Chances of accidents are far too high in industrial workplaces. There is lots of moving parts and workers in an industrial work setting and as such there is also a high probability of someone making a mistake and causing a disaster. For a workshop to be safe there needs to be preventive methods. That is, controlling hazard at its root. There are three methods for this.
- Engineering control: Building a shield between the employees and the hazard is an engineering control.
- Work practice control: Implementing a safer way for the employees is a practice control.
- Providing Personal Protection Equipment (PPE): In circumstances where the previous two controls are not feasible, the PPE takes charge.
Most of the workplace accidents can be attributed to the following factors:
- Lack of Personal Protection Equipment
- Improper training of the staff in safety measures
- Not reading user’s manual of machinery
- Not having a proper workshop dress code.
Also Read: Benefits of Safety Hand Gloves for Industrial Workers
Prevention of workshop accidents using PPE
Wearing proper workshop clothing and using proper accident safety devices will drastically bring down occupational hazards. Before discussing how to prevent workplace accidents, let’s understand the common dangers in an industrial workplace.
- Falling: Any obstruction in the workplace can lead to injuries due to slipping and falling.
- Vehicles: When employees are around vehicles or moving equipment, there is a chance of someone getting hit or injured by them.
- Electrical shock: Electrocution is a common but highly dangerous work hazard.
- Workplace accidents: These include on-the-job hazards like burns, exposure to toxic gases and chemicals, and deafening noise from machines.
Luckily, most of these dangers can be effectively prevented by using PPE.
PPE is divided into several segments. Each segment consists of safety devices that protect the wearer some a number of occupational hazards.
Also, read:
- Head protection: Under this come to the hard hats or safety helmets. These protect the worker from falling objects, electrical shocks of various degrees and contact injuries when a worker runs into hard or sharp objects.
- Foot and leg protection: Safety boots and safety shoes with steel toes come under this segment. Steel toe safety shoes protect the worker from exposure to hazardous chemicals, sharp objects and heat in the case of a fire breakout.
- Eye protection: Safety spectacles and goggles play a major role in protecting the workers’ vision. In industries like woodwork and metalwork, the danger of flying shards is high. Safety spectacles and goggles protect the worker from that.
- Hand protection: Safety hand gloves have extra padding to protect the worker from laceration, cuts, burns and skin absorption of toxins.
- Respiratory protection: In many industries, workers are exposed to toxic fumes. Respiratory Masks with the right fit protect the worker from inhaling toxic gases.
Summary
Workshop injuries are largely preventable if the right PPE is provided to the workers and the right protocols are in place. This article talks about preventing an accident from taking place by using personal safety products.
| About the Guest Author:
The author has a deep interest in personal protection equipment and accident safety devices. He shares his findings regularly.
