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Department of Mechanical Engineering

University of Engineering & Technology, Lahore, Pakistan

Health and Safety Pocket Book

Developed by: HSE Committee, MED, UET, Lahore

Department of Mechanical Engineering, UET, Lahore

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Preface

Health and safety is a diverse subject covering many disciplines that include law, engineering,

human behavior, safety management, and occupational health, each of which is an area of study

in its direction. The Health and Safety Pocket Book has been written as a unique aid to health and

safety for engineers and employee representatives. The main objective is to provide a ready

reference text on a wide range of issues, including the principal features of health and safety law,

established management systems and sources of information.

Several safety signs and SOP’s for different labs that are useful in the risk assessment process have

been incorporated in the book. The book is written explicitly in the context of safety as far as the

Mechanical Engineering Department is concerned. The stakeholders of the department must read

this book to avoid accidents in the department and what steps should be adopted in case of any

associated accident.

I hope all who use this book will find it helpful.

Convener HSE Committee

January 2021

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Contents

Chapter 1: Important safety signs ............................................................................................................. 4

Chapter 2: Safety precautions and safety measures in case of emergency ............................................ 5
2.1. General emergency precautions and safety measures ................................................................. 6
2.2. Personal injuries precautions and safety measures ..................................................................... 6
2.3. Slip and trip hazards precautions and safety measures .............................................................. 7
2.4. Airborne particulates hazards precautions and safety measures ............................................... 7
2.5. Chemical spill hazards precautions and safety measures ........................................................... 8
2.6. Electrical hazards precautions and safety measures ................................................................... 9
2.7. Fire or explosion precautions and safety measures ..................................................................... 9
2.8. High-Temperature hazards precautions and safety measures ................................................. 10
2.9. Noise hazards precautions and safety measures ........................................................................ 11
2.10. Pinch-point hazards precautions and safety measures .......................................................... 11
2.11. Personal Health ......................................................................................................................... 12
2.12. Ergonomics ................................................................................................................................ 12

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Chapter 1: Important safety signs

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Chapter 2: Safety precautions and safety measures in case of

emergency
The mechanical engineering department is comprised of several labs and various hazards are
always present there in the laboratories. Numerous health, safety and environmental risks can not
be compromised in the department. This section is comprised of health, safety and environmental
health hazards relevant to the department of mechanical engineering and can be listed as:

1. General emergency precautions and safety measures

2. Personal injuries precautions and safety measures
3. Slip & trip hazards precautions and safety measures
4. Airborne particulates hazards precautions and safety measures
5. Chemical spill hazards precautions and safety measures
6. Electrical hazards precautions and safety measures
7. Fire or explosion hazards precautions and safety measures
8. High-temperature hazards precautions and safety measures
9. Noise hazards precautions and safety measures
10. Pinch-point hazards precautions and safety measures

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2.1. General emergency precautions and safety measures

• Depending on the type of emergency, there are specific guidelines to follow; however, there
are a few general principles to monitor for any emergency:
i. Keep yourself safe first and remain calm
ii. Call local emergency responders or a safety department when possible, to report the
emergency.
iii. Inform people nearby about what happened and pull the emergency alarm, when and if
necessary.
• In case of emergency, the following helplines should be used:
Incharge HSE: 0332-4360470
Rescue Service: 1122

2.2. Personal injuries precautions and safety measures

Besides chemical spills, fire, or explosion, many other accidents might happen in the lab, such as
electric shock, heat burn, bleeding, or poisoning. Here are some general principles to follow for
personnel injuries.

• Assess the situation before taking any actions.

• Ask the person what happened to them first, if they are conscious. Look for possible signs of
injury if the person is unconscious and/or unresponsive.
• Call local emergency responders immediately if the person is in danger.
• Don't move the injured personnel unless imminent danger is present.
• If an individual has received an electrical shock, shut down the power first, if possible. Do not
touch the person with bare hands. Use non-conductive material such as wood, glass, or rubber
to pull the person away from the electric contact.
• If bleeding is from minor cuts, flush with water to avoid contamination and treat with first aid
supplies. If cuts are more serious, call for medical assistance.
• Initiate first aid to help, if possible.
• In case of emergency, the following helplines should be used:
Incharge HSE: 0332-4360470
Rescue Service: 1122

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2.3. Slip and trip hazards precautions and safety measures

• Walking areas should be kept free from a liquid source, electrical cords, buckets, and other
sources of slip and trip hazards.
• Footwear plays an important role in reducing the risk of slips, trips, and falls. Footwear should
be suitable for the type of work and work environment and checked regularly to ensure that
treads are not worn away or clogged with contaminants.
• Report all slip and trip hazards to facility services immediately.
• In case of emergency, the following helplines should be used:
Incharge HSE: 0332-4360470
Rescue Service: 1122

2.4. Airborne particulates hazards precautions and safety measures

• The primary source of airborne particulates is from gasoline or propane exhaust gases when
the IC engine and dynamometer or the Onan electric generator is used.
• For the IC engine/dynamometer, the exhaust manifold and catalytic converter are near the
dynamometer in the room while the exhaust pipe exits through the wall to the courtyard.
• When the IC engine is operating, exhaust fans should be used to circulate air from the outside
to reduce CO levels and hydrocarbon particulates.
• A fire extinguisher should be installed on the wall near the IC engine.
• Airborne particulates are also generated when sawing and sanding. Also, there are projects that
are spray or hand-painted, and the usage of glue and other adhesives. The labs should be well
ventilated using outside air when using paints, adhesives, and coatings.
• Eye and ear protection should be used to avoid hazards related to airborne particulates.
• Evacuation and sheltering at the safety zone are standard procedures that should be adopted in
case of airborne particulate hazards.
• In case of emergency, the following helplines should be used:
Incharge HSE: 0332-4360470
Rescue Service: 1122

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2.5. Chemical spill hazards precautions and safety measures

Chemical spills are the most common accidents when working in a laboratory requiring chemicals.
Improper or careless opening, handling, or storage of chemicals might lead to chemical spills.
Large-volume spills of a non-hazardous chemical or even a small-quantity spill of a hazardous
chemical spill might threaten the lives of laboratory personnel. Therefore, caution needs to be
taken when working with chemicals and always wear proper personal protective equipment (PPE)
to prevent bodily exposure in the case of a spill.

Chemical Spilling onto Surroundings

• Identify the area of the chemical spill and inform your laboratory co-workers about the spill.
Evacuate from the location and areas surrounding the spill, when necessary.
• Identify the spilled chemicals and the amount of chemical that has spilled. Depending on the
hazardous properties and quantities of the spilled chemicals, proper actions need to be taken.
• Wear proper PPE first before taking any action. Care should be taken to avoid bodily exposure
to chemicals.
• If possible, modify the spill source to avoid further issues.
• If possible, turn off any nearby heat or ignition source if the chemicals are flammable.
• Avoid breathing any vapors from spilled chemicals. This applies especially to chemicals that
are toxic and volatile.
• Locate the spill kit and use appropriate kit tools to confine and contain the spill area.
• Use suitable adsorbents to cover the spill and neutralize the spill, if the chemicals are acidic or
basic in nature.
• Collect the residues and place them into a suitable container.
• Report to concerned authorities to dispose off any chemical spill waste.

Chemical Spills onto the Body

• Wash off all chemicals spilled on a body immediately using a safety shower for at least 15 min.
If clothes are saturated with spilled chemicals, remove clothing immediately.
• If the spill splashes into eyes, use an eyewash right away for at least 15 min. Open the eyes to
allow complete washing. Only an attempt to remove contact lenses after eye washing has
commenced.

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• If the spilled chemical is a strong acid, wipe out the residues first before washing to avoid
excessive or painful burning.
• Remove contaminated clothing immediately to avoid further exposure to chemicals.
• Call local responders for emergency assistance and alert people in the vicinity of the spill.
• In case of emergency, the following helplines should be used:
Incharge HSE: 0332-4360470
Rescue Service: 1122

2.6. Electrical hazards precautions and safety measures

• Ensure that all water sources do not come in contact with electrical outlets or cords.
• Ensure that all electrical cords are maintained away from foot-traffic areas and are not frayed,
bent, or have contacts missing.
• When someone suffers serious electrical shock, he or she may be knocked unconscious. If the
victim is still in contact with the electrical current, do not touch the person and immediately
turn off the electrical power source. If you cannot disconnect the power source, try to separate
the victim from the power source with a nonconductive object, such as a wood-handled broom.
Administer first aid as appropriate.
• If an electrical fire occurs, try to disconnect the electrical power source, if possible. If the fire
is small, you are not in immediate danger, use any type of fire extinguisher except water to
extinguish the fire.
• In case of emergency, the following helplines should be used:
Incharge HSE: 0332-4360470
Rescue Service: 1122

2.7. Fire or explosion precautions and safety measures

• Fire or explosion may occur from overheating, leakage, or spillage of flammable chemicals, or
gases exposed to excessive heat, an open flame, or electric sparks in the laboratory. Be careful
when working with flammable or explosive chemicals and avoid heat or electric sparks nearby.
Safely operate electric equipment and any source of heat to prevent fire or explosion.

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• In case of a fire involving an individual's clothing, do not run since it might accelerate the fire.
Stop, drop onto the ground with hands covering the face, and roll to extinguish the fire. If
possible, use the safety shower to extinguish the fire.
• In case of a lab fire or explosion, ensure your safety first and call emergency responders
immediately for help.
• Evacuate the building safely and pull fire alarms or notify nearby people, if possible.
• Use stairs and locate the nearest exit.
• If possible, shut down the electric power before evacuating.
• Use a wet towel to cover the mouth and nose, if there is heavy smoke.
• In case of a small fire, use a proper fire extinguisher and make sure an easy exit is available if
you fail in extinguishing the fire.
• Be safe first and help others if possible.
• In case of emergency, the following helplines should be used:
Incharge HSE: 0332-4360470
Rescue Service: 1122

2.8. High-Temperature hazards precautions and safety measures

• The usage of propane and gasoline are hazards for high-temperature issues. The storage of oil
and gasoline for the engines should be stored in appropriate cabinets until they are needed for
the engine.
• For machine shops, there are no high-temperature sources in the laboratory although care
should be exercised with the heat generation that is a result of using power tools.
• Report all high-temperature hazards to facility services immediately.
• The labs should be well ventilated, and exhaust fans should be used to let the fresh air in and
hot air out of the facility.
• In case of emergency, the following helplines should be used:
Incharge HSE: 0332-4360470
Rescue Service: 1122

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2.9. Noise hazards precautions and safety measures

• Eye and ear projection should be used when experiments are performed with moving
mechanical equipment (such as IC engines).
• Eye and ear protection will always be used when using any power tools, painting, and applying
adhesives to the various students’ projects.
• Report all noise hazards to facility services immediately.
• In case of emergency, the following helplines should be used:
Incharge HSE: 0332-4360470
Rescue Service: 1122

2.10. Pinch-point hazards precautions and safety measures

• For moving mechanical equipment utilized in the laboratory, direct physical contact with
machinery should be avoided while it is operating.
• Equipment specific precautions should always be followed to avoid pinch-point safety hazards.
• There are weights used to generate force and moment in certain laboratories, so care should be
taken to avoid dropping of weights to avoid injury.
• There are hazards in using power or hand tools in the construction of student projects. All saws,
drills and other power tools should be handled with all equipment safety features intact and all
cutting, grinding should be done away from any electric cords (or other electrical sources) as
well as any water sources.
• Do not operate machinery without the proper guarding equipment in place.
• Refrain from wearing jewelry or loose clothing, and always tie long hair back. These items can
potentially get caught in machines.
• Know how to turn off equipment immediately in case of an emergency.
• Know how to turn off equipment immediately in case of an emergency.
• In case of minor injuries, use the first aid box.
• In case of emergency, the following helplines should be used:
Incharge HSE: 0332-4360470
Rescue Service: 1122

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2.11. Personal Health

• The students are recommended get themselves medically tested every year and maintain a
record in hard/electronic format.
• Following tests are recommended: Vision test, hearing test, blood evaluation, chest X-Rays,
covid screening, hepatitis screening
• In case of emergency, the following helplines should be used:
Incharge HSE: 0332-4360470
Rescue Service: 1122

2.12. Ergonomics

• Students are recommended to observe ergonomics practices in lab and theory classes. For
example, observe 20, 20, 20 rule while using computer, adjust the chair height with respect to
the table, so as to minimize any physical stress during educational activities.
• Students are recommended to avoid extended posture freeze beyond 10 minutes during
educational activities.
• In case of emergency, the following helplines should be used:
Incharge HSE: 0332-4360470
Rescue Service: 1122

Department of Mechanical Engineering, UET, Lahore