Health & Safety Modules

Health & Safety Modules NCI – Off-Campus Sligo

Aims • Show the reasons behind the development of the subject. • Introduce the main pieces of legislation. • Explain risk assessment. • Introduce safety management.

H&S Modules Outline • Session 1. Background and Introduction • Session 2. Legal Aspects • Session 3. Risk Assessment • Session 4. Safety Management & Consultation

Quick Introductions • Name – Organisation – Role. • H&S Exposure i.e. courses attended and H&S Responsibilities. • Main risks in your work.

Session 1. Background and Introduction • Introductions / Overview • Why H&S is important • H&S Issues in Ireland • Roles and responsibilities • Admin “stuff”

Session 2. Legal Aspects • Statutory Provisions • Common Law • New Developments • Application of the law • Case Studies.

Session 3. Risk Assessment • Rationale and requirements • Hazards and risks • 5 Steps to risk assessment • Safety statements • Practical exercises

Session 4. Safety Management & Consultation • Safety management systems • Policy and commitment • Monitoring and reviewing organisational performance • Safety culture • H&S consultations • Review and summary

Today! • Why focus on H&S? • Humanitarian concerns • Economic costs • European trading practices • The law

A. Agric, Forestry etc. 20 B. Fishing 0 C. Mining, Quarrying 1 D. Manufacturing 6 E. Elect’y, Gas, Water 2 F. Construction 17 G. Wholesale, Retail, Repair 5 H. Hotels, Restaurants 0 I. Transport, Storage, Comms 8 J. Financial intermediation 0 K. Real estate, Renting, Business 0 L. Public administration, Defence 4 M. Education 0 N. Health, Social work 0 O. Community, Social, Personal services 4 Total 67 Reported fatalities in 2003

Agric, Forestry etc.15. Fishing 0. Mining, Quarrying 6. Manufacturing 8. Electricity, Gas, Water 0. Construction18. Wholesale, Retail, Repair 7. Hotels, Restaurants 0. Tpt, Storage, Comms 4. Financial Svcs. 0. Real Estate, Business 1. Public Admin,Defence2. Education 0. Health, Social Work. 0 Community, Social, Pers Svcs. 1 Total 62 Fatalities 2005Reported Fatalities to date in 2005 (as at 17th of November)

What is the “cost” of 62 lives? • Emotional cost (Families, Children, Breadwinners etc.) • Legal costs (Claims, fines, lawyers fees, criminal charges etc.) • Operational costs (lost days, loss of business, IR issues, court attendance, insurance etc.) • State costs (family support, investigations and courts etc.) • Social costs (trauma, bereavement, loss of “talent” etc.) • Medical costs • Other????

Insurance industry figures indicate that the cost of public liability (PL) claims has doubled in three years, with the average cost per claim now running at €19,525, compared to €9,805 three years ago. • The IBEC Survey Analysis of Personal Injury Compensation Costs 1999-2001 recorded a 43% increase in PL insurance premiums (see HSR, May 2001, p1 and p12) and the IBEC Survey of Insurance Costs 2002 revealed that premiums had more than doubled by October 2002 (see HSR, November 2002, p4).

SMURFIT FINED ONE MILLION OVER SAFETY OFFENCES - Highest fine ever imposed! • Friday, 29th October 2004 • Today at Trim Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Raymond Groarke fined Smurfit News Press Limited a total of one million euro following two serious accidents at a premises in Kells, Co Meath in April and May 2002. The fine is the largest ever imposed for health and safety offences and resulted from a Health and Safety Authority (HSA) investigation.

Prosecutions • Ambrose Facilities Services Ltd • Ambrose Facilities Services Ltd of Mount Kennett House, Henry Street, Limerick was fined a total of €1,500 when it pleaded guilty to four charges at Thurles District Court on October 10th 2003. These • were: • Sections 6 (2) (d), 6 (2) (e), 12(3) and 48(17) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work, Act 1989. • The trial resulted when an employee of Ambrose Facilities Services Ltd suffered serious injuries. The employee was working as an industrial cleaner removing adhesive glue, using an electrically operated buffing machine, and highly flammable thinner.

Early Learning Centre • The Early Learning Centre, Eyre Square Shopping Centre, Galway was fined a total of €600 in Galway District Court on the 22nd January, 2003 having pleaded guilty to the following charges: • Regulation 28 (b) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations, 1993, • Section 12 (1) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989. • This trial followed an investigation into an incident in which an employee sustained a serious injury while moving large quantities of stock to a storeroom on the 28th November, 2001.

Select Service Partners Ireland Ltd • Select Service Partner Ireland Ltd, of Level 5, Terminal Building, Dublin Airport, Co. Dublin was fined a total of €2,000 in Dublin District Court on the 18th March 2003 having pleaded guilty to the following charges: • Sections 6(2)(d) and 6(2)(e) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989. • The trial arose following an accident at the Mezz Food Court run by Select Service Partner Ireland Ltd at Dublin Airport. An employee engaged in removing and cleaning filters from a canopy above two deep fat fryers slipped on the ledge between the two fryers resulting in his right foot entering the hot oil in one of the them.

Tom Cussen • Mr Tom Cussen of Granard, Adare, Co. Limerick was fined €250 at Adare District Court (sitting at Rathkeale) on the 8th April 2003 having pleaded guilty to the following charge: • Section 12(7) of the Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act, 1989. • The trial arose as a result of Mr Cussen’s failure to have a Safety Statement for his farm.

SmithKline Beecham (Cork) Ltd Case on Indictment • SmithKline Beecham (Cork) Ltd of Currabinney, Carrigaline, Cork was fined €15,000 at Cork Circuit Court on November 20th 2003 having pleaded guilty on four counts: • Regulations 5(1)(a)(ii), 4(1)(d) and 6(1)(a)(ii) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Chemical Agents), Regulations, 2001 and Regulation 10(a) of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations, 1993. • The trial arose following release of a dangerous substance into the workplace atmosphere at the company’s plant on May 30th, 2002.

Costs! • ‘work related injuries, ill health and non-injury accidents may be costing the Northern Ireland economy as much as £500m (€750m) a year’ (Health and Safety Review, 2002, p.22). • In New Zealand ‘workplace accidents cost the country $4.2 billion a year’ (http://www.osh.dol.govt.nz/touch/press/1998/PR981006.shtml). • In the EU every year nearly 5 million employees suffer from work related accidents involving more than three days absence and the insurance costs borne by the industry alone amount of €20 billion http://agency.osha.eu.int/publications/newsletter/12/en/index_10.htm). • Leigh et al (1997) estimated that the costs of accidents in the workplace in the US in 1992 amounted to €171 billion, an estimate which they say is likely to be low due to under-reporting and the fact that the study ignores the cost of pain and suffering and within-home care.

CLAIMS ICEBERG HIDDEN COSTS €€€€€

Therefore…… • H&S is not just a matter of • Law…… • Economics ……… • “Welfare” ……… • Public Policy …….. • Medicine……… • Etc. • It is a fundamental aspect of our lives and society (or should be!!!!!!)

The Perfect Job! • Variation - different sub-tasks. • Overview / sense of whole operation. • Freedom to move around physically. • Self-paced work. • Self influence on pace and style. • Involvement in job planning. • Control over results. • Few deadlines. • Skills development. • Freedom of action. • Responsibility and authority. • Warm, safe, secure, comfortable.

Accidents • An accident is an unplanned and uncontrolled event in which the action or reaction of an object, substance, person or radiation results in personal injury or the probability thereof.

Why they happen. • Cause % of events • Inadequate operating procedure 19% • Error in recognition or confirmation 15% • Error in judgement 14% • Poor inspection 12% • Inadequate directives / supervision 10% • Inadequate communication 10% • Operational error 6% • Unskilled operation 6% • Imperfect maintenance 2% • Other 6%

Where people get hurt! (HSA 2003) • Factory, industrial site, workshop or warehouse 2755 • Construction site, trench, opencast quarry or mine 971 • Area open to public (road, parking, station or waiting room) 691 • Office, school, shop, restaurant, hotel, theatre etc. 646 • Health establishment 553 • Means of transport (train, bus, car, vessel, etc.) 210 • Other service related area 185 • Farm, fish farm, forest or park 117 • Other 96 • Educational establishment 76 • Private home or related area 76 • Transport related area or road 70 • Restricted zone near area open to public (railway line, apron) 46 • Underground (excl. Construction) 31 • Airborne transport 30 • Sports area 28 • At height (mast, pylon, roof) 18 • Other 119 • Total 6622

How things fall down! STAGE 1 NOTIONALLY NORMAL STARTING POINT STAGE 2 INCUBATION PERIOD STAGE 3 PRECIPITATING EVENT STAGE 4 ONSET STAGE 5 RESCUE AND SALVAGE STAGE 6 READJUSTMENT

So, what do WE do about this? • Safety Culture • Legal Compliance • Risk Awareness • Taking Responsibility • Educating and Training

Safety Culture? • Control • Competence • Co-operation • Communication

HSA Inspections 2002 • A - Agriculture, Hunting and Forestry 856 • B - Fishing 11 • C - Mining and Quarrying 439 • D - Manufacturing 1757 • E - Electricity/gas/water 54 • F- Construction 4615 • G - Wholesale/Retail trade; repair of • motor vehicles, personal and household goods 654 • H - Hotels/Restaurants 127 • I - Transport, Storage, Communication 1077 • J - Financial Intermediation 30 • K - Real Estate, Renting, Business 333 • L - Public Admin./Defence 265 • M - Education 103 • N - Health/Social Work 129 • O - Community/Social/ Personal Services 253 • P - Private households with employed persons 1 • Totals 10,704

General duties of employers • The Act provides an overall duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practical, the safety, health and welfare of all employees (including casual staff, trainees etc.). In particular, it requires employers: • To provide and maintain a place of work which is safe and without risk to health; • To provide safe means of access and egress at each place of work; • To provide and maintain plant and equipment which is safe and without risk to safety and health; • To provide systems of work that are safe and without risk to health; • To provide information, instruction, training and supervision necessary for safe and healthy working; • Where hazards cannot otherwise be controlled, to provide and maintain suitable protective clothing or equipment; • To prepare adequate emergency plans; • To prevent risks to health and safety in relation to the use of articles or substances; • To provide welfare facilities such as a supply of drinking water, first aid etc.; • To acquire where necessary the services of competent persons to ensure the safety and health at work of employees.

SCHEDULE 3General Principles of Prevention • The avoidance of risks. • The evaluation of unavoidable risks. • The combating of risks at source. • The adaptation of work to the individual (design of places of work, work equipment, systems of work) • The adaptation of the place of work to technical progress. • The replacement of dangerous articles, substances or systems of work by safe or less dangerous articles etc. • The giving of priority to collective protective measures over individual protective measures. • The development of an adequate prevention policy in relation to SHW at work (technology, organisation of work, working conditions / environment, social factors. • The giving of appropriate training and instructions to employees.

Employee duties • Employees are obliged to: • Take reasonable care for their own safety, health and welfare, and that of others who may be affected by their actions or omissions; • Co-operate with their employer in relation to compliance with statutory requirements under this and other safety laws; • To use protective equipment, clothing or other means for securing safety, health and welfare; • To respect protective clothing and equipment provided for securing the safety, health or welfare of persons arising out of work activities; • To report to the employer or immediate supervisor, without delay, any defects in the workplace, plant, equipment or systems of work which may lead to danger.

Accident Proof Yourself!!! • Think before acting • Know what you are doing and how to do it. • If in doubt, ASK. • Follow procedures as laid down. • Be alert and aware. • Use PPE. • “Cop-on”

Internet Resources • http://www.hsa.ie (Vital and comprehensive resource!!!) • http://www.hsa.ie/publisher/storefront/product_download.jsp?dir_itemID=116A Strategy for the Prevention of Workplace Accidents, Injuries and Illnesses (2004-2009) • http://www.hsa.ie/publisher/storefront/product_detail.jsp?dir_itemID=104 2003 HSA Annual Report • http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1989_7.html 1989 Act (HSWWA) • http://www.niso.ie Lots of valuable stuff from the National Irish Safety Association • http://europe.osha.eu.int/ European Agency for H&S at Work. • http://www.hse.gov.uk/index.htm UK Govt. H&S Executive

Health & Safety Modules