Health, Safety and Security at Workplace

What are reasons for Health, Safety and Security Programs or Policies in Workplace
 It clearly indicates the company’s commitment for their employee’s health and safety;
 It shows the performance of the business and the safety performance are compatible with each other;
 It clearly state that the company is not only doing the business for profits but it is taking care of all its
stake holders.
 The accountability of every one working for the company is outlined for the workplace health, safety
and security; Company can comply national policy on Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) of
Government of India;
 Injuries and illness of the employees is prevented through such policy

What do yoy mean by the term hazard

Workplace hazards poses potential harm to people at work, and that can cause damage to the work
environment and everything else in it. Hazards could cause adverse health effects and losses of property
and equipment for organisations.

What do you understand by physical hazard ?

It is the risks arising from the physical work environment – floors, facilities, walls, and ceilings. Physical
hazards could also mean working with machinery and electricity operated machines.

Falling Off Heights, Slipping and Tripping

Electrical Hazards
Fire Hazards
Health Hazards
WORKPLACE QUALITY MEASURES
Guidelines for Clean Air and Clean Water
1. Air pollution is mostly caused by production of the dust, mixture of solid particles and gases in the
surrounding air. So avoid dust production, generation of solid particles and gases in the air.
2. Extensive use of automobile vehicles in the campus can lead to the air pollution. So organisation must use
limited number of vehicles to avoid air pollution. Practice a no vehicle day in every week.
3. Ozone produced in the air can pollute the [Link] times it is called as a smog. The generation of ozone gas
must be kept at low level by the organisation.
4. Most of the human activities pollute the surrounding water. The sewage or the waste water can also cause
the water pollution. Take care that their waste is not mixed with the surrounding water.
5. Extensive use of fertilizers and pesticide must be avoided as it can make the ground water polluted.
Importance of Cleanliness at Workplace
i. All areas must be kept neat and clean. Each employee is responsible for the cleanliness of their work
area and all tools and equipment used.
ii. Spills and breakage are to be cleaned up immediately.

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iii. Spaces around machines and equipment should be kept clear and clean at all times to permit free
movement.
iv. Floors should be kept clean and clear to prevent slipping and collision.
v. Lighting fixtures are to be checked regularly to permit clear vision. Faulty lights should be reported to
administration, so that building maintenance/ facilities can be contacted to rectify the situation.
Whai is Office Ergonomics
Ergonomics is the science concerned with designing and arranging things so that people can use them easily
and safely.
Applying ergonomics can reduce the potential for accidents, injury to improve performance and productivity.
What do you mean by Musculoskeletal Problems
This problem include different areas of your body, such as neck, back, chests, arms shoulders and feet. It
occurs because of your wrong posture, uncomfortable chair for sitting that is not ergonomically correct while
working on the computer.
Write how we can avoid Musculoskeletal problem. Or Steps to avoid Musculoskeletal problem
 Position your computer such that the end of the monitor should be at your eye level.
 Keep the neck neutral with monitor directly ahead to prevent to turn your neck.
 Keep your monitor at least arm length distance, or 20 to 30 inch away from you.
 Maximise contact of your back against the backrest of the chair.
 Adjust height of armrests so that your elbows are at a 100–110 degrees open angle.
 Place keyboard at a slight negative tilt if you are sitting upright.
 While typing, keep your hands slightly lower than elbows, with fingers pointing downwards at the
floor.
 Minimise any twisting of your wrists from side to side or up and down.
 Use a keyboard palm rest as needed only when you are not typing. Do not rest your wrists when
typing. It leads to wrist strain.
 Always take small breaks while working on the computer to stretch your muscles, keep your blood
flowing, and to rest your eyes.

What is Occupational Overuse Syndrome ?

Occupational overuse syndrome, also known as repetition strain injury (RSI), is a collective term for a range
of conditions, characterised by discomfort or persistent pain in muscles, tendons and other soft tissues, with or
without physical manifestations.

It is usually caused or aggravated by work, and is associated with repetitive movement,sustained or

constrained postures and/or forceful movements. Psycho-social factors, including stress in the working
environment, may be important in the development of occupational overuse syndrome.
Write the Symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome .
Repetitive use of muscle may feel pain in your neck, shoulder, wrist or fingers. One of the most common
conditions related to repetitive use of muscles when using the computer is carpal tunnel syndrome. It causes
pain, numbness, and tingling in the hand and arm .
Computer Vision Syndrome Computer Vision Syndrome is caused by poor lighting and glare on the
computer screen. Both of these factors place strain on the users eyes, causes blurry vision, burning and/or
watering eyes, headaches and in some instances shoulder and neck pain.
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Write how to reduce the risks of visual problems:
• Adjust the brightness of computer screen to save your eyes from strain.
• Reposition the screen to avoid glare from lights or windows.
• Keep a proper vision distance from computer screen and blink your eyes in an interval.
• Wear anti-glare glasses while working in computer.
• Keep the screen clean and use a desk lamp to make it easier to see.
• Ensure the screen colours are easy to look at, and that the characters are sharp and legible.
• Give your eyes periodic breaks from the screen and perform frequent blinking. Look away from
the screen into the distance for a few moments to relax your eyes; focus on something 30 metres away for
30 seconds every 30 minutes.
• Keep your monitor between 18 to 24 inches away from your face. Lastly, position monitors to avoid glare
from sunlight and keep them clean.
What are different injuries you may suffer by using laptop for longer time period ?
In laptop the screen and keyboard are very close together and there is really no right way to use a laptop
because if you position the screen at the right height for your back and neck, it will cause you to have to lift
your arms and shoulders too high to use it and vice versa. It will probably cause a problem.
Write various Health and Safety Requirements for Computer Workplace.
Display Screen (Monitor)
 Use the modern LED monitors of legible size and with adequate spacing between the characters and
lines.
 The image on the screen should be stable, with no flickering or other forms of instability.
 The screen must be free of reflective glare and reflections liable to cause discomfort to the user.
Keyboard
 The keyboard should tilt and separate from the screen to find a comfortable working position and avoid
fatigue in the arms or hands.
 The space in front of the keyboard must be sufficient to provide support for the hands and arms of the
user.
 The keyboard should have a mattsurface to avoid reflective glare. The symbols on the keys must be
adequately contrasted and legible from the design working position.
Work Surface
The work desk should be sufficiently large, low reflectance surface and allow a flexible arrangement of
the screen, keyboard, documents and related equipment.
Work Chair
 The work chair must be stable and allow the user to move easily and find a comfortable position. It
should be adjustable in height.
 The user’s feet must be placed flat on the floor or a footrest should be used.
Space Requirements
 The workstation should be designed to provide sufficient space for the user to change position and vary
movements.
 The user should have enough desk space for the equipment they use.
Lighting
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 There must be satisfactory lighting conditions with appropriate contrast between the screen and
background environment. Possible disturbing glare and reflections on the screen or other equipment
should be prevented.
Cautions while Working on the Computer
 Use a surge protector when you plug your system in.
 A battery backup system is the best way to provide the system with constant voltage.
 Ornaments are often made of conductive metals which can damage Computer components by striking
them static [Link] Remove metallic ornaments while working on the computer

WORKPLACE QUALITY MEASURES

Accident
An accident is an unplanned, uncontrolled, or unforeseen event resulting in injury or harm to people and
damages to goods.
For example, a person falling down and getting injured or a glassware item that broke upon being knocked
over.
Emergency
Emergency is a serious or crisis situation that needs immediate attention and action.
For example, a customer having a heart attack or sudden outbreak of fire in your organisation needs immediate
attention.

Guidelines for identifying and reporting an accident or emergency

 Notice and Correctly Identify Accidents and Emergencies

You should be able to identify such incidents in your organization, and be aware of the procedures to tackle
each form of accident and emergency.
 Get help Promptly and in the Most Suitable Way
Follow the procedure for handling a particular type of accident and emergency. Promptly act as per the
guidelines. Ensure that you provide the required help and support as laid down in the policies.
 Follow Company Policies and Procedures for Preventing Further Injury While Waiting for Help to
Arrive
If someone is injured, go as per the procedures laid down by your organisation’s policy for tackling
injuries. You need to stay calm and follow the prescribed procedures.
 Act within the Limits of your Responsibility and Authority when Accidents and Emergencies Arise
 Promptly Follow Instructions given by Senior Staff and the Emergency Services

Types of Accidents

Trip and Fall

Customers or employees can trip on carelessly left loose material and fall down. This type of accident may
result in simple bruises to serious fractures.
Slip and Fall
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slips are mainly due to wet floors, spilling of liquids or throwing of other slip-causing material on floors. Slip
and fall is generally caused by negligence.
People should be properly cautioned against tripping and slipping.
Injuries caused due to Escalators or Elevators (or lifts)
People may be injured in elevators by falling down due to sudden, jerking movement of elevators or by
tripping on elevators’ threshold. They may also get stuck in elevators resulting in panic and trauma. Escalators
and elevators should be checked regularly for proper and safe functioning by the right person or department.
Accidents due to Falling of Goods
Goods can fall on people from shelves or wall hangings and injure them.
Always check that pieces of goods are placed properly and securely.
Accidents due to Moving Objects
Moving objects, such as trolleys, can also injure people in the organisation. In addition, improperly kept props
and lighting fixtures can result in accidents.

Handling Accidents

Attend to the Injured Person Immediately : It is that the injured person receives first aid or medical
help at the earliest.
Inform your Supervisor regarding probable cause of accident and a description of the injury.
Assist your Supervisor : Investigate and find out the actual cause of the [Link] your supervisor to
take appropriate actions to prevent occurrences of similar accidents in future.

General emergency handling procedures that you can follow:

First Aid Should be quickly accessible to the employees. It should contain all the important items for first
aid required to deal with common problems.
Electrical Safety
 Employees must be provided instructions about electrical safety such as keeping water and food items
away from electrical equipment.
 Electrical staff and engineers should carry out routine inspections of all wiring to make sure there are
no damaged or broken wires.
 Keep a list of numbers to call during emergency, such as those of police, fire brigade, security,
ambulance etc.
 Regularly check that all emergency handling equipment such as the fire extinguisher and fire alarm
system are in working condition.
 Ensure that emergency exits are not obstructed and keys to such exists are easily accessible.
Evacuation
It is the process of emptying a place in case of an emergency, disaster.

General Evacuation Procedures

 Leave the premises immediately and start moving towards the nearest emergency exit.

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  Guide your customers to the emergency exits
 If possible, assist the person with disability to move towards the emergency exit.
 You may carry your hand-held belongings, as youmove towards the emergency exit. Do not comeback
to pick up your belongings unless the areais declared safe.
 Do not use the escalators or elevators (lifts) toavoid overcrowding and getting trapped, in case there is
a power failure. Use the stairs instead.
 Go to the emergency assembly area. Check if any of your colleagues are missing and immediately
inform the person concerned.

Fire Hazards in the Workplace

There are three main types of fire hazards to evaluate – electrical hazards, combustible materials, and
flammable materials.
Electrical issues, such as damaged extension cords, blocked electrical panels and heaters, and overloaded
circuits often lead to fires.
Fires are also commonly caused by electrical events such as arc flash. Maintenance of power cords and
other electrical equipment should be conducted on a regular basis.
Workplace fires are also commonly caused by improper storage of flammable material or combustible
dust.

Fire Prevention
 All employees must know where the fire extinguishers are located, and how to properly use them.
 Fire extinguishers and First Aid Stations should be clearly marked with signs.
 Never block access to Exits, fire extinguishers, electric switches and panels.
 Do not block or stack material against doors, which would prevent them from operating properly in
event of a fire.
 Do not use flammable material near electrical panels, switches, lift trucks or any electrical equipment.
 Make sure all equipment is properly grounded where needed.
 Fire extinguishers must be inspected regularly.
 Report to your supervisor of any defect in electrical, f ire prevention or material handling equipment.
 No flammable material are to be placed around an exit door way.

Identification of Material and Ignition Sources

Class A Material: materials such as wood, cloth, and paper, which won’t ignite on their own but will
continue to burn once exposed to a heat source.
Class B Material: all liquid, grease, and gas materials that burn when exposed to ignition sources.
Class C Material: electrical materials and equipment. These materials cause fires very quickly and present
a serious risk of arc flash.
Class D Material: any materials that are volatile and able to quickly ignite, such as magnesium, potassium,
and sodium.

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Fire Extinguisher
A fire extinguisher is a protection device used to extinguish fires. It is a cylindrical pressure vessel
containing an agent which can be discharged to extinguish a fire.
First Aid for Electrical Emergencies
Electrical accidents may occur at any time or place. Timely response and treatment of victims is a major
concern. When an electrical accident occurs, due to the effect of muscle cramping, a victim is often
incapable of moving or releasing the electrical conductor. There should always be an emergency response
plan for scheduled electrical maintenance or work.
Electrical Rescue Techniques
Approaching the accident
 Never rush into an accident situation.
 Call 108 as soon as possible.
 Approach the accident place cautiously.
Examining the scene
 Visually examine victims to determine if they are in contact with energised conductors.
 Metal surfaces, objects near the victim itself may be energised.
 Do not touch the victim or conductive surfaces while they are energised.
 Switch off the electrical circuits if possible.

Hazards and solutions

 Be alert for hazards, such as heated surfaces and fire.
 In case you cannot switch off the power source, take extreme care.
 Ensure that your hands and feet are dry.
 Wear protective equipment, such as gloves and shoes. Stand on a clean dry surface.
 Use non-conductive material to remove a victim from the conductor.
High voltage rescue
 Special training is required for rescues if high voltage is present.
 Protective equipment, such as gloves and shoes must be worn.
First Aid
 A victim may require Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
 If the victim is breathing and has a heartbeat, give first aid for injuries and treat for shock.
 Ensure the victim gets medical care as soon as possible.