Confine Space & Working at Height

Confined Space

Legislation / Guidelines
Victorian Occupational Health and Safety (Confined Space) Regulations
Occupational Health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) (National Standards) Regulations
Australian Standard AS2865 Safe Working in a Confined Space
HB213 Guidelines for Working in a Confined Space
Methodology
Hazard identification – identify confined spaces in accordance with regulatory specifications, signpost and document
Risk assessment – identify the risk associated with hazards such as airborne contaminants, oxygen levels, explosive atmospheres, mechanical injury, electrical safety, noise, engulfment, manual handling, biological hazards and provide control options
Generate management policy and entry permit
Training – provide information on hazards and potential outcomes, detail entry procedures, rescue operations, roles of staff / standby persons / permit officer
Equipment
Zellweger Impact Pro 4 gas monitor
Zellweger Enforcer gas calibration unit
Examples
Development of management program, entry permit and training at research facility (> 120 confined spaces)
Gas assessments for entry – pits and ships holds
Management program, modification of entry permit and provision of training program – automotive parts manufacturer (> 50 confined spaces)



Contractor Induction and Management

Methodology
Develop program:
Identify and document core safety issues: permits, licensing, training, security
Identify contractor service area requirements
Develop induction and management package:
Contractor Checklist; identifies job requirements; licences and certificates, training, insurance, security (police check), equipment, site OHS requirements (permits, access to site areas)
Job Safety Analysis: outlines job step, hazards, controls and responsible persons (required for every contacting job)
Permit to Work: provides authority to conduct specified work, identifies work requirements (permits, isolations, plant status), contractor licences or certificates, work directions (required for every contacting job with sign on and sign off requirements)
Site Safety Induction –hard or electronic copy of contractor induction notes and questionnaire
Safety Handbook – pocket sized handbook for Contractors, outlines key OHS requirements i.e. emergency response, permit system, tag system, key contacts, site hazards, signposting
Contractor Identification Card – identifies contactor and supervisor
Examples
Program development for a research facility undergoing a 3 year $20 million upgrade incorporating approximately 150 contractor inductions per year. Unsupervised contractor access require to areas ranging from low security (grounds) to high security (level 4 biohazard laboratories). Access, quarantine and security considerations involved in the management process. The Contractor induction program addressed issues such as site operation, safety management, work practices (permit system, tagout / lockout), and emergency response through hard copy notes, a contactor handbook, JSA and a Permit to Work. Contractors were managed by Permit Officers through inductions, the Permit to Work and JSAs.

Job Safety Analysis

Legislation / Guidelines
WorkCover Website: http://www.safetyfirsstaluis.blogspot.com so_construction_safety_jsa
Methodology
Identify application
Develop proforma and management system; assess requirement for sign on, authorisation
Institute training program
Examples
Institution of program for the management of contractors and one off operations at construction site. SOPs used for routine activities.

Lockout / tagout

Legislation / Guidelines
HV Code of Practice - Code of Practice on Electrical Safety for Work on or near High Voltage Electrical Apparatus (the Blue Book)
Worksafe Victoria – Lock out and tagging out of plant
OHSA Fact Sheet – Lockout / Tagout
Methodology
Identify hazardous energy sources
Assess isolation requirements
Identify security requirements (isolation by Permit Officers only / isolations by general staff)
Develop tag and lock system and document management procedures
Provide Permit Officer and Staff training
Institute program
Examples
Consolidation and management of systems at a research facility and an automotive components manufacturing plant. Training and assessment of staff and Permit Officers.

Manual Handling

Legislation / Guidelines
Occupational Health and Safety (Manual Handing) Regulations
Code of Practice – Manual Handling
Methodology
Identify hazardous manual handling
Assess risk
Control risk
Examples
Assessment at a Milk processing facility

OHS Management

Short term management of facilities and programs
Part time or full time placements
Examples
12 month full time OHS management position at Commonwealth Facility

Permit Systems

Legislation / Guidelines
Occupational Health and Safety (Confined Space) Regulations
HV Code of Practice - Code of Practice on Electrical Safety for Work on or near High Voltage Electrical Apparatus (the Blue Book)
Worksafe Victoria – Lock out and tagging out of plant
OHSA Fact Sheet – Lockout / Tagout
Methodology
Identify access and isolations requirements i.e. entry to confined spaces, isolation of hazardous energy sources
Identify security requirements (isolation by Permit Officers only / isolations by general staff)
Develop permit proformas, tag and lock system and document management procedures
Consider requirements for sign on, sign off and authorisation
Provide Permit Officer and Staff training
Institute program
Examples
Development of permit system for Engineering Group of Research facility incorporating 8 permits (permit to work, confined space entry, roof access (heights), trenching, hot work, access (high energy), vicinity, sanction for testing, statement of condition of apparatus or plant) and 5 tags (personal danger, out of service, access permit, test in progress, caution).

Personal Protective Equipment

Legislation / Guidelines
Australian Standard AS 1336 Recommended practices for Occupational Eye Protection
Australian Standard AS 1715 Selection, use and maintenance of Respiratory Protection Devices
Australian Standard AS 1716 Respiratory Protection Devices
Australian Standard AS 1800 Occupational Protective Helmets - selection care and use
Australian Standard AS 2161 Occupational Protective Gloves
Examples
Provision of advice for the selection of appropriate respiratory and glove protection

Plant safety

Legislation / Guidelines
Occupational Health and Safety (Plant) Regulations
Code of Practice for Plant
Methodology
Develop assessment proforma
Identify Plant as defined by the regulations
Conduct audit and risk assessment
Provide control recommendations
Examples
Assessment at a milk processing plant (> 100 assessments) and a research facility (> 200 assessments)

Procedural development

Methodology
Review process requirements
Identify legislative requirements
Assess exposure potential and risk
Identify controls
Develop draft and circulate to stakeholders
Train staff
Examples
Procedure for access to gas contaminated areas
Access procedures to restricted spaces / hazardous work areas

Risk assessment – qualitative / quantitative

Qualitative

Methodology
Review of Legislative requirements, Codes of Practice, Australian Standards, toxicology, MSDSs
Examples
Lead process review
Toxicological review of ingredients and provision of handling recommendations
Interpretation of MSDS

Quantitative

Legislation / Guidelines
Australian New Zealand Standard AS4360 Risk Management
HB 436 Risk Management Guidelines
Methodology
Develop risk criteria and definitions; hazard, exposure, probability, consequence, likelihood, risk, inherent risk, control effect, control cost, annual injury rate, injury severity, residual risk, payback period
Assess hazards and control effectiveness on the basis of risk reduction/cost or priority (dollar savings due to risk reduction or payback period to recoup control cost)
Examples
Rank control options for gas asphyxiation hazards involving 7 supply areas/systems involving up to 9 different control strategies with costs ranging from $500 to $203,000.

Safe Operating Procedures (SOPs)

Methodology
Identify terms of application i.e. processes likely to be repeated, tasks involving moderate to high inherent risk, sign on, authorisation
Develop and document SOP proforma, instructions and management program
Conduct training program
Examples
SOP development for Engineering Group

Signage

Legislation / Guidelines
Australian New Zealand Standard AS1319 Safety Signs for the Occupational Environment

Trenching

Legislation / Guidelines
Worksafe Victoria - Guide for Undertaking Work near Underground Assets
Methodology
Identify hazards – potential excavation work, underground assets
Develop Permit
Train staff and contractors
Examples
Permit system developed for scientific facility installing underground security and communications cabling adjacent to HV supply, mains gas and water systems

Visitor Induction

Methodology
Assess site safety requirements and emergency response procedures
Identify whether visitors are to be escorted or unescorted
Determine sign on requirements
Develop induction proformas
Train staff
Examples
Visitor induction program developed for engineering department of research facility (> 200 visitors per year)

Working at Height

Legislation / Guidelines
Victorian OHS Regulations (Prevention of Falls)
Code of Practice – Prevention of Falls in General Construction
Code of Practice – Prevention of Falls in Housing Construction
Australian Standard AS 1657 Fixed Platforms, walkways, stairwells, and ladders – design, construction and installation
Australian Standard AS 1891 Industrial fall arrest systems and devices
Australian Standard AS 1892 Portable ladders
Methodology
Identify tasks involving a fall hazard
Undertake risk assessment
Control risk – fixed guardrails, travel restraint, fall arrest, ladders
Examples
Permit system and training program developed for research facility