Tag: Weekly Safety Message 12

Hot Work Permit

Mukhtari Abdul-Karim

 Fire

Some contractor employees using an oxy-acetylene torch (a very hot flame produced by mixing acetylene and oxygen) to cut were seen with no hot work permit. The cutting job was far from a designated welding bay. Their presumption was that as long as it was within the work area, it was fine to do the job without a hot work permit. What do you think?

Some think of the hot work permit as just another piece of paper to fill out while trying to get the job done. However, enough fires have occurred during these types of operations that a formal checklist is required.

The hot work permit helps us all ensure that the area is safe for such operations so that we have a place to return to work tomorrow. A hot work permit is required for any temporary operation (outside a designated welding or hot work bay) involving open flames or producing heat and/or sparks. This includes, but is not limited to, welding, burning, cutting, brazing, grinding and soldering. The hot work permit is really nothing more than a formal checklist to ensure that potential safety issues are addressed in the area you will be doing the work and that someone else agrees it is safe to do the work.

It’s not just a form . . . it’s an insurance policy to ensure we have a place of employment still standing to return to work tomorrow! Be sure to complete the form looking at each area and not just “fill it out”.

Mark Rubino

Forklifts are excellent labor-saving devices. They save time and reduce the likelihood of injury associated with manual material handling activities. However, forklifts can become very dangerous if operated by a reckless or untrained operator. All operators should receive safety training prior to being allowed to operate a forklift.

Forklift accidents tend to be very serious, involving both personal injury and damage to property. These accidents can be avoided if operators use some common sense and follow safe operating procedures. Do not operate a forklift until you have been properly trained and authorized to do so.

Basic Forklift Safety Practices

Here are a few common safety rules to follow during forklift operation:

1. Use the seat belt. It will keep you secure in the seat in the unplanned event of a tip over.
2. A parked forklift should have the forks flat on the floor with the controls set to neutral and with the parking brake set.
3. A forklift is considered to be “unattended” if the operator is more than 25 feet away or if the forklift is out of the direct vision of the operator. Unattended forklifts should be parked with the power turned off.
4. When operating the forklift on inclines, the load should always be on the uphill side of the incline. Drive forward going up the incline. Drive backward going down the incline.
5. When traveling without a load on the forks, keep the forks approximately four to six inches off the floor.
6. Never allow anyone to walk underneath a raised load.
7. Stop at all blind corners to check for other traffic in the area. This includes other forklifts and pedestrians. Honk your horn and look before you proceed.
8. If carrying a tall load that blocks your forward vision, drive in reverse and turn your head so you can see where you are going.
9. If operating around other forklifts maintain a three-forklift length distance between forklifts and never attempt passing.
10. Never drive a forklift up to the back of a person who is unaware that the forklift is behind them.

FORKLIFT SAFETY IS FOR EVERYONE’S BENEFIT

One of the key issues associated with hand tool safety is choosing and using the right tool. Unfortunately, many people use tools improperly at home, where they improvise with what they have on hand. Also, many people view hand tools as simple to use, so there is little concern for safety. A person using hand tools, no matter what they are, should always follow safety precautions.

Approximately 8 percent of industrial incidents result from the improper use of hand tools, according to studies. Injuries range from simple cuts, contusions and abrasions to amputations, fractures and punctures.

Below are examples of improper use of hand tools. Have you done any of these?

• Pushing rather than pulling a wrench to loosen a tight fastener.
• Bending metal with undersized pliers, which can damage the pliers and the metal.
• Holding an item, you’re working on in one hand while attempting to remove a screw with a screwdriver in the other hand.
• Cutting toward your body with a cutting tool
• Using dull cutting tools.
• Filing materials that are not properly secured in a vise with no handle on the file.
• Using a tool not sized properly for the job (e.g., sockets that are slightly larger than the fastener).
• Not only do you need to utilize the tool properly, but it needs to be in good shape. Take a moment before using any hand tool to ensure that it is in good shape. Things to look for include:
• A hammer with a chipped head and/or with a loose or broken handle.
• A screwdriver with a worn or broken tip.
• Any cutting tool with a dull surface.
• Chisels with a mushroomed head.
• Tools that have had their temper removed

Hand tools can be as dangerous as power tools. Make sure you use them correctly.

Personal fall protection systems such as harnesses can be a lifesaver for those who continually or occasionally work at heights. However, if it isn’t in good shape, you could be putting your life in a risky situation. It is important to inspect your fall protection gear prior to every use.

Always follow the recommendations of the manufacturer of your gear for inspections and maintenance requirements. Here are some things to look for:

Harness Inspection

• Begin by holding the harness up by the D-ring. Bend the straps in an inverted “U.” Watch for frayed edges, broken fibers, pulled stitches, cuts or chemical damage. Check D-rings and D-ring metal wear pads for distortion, cracks, breaks, and rough or sharp edges. The D-ring bar should be at a 90-degree angle with the long axis of the belt and should pivot freely.
• Attachments of buckles and D-rings should be given special attention. Note any unusual wear, frayed or cut fibers, or distortion of the buckles. Rivets should be tight and unmovable with fingers. Body side rivet base and outside rivets should be flat against the material. Bent rivets will fail under stress.
• Inspect frayed or broken strands. Broken webbing strands generally appear as tufts on the webbing surface. Any broken, cut or burnt stitches will be readily seen.
• Tongue Buckle: Buckle tongues should be free of distortion in shape and motion. They should overlap the buckle frame and move freely back and forth in their socket. Rollers should turn freely on the frame. Check for distortion or sharp edges.
• Friction Buckle: Inspect the buckle for distortion. The outer bar or center bars must be straight. Pay special attention to corners and attachment points of the center bar.

Lanyard Inspection

When inspecting lanyards, begin at one end and work to the opposite end. Slowly rotate the lanyard so that the entire circumference is checked. Spliced ends require particular attention.

• Snap hooks: Inspect closely for hook and eye distortion, cracks, corrosion, or pitted surfaces.
• The keeper, or latch, should sit into the nose without binding and should not be distorted or obstructed. The keeper spring should exert sufficient force to firmly close the keeper. Keeper rocks must provide the keeper from opening when the keeper closes. Closing/locking mechanism should move freely without sticking or jamming.
• While bending webbing over a piece of pipe, observe each side of the webbed lanyard. This will reveal any cuts or breaks.
• The outer portion of the shock-absorbing pack should be examined for burnt holes and tears.
• Stitching on areas where the pack is sewn to the D-ring, belt or lanyard should be examined for loose strands, rips and deterioration.

Every day in the United States five to 10 arc flash explosions occur in electrical equipment. Anyone exposed to such explosions is at significant risk for death or serious injury.

Arc flash is described by the National Fire Protection Association as “a dangerous condition associated with the release of energy caused by an electric arc.” A reduction of the insulation or isolation distance between energized components is responsible for this condition.

For example, a tool that is inserted or accidentally dropped into a breaker or service area, or other objects that are left behind, may compromise the distance between energized components.

Incidents may occur when a worker fails to ensure that equipment has been properly de-energized prior to service or inspection. Arc flash incidents typically occur in applications exceeding 120 volts.

Serious damage to equipment is likely an outcome in an arc flash incident. Sometimes affected equipment is so badly damaged that replacement is the only option. And, of course, the human body is equally capable of being destroyed or irreversibly damaged, with no replacement option.

The following arc flash safety reminders from Square D Products, a well-known producer of electrical equipment, can help company better protect their employees:

• Establish a written electrical safety program with clearly defined responsibilities covering all of your company’s electrical safety policies, including lockout/tagout, internal safety policies and responsibilities for electrical safety.
• Have an engineering firm conduct an electrical system analysis to determine the degree of arc flash hazard present at your workplace. The analysis will define the type of personal protective equipment (PPE) that your workers must use while performing any work when energized parts are exposed.
• Conduct arc flash safety training for all employees. It should be specific to the hazards of arc flash, arc blast, shock and electrocution. Ensure adequate personal protective clothing and equipment is on hand.
• Ensure the proper tools are on hand for safe electrical work. This includes insulated voltage-rated hand tools and insulated voltage sensing devices that are properly rated for the voltage application of the equipment to be tested.
• Any electrical equipment that is likely to require examination, adjustment, servicing or maintenance while energized must have arc flash warning labels posted in plain view. Such equipment includes switchboards, panel boards, industrial control panels, meter socket enclosures and motor control centers.
• Appoint an electrical safety program manager. This should be a well-organized, responsible person who is familiar with electrical code requirements and other safety issues.
• Maintain all electrical distribution system components. Modern, properly adjusted over-current protective devices that are properly maintained can detect an arcing condition almost instantly and clear the fault quickly. This capability significantly reduces the amount of incident energy that is released.
• Finally, maintain and update all electrical distribution documentation. This is especially critical when expanding or revising facilities.