SAFETY

ENGINEERING
I. INDUSTRIAL SAFETY,
BASIC TERMS &
DEFINITIONS:
WHAT IS INDUSTRIAL SAFETY???
Industrial safety
refers to the
management of all
operations and events
within an industry in
order to protect its
employees and assets by
minimizing hazards*,
risks, near misses, and
accidents.
 Industrial safety is measured through a
series of metrics/ studies that track the rate of
near misses**, injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.

Work related illness (Asthma) Work related death (fatality)

Work related injury (broken leg)

WHAT IS HAZARD???
A hazard is any object, situation, or behavior
that has the potential to cause injury, ill health, or
damage to property or the environment.
Health and safety hazards exist in every
workplace. Some are easily identified and
corrected, while others are necessary risks of the
job and must be managed in other ways (for
instance, by using PPE’s like hard hats to protect
against falling objects and body harness to
safeguard against freefall).
HIERARCHY OF CONTROLS FOR HAZARDS:
OSHA’s FIVE (5) WORKPLACE HAZARDS:
Preventing and removing workplace
hazards is not only necessary for employee
safety, it’s every employers legal responsibility to
provide a workplace
that is free from
recognized hazards
that may cause death
or
serious harm to
their employees.
1. Safety hazards encompass any type of
substance, condition or object that can injure
workers (most common workplace hazard). In
many types of workplaces they can include
spills on floors, walkways blocked by cords or
boxes, falls
from heights, machinery
with moving parts, spaces
confined and electrical
hazards such as frayed/
cords.
2. Chemical Hazards are present when a worker
is exposed to any chemical preparation in the
workplace in any form (solid, liquid or gas).
Chemical hazards include acids, pesticides,
carbon monoxide, flammable liquids,
welding fumes, silica dust and fiberglass
fibers.
3. Ergonomic Hazards occur when the type of
work, body positions and working conditions
put a strain on your body. They are the
hardest to spot since you don’t always
immediately notice the strain on your body or
the harm that these hazards pose. Short- term
exposure may
result in “sore muscles”
the next day or in the
days following the
exposure, but long term
exposure can result in
serious long-term illness.
4. Biological Hazards include exposure to
disease associated with working with people,
animals, or infectious plant materials.
Workplaces with these kinds of hazards include,
work in schools, hospitals, laboratories,
emergency response, nursing homes, or
various outdoor
occupations.
5. Physical hazards can injure workers with or
without contact. These types of hazards
include radiation, working in extreme heat or cold,
spending hours
under the sun or
being
constantly exposed
to loud noise.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN A HAZARD & A RISK???
A hazard is something that can cause
harm, e.g. electricity, chemicals, working up a
ladder, noise, a keyboard, a bully at work, stress,
etc. A risk is the
chance, high or low,
that any hazard will
actually cause
bodily harm.
WHAT IS A NEAR MISS???
A “near miss” is an
incident which results to
no injury, no damage to
property/equipment/ma
chinery, and no
environmental effect but
has the potential for all
those.
A “near miss” is
either due to an unsafe
condition/ unsafe act.
NEAR MISS-ACCIDENT EXAMPLE
NEAR MISS-ACCIDENT EXAMPLE
NEAR MISS-ACCIDENT EXAMPLE
NEAR MISS-ACCIDENT EXAMPLE
NEAR MISS-ACCIDENT EXAMPLE
 A “Near Miss”
can also be termed as
“Near Hit” does not
pose any immediate
negative impact, but
that it can present us
with trend of events
which may result to
serious damage and
losses given a slight
shift in time or
position.
WHY NEAR MISS REPORTING &
INVESTIGATING IS IMPORTANT???
1. It is could have been a product of an unsafe
act or unsafe condition.
2. May have resulted from a failed control.
3. Subsequent incident may present dire
consequence.
4. When near miss is reported and investigated
it helps determine the root cause/ causes and
implement appropriate controls accordingly.

5. It will help prevent an accident.

6. Helps create a culture that seeks to identify
and control hazards, which will reduce risks
and the potential for harm, etc.
When near misses are reported and
properly investigated, accident/ accidents can be
prevented, and appropriate actions can be made
to ensure the safety and well-being of the worker/
workers, a win-win situation for both employer
and employee.
HOW TO WRITE A NEAR MISS REPORT???
1. Create a clear description of the near miss.
2. Investigate and assess the possible causes of
the problem.
3. Identify solutions to the problem and design
an action plan to solve the problem.
4. Prioritize action plan and classify information
for future actions.
5. Distribute the investigation report to the
people involved in the near miss, and
management staff.
6. Create actions to prevent another near miss.
SAMPLE OF A NEAR MISS REPORT:
Maintenance Ship No. 1022 Ship Deck

0200 hrs (Saturday)

January 01, 2050
X X
X
X X

See next page

See next page

Describe the potential incident/ hazard/ concern and possible outcome (in as much
detail as possible)
During the wee hours of the morning at 0200 hrs (Saturday) while
everyone aboard the Ship No. 1022 (MV Titanic), MR. PIOLO PASCUAL, a newly
hired technician was working on cutting an entangled rope aboard the ship’s
deck. Mr. Pascual tried loosening the entangled rope manually but that it was
near impossible unless he cut it loose.
Mr. Pascual tried to locate an axe on Fireman’s toolbox No. 1 on the
east starboard of the ship when the axe suddenly fell on the ground upon
opening the toolbox’s door panel. The axe fell on the ground blade first cutting
the wooden platform to where he was standing. It was just 1 inch away from
his left foot. Mr. Pascual was also found to be not wearing any PPE’s and was
lucky enough to escape any injury/ physical harm.
The axe could have cut his foot, worst it could have lacerated his veins
that could have cause a major injury (dismemberment, loss of blood likely
leading to death).
Safety Suggestion:

After a thorough investigation, it is found-out that Mr. Pascual

violated one of our company’s stringent policy on Safety in that he was
not
Wearing any PPE’s (Safety shoes, over-all, and hard hat)
To prevent such near miss incident from happening once again in
the near future, every personnel while working on his/ her respective
areas should be fully aware of the possible hazards associated. In this
case, it should always be a habit to wear the proper PPE’s (Personal
Protective Equipment) according to the nature of the job to prevent a
possible accident/ cushion the damaging effects of the accident.
Routine checks as much as possible to start the day must be made
to ensure that all tools are secured properly and accordingly to their given
location.
It is also suggested that Mr. Pascual be subjected to another
round of Safety Training to instill in his mind the value of life and work.
Maintenance Ship No. 1022 Ship Deck

January 01, 2050 1321 hrs

X X
X
X X

Accomplished
Near-miss Report
During the wee hours of the morning at 0200 hrs (Saturday) while everyone aboard the Ship No.
1022 (MV Titanic) I was working on cutting an entangled rope aboard the ship’s deck. I tried loosening the
entangled rope manually but that it was near impossible unless I cut it loose………………………………………

Form
After a thorough investigation, it is found-out that Mr. Pascual violated one of our company’s
stringent policy on Safety in that he was not Wearing any PPE’s (Safety shoes, over-all, and hard hat)
……………………….

Engr. Juan Dela Cruz (Supervisor, Maintenance Department ) January 02, 2050

0939-143-0000 [email protected]
WHY REPORTING A NEAR MISS INCIDENT
IS USUALLY NOT DONE???
1. People don’t like to do it.
2. It is usually inconvenient to fill-out a “Near-
Miss” Investigation form
3. It is convenient and sometimes less stressful to
just forget the near-miss ever happened.
4. Who wants to report a personal experience that
reflects at risk behavior, careless, and maybe
irresponsible attitude?
Possibly being scolded by your higher heads,
meted by sanctions (safety trainings), or affect job
performance evaluation.
IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN
INCIDENT AND ACCIDENT???
You may hear the words accident and incident to
refer to events in the news. These words are easy to
confuse, but they are not exactly the same. An “Incident”
is more general, and an “Accident” is more specific.
An “Incident” is a broader term that can refer to any
event – good or bad (positive or negative), intentional or
unintentional. This may involve either with
propertydamage to property or injury/ death or both or
without involvement of both.
i.e. A bank robbery, a funny or controversial
situation, an argument between celebrities.. Can all be
described as incidents. This is
 Meanwhile an “Accident” is a bad event caused by
error or by chance. Accidents are always unintentional, and
they usually result in some damage causing the injury/
death or simply an injury/ death.

i.e. A car had crashed instantly killing all

passengers except the driver.
A boy was slightly wounded when he was left
alone while playing with a knife.
 To summarize, all accidents can be considered as
incidents but not all incidents can be treated as accidents.

i.e. A bystander was pissed by a passerby with

the former sneaking in a punch on the
latter who got hurt eventually. *
*The situation cannot be considered as both incident
and accident even though someone got hurt (negative).

**Though someone got hurt, the action on the part

of the bystander was intentional even if it was a reaction
due to the pissing of the passerby.
WHAT IS MEANT BY OSH???
Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) is a multi-
disciplinary field that is concerned primarily with the safety,
health, and welfare of people at work.
Three main objectives are:
1. the maintenance and promotion of workers’ health
and working capacity;
2. the improvement of working environment and work
to become conducive to safety and health; and
3. development of work organizations and working
cultures in a direction which supports health and
safety at work and in doing so also promotes a
positive social climate and smooth operation and
may enhance productivity of the undertakings.
 OSH includes the laws, standards, and programs
that are aimed at making the workplace better for
workers, along with co-workers, family members,
customers, and other stakeholders.
In our country, this OSH in under the BUREAU OF
WORKING CONDITIONS (BWC) specifically of the
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT (DOLE)
and that we have our own set of standards, the
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS
(OSHS).
 The Occupational
Safety and Health Standards
was formulated in 1978 in
compliance with the
constitutional mandate to
safeguard the worker’s social
and economic well-being as
well as his physical safety
and health. Adopted in 1978
and amended in 1989, this
“Standards” is considered as
a landmark in Philippine
labor and social legislation.
 For unscrupulous businessmen/ owners they see
this compliance to Occupational Safety and Health
Standards as just additional costs.

i.e. Construction firms require that their

workers should be provided with the proper
PPE’s like Safety Shoes and hard hats as
basic requirements.
They fear that issued PPE’s could no longer
be retrieved say that the worker has gone
AWOL (ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE)
WHY IS THERE A NEED TO HAVE AN “OSHS”
IN A WORKPLACE???
1. It is a moral and social obligation.
-- To do what is right and not to do what is wrong
for the benefit/ betterment of the whole society.
2. For legal compliance.
-- Work stoppage of the whole company is in order
if this is not complied.
3. For financial considerations.
-- Work stoppage even for a short period of time
results into backlog/ losses.
-- If injury or death arises, there is more costs rather
than savings (Costs of hospitalization, renumeration).
-- Company image is irreparable
An individual miraculously surviving a fire break-out but with third
degree burns.
A worker grimacing in pain after severing his fingers getting caught in a
rotating machine.
The body of a lifeless worker after getting caught inside a conveyor system.
A worker with his legs crushed by the sprocket of a rolling pin as he is being
calmed by a fellow worker while awaiting for help
A worker is luckily alive despite a rebar piercing his head during a
construction site accident.
 MOST COMMON
ACCIDENTS
10. Electrical wiring methods

-- Flammable materials left near

exposed electrical wiring in
the workplace. Loose
connectors. Poor wiring:
substandard wiring can lead to
electrical fires
and electric shock.
9. Fall Protection – Training
Requirements

-- Insufficient knowledge on the

part of the worker on how to
use fall protection
requirements such as the use
of a full body harness.
8. Machine Guarding

-- Improper guarding of the

machine consisting of a shield
or device covering hazardous
areas of a machine to prevent
contact with body parts or to
control hazards like chips or sparks
from exiting the machine.
7. Powered Industrial Trucks

-- Common as in the case of

forklifts. The most
common causes of fatal forklift
accidentsare (1) a worker crushed
by a vehicle tipping over (42%); (2)
crushed between a vehicle
and a surface (25%); (3) crushed
between two vehicles (11%); (4)
struck or run over by a forklift (10%);
(5) struck by falling material
(8%); and (6) fall from platform
on the forks ...
6. Ladders

-- Improper recognition on the

length of ladder to be used; use of
old, worn-out, or damaged
ladders; incorrect use of ladders
(Use 3-point contact, two feet
planted and one hand; do not reach
too far-out); Incorrect placement
of ladders (always place the
feet of the ladder in a firm and
level ground; Other end of the
ladder should also be
secured).
5. Lock-out/ Tag-out

Here are a few common lock-out tag-

out mistakes that may prove fatal.

*Failure to De-Energize. ...

*Failure to Drain Residues. ...
*Failure to Double-Check the
Settings.
*Lack of Training. ...
*Lack of Equipment-
Specific Lockout Procedures.
*Use of Duplicates/Master
Keys/Shared Locks. ...
4. Respiratory Protection

-- Accessing locations without

knowing that the oxygen is
depleted in that location; location
where toxic gas is present. Both
compounded by the non-
presence of SCBA (Self Contained
Breathing Apparatus).
-- Working on locations with air-
borne pollutants (Asbestos)
that does not pose any
immediate health concerns.
3. Scaffolding
*Lack of platform strength. A
temporary structure must be
able to support four times its
expected weight load.
*Lack of platform stability. ...
*Poor platform planking (Placing). ...
*A platform that is too narrow. ...
*Lack of overhead protection. ...
*Use of an unsafe structure design.

Which is why scaffolds are

assembled only by competent
individuals.
2. Hazard Communication

-- Hazard communication, also

known as HazCom, is a set of
processes and procedures that
employers and importers must
implement in the workplace to
effectively communicate hazards
associated with chemicals
during handling,
shipping, and any
form of exposure.
1`. Fall Protection - General
requirements
-- Elevated platforms should
have standard railings four (4) ft
above.
-- Ladder way accessing
platforms should be enclosed
by cage system.
-- Protection from fall can be
arrested by a personal fall system
(body harness and lanyard) that is
attached onto an appropriate
anchorage point.
-- Holes on platforms should be
covered with standard
railings.
MOST NOTABLE ACCIDENTS THAT HAD RECENTLY
HAPPENED DUE TO POOR SAFETY CONDITIONS:
MOST NOTABLE ACCIDENTS THAT HAD RECENTLY
HAPPENED DUE TO POOR SAFETY CONDITIONS:
MOST NOTABLE ACCIDENTS THAT HAD RECENTLY
HAPPENED DUE TO POOR SAFETY CONDITIONS:
MOST NOTABLE ACCIDENTS THAT HAD RECENTLY
HAPPENED DUE TO POOR SAFETY CONDITIONS:
MOST NOTABLE ACCIDENTS THAT HAD RECENTLY
HAPPENED DUE TO POOR SAFETY CONDITIONS: