NEBOSH International General Certificate

in Occupational Safety and Health

Unit IG2

Element 9: Work Equipment

© RRC International
 LearnLearning Objectivesing Objectives
• Describe general requirements for work equipment.
• Explain the hazards and controls for hand-held tools.
• Describe the main mechanical and non-mechanical
hazards of machinery.
• Explain the main control measures for reducing risk from
machinery hazards.
9.1 General Requirements for Work
Equipment
 Types of Work Equipment

• Simple hand tools.

• Hand-held power tools.
• Single machines.
• Mobile work equipment.
• Machine assemblies.
Preventing Access to Dangerous Parts of Machinery
Access to dangerous parts is prevented or movement of
dangerous parts is stopped:
• fixed guards,
• other guards and protection devices,
• protection appliances,
• information, instruction, training and supervision,
to the extent that it is practicable.
 Maintenance Requirements
Maintenance regimes:

• Planned preventive maintenance:

‒ E.g. car engine oil change.
‒ Scheduled at regular intervals.
• Condition-based maintenance:
‒ E.g. vehicle brake pads.
‒ Following routine inspection.
• Breakdown maintenance:
‒ Emergency repairs.
 Group Exercise
Maintenance is often seen as a ‘high-risk’ activity.

What is it about maintenance work that increases

the risk?
9.2 Hand Tools and Portable Power Tools
 Hazards and Controls for Hand Tools
Include:
• Hammer.
• Chisel.
• Screwdriver.
• Axe.
 Hazards and Controls for Hand Tools
Hazards:

• Tool may shatter.

• Handle may come loose.
• Tool may be blunt requiring excessive
force.
• Human error, e.g. hit thumb with
hammer.
• Misuse, e.g. wrong tool for job.
 Hazards and Controls for Hand Tools
Controls:

• Tools suitable for the task and environment of use.

• Information, instruction and training.

• Visual inspection of tools.

• Substandard tools repaired or discarded.

• Maintenance of tools.

• Supervision of practices.
Hazards and Controls for Portable Power Tools
Higher risk because:
• Forces are greater, meaning potential for very severe injury.
• Additional hazards present, such as:
‒ Electricity.
‒ Petrol.
‒ Noise.
‒ Vibration.
‒ Dust.
‒ Ejected material.
‒ Trip hazards.
Hazards and Controls for Portable Power Tools
Requirements of safe practice:

• Tools used within design specification (e.g. disc speeds).

• Guards and safety devices in place.
• PPE used.
• Power cables controlled.
• Ejected parts controlled, e.g. secured work area.
• Control of any noise, dust, vibration.
• Safe storage and handling of fuel (e.g. petrol).
• Inspection and testing of electrical equipment.
 Element 9.3

9.3 Machinery Hazards

Mechanical and Non-Mechanical Hazards
Mechanical hazards:
• Contact with or being caught up by moving parts.

Non-mechanical hazards:
• From power source or things being emitted by the
machine.
 Non-Mechanical Hazards

• Electricity.
• Noise.
• Vibration.
• Hazardous substances.
• Ionising radiation.
• Non-ionising radiation.
• Extreme temperatures.
• Ergonomics.
• Slips, trips and falls.
• Fire and explosion.
 Mechanical Hazards
• Crushing.
• Shearing.
• Cutting or severing.
• Entanglement.
• Drawing in or trapping.
• Impact.
• Stabbing or puncture.
• Friction or abrasion.
• High-pressure fluid injection.
 Mechanical Hazards
Crushing
 Mechanical Hazards
Shearing
 Mechanical Hazards
Cutting or
Severing
 Mechanical Hazards
Entanglement
 Mechanical Hazards
Drawing in or Trapping
 Mechanical Hazards
Impact
 Mechanical Hazards
Stabbing or Puncture
 Mechanical Hazards
Friction or Abrasion
 Group Exercise
What are the non-mechanical hazards which are
associated with machinery?
 End of Module 9.3 Exercise

1. Identify the mechanical

hazards.

2. Identify the non-mechanical

hazards.
9.4 Control Measures for Machinery
Hazards
 Machinery Safeguarding Methods
Types of machinery guards:
Fixed.
Interlocked.
Adjustable/self adjusting.
Trip.
 Fixed Guards
• Completely prevent access to
dangerous parts of
machinery.
• Are fixed in place.
• Require a tool for removal:
‒ Limitation.
 Interlocked Guards
Guard open:
• Power to the machine is disabled when the guard is open
and it will not operate until the guard is in place.
Guard closed:
• the guard is locked shut until the machine has returned to
a safe condition; or
• the act of opening the guard stops the dangerous parts of
the machinery and disables power.
 Adjustable and Self-Adjusting Guards
Used when it is not possible to prevent
access to dangerous parts.
Adjustable guard:
• Set manually to a range of positions by
the operator.
Self-adjusting guard:
• Usually spring-loaded to adjust itself
to the workpiece.
• Requires no adjustment by the
operator.
 Sensitive Protective Equipment
(Trip Devices)
• Not a physical barrier.

• Use sensors to detect presence

of operator and stop the
machine.

• They include:
‒ Pressure mats.
‒ Trip bars.
‒ Photoelectric devices.

• Limitations?
 Two-Hand Controls
Designed to protect the operator's
hands:
• Controls should be more than a hand
span apart.
• Must activate at the same time.

• Releasing controls must stop the

machine immediately.
• Limitations?
 Emergency Stop Controls
• Should bring the machine to a safe stop as quickly as
possible.
• Machine can only be restarted using the reset button.
• Release of the button should not restart the machine.
• Limitations?
 Protective Appliances
Designed to keep operators’ hands away from danger.
Include:
• Push-sticks.
• Clamps.
 SummarySummary
In this element, we have:
• Described some of the basic management issues that must be considered when
introducing work equipment.
• Outlined the hazards and precautions associated with simple hand tools and
portable power tools.
• Explained the mechanical and non-mechanical hazards of machinery.
• Explained the basic characteristics of fixed guards, adjustable and self-adjusting
guards, and interlocked guards.
• Explained the characteristics of trip devices, two-hand controls, protective
appliances and emergency stops.
• Outlined the basic requirements of guards and safety devices.
• Described the hazards associated with bench-top grinders, pedestal drills,
cylinder mowers, strimmers, chainsaws, compactors, cement mixers and bench-
mounted circular saws.
• Identified the types of guard and other protection measures to ensure safety in
the use of bench-top grinders, pedestal drills, cylinder mowers, strimmers,
chainsaws, compactors, cement mixers and bench-mounted circular saws.