Report of Hazards
in the Field Operation Section of
A Ducting Contractor
By
Index No: EES1330
IC No: 761208-12-5475
Safety and Health Officer Examnimation (2/2011) Paper IV Part 1: Workplace Assignment
1.0 ABSTRACT
Glo Max Engineering Sdn Bhd is a commercial air conditioning contractor. The objective of this work place assignment was conducted to identify the health and safety risk of sheet metal duct installers in the field; the site selected was a construction site, South China Sea Place in Kota Kinabalu.
The hazard identification methods used are inclusive of document review, workplace inspection and job hazard analysis (JHA). Risk assessment was done using qualitative risk table. The Risk control hierarchy was used to make risk control recommendations. The critical risk hazards found were safety risk of falling from height and health risk of exposure to organic solvents.
The worker feedback reviews reveals that the workers have some knowledge of safety at site, mostly from CIBD training, but were unfamiliar with the concept of hierarchy of control. The control method recommended were engineering controls, administrative controls and as a last resort, PPE.
In conclusion, the installers in the company face the daily high hazards challenges typical of workers in the construction industry.
2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1 THE COMPANY
Glo Max Engineering Sdn Bhd is a contractor in the air conditioning business. The company is 10 years old. They are air conditioning ducting specialist based in Kota Kinabalu. The company designs, supplies and installs sheet metal ducting of air conditioning and mechanical ventilation systems for new buildings and building renovations. They include shopping centers, hotels, hospitals and shop lots.
The organization chart of the company is as follows:
Director/ Project Manager Transporter 1 Lorry Driver Factory Operations 1 no Supervisor 2 nos Skilled Worker 3 nos General Woker
Field Operations 5 x 5 Person Teams Team Members 1 no Supervisor 1 no Skilled Worker 3 nos General Woker
2.2 THE WORKPLACE
The scope of this WPA is study the risk of the duct installers in the field operations. This is a critical part of the company activities as it forms the main bulk of work on site. It is also the activity that is required to be done quickly with some incidents reported in the past. This is also an activity with financial significance and therefore of utmost important to the operation of the company. The workplace chosen is South China Sea Place, Kota Kinabalu that is currently under construction.
2.3 COMPANY ACTIVITIES
The field operations of the company in the workplace includes survey and measurement of required duct dimensions, ducting fabrication in the factory, delivery to construction site, hoisting or manual handling to required area, duct installation, insulation of duct, installation of grilles, testing work and cleanup work.
Below is the typical process flow of the company activities.
Figure 1. Complete Work Process for Glo Max Engineering
*The focus of this report is to identify the hazards affecting the field operations crew. 1. Site Measurements 2. Factory Fabrication of Ducts 3. Field Installation of Ducts* 4. Onsite Testing
The work process of Field Installation of Ducts is expanded further in Figure 2.
Figure 2: Work Processes for Field Installation of Duct
Field operation team consists of 5 persons with a supervisor as team leader in each team. The supervisor is in charge of their overall activities. He will report to the project manager. Under his charge will be a skilled worker with 3 general workers.
Receipt of duct sections from factory and storage
Install supporting brackets on the ceiling
Assemble duct sections and seal duct gaps
Glue and wrap fiberglass and aluminum foil to duct
Hoist and lay duct on bracket
2.4 WORK ENVIRONMENT, TASK PERFORMED AND TYPICAL HAZARDS
Work Environment
The work environment of the field crew is a construction site. Work is done in designated open area in the shade under the cover of concrete ceiling slabs. However, the conditions of the construction site could be dusty, smoky, wet and muddy depending on the weather or clean up works in progress. The work often is done within a limited time, often requires coordination with others and working simultaneously with other trades in the same area. As such the crew member could be exposed to hazards of other trades e.g. working while spray painting is in progress.
Task Performed
Among the tasks often performed by the crew are: cutting of ducts, applying sealant to duct joints, applying glue to insulation materials, drilling holes in the ceiling slab for hanging rods, hammering and shaping metal sheets, hoisting or handling ducts. As the ducts are hanging from the top of the ceiling, the installers often have to work on scaffolding or from ladders.
Typical Hazards
Typical health hazards are noise, volatile organic compound, mineral dust, disease carrying insects, muscle strains etc.
Typical safety hazards in the work place are falling from height, falling objects, cutting hazards, stabbing hazards, electrical and mechanical hazards.
3.0 OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this work place assignment are to:-
1.) Identify hazards that are present in workplace for the installation crew 2.) Assess the safety and health risk in this workplace
3.) Provide recommendations to control these risks
4.) Receive feedback from site staff about their health and safety concerns
5.) Propose a review system to continuously improve safety and health of workers at the work place.
4.0 METHOD
4.1 HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
The hazards we are trying identified can be broadly categorized into the following group:-
• Safety hazards • Biological hazards • Chemical hazards • Ergonomic hazards. • Physical hazards
The methods used for hazard identification of the work place:-
1) Review of incident reports and relevant document 2) Work place inspection
3) Job hazard analysis
4.1.1 Review of incident reports and relevant document
The objective of this method is to identify hazards present in the work place from history of worker illnesses and injuries, from information collected from suppliers and workers and from industrial incident statistics. The following items were reviewed:-
I. Review Material and Chemical Safety Data Sheet
Date sheet were scrutinized to see if the recommended control measures by the manufacturers were understood and implemented by the workers.
• MSDS and CSDS for relevant chemical were collected and analysed. II. Review Incident Reports and Medical Records
Incidents reports were used to spot the geographical areas or processes that were hazardous in the past 5 year
• There were 2 reported lost time injury cases of workers falling from ladders. • There were 2 reported cases of malaria requiring treatment.
III. Review Industry Statistic Report
The most common accidents in typical work places were noted and compared to hazards applicable to the workers. (Sosco Annual Report 2009)
4.1.2 Work Place Inspection
This method requires the physical inspection of the work place. The objective of this method is to identify hazards in the work place by physical observation of the work place and acquiring the feedback of workers in site. Activities include observation and survey the work place
environment, conditions and methods of use of tools and equipments, worker behavior and work methodology. Preparation is required for efficient work. Workers and safety committee are informed of this activity and briefed on the objectives, their individual roles and responsibilities
During the inspection, the following are the method by which the inspection was carried out: • Inspect statistical high risk areas
This method will save time in locating hazards. In the construction site, focus will be given to jobs where workers are exposed to ‘fall from heights’ and ‘falling objects’. (Sosco Annual Report 2009)
• Geographical on-site survey to locate troubled areas
A walk through survey exposed hazards that exist on site. The areas that had the most activity had the most hazards.
• Work process survey
There were too many activities that happen in the field. Therefore this method is use when specific important but hazardous work is identified. Job hazard analysis is done for the most common activity.
4.1.3 Job hazard analysis (JHA)
This method requires the safety committee to observe the whole process of the work. The objective is to identify the hazards in each step of the work process. The chosen work for the job hazard analysis was decided after considering the criterias as stated below. Job hazard analysis is important component for the preparation of Safe Work Procedures.
According to “Garis Panduan bagi Pengenalan Hazad, Penaksiran Risiko dan Kawalan Risiko” issued by DOSH Malaysia in 2008:-
“Sometimes hazards identified cannot be eliminated or removed from some specific activities. Safe Work Procedure is a step by step instruction allowing the worker to work safely in the presence of hazards.”
Generally, JHA and afe Work Procedures is prepared for:- 1. Critical work with high risk
2. Hazardous work which accidents are frequent
3. New work or when there is a change in work process, 4. New equipment installed
5. Detailed work requiring constant vigilance
6. When two or more workers are required to do coordinate and work together simultaneously
4.2 RISK ASSESSMENT (RISK ESTIMATION AND RISK EVALUATION)
After hazards are identified, the hazards are assessed to determine the risk to the safety and health of the workers. Risk is determined by the severity caused by the hazard and the likelihood of it happening. Risk of a hazard can be ranked so that priority can be given to higher risk hazards. The method used here was qualitative analysis to assess each hazard. Risk is calculated using the following formula:-
RELATIVE RISK = SEVERITY x LIKELIHOOD
4.2.1 SEVERITY
Severity is given a scale of 1 to 5 with the higher number indicating an incident with the most severe impact. Severity is defined in the following table:-
TABLE: SEVERITY DEFINATION
SEVERITY EXAMPLE RATE
CALAMITY Multiple fatality, massive damage of property and production cannot be restored
5 FATALITY Estimated one dead, big damage to property 4 SERIOUS Serious non fatal injury, permanent disability 3 LIGHT Temporary disability 2 MINOR Cut, bruises, or first aid cases 1
4.2.2 LIKELIHOOD
Likelihood was given a scale to 1 to 5 with the highest number indicating an event that is most likely to happen. The table below shows how likelihood was ranked.
TABLE: LIKELIHOOD DEFINATION
LIKELIHOOD EXAMPLE RATE
VERY LIKELY
Incident that can happen anytime 5 LIKELY Maybe will happen, would not be unusual 4 UNLIKELY Maybe will happen in the future 3 HIGHLY
UNLIKELY
Maybe will happens once in a few years 2 UNEXPECTED Near impossible and never happened 1
Adapted from HIRARC Guidelines
4.2.2 RISK MATRIX
Risk being a product of likelihood and severity was then plotted to a matrix as shown in the following table.
RISK MATRIX TABLE LIKELIHOOD SEVERITY 1 2 3 4 5 5 5 10 15 20 25 4 4 8 12 16 20 3 3 6 9 12 15 2 2 4 6 8 10 1 1 2 3 4 5
Adapted from HIRARC Guidelines
From the risk matrix above, risk can be prioritized and the required action identified. RISK DEFINATION TABLE
Adapted from HIRARC Guidelines
RISK RISK RATING REQUIRED ACTION
15 to 25 VERY HIGH RISK Immediate action required to control the hazard as per the risk control hierarchy. Action plan with dateline must be included.
5 to 12 MEDIUM RISK Use a plan and systematic approach to risk control. Temporary solution to control risk if necessary. 1 to 4 LOW RISK These risks are considered acceptable and further
reduction of risk may not be necessary. However, record should still be kept for reference
4.3 RISK ASSESSMENT EXAMPLE
A safety and a health hazard are used to illustrate the risk assessment method used. Safety Hazard Example
Activity: Working in a car workshop with poor housekeeping
ITEM REMARKS
Hazard Oily floors
Worst Consequence Fatal head trauma from falling down
Severity Serious non fatal injury, permanent disability [Severity rate of 3] Likelihood Could happen anytime [Likelihood rate of 5]
Risk: from the risk matrix
15 (Very High Risk)
Action Required Immediate action required to control the hazard as per the risk control hierarchy. Action plan with dateline must be included.
Health Hazard Example
Activity: Working in an airport runway
ITEM REMARKS
Hazard Noise exceeding PEL
Worst Consequence Permanent deafness
Severity Serious non fatal injury, permanent disability [Severity rate of 3] Likelihood Could happen sometime [Likelihood rate of 4]
Risk: from the risk matrix
12 (Very High Risk)
Action Required Use a plan and systematic approach to risk control. Temporary solution to control risk if necessary.
5.0 RESULT AND DISCUSSION
The document review method has revealed only few hazards. This is because the company did not keep proper records of past incidents. Information gathered from the workers and
management was unreliable, the reason being that the memories of the workers involved were vague. However, there were 2 clear cases of falling from ladders from 2 separate occasions which was confirmed to be work related. These cases confirmed the need to do a JHA. There were also 2 separate cases of malaria infection, although these cases which happen in different times cannot be conclusively linked to the work environment.
The workplace inspection revealed plenty of hazards with regards to the environment of the workplace, the condition of the tools used and the behavior and work style of the workers. However most hazards identified like wet floor, stagnant water, uncovered holes on the ground and unguarded staircases were not under our immediate control. These hazards were brought to the attention of the site safety officer and the safety committee which have highlighted the issues and hazards to the main site management team.
Therefore, most of the discussion on hazards identification in this report will be on the job hazard analysis. This is a process by which our direct intervention will have the most impact on the safety and health of the field operation worker of the company.
5.1 LIST OF HAZARDS:
The selected process was installing air conditioning duct at ceiling slab. It was a common process which forms the bulk of the work onsite for the installers.
The following is the work process and the list of potential hazards:-
NO WORK ACTIVITY HAZARD HAZARD TYPE POTENTIAL EFFECTS 1 Installing support bracket on the ceiling
Mineral dust from drilling holes on ceiling
Health Respiratory complications Awkward working
position
Health Muscular skeletal disorder
Working at height Safety Fatal impact injuries 2 Assemble duct
sections on the floor
Sharp metal edges Safety Cuts Work while swatting on
the floor
Health Muscular skeletal disorder
Noise from hammering metals sheets
Health Mental irritability and lost of concentration
3 Wrapping main duct with insulation on the floor
Loose fibers from insulation
Health Respiratory complications Organic solvents from
glue use
Health Brain damage 4 Hoisting and
positioning duct sections onto bracket in ceiling
Falling duct or tools Safety Crushing worker below Manual handling of
heavy load
Health Muscular and physical injury
Working at height Safety Fatal impact injuries 5 Connecting adjacent
ducts in the ceiling together
Awkward working position
Health Muscular skeletal disorder
Falling duct or tools Safety Crushing worker below Working at height Safety Fatal impact injuries 6 Wrapping main duct
with insulation on the floor
Working at height Safety Fatal impact injuries Falling tools Safety Non fatal impact injuries
5.2 PRIORITISING HAZARDS/ RISK ASSESSMENT
5.2.1. RISK ASSESSMENT FOR SAFETY HAZARDS
JOB: INSTALLING AIR CONDITIONING DUCT AT CEILING SLAB
With S= Severity, L=Likelihood and R=Risk
From the risk assessment above, the safety hazards with the highest risk is “doing heavy work while at heights” during hoisting and positioning of duct sections onto bracket in ceiling, with worst possible effects of fatal impact injuries to the worker which is rated Very High Risk. NO WORK ACTIVITY HAZARD POTENTIAL EFFECTS S L R RISK DESCRIPTION 1 Installing support bracket on the ceiling Working at height Fatal impact injuries 4 2 8 MEDIUM RISK 2 Assemble duct sections on the floor Sharp metal edges
Cuts 1 4 4 LOW RISK
4 Hoisting and positioning duct sections onto bracket in ceiling Falling duct or tools Crushing worker below 3 3 9 MEDIUM RISK 5 Doing heavy work while at height Fatal impact injuries 4 4 16 VERY HIGH RISK 6 Connecting adjacent ducts in the ceiling together Falling duct or tools Crushing worker below 3 2 8 MEDIUM RISK Working at height Fatal impact injuries 4 2 8 MEDIUM RISK 7 Wrapping main duct with insulation on the floor Working at height Fatal impact injuries 4 2 8 MEDIUM RISK Falling tools Non fatal impact
injuries to worker below
5.2.2 RISK ASSESSMENT FOR HEALTH HAZARDS
JOB: INSTALLING AIR CONDITIONING DUCT AT CEILING SLAB
With S= Severity, L=Likelihood and R=Risk
From the risk assessment above, the health hazard with the highest risk is “Organic solvents from glue use” during wrapping main duct with insulation on the floor, with worst possible effects of brain damage to the worker which is rated Very High Risk.
NO WORK ACTIVITY HAZARD POTENTIAL EFFECTS S L R RISK DESCRIPTION 1 Installing support bracket on the ceiling Mineral dust from drilling holes on ceiling Respiratory complications 3 3 9 MEDIUM RISK Awkward working position Muscular skeletal disorder 2 4 8 MEDIUM RISK 2 Assemble duct sections on the floor Work while swatting on the floor Muscular skeletal disorder 2 3 6 MEDIUM RISK Noise from hammering metals sheets Mental irritability and lost of concentration 2 4 8 MEDIUM RISK 3 Wrapping main duct with insulation on the floor Loose fibers from insulation Respiratory complications 2 2 4 LOW RISK Organic solvents from glue use
Brain Damage 5 3 15 VERY HIGH RISK 4 Hoisting and positioning duct sections onto bracket in ceiling Carrying and holding still duct Muscular and physical injury 3 4 12 MEDIUM RISK 5 Connecting adjacent ducts in the ceiling together Awkward working position Muscular skeletal disorder 2 2 4 LOW RISK
5.2.3 RATIONIZATION OF CRITICAL HAZARD
The critical hazards are chosen after careful consideration of the work activity and the work environment and the feedback from the workers. Some activities had similar severity but the effects on the worker are not immediately noticeable. The most critical hazards selected here are related to symptoms already present in the workers.
5.2.3.1 SAFETY CRITICAL HAZARD JUSTIFICATION
WORK ACTIVITY HAZARD JUSTIFICATION Hoisting and positioning duct sections onto bracket in ceiling Doing heavy work while at height SEVERITY:
Estimated one dead
Fatal because falling from height will expose the body to impact on hard or sharp objects. In a hall, the ceiling can be 10 meters high. The workers are often working on a plywood platform supported by scaffolding.
LIKELIHOOD:
Maybe will happen, would not be unusual Workers feedback indicated that during this process, utmost attention is paid to positioning and getting the work material in position. Because of this, the workers do not pay attention to their own safety. Everyone focusing on doing work, including the supervisor whom is responsible for the safety of the operation. In the past, 2 incidents of workers failing down from ladders was while engaging in this activity.
5.2.3.2 HEALTH CRITICAL HAZARD JUSTIFICATION
5.3 IMPACT OF CRITICAL HAZARDS
Should there be fatality amongst the workers; the company will be impacted by:
1) Lost of time to do investigation, staff replacement, explaining to DOSH, reporting time, supervisor time, make claims for the worker from SOSCO.
2) Lost of profits due to compensation to the family of the deceased, lost of productivity among workers because of low morale
3) Lost of reputation and its subsequent disadvantages
4) Lost of profits due to lower productivity and efficiency and momentum WORK ACTIVITY HAZARD JUSTIFICATION Wrapping main duct with insulation on the floor Organic solvents from glue use SEVERITY:
Multiple Brain Damage
Multiple brain damage because glue used in the wrapping of the insulation contains toluene & n hexane. The worst effects of which through accumulated exposure is brain damage. The workers after gluing sometimes experience being “high” with glue. The solvent in the glue is also a highly flammable liquid.
LIKELIHOOD:
Maybe will happen in the future
There has not been a reported case of brain damage amongst the workers. However, as the company is still a young company, the effects might not be seen until much further longer in the future.
6.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
6.1 RECOMMENDED CONTROL MEASURES
The hierarchy of control to recommend control measures for hazards. The hierarchy o f control from the most effective to the least effective are:
a) Most Effective – Elimination b) Moderately Effective – Substitution
c) Moderately Effective – Engineering Controls d) Moderately Effective – Administrative Controls e) Least Effective – Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
They are not mutually exclusive. The presence of a more effective control does not mean that the less effective control measures were disregarded. They elimination and substitution control measure is often not feasible as they often require a change of work process or materials which involves a lot of factors, i.e. economics, practicality. On the other hand, PPE is often mistaken as the simplest way to control a hazard. PPE should only be the control measure of last resort. It is used only when even with the implementation of other control measures, hazards is still exist
6.1.1 RECOMMENDED CONTROL MEASURES FOR SAFETY HAZARD
The control measures below were prepared using hierarchy of controls.
Work Activity: Hoisting and positioning duct sections onto bracket in ceiling Hazard: Doing heavy work while at height
HIERARCHY OF CONTROL
RISK CONTROL
Elimination Not feasible as the ducts to be installed in high ceiling are determined by engineer requirement.
Substitution Not feasible as the ducts to be installed in high ceiling are determined by engineer requirement.
Engineering Control
To provide elevated working platform with chain block hoist
Administration Control
To require a supervisor to halt work if safety of worker compromised.
To train and remind installers the proper method of working at height. To strictly enforce the safe work procedures.
PPE Compulsory use of hard hat and non slip safety boots. Protection from fall devices like safety harness or safety belt.
6.1.2 RECOMMENDED CONTROL MEASURES FOR HEALTH HAZARD
The control measures below were prepared using hierarchy of controls.
Work Activity: Wrapping main duct with insulation on the floor Hazard: Organic solvents from glue use
HIERARCHY OF CONTROL
RISK CONTROL
Elimination Not feasible as gluing insulation is compulsory part of the duct installation process.
Substitution Not feasible
A preinsulated duct is available in the market. However, the insulation is not fire proof and therefore cannot be used in multiple story buildings
Engineering Control
Ventilate area of work to dilute organic solvents
Workers trained to recognize the effects of organic solvents and to remove themselves from the work place if necessary.
Administration Control
Require workers to do gluing in open area. Strictly prohibit smoking, eating or drinking in the work place. Avoid any kind of spark in the area. Ensure all lids of containers are closed when not in use
PPE Provide safety goggles, apron and solvent resistant hand glove for workers.
6.2 REVIEW PLAN
A review plan is important to ensure the recommendations are implemented and to monitor the effectiveness of the control measures.
Therefore, there will be a re evaluation of the critical hazard by inspection. Periodic inspection at regular intervals of 2 months will be done. The inspector will also have to ask for feedback from the workers to ensure that they also do their part in ensuring their own and of their colleagues’ safety.
6.2.1 REVIEW PLAN FOR SAFETY HAZARD
Work Activity: Hoisting and positioning duct sections onto bracket in ceiling Hazard: Doing heavy work while at height
Review Period: 2 months
Item Description Action By
1 Work place inspection to identify the scaffolding provided are indeed safe for use, hoisting done properly
Supervisor
2 To review effectiveness of training by testing worker understand of their roles, work and their awareness of the critical hazards and its effects
Safety Supervisor/ Officer
3 To check the condition of equipment used for work such as chain block hoist, scaffolding
Supervisor
4 To check the condition and use of PPE Supervisor 5 To record all findings and to report to the
management
Safety Supervisor/ Officer
6.2.1 REVIEW PLAN FOR HEALTH HAZARD
Work Activity: Wrapping main duct with insulation on the floor Hazard: Organic solvents from glue use
Review Period: 2 months
Item Description Action By
1 Work place inspection to identify ventilation provided is sufficient or not
Supervisor
2 To review effectiveness of training by testing worker understand of their roles, work and their awareness of the critical hazards and its effects
Safety Supervisor/ Officer
3 To check the condition and use of PPE Supervisor 4 To record all findings and to report to the
management
Safety Supervisor/ Officer
6.3 CONTROL MEASURES BENEFIT
Implementing the control measures will give the employer the following benefits:
1) Better worker morale and support
2) Promote work efficiency and productivity
3) Compliance with legal requirements
4) Protect against lost time injuries and uninsurable cost
7.0 REFERENCES
Book references
i Jabatan Keselamatan dan Kesihatan Pekerjaan, Garis Panduan bagi Mengenalpastian Hazard, Penaksiran Risiko dan Kawalan Risiko [HIRARC] 2008
ii NIOSH Malaysia
Training Manual for Safety and Health Officer Certificate Programme iii International Law Book Services
Factory and Machinery Act 1967, Regulations & Rules (As at 25th January 2010)
iv International Law Book Services
Occupational Safety & Health Act 1994, Regulations & Rules (As at 25th January 2010)
v SOCSO
Social Security Organisation Annual Report 2009 vii ILO Publications
Safety in Use of Synthetic Vitreous Fibre Insulation Wools 2001 viii National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, USA
NIOSH POCKET GUIDE TO CHEMICAL HAZARDS ix Hughes & Ferrett by Butterworth-Heinemann
Introduction to Health and Safety in Construction2007
Website references
i Department of Occupational Safety and Health, Malaysia
www.dosh.gov.my
ii Canada's National Centre for Occupational Health and Safety
www.ccohs.ca
iii HSE, UK
www.hse.gov.uk
iv Encyclopedia of Occupational Health & Safety
www.ilo.org
v Wikipedia
8.0 APPENDICES
CONTENTS
8.1 Related MSDS 8.2 Photographs of work 8.3 Statistics
