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JULY-2015 Topic 25 of 31 JAD DAILY SAFETY TOOL BOX TOPIC
NOISE AND VIBRATION
WHAT?
The Construction Industry is one of the leading sources of noise
complaints made to Local Authorities.
Something is considered noisy when the sound is unwanted by the
listener. Noise and vibrationemissions can disturb local residents
and give rise to complaints and delays.
Noisy activities include: excavation, tunnelling, concrete
cutting, piling, using un-silenced generators andconcrete
pours.
WHY? To act as a good neighbour: Avoid complaints and maintain
good relations with the local community. To avoid programme delay:
The Local Authority have the power to stop works if noise from the
site
is causing a nuisance. To avoid fines: Failing to meet noise
constraints can result in fines. To avoid structural damage:
vibration may cause structural damage. To comply with contractual
requirements. To prevent harm to wildlife: Noise can disturb
wildlife as well as humans.
DONT DONT undertake noisy works during the
evening, at night or very early in the morningif it can be
avoided!
DONT leave doors and hoods open on plant. DONT leave plant
running unnecessarily. DONT use poorly maintained plant. DONT
ignore complaints from the local
community. DONT undertake activities that could cause
damage to nearby structures throughvibration unless approved by
your linemanager.
DO If possible, restrict noisy activities to certain
times of the day. Adhere to working hours. Some sites are
only
consented to work at certain times. Plan deliveries. Arrange
routes and times to
minimise potential nuisance to the localcommunity.
If possible, keep noisy plant away from publicareas.
Minimise drop heights into hoppers, lorriesand other plant.
Use local screening where necessary. Noisecan be reduced if a
screen is placed betweenplant and nearby sensitive locations
eg.houses. Screens can be straw bales or plyboard.
Use silenced generators and tower lightswhere necessary.
Keep acoustic doors and hoods on plantclosed it does make a
difference!
Contact your Line Manager if you are in doubtabout noisy
activities.
Do check noise monitoring policy for the site.
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JULY-2015 Topic 26 of 31 JAD DAILY SAFETY TOOL BOX TOPICMATERIAL
HANDLING and HOUSEKEEPING
WHAT?Poor storage and handling of materials createswaste.
Waste is a loss of resource and is very costly.
Poorly stored materials increase the risk ofpollution
incidents.
DONTDONT store or leave unprotected any materials
that can be damaged by weather, eg. cementbags.
DONT over order materials.DONT put materials in a skip if they
still have a
use.DONT use new lengths of pipe or cable for short
pieces of work. Minimise the need for off-cutsDONT store
together any materials that can
contaminate each other.
DO Avoid double handling as much as possible:
less effort, less damage, less wastage. Supervise the delivery
of materials to ensure
correct location and method of storage. Check that a material is
fully used prior to
starting a new batch. Return to storage any materials that have
not
been used. Use off-cuts where possible. Re-use formwork as often
as practically
possible. Designate an area for surplus concrete it
can be crushed and re-used. Pick up litter.
WHY? Reduce costs: Wastage costs money: - not only the cost of
the cost of replacement materials but also
the disposal cost of those that are damaged. Reduce pollution
risk: Good storage reduces the risk of spillages. Avoid waste:
Re-use of materials reduces the requirement for new materials.
Improved safety: A tidy site is a safe site. Public image: Good
housekeeping creates a positive image to the general public.
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JULY-2015 Topic 27 of 31 JAD DAILY SAFETY TOOL BOX TOPICSTORAGE
& SEGREGATION OF WASTE
WHAT? Allowing waste to escape into the environment not only
causes nuisance to neighbours andgenerates a poor public image it
is illegal.
Segregating wastes into hazardous, non hazardous and inert waste
types for disposal can help minimisecosts and maximise the
opportunities for recovery and recycling.
WHY? Avoid prosecution: It is the duty of all waste producers to
prevent their waste escaping into the
environment. It is illegal to mix hazardous waste with other
waste types which are to be sent directly tolandfill.
Reduce costs: The segregation of waste into separate containers
or skips can lead to lower costs by reducing disposal costs and
landfill tax payments through preventing the contamination of
inactive
wastes by active wastes. maximising the potential for reusing
and recycling materials. making it easier to see how much of each
type of waste is being produced and where efforts to
reduce waste need to be targeted.
DONT DONT throw materials into the wrong
container. DONT contaminate one waste type with
another or mix different types of waste. DONT mix hazardous with
non-hazardous
waste its illegal. DONT give waste away, all waste taken off
site needs to be accompanied by paperwork. DONT damage covers
over or bunds around
any skips or containers. DONT burn or bury waste its illegal.
DONT put liquids and flammable wastes into
skips. DONT overfill skips
DO Keep sites tidy and collect up any waste regularly. Use waste
containers or skips suitable for the type of waste being stored.
Use skips with lids or cover them with sheets or nets to prevent
dust and litter being blown out. Check that containers and skips
are not corroded or worn out to minimize the risk of accidental
spillages or leaks. Mark waste containers clearly with their
intended contents and ensure labels on containers are kept in
good order. Segregate waste before putting it into the
designated containers ask your supervisor if unsure.
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JULY-2015 Topic 28 of 31 JAD DAILY SAFETY TOOL BOX
TOPICDERMATITIS
Dermatitis is a painful skin condition which can be prevented.
It is caused by a reaction to a substance on your skin. Thesymptoms
include red, swollen and tender skin, hot and itchy patches or in
severe cases, blisters. Exposure over a longperiod of time can
cause thickening of the skin. In extreme cases it may eventually
lead to skin cancer.
Contact dermatitis is caused by direct contact with the
substances. There are two different kinds of contact dermatitis.One
is an irritant dermatitis - a simple case of irritation caused by
contact with the substance. The other type is allergicdermatitis,
when repeated exposures to the substance cause the body to develop
an allergic reaction. This reaction canthen be triggered by even
very small quantities of the substance.
Acids, alkalis, mineral oils, solvents, bleaches, glues, pollen,
wood dusts, nickel, some types of vegetables and fruitsand even
antibiotics are just a few examples of the substances which can
cause dermatitis in some people.
Heat, friction and dirt can also cause and aggravate dermatitis.
Sweating and repetitive friction on your skin, combinedwith dirt
and bacteria, can be a sure-fire recipe for dermatitis.
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JULY-2015 Topic 29 of 31 JAD DAILY SAFETY TOOL BOX TOPICHOW TO
HANDLE CHEMICAL SPILLS
Your safety training helps ensure things go right when you do
your job. Your training also includes what to do whenthings go
wrong. You are trained to prevent spills when you work with
chemicals, but your training also tells you how torespond to
one.
Unplanned release of a chemical can have devastating effects.
Skin and eye burns, damage to the lungs, fire andexplosion,
corrosive damage to materials, pollution of air, soil and water,
and danger to the public are just some of thepossible consequences
of a chemical spill.
Chemical spills can be in the form of liquids, solids such as
pellets, gases and vapors. They can be flammable (quick toburn or
explode), corrosive (damaging to human tissue or other materials),
or toxic (poisonous to humans and otherliving things).
The time to deal with a chemical spill is long before it
happens, by rehearsing what you will do and obtaining thesupplies
you will need for self-protection and cleanup.
First, you need to learn all you can about the chemicals used
and stored in your work area. What are the hazards? Whatwould
happen if the chemical were exposed to air, oxygen, a spark, water
or even motion? Is the chemical corrosive,causing burns to human
tissue?
If breathed in, could it damage the respiratory system, cause
unconsciousness or death? Are there possible long-termeffects from
chemical exposure, such as cancer? You will get this type of
information from your training, the MaterialSafety Data Sheet
(MSDS), container label and other sources.
Here are some basic procedures you can learn for dealing with a
spill. Be sure to get the specific steps you should takefor the
chemicals you work with.
Alert people in the area of the spill.
Call the appropriate emergency numbers, which should be posted
at each telephone.
Attend to any injured persons, removing them from exposure and
getting to a safety shower if necessary.
Depending on the nature of the chemical, you might need to open
windows and doors to provide ventilation, close up theaffected area
to contain spills or turn off heat and other ignition sources.
If you are trained and authorized, use the appropriate materials
to absorb or contain the spill. For instance, you mighthave kits to
neutralize spilled acids or bases. For other chemicals, you could
be required to sprinkle an absorbent litteron a spill, or surround
the spill with a dam.
Do not attempt cleanup under these circumstances:
You dont know what the spilled material is.
You dont have the necessary protection or the right equipment to
do the job.
The spill is too large.
The spill is highly toxic.
You feel symptoms of exposure.
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JULY-2015 Topic 30 of 31 JAD DAILY SAFETY TOOL BOX
TOPICEFFECTIVE SAFETY CONVERSATIONResearch by Weick, Sunstein,
Geller and Slovic state that 95% of all accidents and incidents are
related topsychological and cultural causes. So after we have
completed all the paperwork associated with safetyand systems, its
still down to human judgment and decision making. The evidence for
this fact emergesafter every accident when people say they are
bewildered by what someone did? They sometime expressthis by
stating that someone lacked common sense. Why did Ted stand in the
exclusion zone? Why did Billassume the power had been tagged out?
Why did Fred slip into the tank, why didnt he wear a harness?
Allthese questions which we ask after the event show that our
workplaces dont lack more checklists but lackmore skilled
conversations.You cant see complacency but you can hear it. You
cant see assumptions you can only hear them. Youcant guess
comprehension of Safe Work Method Statements you can only hear it.
You cant assume thechecklist did its work, you can only hear if it
has. The effective conversation is the key to
supervision.Unfortunately, many supervisors are not good at
conversation. Most organisations dont invest the timeand resources
into training supervisors to be effective conversationalists. It is
assumed that an effectiveconversation and skilled questioning come
naturally. In workplaces with a technical focus, engineers
andtechnicians are usually quite poor at effective conversations.
Its not their bread and butter; soft skillsare generally not a big
part of their technical training.The most important skills to
having an effective safety conversation are: pitching, framing,
questioning andpriming. Without understanding, coaching and
practicing these skills, you will have little chance of
properlyhearing and influencing culture and behavior at work.Here
are some tips to get started on how to have an effective safety
conversation.1. If you dont have a positive attitude, dont go out.
People can sense authoritarian and negative attitudes.2. Check in
to your own biases and expectations. If you are carrying some
agenda, dont go out.3. Do you know how to observe for cultural and
psychological indicators?4. Observe but dont spy.5. Listen for
attitudes and values in language rather than focus on program and
cosmetics.6. Open with a positive statement, notice something good
and name it.7. Learn how to tactically ignore. If something is
minor ignore it. Dont be nitpicky.8. Listen to language, especially
generalisations and stereotypes.9. Listen for blaming, rushing,
distractedness, fatigue, arrogance, overconfidence and know how to
softenand reframe dangerous language.10. Be focused on dialogue not
telling.11. Ask open questions.12. Dont ask confirmatory or leading
questions.13. Dont ask questions which try to prove your own
hypothesis or assumptions.14. Ask questions which help them tell a
sequence and story.15. Do you know how to ask creative questions?
Questions which are at a tangent to the obvious but tellyou what
values and beliefs are being held?16. Dont rave on with your own
war stories. Conversations are not about you. Dialogue is two
way.17. Consider your pitch. What is going to be your angle?18. How
will your dialogue be framed?19. How will your questions and
language prime the listener? What words and phrases will you
avoid?Do you know what words and approach switch people off?20. How
will you conclude? Do you know how to be positive and encouraging?
Do you know how to avoidpithy meaningless language such as be
careful? Is your encouragement specific?
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JULY-2015 Topic 31 of 31 JAD DAILY SAFETY TOOL BOX
TOPICINDIVIDUAL QUALITY MAKES THE DIFFERENCEIn this age of rapid
change and need for efficiency, we also see an increased emphasis
on quality assurancestandards such as ISO (International
Standardization Organization) certifications. However, the
biggestfactor we must consider in this age of more with less, is
how we, as individuals, impact the quality process.Our honor and
integrity as human beings needs to be confirmed in our work and
everything we do. So, youmay ask, how does this apply to safety?Our
personal behavior can determine someone else's fate as well as our
own. Failure to do things correctlycan jeopardize the health and
safety of those around us, as well as our own well being. We must
beware ofletting mediocrity infiltrate our methods. If our methods
do not indicate our best effort, they are not goodenough. What we
do, how we work, and the standards we set for ourselves, make the
difference betweensuccess and failure. If we accept mediocrity, we
accept failure as a way of life.Consider the example of an employee
at a ship building facility who, at the end of a busy day, left
ahammer in the hull of the ship. Fourteen years later, the boat
sprung a leak in the middle of the oceanbecause the hammer wore a
hole in the ship's hull over time. The boat sank and lives were
lost.What about the oil that was spilled on the shop floor and
wasn't cleaned up right away? A fellowemployee, a close friend of
yours, comes by moments or hours later, doesn't see the spill,
slips and falls.Now he has severe back problems that affect his
future, his family, and their quality of life for generationsto
come. By the way, the expense of that injury also put this small
business out of operation, affecting thelives of all the workers
and the business owner.Each time we don't do our best, we accept
mediocrity as a way of life. To help set standards of excellencein
everything we do we must pay attention to detail. If we don't know
the right way to do something, wemust ask someone who does. If
asked for help, we should take the time to demonstrate how to
correctlyand thoroughly complete a task. We must make an individual
contribution, on a daily basis, to the qualityprocess.When we set
higher individual standards for ourselves and give our best to
everything we do, it can make adifference. This helps to protect
the finest quality of life this world has to offer.