Welcome Guest! The IOSH forums are a free resource to both members and non-members. Login or register to use them

Postings made by forum users are personal opinions. IOSH is not responsible for the content or accuracy of any of the information contained in forum postings. Please carefully consider any advice you receive.

Notification

Icon
Error

Options
Go to last post Go to first unread
Admin  
#1 Posted : 02 November 2006 11:39:00(UTC)
Rank: Guest
Admin

Posted By john j park any suggestions for maintainance workers i.e. engineers & electrician's who are working on non generic tasks, which have not been risk assessed before and there is no safe systems of work in place, for the task. i.e. breakdowns on plant and equipment, a system where a risk assessment can be carried out by the engineer/electrician and recorded that would be adequate to control the risks associated with the tasks. also A suitable training course that would be adequate to provide this
Admin  
#2 Posted : 02 November 2006 11:46:00(UTC)
Rank: Guest
Admin

Posted By Descarte I would suggest training would include but not be limited to COSHH, isolations, asbestos (if required), permit to work, confined space (if required). Generic risk assessments for "maintenance" are not necessarily a good idea especially if these tasks are non-routine. We have produced a checklist type RA before for our maintenance basically asking them to spot and record any hazards associated with the job before they start, takes about 5 minutes for a low hazard job but longer if required. They should then decide what if any action requires to be taken before they start, so maybe add RA training to that above Hope this helps
Admin  
#3 Posted : 02 November 2006 11:48:00(UTC)
Rank: Guest
Admin

Posted By Descarte Oh I should add that if working under a permit system all requirements for PPE, isolations, hot work, precuations, on-going or other work would also be recorded on this.
Admin  
#4 Posted : 03 November 2006 11:13:00(UTC)
Rank: Guest
Admin

Posted By Tom Doyle John, I am not aware of any EN or standard that deals with electrical arc flash, blast, and/or shock hazards in great detail. Realizing of course that you are not in North America, there is a very good NFPA standard that could be benificial. NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace provides detaild hazard assessment, and mitigation strategy guidance. Cheers Tom Doyle Industrial Safety Integration.
Admin  
#5 Posted : 03 November 2006 12:57:00(UTC)
Rank: Guest
Admin

Posted By Ron Hunter A note of caution, if I may. The employer is legally required to assess all reasonably foreseeable significant risks arising from his undertaking. This includes maintenance and repair. It is foreseeable that machines have to be maintained, it is equally foreseeable that they will, on ocassion, break down.
Admin  
#6 Posted : 03 November 2006 13:18:00(UTC)
Rank: Guest
Admin

Posted By Al Beevers John, We have for several years used dynamic risk assessments for out mobile engineers. These are a template listing the usual hazards encountered (electricity, slips + falls, poor access) which the engineers grad (1-3), and also record their precautions (16th Ed. qualifies, safety footwear worn) etc. these have to be returned with each job sheet - or the guys don't get their expenses. All the guys get a 1 day training course on risk assessment on top of their other safety training. We have also now developed a system of issuing jobs on PDA's, and the same template has been added onto the PDA, with the difference being that the job can't be signed off until the risk asssessment has been completed. The most important section of the format we use is the "Precautions Not Sufficient - Job Postponed section". It encourages the engineers to request extra help - 2 people for heavier tasks, scaffolding to be provided, or isolation by the electricity provider. It's not a perfect system, but it is suprisingly good when an EHO demands a risk assessment he doesn't think's been done. The engineers also like it as it's taken away the perception that the job's just got to be done. Al.
Admin  
#7 Posted : 05 November 2006 04:46:00(UTC)
Rank: Guest
Admin

Posted By Frank Tomei I believe that the principles in ISO14121 (EN1050) and using a task based risk assessment approach would go a long way in helping tour cause.
Admin  
#8 Posted : 28 November 2006 22:26:00(UTC)
Rank: Guest
Admin

Posted By Elaina Harvey It may be worth contacting the following organisations to look at electric arc risk assessments/high voltage training EA Technology http://www.eatechnology.com gary.eastwood@eatechnology.com +44 151 3394181 (they will carry out an arc flash risk assessment to identify the incident energy levels) EmPower Training www.empower-training.com ben.prince@empower-training.com +44 115 9832900 A contact at the Health & Safety Executive that may also help is Ken Morton - HM Principal Electrical Inspector (Head of Power Systems) Health & Safety Executive NSD4C Belford House 59 Belford Road Edinburgh EH4 3UE 0131 247 2116 ken.morton@hse.gsi.gov.uk I work for DuPont NOMEX(r) flame resistant fibres - if anyone wishes to discuss technical issues related to electric arc or obtain recommendations for garment manufacturers, please feel free to contact me elaina.harvey@gbr.dupont.com +44 7881 836588 There will be a new standard coming in related to electric arc clothing - IEC 61482-2 (this is still in draft format, so not sure when it will be finalised) Hope this helps Elaina Harvey, DuPont (UK) Ltd
Admin  
#9 Posted : 29 November 2006 00:01:00(UTC)
Rank: Guest
Admin

Posted By martin gray1 I have the same problem at present regarding maintenance engineers and a suitable and user friendly risk assessment. I would appreciate any examples anyone may have. We are in the wait for it double glazing industry. If anyone can help at all I promise never to send a salesman round to sit in your house all evening. I have also had many heated exchanges with my directors over employing a second engineer. The guy we have at present is fully qualified in both electrical and mechanical. The problem is they don't want to spend out that amount money again. The the second engineer would work on a lap over shift pattern so he would not be working with the main engineer for at least 6 hours of his shift. He would be carrying out mainly preventive maintenance work. He would not be alone in the building I hasten to add, but my argument is we need to be able to prove his competences in some way. I am of the opinion that experience is a difficult one to prove. I would appreciate any help from you guys as my experience is not as far reaching as yours. Would a 1 week long electrical awareness course along with his experience be thought to be enough? Martin
Users browsing this topic
Guest
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.