Manual handling is one of the most common causes of injury at work. Almost a quarter of all injuries at work are caused by accidents during manual handling. Most of the injuries are to hands, feet, legs and backs. Some of the back injuries result in permanent disability. Although the manual handling operations regulations do…
Walk around inspections overview Walk around inspections take only a few minutes at the beginning and end of your job- yet they are one of the best ways to prevent mechanical problems and safety hazards. When you find a fluid lead, a loose hose fitting, or some other problem before a failure, you help avoid…
What is a Letter of Appointment 16.2? The Occupational health and Safety act no 85 of 1993 point number 16.1, simply specifies that the CEO of any operation is accountable for ensuring the health and safety of all its work employees and people who might visit the company at all times. The act also clearly…
Machine footing is critical to operator safety, especially when accessing, exiting or working on inclines. Fatal accidents have occurred due to feet slipping and personnel falling out of machinery. Safety Controls to improve Machine Footing Inspect the condition of tread on shoes or boots; verify the tread is of equal depth and not flat or…
Tips on proper methods for loading and securing machines and their components for safe transport. These are things that are known and practiced, but sometimes overlooked: Before Loading Always ensure adequate clearances (i.e. power lines and other obstructions) prior to loading machinery. Always read and understand the operation and maintenance manual for the machinery being…
Remember the general rules of safe lifting: “Get a firm grip on the load, keep it close, bend at the knees, use your legs to lift the load, and keep your spine in the natural position (with an arch in your lower back).” These principles always apply and should be incorporated into every lift- if…
We have all worked with ladders at some time in our lives, either at work or at home. The following are some tips that may make your interaction with ladders less hazardous: Before using a ladder, inspect it for faults, such as broken rungs or rails. If it is an extension ladder, inspect the pulleys, ropes…
Most of us have learnt the basic dangers of using knives. Statistics show that knives cause more disabling injuries than any other type of hand tool. STOP and THINK about how you are using a knife and where the knife is being stored. Use A knife is used for cutting, and cutting only. Never use a…
Many of us know about the incident pyramid already, but some of the newer employees may not. This pyramid is nothing more than a representation of the statistics about injuries. Year after year, industry after industry, injuries statistically fall into this pyramid. Near Misses Unsafe acts are the bottom of the pyramid. There are thousands…
Most of us take our sense of hearing for granted We assume that we hear what everyone else hears. Loss of hearing may not be realised until a friend or spouse screams in frustration, “Why don’t you ever listen to me?!” This is because hearing loss is usually gradual. Normally, it doesn’t hurt, so we…
