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Posted By Haroon Rasheed Tabani
Recently we introduced mandatory use of safety helmet in workshops and store areas of our power station complex. There is a strong reaction from area occupants that it should not be mandatory. I tried to explain that there are activities in these areas where flying and falling hazards presents and in view of that safety helmets need to be worn. A strong reaction came from machinists / welders who claimed that the helmet interferes in their precision work. Some due to inadequate ventilation in these areas feels that helmet further make them uncomfortable. Can anyone please guide me that is there any regulations or refence available which supports the mandatory use of helmets in workshops / store area? And what's your opinion on machinists and welders complain?
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Rank: Guest
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Posted By Jason Gould
Hi
Have you tried tackling the root causes of falling or flying debri at first as this is whats required. Your risk assessment will point this out. The hard hat should only be provided after all other methods have been tried and there are hazards still present.
I do have to agree with the welder and machinist hard hats do interfere with their jobs in that it makes work very distracting especially precision welding. This discomfort and overheating can lead to more accidents than falling debris. Check the PPE Regs ACOP wording carefully and ensure you are not going to fall foul even if you think what your doing is correct.
There are other forms of hard hats more suitable to indorr work call bump caps etc they are more expesive but are worth the money in the comfort they provide to the worker. They should be resistant enough if not i would seriously worry about working practices etc.
Hope this helps a little Im sure Others will assist aswell
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Rank: Guest
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Posted By Steve Sedgwick
Harroon
I suspect that there was good reason for making safety helmets in this Power Station workshop mandatory.
So I will take the pragmatic approach and tell them :-
Helmets are worn in most industries by millions of people every day and in all sorts of occupations, in all sorts of conditions.
There are situations where we have to make the wearing of safety helmets mandatory because of the substantial risks in a particular area. We also find that the occupations working in these areas also have to work in other areas where the risks of falling objects is less but still exists.
In these situations the only way to police the rule is to apply it generally and make these people where helmets. Otherwise when people are caught in areas of the Power Station where there is a higher risk then they will use the excuse that they have just walked out of the workshop.
Certain individuals will always find an excuse to discredit, or not follow the rules ie helmets affecting the precision of welders work. If we accept that as a basis for an exemption then welding should ban welding in any hardhat area ||||.
Applicable legislation is as you say the PPE regs and from recollection there is mention of bump caps in this. The Management Regs (MHASAW regs) also apply "Risk Assessment".
Regards
Steve
Ps I would not recommend bump caps in your industry, I feel this would be a cop out and they would be used in areas where they are not suitable and create further and more serious problems or issues.
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Rank: Guest
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Posted By Jason Gould
Hi again Haroon
I do think steves responce has some very good points i never considered before.
I was leaning towards machine shop and welding more so than large power stations etc.
The cop outs from workers do come and as steve suggets this is not a good enough reason to back down.
You Know the place and as steve suggest a general rule may have to be applied.
I allways remember a massive dispute betwwen scaffolders and hard hats.
Anyway good luck and thanks steve for poining that out (just thinking of my past rather than the problem)
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Rank: Guest
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Posted By David Brede
I think that there is a core safety culture issue here.
I have found that where staff resist using bump caps even if the risk may be limited in their immediate workplace then they tend to challenge other safety procedures and requirements.
In construction many of the better firms have signs on sites, no PPE, no job.
It concentrates minds wonderfully and sorts out the kind of worker who will take safety and other work issues seriously and those who do not.
It has to be enforced rigourously by management.
David Brede
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