RISK ASSESSMENT FOR A SMALL ENGINEERING MANUFACTURING

This MSRA DOCS document "Risk Assessment for a Small Engineering Manufacturing,"  is uploaded by MSRA DOCS  in editable and ready to use format. 

Small Engineering Manufacturing industries face a variety of hazards and risks, including:

Machinery Hazards: Operating machinery and equipment poses a significant risk to workers, especially those who work on the production line. Workers can get injured by moving machine parts, sharp edges, and hot surfaces.

Chemical Hazards: Small Engineering Manufacturing industries often use chemicals in their production processes. These chemicals can cause various ill health consequences such as respiratory problems, skin irritation, and other health issues.

Electrical Hazards: Electrical hazards, such as electric shock and electrocution, are also a significant concern for workers in these industries. Faulty wiring, improper grounding, and contact with live electrical parts can cause serious injuries or even death.

Fire Hazards: The use of flammable materials in the production process and improper storage of hazardous materials can lead to fire hazards. Fire can cause significant damage to property and result in injury or death of workers.

Ergonomic Hazards: Repetitive motions, awkward postures, and heavy lifting can cause ergonomic hazards. These hazards can lead to musculoskeletal disorders, such as back pain, tendinitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Environmental Hazards: Small Engineering Manufacturing industries generate a lot of waste and pollutants. These wastes can harm the environment and the health of nearby communities.

Economic Risks: Small Engineering Manufacturing industries face economic risks, such as competition from larger companies, fluctuating market demand, and rising material costs.

Legal Risks: Non-compliance with workplace safety regulations can result in legal risks, such as fines and lawsuits. These risks can be significant for small businesses that may struggle to afford legal fees or penalties.

It is crucial for small engineering manufacturing industries to identify and mitigate these hazards and risks to ensure the safety and well-being of their workers and the sustainability of their business.

The following are key points that has been taken from Risk Assessment for a Small Engineering Manufacturing file:

ACTIVITY-1

Machining Operations and Powered Machinery

Hazards and Subsequent Risks

1. Crushing
2. Cutting
3. Drawing In
4. Ejection
5. Entanglement
6. Friction/Abrasion
7. Impact
8. Puncture Wounds
9. Noise
10. Shearing
11. Stabbing

Recommended Control Measures Required

1. Ensure that there is adequate space available around all machineries to facilitate safe movements between the machinery.
2. Ensure that only trained and competent persons are allowed to mount and dress abrasive wheels.
3. Ensure that only trained and competent persons are allowed to properly set the work-rests on bench and pedestal grinders.
4. Ensure that machine operators wear suitable personal protective equipment such as protective clothing including coveralls, boiler suits and eye and face protection.
5. Ensure that loose clothing and jewellery are not worn by the Staff.
6. Ensure that all Staff with long hair tie-back their hair before operating any machinery.
7. Ensure that all machinery is kept in good working conditions by performing regular maintenance and cleaning checks.
8. Ensure that machine operators are provided with suitable personal protective equipment such as ear plugs to protect them from noise levels higher than 85 dB (A).

ACTIVITY-2

Maintenance of Powered Machinery

Hazards and Subsequent Risks

1. Crushing
2. Drawing In
3. Electric Shock
4. Entanglement

Recommended Control Measures Required

1. Ensure that all machinery is not functional and that drive component covers are interlocked to prevent machinery operation during maintenance checks.
2. Ensure that all machinery is not functional and electrically isolated to prevent machinery operation during maintenance checks.
3. Ensure that only qualified and competent persons are allowed to perform electrical fault finding and safety testing with live equipment.

ACTIVITY-3

Handheld and Portable Power Tools

Hazards and Subsequent Risks

1. Abrasions
2. Burns
3. Cuts
4. Electric Shocks
5. Dust
6. Fires
7. Materials
8. Noise
9. Small Projectiles
10. Sparks
11. Trips

Recommended Control Measures Required

1. Ensure that all workers have access to and provided with personal protective equipment such as coveralls to prevent them from abrasions and cuts from abrasive wheels, cutters, drills, saw blades and other sharp edges.
2. Ensure that implemented guards are either permanent fixtures or guards that can be fitted to the machinery as required.
3. Ensure that all portable electrical equipment and power tools are maintained, inspected and tested every 6 months in compliance with the
4. Engineering Workshop’s Safety Policy.
5. Ensure that all workers have access to, provided with and use personal protective equipment such as fire resistant boiler suits, face shields, gloves and safety glasses.
6. Ensure that all workers are provided with and use a flexible extraction arm for welding activities.
7. Ensure that all workers are provided with and use dust masks for respiratory protection.
8. Ensure that all workers are provided with and use safety glasses.
9. Ensure that there is a designated area that is cordoned off for angle grinding work to be done
10. Ensure that machine operators are provided with suitable personal protective equipment such as ear plugs to protect them from noise levels higher than 85 dB (A).
11. Ensure that walkways are cleared of all obstacles and electrical cords are firmly secured to the floor.

ACTIVITY-4

Hand and Foot Operated Machinery

Hazards and Subsequent Risks

1. Cutting
2. Crushing
3. Shearing

Recommended Control Measures Required

1. Ensure that implemented guards are either permanent fixtures or guards that can be fitted to the machinery as required to prevent access to shear blades and punch tools.
2. Ensure that machine operators wear suitable personal protective equipment such as gloves and safety footwear to provide protection against cuts.

ACTIVITY-5

Hot Work and Processes (E.g. Welding and Soldering)

Hazards and Subsequent Risks

1. Burns
2. Compressed Gas
3. Electric Shock
4. Fires
5. Flashes
6. Fumes
7. Noise
8. UV Radiation

Recommended Control Measures Required

1. Ensure that suitable tools for holding and moving hot work-pieces are provided and used to prevent burns and fires.
2. Ensure that suitable welding shields and goggles are supplied and used to protect the eyes from flames and sparks during welding and soldering activities.
3. Ensure that suitable fire resistant overalls and gloves are provided and used to protect the skin against burns from hot surfaces, flames, sparks and UV radiation.
4. Ensure that working combustible materials and waste are kept in covered containers.
5. Ensure that welding benches are constructed from non-flammable and heat resistant material to prevent fires.
6. Ensure that access to welding area is restricted to authorized and qualified persons only.
7. Ensure that all workers are provided with and use a flexible extraction arm for welding activities.
8. Ensure that gas cylinders are securely stored in a designated area.
9. Ensure that gas cylinder valves are turned off when not in use.
10. Ensure that gas welding torches and hoses and regularly checked and maintained to comply with HSE standards.
11. Ensure that welding equipments and earthing circuits are checked and tested regularly to comply with HSE requirements.
12. Ensure that electric welders are checked periodically in accordance with the Engineering
13. Workshops Electrical Safety Policy.
14. Ensure that workers are provided with suitable personal protective equipment such as ear plugs to protect them from noise levels higher than 85 dB (A).

ACTIVITY-6

Manual Handling Operations

Hazards and Subsequent Risk

1. Abrasions
2. Cuts
3. Crushing
4. Impact
5. Musculoskeletal Injury
6. Strains

Recommended Control Measures Required

1. Ensure that materials are stored in a manner that minimizes moving and handling.
2. Ensure that staff has been trained in manual handling tasks.
3. Ensure that adequate lifting and moving equipment is available and used in accordance with manufacturer’s operational manual.
4. Ensure that all workers have access to, provided with and use personal protective equipment such as gloves, safety glasses and safety shoes to protect against cuts and impacts.
5. Ensure that appropriate staff receives specific training on handling of compressed gas cylinders.

ACTIVITY-7

Electricity in the Workplace

Hazards and Subsequent Risk

1. Burns
2. Electric Shocks
3. Fires 

Recommended Control Measures Required

1. Ensure that only competent electrical technicians are allowed to perform maintenance checks and test fixed and portable electrical equipment.
2. Maintenance checks and test should be performed in accordance with the Engineering Workshop’s Safety Policy.

ACTIVITY-8

Materials/Hazardous Substances (E.g. Nickel and Stainless Steel)

Hazards and Subsequent Risk

1. Inhalation of aerosols, dust, fumes and vapours
2. Contact with skin and eyes

Recommended Control Measures Required

1. Ensure that hazardous substances are used in compliance with MSDS.
2. If possible, ensure that dusts, fumes and vapours should be extracted at source.
3. Where possible, ensure that an appropriate coolant is used.
4. Ensure that all workers have access to, provided with and use personal protective equipment such as face masks.
5. Ensure that specific risk assessments are carried out for nickel and steel.
6. Ensure that all workers have access to, provided with and use personal protective equipment such as gloves, safety glasses and face shields.
7. Ensure that all substances are properly labelled.

ACTIVITY-9

Compressed Air

Hazards and Subsequent Risk

1. Ejection
2. Injection

Recommended Control Measures Required

1. Ensure that all workers are provided with and use safety glasses to protect eyes from dust when cleaning.
2. Ensure that machine operators wear suitable personal protective equipment such as protective clothing including coveralls to protect skin against the injection of fluids from blow guns.
3. Ensure that only trained and experienced technicians are allowed to handle compressed gases.

ACTIVITY-10

Workplace and Working Environment

Hazards and Subsequent Risk

1. Falls, Slips and Trips
2. Fires
3. Heat Levels
4. Hygiene/Infections
5. Light Levels
6. Noise
7. Ventilation

Recommended Control Measures Required

1. Ensure that housekeeping is done on a weekly basis to prevent the walkways from being obstructed.
2. Ensure that spills or leaks are dealt with promptly.
3. Ensure that the storage area is separated from the workspace.
4. Ensure that floor surfaces are made of a non-slip material.
5. Workspaces, storage areas and walkways should be delineated by markings on the floor.
6. Ensure that a full detection fire alarm system is in place, maintained and tested in accordance with fire regulations.
7. Ensure that there are adequate fire escape routes that are signed and cleared of obstructions.
8. Ensure that emergency lighting is provided.
9. Ensure that fire drills are performed every 6 months.
10. Ensure that fire extinguishers are accessible at strategic points in the workshop and properly maintained.
11. Ensure that workers are trained in the use of fire extinguishers.
12. Ensure that all combustible waste materials are disposed of on a daily basis.
13. Ensure that fan assisted convector heaters are in installed.
14. Ensure that natural and artificial lighting is provided to appropriate standards.
15. Ensure that fume extraction is provided in welding area.
16. Ensure that personal hygiene facilities such as a sink, soap, towels and water are provided.
17. Ensure that toilet facilities are available nearby and are kept sanitary.
18. Ensure that workers are provided with lockers and a changing room.
19. Ensure that workers have access to a common room for the consumption of food and drink.
20. Ensure that workers have access to a clean supply of drinking water.
21. Ensure that workers are provided with suitable personal protective equipment such as ear plugs to protect them from noise levels higher than 85 dB (A).
22. Ensure that noise surveys are conducted when necessary.

ACTIVITY-11

Human Factors

Hazards and Subsequent Risk

1. Unsafe Persons
2. Unsafe Practices

Recommended Control Measures Required

1. Ensure that only people who are adequately trained or are experienced and deemed as competent by the workshop supervisor are allowed to work independently in the workshop.
2. Ensure that all trainees are closely supervised if working in the workshop.
3. Ensure that a range of Personal Protective
4. Equipment is provided and instructions on how to use them is provided as easily understood, as well all workers are trained in its proper use.
5. Ensure that workers are continually trained to meet changes in the requirements of OSH in the workshop.
6. Ensure that workers are aware that they are not allowed to working alone in the workshop.
7. Ensure that the workshop is locked when not in use and only accessed by authorised personnel who control the keys to the workshop.
8. Ensure that electrical power is isolated when workshop is closed and machinery controlled by keys.
9. Ensure that workers are aware that the consumption of food or drink is not allowed in the workshop.
10. Ensure that workers are aware that the use of mobile phones is not permitted in the workshop.

DOWNLOAD THE FILE

RISK ASSESSMENT FOR A SMALL ENGINEERING MANUFACTURING