Posted By Dot Tadman Hello everyone. I am looking for help in setting up safe systems of work/procedures for our workshop equipment. We have been very remiss and don't have this in place. Although there is lots of help in risk assessments in all my files etc, there doesn't seem to be much on how to put together procedures for these. I have the age old problem of yes they should be in place but no one is willing to help me put them together. As I am not an engineer I really don't feel qualified to be telling experienced engineers how to do their job.(i'm sure they would be quick to tell me in their own way where to go and who would blame them). We have lathe's, radial drills, welding equipment of various types including oxy/act, grinders of various sizes, cutting gear, a cutting machine(guilitine) amongst other plant. Looking forward to hearing from you. Regards, Dot

Posted By Steve Armstrong Dot, You're right, you should not be tellng someone how to do their job. But by recognising this you're half way to getting your procedures written. By this I mean that firstly, for any safe system of work to 'work', it must be based on what actually goes on on the shop floor (so to speak). Secondly, a safe system of work (or procedures that make up the system)are far more likely to be succesfuly implemented and, more importantly, continue to work if they have the acceptance of the workforce. So, you don't need to be an expert in all that goes on in your workshop. Speak to the people (or experts) that work there. Ask them what goes on; how they do their jobs; what they feel is good practice and bad practice. Then build your procedures around that and the information you say you have from Risk Assessments and relevant statutory requirements/guidance, etc. If possible get a safety rep from the workshop to help you write the procedure (or at least contibute to their contents based on the above). Even better, develop them through a safety committe if you have one. This way any procedure(s) you write will reflect what actually goes on and will be readily accepted because of the input from those who will have to follow them and maintain them. It may take a bit longer to get there but procedures and safe systems that work are better than ones that don't! Hope this is of some help - it's worked for me. Regards, Steve Armstrong QHSE Manager.

Posted By Steve Armstrong Dot, I know how you feel. I have worked for both very pro-active companies and reactive companies. Fortunately for me, I now work for the forma. You, however, still to some extent (and I say this cautiously not knowing anything about your employer)seem to be stuck with the latter. I have worked as a safety adviser over the last 10 years or so in a number of industry sectors, from chemicals manufacturing, local government and the offshore oil and gas industry at present. Much of this experience has revolved around various type of engineering/eng.workshop activities. Drop me a line at my personal email address with more specific information on what you think you require and I'll do some digging around to see if I can help a bit more. The address is; sarmstro2@LineOne.net Regards, Steve.

Posted By Francis CEng MSC MIOSH RSP Dot, The following is not perfect but, with the help no doubt of colleagues here, you should be able to make a start. Right down to the attack. How to do Risk Assessments of this area: 1. Identify all the things which might cause harm to you, those who work in the area, those who visit the area anytime (cleaners, visitors etc.)Looking at past accident records, talking and looking may help- your lack of Enginneering may help to some extent. Look for the more obvious things first 2. Then for each of the items identified in #1 above consider all the ways you have in place to minimise the likelihood of them causing harm. 3. Are there any other things that you could do which would make things even safer? Like it or not you have GOT to INCLUDE others in all of this- it should help them in their jobs anyway. 4. You need to record what you have done (in all the above)in writing . 5. You need to revisit this whenever there are "changes which may affect it" and regularly (annually?) anyway. Like I said at the beginning the above is a( n awfully big) summary of a very big subject- it needs doing and you may well throw up your hands and admit defeat at some stage.

Posted By Dot Tadman Thanks Guys, You have all been a great help, and I will follow your advise. Regards, Dot