Safety aspect
-Electricity
-Trailing Wires
-Heavy equipment falling
-Fire Risk
WHAT RISK WILL HAPPEN?
WHAT CAUSES IT?
HOW TO PREVENT IT?
HOW TO HANDLE IT?
- Electricity
Electricity can kill or severely injure and can cause damage on property.
- What risk will happen?
- Contact with live parts causing burn & shock, can kill.
- Faults which cause fire.
- Fire & explosion where electricity could be the source of ignition in a potentially flammable or explosive atmosphere.
- What cause it?
- In wet surroundings – unsuitable equipment can easily become live and can make it surrounding lives it.
- Outdoors – equipment may not only become wet but may be at greater risk of damage
- In cramped space with a lot of earthed metal work such as inside a tank – if a electrical fault developed it could be very difficult to avoid a shock .
- How to prevent it?
Cover sockets and outlets. Covering outlets with wall panels is crucial for preventing accidental contact with wires. If you live with small children, it is also wise to use socket safety plugs to keep curious fingers safe from injury.
Install Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets and adapters. These devices are able to detect imbalances in the amount of electricity flowing through an appliance and will cut off power to the appliance. GFCI receptacles are required in most new construction homes, and can typically be installed in older homes for a low cost.
Replace electrical equipment that is worn or damaged. Pay attention to the condition of your electric devices, and maintain them regularly. Some signs that indicate a need for repair are:
Sparking
Issuing of small shocks
Frayed or damaged cords
Heat from electrical outlets
Reccurent short-circuiting
- How to handle it ?
Electric Shock Self-Care at Home
Brief low-voltage shocks that do not result in any symptoms or burns of the skin do not usually require medical care (if you or the affected individual are unsure about symptoms, seek medical care). For any high-voltage shock, or for any shock resulting in burns, call 911 and seek medical care at a hospital’s emergency department. A doctor should evaluate electric cord burns to the mouth of a child.
- Trailing wires risk
- What risk will happen ?
Slips, trips and falls
- What cause it ?
- uneven floor surfaces
- unsuitable floor coverings
- wet floors
- changes in levels
- trailing cables
- poor lighting
- poor housekeeping.
- How to prevent it ?
Employers have a duty to make sure they protect people in the workplace from the risks of slips, trips and falls but everyone can help to avoid such accidents.
Reducing the risks is usually easy, costs little or no money and often has other benefits:
Spillages Clean up all spillages immediately. Use a cleaning agent if required. If the floor is wet, use appropriate signs to tell people the floor is still wet and that extra care is needed. Alternatively, use another route until the spillage or wetness is gone.
Trailing cablesTry to place equipment to avoid cables crossing pedestrian routes and use cable guards to cover cables where required.
Change of surface from wet to dryEnsure suitable footwear is worn, warn of risks by using signs and locate doormats where these changes are likely.
Rugs or mats Where they cannot be eliminated, make sure rugs or mats are securely fixed and that edges do not present a trip hazard.
Slippery floor surfaces Assess the cause of the slipperiness and treat accordingly, for example treat chemically and use appropriate cleaning materials and methods. In some cases you may need to repair or replace the floor surface.
Changes in level and slopesImprove visibility, lighting, provide hand rails and add tread markers or other floor markings.
Poor lighting Improve lighting levels and placement of lighting to provide a more even lighting level over all floor areas.
Footwear Ensure workers choose suitable footwear with the correct type of sole. If the work requires special protective footwear, the employer should provide it free of charge.
- How to handle it ?
- Look for slip and trip hazards around the workplace, including floor coverings and their condition, uneven floors, trailing cables and areas that are sometimes slippery due to spillages. Don’t forget to include any outdoor areas, remembering that weather conditions may be a factor.
- Decide who might be harmed and how. Who comes into the workplace? Are they at risk? Are some groups more at risk than others?
- Consider the risks. Are there already measures in place to deal with the risks? Are floor coverings suitable for the area and the work carried out there? What cleaning and maintenance systems are in place? Are regular inspections carried out? Are employees instructed to keep traffic routes clear?
- Record your findings if you have five or more employees.
- Heavy equipment falling
- What risk will happen ?
Some ICT devices (like computer screens) are fairly heavy and can cause injury if they fall on you.
- What cause it ?
Equipment not positioned securely onto desks.
Poor quality and flimsy desks.
- How to handle it ?
Make sure that equipment is positioned away from the edge of desks.
Use strong desks/tables that can support the weight with ease.
- How to prevent it ?
Keep equipment away
from the edge of desks
Use a strong desk that can take the weight
- Fire risk
- What risk will happen ?
ICT devices require power from a mains outlet.
If too many devices are plugged into a single mains at the same time it is possible to overload the circuit and start an electrical fire.
You need to ensure that your room has many plug sockets so you don’t have to overload any single one.
- What cause it ?
Too many devices plugged into a single mains outlet.
Leaving devices plugged in unattended for long periods.
Covering air vents on devices like laptops.
- What risk will happen
Fire presents significant risk to businesses. It can kill or seriously injure employees or visitors and can damage or destroy buildings, equipment and stock.
- stock combustible materials including flammable liquids or gases
use heat processes
have people working alone in parts of the building
have poorly maintained equipment or electrical circuits
have public access (i.e. are at risk from arson)
have poor housekeeping standards
- how to prevent it ?
Don’t overload mains outlets (plug sockets)
Have a fire extinguisher
in the room
Turn off and unplug devices when not in use
Do not cover up air
vents on devices
Make sure that your room has plenty of mains outlets.
Don’t plug too many devices into the same outlet.
Turn off and unplug devices if you are going to be away for a long time.
Have a CO2 fire extinguisher at hand.
Leave air vents on devices uncovered
- How to handle it ?
Make sure that your room has plenty of mains outlets.
Don’t plug too many devices into the same outlet.
Turn off and unplug devices if you are going to be away for a long time.
Have a CO2 fire extinguisher at hand.
Leave air vents on devices uncovered.
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