
risk control (HIRARC) approach which has been conducted once in every two years.

(a) Based on the sugar cane manufacturing flow chart in Figure 1, give FIVE possible hazards
involve in the process.

i. Boiler station or heater (high temperature) could affect one to maintain his//her core body
temperature and result in health complications.

ii. Sugar dust could cause breathing difficulties to those with asthmatic problems

iii. Falling objects from tall stuctures (more than 60m) like boiler chimney during maintenance works
could cause injuries to the employees working nearby

iv. Cane bins are received transported by employees to the tippler. A trip and fall is possible if the
employee lose stability. The concrete floors covered with sugar dust and molasses make the surface
less frictinous and give way for slips.

v. Being hit by the moving truck.

(b) Based on any THREE hazards given in (a), complete the HIRARC table below. Provide your
justification on the risk assessment components.
 (A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F) (G)
HAZARD IDENTIFICATION RISK ASSESSMENT RISK CONTROL
IMPACT EXISTING
N WORK LEGAL RECOMMENDED
HAZARD ON CONTRO S L RR
O ACTIVITY REQMT CONTROL
TARGET L
1. Safety net
Floor
around the tall
marking Prevention
Falling structures to trap
and safety of falls at
Maintenance objects Physical the falling objects
1 warning working 4 3 4
activities from tall injury 2. Frequent checks
signage place
structures on the loosen parts
around tall 2007
on the tall
stcutures
structure.
1. Truck moving
speed to be
reduced
Hit by Designated
Transportatio Physical 2. Enhance
2 moving pathway None 4 2 3
n injury warning signs
truck for truck
3. Fix alarm onto
the truck to alert
while moving
1. Fix a suction
vaccum system in
the machines that
produces sugar
Prevention
dusts.
of falls at
Sugar dust Vaccuum 2. Identify
working
Machine causing Breathing the floor employees allergic
3 place 3 4 3
handling breathing difficulties and clean to dust or having
2007
difficulties the dust asthmatic problem
(General
and transfer to
safety)
departments they
fit to work on, or
provide special
respiratory masks.
Hazard 1 likelihood is identified as possible (3) to happen because working on a tall stcuture is not
easy and not a stable work. Sometimes things could get slipped from hand and fall to the surface. If
anyone walk pass during that time the injury could be major (4) as it could cause physical injury and
bleeding at times. Hence immedicate control (4) is needed to prevent this from happening.

Hazard 2 likelihood is identified as unlikely (2). However, if it happens the consequences could be
major (4) on the employee as the truck is carrying heavy load. Hence, this should be taken seriously
and controls plan (3) need to be introduced as soon as possible.

Hazard 3 likelihood is identified as likely (4) because it is normal for the environment of a sugar mill
to be filled with sugar dust. Those with asthamatic complications should be working with necessary
health precautions to prevent any breathing difficulties if it happens the severity will be moderate (3)
as emergency response team could respond immediately to provide first aids. Anyway since it
involves health condition of the employees, immediate control plan (3) need to be in place as well.