MODULE 4:OSH LEGISLATION

LOCATION PLAN

LAYOUT PLAN

INTRODUCTION: (PROJECT OVERVIEW)

The project “Cadangan Membina Dan Menyiapkan Kem Kompeni ‘C’ Batalion 10 (Kem Temudok) Pasukan Gerakan Am Sri Aman, 300 units Kuarters Kelas F, 8 units Kuarters Kelas E, 4 Units Kuarters Kelas D, Kemudahan-Kemudahan Lain, Kerja-Kerja Infrastruktur Dan Kerja-Kerja Mekanikal & Elektrikal” at Lot 531 and Lot 532, Klauh Land District was situated along the Jalan Simanggang, it was approximately 9 km from Sri Aman Town.

The scope of works of the contract were divided into 2 phases, phase I works consist of quarters Kelas F (Block A, B ), Sekolah Temudok, Tadika, ,Lapangan Sasar Pistol and Rifle, Cawagan Bekalan, Cawangan Pengangkutan, Bengkal-bengkal, Garaj-garaj, Stesen PMP and all necessary temporary works, site clearing, earthworks, piling, M&E works, elevated water tank, interior works, landscaping works and etc. shall require 24 months to complete with available of water and electricity.

Scope of works for phase II shall start 2 months after completion of phase I, phase II works consist of Bangunan Pentadbiran, Kuarters D and E, Kuarters Transit, Dewan Makan, Dewan Besar, Dewan Rekreasi, Masjid, Rumah Kawalan, Perkep, Padang Kawat and all necessary demolition works, temporary works, earthworks, piling, M&E works, interior works, landscaping works and shall require 16 months to complete with available of water and electricity.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT:

The working environment at site Kem Temudok Sri Aman is a unique one; it involves a sequence of activities fall in the construction life cycle. There are substantial numbers of workers with different level of skills and competency employed within the construction work process. The work activities can be divided into two categories. For example, building activities and external work activities. The building work activities are mainly involved erection of building from ground level to top of the roof. The external work activities are those involved with infrastructure services such as electric cabling, water piping, sewerage system, and road. Hence, the degree of exposure to potential danger are varied depend on the level of likelihood and severity of the risk the workers are exposed to.

IDENTIFY THE HAZARD:

Hazard identification

The first step in reducing the likelihood of an accident is hazard identification. Hazard identification is identifying all situations or events that could cause injury or illness. Eliminating or minimizing workplace hazards needs a systematic approach. It is essential to try and anticipate all possible hazards at the workplace .

Hazards defined

A hazard is a source or potential source of human injury, ill health or disease. Anything which might cause injury or ill health to anyone at or near a workplace is a hazard. While some hazards are fairly obvious and easy to identify, others are not - for example exposure to noise, chemicals or radiation.

Classes of hazard

Hazards are classified into five different types. They are

• Physical - includes floors, stairs, work platforms, steps, ladders, fire, falling objects, slippery surfaces, manual handling (lifting, pushing, pulling), excessively loud and prolonged noise, vibration, heat and cold, radiation, poor lighting, ventilation, air quality

• Mechanical and/or electrical - includes electricity, machinery, equipment, pressure vessels, dangerous goods, fork lifts, cranes, hoists

• Chemical - includes chemical substances such as acids or poisons and those that could lead to fire or explosion, cleaning agents, dusts and fumes from various processes such as welding

• Biological - includes bacteria, viruses, mould, mildew, insects, vermin, animals

• Psychosocial environment - includes workplace stressors arising from a variety of sources.

Note that some physical and chemical hazards can lead to fire, explosion and other safety hazards.

Methods for identifying hazards

The first step in control of a hazard is to identify and list them. There are many methods which are useful for identifying hazards, including

• Injury and illness records - review your workers’ compensation data and check the incidence, mechanism and agency of injury, and the cost to the organization. These statistics can be analyzed to alert the organization to the presence of hazards

• staying informed on trends and developments in workplace health and safety, for example via the internet or OHS publications

• reviewing the potential impact of new work practices or equipment introduced into the workplace in line with legislative requirements

• doing walk-through surveys, inspections or safety audits in the workplace to evaluate the organization’s health and safety system

• considering OHS implications when analyzing work processes

• investigating workplace incidents and ‘near hits’ reports - in some cases there may be more than one hazard contributing to an incident

• getting feedback from employees can often provide valuable information about hazards, because they have hands-on experience in their work area

LISTS OF HAZARD:

Ø FALLING HAZARD

~ Photo No.1

1. Fall Hazard-Photo No.1 shows that the workers are working at height. It’s shows clearly that they are not wearing any proper Personnel Protective Equipment (PPE) such as safety helmets, Therefore the workers are facing a risk that falling object. The unsafe act posed by the workers can cause serious harm to the people working below them.
2. Puncture wound-The workers may face the risk of puncture wound caused by stepping onto nails or rebar because they are not wearing the safety boots. If the workers step on onto the sticking rebar with the exposed ends, the rebar could caused serious and fatal puncture would to the body.

Ø INSTALLATION RC PILE BY PILING RIG

~ Photo No.2

1. Photo No.2 shows that the piling rig doing the piling work. The swinging radius of the piling rig is not barricaded. The workers may be injured and equipment damaged if the piling rig arm swinging and hit them or they are become crushed in between the piling rig and another pieces of equipment.

Ø TRIPPING HAZARD

~Photo No.3

a. Photo No.3 shows that there are a lot of used timbers and formwork all around which may caused tripping hazard.

Ø HEAT STRESS

~ Photo No.4

1. Photo No.4 shows that the workers working outsides which will exposed to hot environment. Therefore the workers facing the risk of heat stress disorders.

Ø BACK INJURY

~ Photo No.5 ~ Photo No.6

1. Photo No.5 shows that the general workers lifting the steel bars (80 kg) and doing there task from awkward position that may caused the back injury hazard. Photo No.6 shows that the worker lifting the timber also from awkward position.

Ø CUT INJURY

~ Photo No.7

1. Photo No.7 shows that the workers doing the steel fabrication work without using the proper PPE such as protective clothing and hand gloves. This will poses the hazard of cut injury.

Ø BIOLOGICAL HAZARD

~ Photo No. 8

a. biological - includes bacteria, viruses, mould, mildew, insects, vermin, animals

Ø SERIOUS EYE INJURY

~ Photo No.9

1. Photo No.9 shows that the workers doing the welding steel bar for columm without used PPE such as safety glasses, goggles, and face shield will pose the hazard of flying particles (shattered materials) which will cause serious eye injury and body injury.

Ø ROCK BLASTING HAZARD ( dust hazard )

~ Photo No.10

a. Photo N0.10 shows that the blasting of the rock. Earthwork activities are still in progress. Person not involved in the blasting exercise shall move at least 150m away from the blasting area.

RELATED THE HAZARD WITH THE PROVISION UNDER ACT AND REGULATION:

1. Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (OSHA 1994)

Part 1: Preliminary

Section 4 – Objectives of the act.

i. To promote an occupational environment for person at which is adapted to their physiology and physiological needs

ii. To provide the means towards a system of regulations and approved industry Codes Of Practices ( COP )

Part 4:

General duties of employees and self-employed persons:

Safety and Health Arrangements:

i. Provisions of proper PPE and tools

ii. Handling arrangements taking into accounts

If the employer was not prioritizing these regulations, the general penalties are:

i. Maximum RM10,000 or 1 year imprisonment or both

ii. Continuous offences – maximum RM1,000 per – day

2. Factories and Machinery (Mineral Dust) Regulations 1989

Prohibition:

i. Rock blasting process shall not be used in any factory unless with written approved from the Chief Inspector

ii. The blaster shall endeavor to carry out the blasting works as far away from the existing works

iii. The blaster shall endeavor to minimize the weight of the explosive for each blast

Penalties of Offences:

Upon conviction, fine not exceeding:

i. RM 1.000 ( noise, mineral dust )

ii. RM 2.000 ( lead, asbestos )

3. Part 4: Duties of Employers and Self Employed Persons to Employees

i. Safe plant and systems of work

ii. Safe use, storage and handling of plant and substances

iii. Information , instruction , training and supervision

iv. Safe place of work

v. Employer to report accidents, dangerous, occurrences , occupational poisoning or diseases to DOSH

Penalty:

RM 50,000 or 2 years jails or both

4. Part 5: duties of Employees

i. Reasonable care of self and others

ii. Cooperate to help others discharge their duties

iii. Use PPE or clothing provided

iv. Comply with instructions or measures made in accordance with OSH legislation

v. not to interfere or misuse things done is accordance with OSH legislations

Penalty:

RM 1,000 or 3 month jail or both

5. Part 4: General Duties of Employees

Section 24:

i. Ensure personal safety and that of others

ii. Cooperate with employer and others

iii. Properly wear and or use personal protective equipment that are provided

iv. Comply to any safety instructions

Offences:

· Failure to comply to notice

· General duties of employees and self employed

Penalty:

i. Maximum RM50.000 or 5 years prison or RM500 per-day

ii. Maximum RM50.000 or 2 years prison

6. Occupational Safety and Health (Use and Standard of Exposure of Chemical Hazardous to Health) Regulations 2000:

v Regulations 22

· The employer shall provide information, instruction and training to all employees who may be exposed or is likely to be exposed to a hazardous chemical. From the information ,instruction and training given , the employee should be able to know :

ü The risk to health created by such exposure

ü The precaution that should be taken

ü Result of any exposure monitoring

ü Result of any health surveillance programmed

DISCUSSION:

Workplace injury is a major cause of concern for all involved in occupational health and safety. The factors which cause workplace accidents and occupational illnesses are called hazards. The need for systematic management of OHS hazards and their attendant risks applies to all organizations and all activities and functions within an organization.

It is important to distinguish between hazard, risk and exposure when undertaking risk management.

Hazard is the potential for harm, or adverse effect on an employee’s health. Anything which may cause injury or ill health to anyone at or near a workplace is a hazard. Risk is the likelihood that a hazard will cause injury or ill health to anyone at or near a workplace. The level of risk increases with the severity of the hazard and the duration and frequency of exposure.

Exposure occurs when a person comes into contact with a hazard.

Risk management is a four step process

1. Identify the hazard

2. Assess the risk associated with the hazard

3. Control the risk

4. Review the process.

The first and most important step in reducing the likelihood of an accident is hazard identification. This means identifying all workplace situations or events that could cause injury or illness.

The second step is an assessment of the level of risk of the hazards you have identified. This step involves collecting information and making decisions. It is important you consider the extent of the harm or consequence from a hazard and the likelihood of harm occurring. If your assessment is that an unacceptable risk to health and safety exists, you must introduce controls to reduce the risk to an acceptable level.

There are three categories of control measures you might take. You can

• eliminate the hazard

• minimize the risk

• introduce ‘back-up’ controls (when all other options in the previous categories have been exhausted).

The third step in effective risk management is to establish and maintain systems which give opportunity for regular evaluation and review procedures.

Evaluation means examining control measures to ensure risks are eliminated or reduced and have not caused new hazards presenting unacceptable risk. The review system applies to the overall risk management process and checks the process is working effectively to identify hazards and manage risks.

Risk management is an organizational issue and a successful program requires the commitment and cooperation of all. All program managers and their staff need to recognize the fundamental importance of occupational health and safety risk management for it to work. Best practice is embedding occupational health and safety risk management into daily usage at all levels of an organization. Achieving best practice is how you can integrate risk management principles and practices into everyday business practice.

RECOMMENDATION:

The management will try the best endeavor to use the most effective risk control measures. A useful hierarchy of solution to bear in mind is shown below adapted from NIOSH SHO notes on Hierarchy of Risk Control (ranked broadly in order of effectiveness):

i. Eliminating the hazard

ii. Substitution the hazard

iii. Isolation the hazard

iv. Engineering control

v. Safe Work practices

vi. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

The Control Measures To Eliminate or Reduce The Most Critical Hazard:

The control measures that used to control identified the hazard are listed below:

1. Control Measures for Falling Hazard

It is possible to eliminate and substitute workers from climbing to the head formwork to do their job. Therefore the most variable control measure is to isolate, introduce administrative control and wearing proper protective equipment while at work.

(a) Isolation

Isolation or separating the hazard or hazardous work practices from people not involve in the work of general area, done by marking off put up signage at hazardous area and installing safety barrier. The isolation measures can be applied to the project through:

· Restricting untrained worker from working at height and only qualified and trained worker are allowed to work at height.

· Other workers are stop from entering the high risk work area and horse playing is not allowed. They should practices safety working blow.

(b) Engineering Control

Engineering control includes modification to tools or equipment, providing guarding to machinery or work activities that pose potential hazard. The engineering control measures that could be used which working at height in this project including:

· Erect and install guardrail and toe board at working platform to provide security to workers.

· Install working platform to provide proper walkway for workers.

· Ladder for climbing up down should be installed.

(c) Administrative Control

The administrative controls include introducing new work practices or re- design the existing work practices to reduce the risk. The administrative control used to control fall hazard including the following:

· Obtaining the work permit

· Observed strictly safe procedures while working at height

· On the job training should be provided

· Safety promotion and safe awareness briefing for working at height

· Rewarding workers who had observed safe work procedures

(d) Personal Protective Equipment

Wearing the PPE is the last measures to control the falling hazard. The corrective protective equipment that should be worn while working at height including:

· Approved full body harness that tie to the secured lifelines

· Safety helmet with safety strap should be earned all times

· Safety shoes should be worn all the times

2. Control Measures for Heat Stress Hazard

In order to control this hazard, safe system work should be set up to prevent heat stress. These can include:

1. Work Organization

· Reorganize work so that most of the work is done in:

i. Cooler part of the day, for example early morning

ii. Cooler area for example, under cover and shaded areas

· Consider split-shift arrangement ,for example have a breaks from work during the hottest part of the day

· Consider reducing physical demand of work, for example use mechanical assistances

· Provides breaks in cooler areas during hot period

· Alternate period of work in hot condition with period of work in cooler conditions

· Organize system for employees to report heat related discomfort

2. Work Environment

· Work shaded areas for example under permanent cover

· Erect temporary cover

· Increases air movement for example use extraction and ventilation equipment where appropriate.

3. Cool Drinking Water

· Provided ready access to cool drinking water

· Encourage drinks if 100-200ml at frequent intervals to replace fluid lost in sweating

4. Suitable Work Clothing

· Light colored clothing reflects radiant heat

· Loose clothing where such cloth is not a safety hazard, assist evaporation of sweat

· Wide brimmed attachment on helmets to protect from direct sunlight

· Clothing of loosely woven nature fabrics assists evaporation of sweat

3. Control Measures for Rock Blasting Hazard

· The warning and all clear signal for blasting to be implement

· The decibel level of the blast warning system shall comply with regulatory standards of the blasting industry

· The 2 signboard on the road side shall provide information about the date and time of the blast

LIST OF REFERENCES:

1. Books References

a) OSH Legislation – Institute Of Professional Development (IPD),Open University Malaysia.

b) Factory And Machinery Act with Regulations 1967 – Laws of Malaysia (Publish by:MDC Published Sdn.Bhd. ) Act 139.

c) OSHA ( Construction Standard ) 29 CPR 1926

d) OSHA ( General Industrial Standard ) 29 CPR 1910

e) Tender Document – Volume 2 (Book 6 of 6)-Tender No.PBLT/CON/2006/Z-5/835-Pembinaan BLT Sdn.Bhd.

f) International Law Book Services (1999), Factories and Machinery Act 1967 and Regulations and Rules.Selangor.Percetakan Ihsan.

2. Internet References

a) International Labour Organization. ( Dec 27.2002 ) at.http//www.ilo.com

b) Department of Occupational Safety and Health ( Dec 25,2002 ) at

Http// www.dosh.gov.my