Edition: JANUARY 2011

Occupational (Created by: Associate Professor Abdul Shukor Abdullah)

Contents:

Safety, Health ● SMT on Safety Culture – 9 Warning Flags ...............p1

● 5 Steps in Risk Assessment ....................................p3
● ASSE Offers Heat-Illness Safety Tips ......................p4
● PhotoNews1: Ergonomics Training at Volvo Plant ..p6

& Environment
● PhotoNews2: Knowledge Sharing at Canon Opto ....p7
● OSHE News from around the world .........................p8
● How many HAZARDS are there? .............................p9

(OSHE) Bulletin. Share your views with the author of OSHE Bulletin at
http://profshukor.blogspot.com/

Sharing My Thoughts (SMT) on

Safety Culture - 9 Warning Flags - Factors
That Defeat Controls.
The implementation of an improved
safety culture requires an almost
Sherlock Holmes ability to use
observation and logic to identify
where underlying loss potential
resides in the workplace. Just as
Sherlock searched a crime scene, the
OHS professional must be sensitive
and aware of subtle clues that may
not be quite discernible in the work
environment. While the Job Hazard
Analysis (JHA) provides us with the
structure and nature of individual job
hazards and risk by providing a way
to analysis the interactions of job
requirements (steps and task,
tools/equipment/materials, the work
environment, current polices,
procedures, etc., and the people exposed to the job), JHAs are not enough to assure
that the controls put into place remain effective.

Human Performance Improvement The US Department of Energy "Human

Performance Improvement" Handbook discusses that 80% of loss producing events
are human error and 20% are due to equipment failures. However, a further
analysis of the 80% shows that 70% of these human errors are due to
organizational weakness and 30% due to human error! This 70% represents
"undetected deficiencies in organizational processes, equipment, or values that
create job conditions that either provoke error or degrade the integrity of controls."
These latent errors are embedded in the organization.

A study by the Institute for Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) refers to nine common weaknesses that
can serve as as "warning flags" that can lead to serious incidents and degrade a safety culture. The
INPO "concluded that these latent conditions are conducive to the degradation and accumulation of
flawed controls and human-performance-related events." These are warning flags of conditions that
can defeat controls.

1
OSHE Bulletin JANUARY 2011 is a knowledge sharing initiative created by Assoc. Prof. Abdul Shukor.
He can be contacted at prof.shukor@gmail.com and H/P: +60122731434. Your feedback is welcome.
Nine Warning Flags that can defeat controls within a Safety Culture While the Handbook
is written for nuclear power operations, you use the flags with just a little interpretation to evaluate
your workplace. Look for signs of the following nine warning flags that are adapted from the DOE
Handbook:
1. Overconfidence - The "numbers" are good, and the staff is living off past successes.
Consequently, the staff does not recognize low-level problems and remains unaware of hazards.
2. Isolationism - There are few interactions with other similar organizations, professional groups,
regulatory and industry groups. Benchmarking is seldom done or is limited to "industrial
tourism," without the implementation of good practices learned. As a result, the organization
lags the industry in many areas of performance and may be unaware of it.
3. Defensive and Adversarial Relationships - The mind-set toward the regulatory agencies or
professional groups is defensiveness or "do the minimum." Internal to the organization,
employees are not involved and are not listened to, and raising problems is not valued.
Adversarial relationships hinder open communication.
4. Informal Operations and Weak Engineering - Operations standards, formality, and
discipline are lacking. Other issues, initiatives, or special projects overshadow plant operational
focus. Engineering is weak, usually through a loss of talent, or lacks alignment with operational
priorities. Design basis is not a priority, and design margins erode over time.
5. Production Priorities - Important equipment problems linger, and repairs are postponed while
the plant stays on line or in production. Safety is assumed and is not explicitly emphasized in
staff interactions and site communications.
6. Inadequate Change Management - Organizational changes, staff reductions, retirement
programs, and re-locations are initiated before their impacts are fully considered. Recruiting or
training is not used to compensate for the changes. Processes and procedures do not support
strong performance following management changes.
7. Plant Operational Events - Loss producing Event significance is unrecognized or underplayed,
and reactions to events and unsafe conditions are not aggressive. Organizational causes of
events are not explored in depth.
8. Ineffective Leaders - Managers are defensive, lack team skills, or are weak communicators.
Managers lack integrated plant knowledge or operational experience. Senior managers are not
involved in operations and do not exercise accountability or do not follow up.
9. Lack of Self-Criticism - Oversight organizations lack an unbiased outside view or deliver only
good news. Self-assessment processes, such as management observation programs, do not find
problems or do not address them; or the results are not acted on in time to make a difference."

Safety Culture and

Process Improvement in
an organization are the
interaction of its beliefs,
values, structure, the tools,
equipment and materials in
use, people, the social,
physical and social
environment necessary to
reach its stated goals - the
reason for its existence.
Having an in-depth
understanding and
knowledge of all aspects of
the organization, not just the
safety rules and compliance
criteria, is essential for a
environmental, safety and
health process to have a
higher probability of
achieving a successful safety
culture over the long term.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Safety-Culture---Nine-Warning-Flags---Factors-That-Defeat-Controls&id=5539223

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OSHE Bulletin JANUARY 2011 is a knowledge sharing initiative created by Assoc. Prof. Abdul Shukor.
He can be contacted at prof.shukor@gmail.com and H/P: +60122731434. Your feedback is welcome.
Promote Safety With the Five Steps in Risk Assessment.
There is no doubt that analyzing risks is one of the toughest responsibilities of a
company. Worse than this is to be able to detect the threats and turn them to
opportunities. However, if you are well prepared, you can give your company the
advantage of spotting the hazards and minimize or even eliminate the negative
effects of such situation or condition. This is why companies need to know about
the risk management procedure, which has three processes.

These are the identification, the evaluation and the prioritization of the business risks. Before
you can identify the risks, you should know that they do not actually refer to those with the
negative impacts on your business. Risk, as a matter of fact, can have either positive or
negative effects in the business. This is because risks are activities, processes or situations in
which the company undergoes but not a single person in that institution knows what the
outcome might be. Now, after you have identified the risks, it is time for you to make a risk
assessment.

Risk assessment is typically performed in order for the companies to learn about the activities
or even the equipment or materials that might jeopardize the workers. This is important not
only for the employees but also for the entire company as well. Accidents and other instances
that might affect the health and safety of your employees can deteriorate your organization's
credibility. Now, there are five main steps that you can perform for the risk assessment.

STEP 1.
The first one here is to identify the threats and hazards that exist within your
company. Take note that risk and hazard are different terms. Hazard pertains to anything
that has the ability to cause harm such as electricity, chemicals and equipment. On the other
hand, risk is the chance that somebody might fall into harm's way.

STEP 2.
The second step is to determine the people who might be injured and how. Check the
hazards and then you will be able to verify if they can increase the health and safety risks for
the young, old, expectant mothers, cleaners or visitors.

STEP 3.
Third is to evaluate those risks and decide what you should do in order to prevent
them from happening. Take note that there are some risks that could not be eliminated but
you can always alleviate their effects.

STEP 4.
The fourth step in risk assessment is to organize what you have found out, analyze
them and then implement the right actions. Ensure that before you proceed you have
made a proper check on the area/s concerned and that you have learned who will be
affected. With regards to the precautions that you have set, you should be able to verify that
they are reasonable and that there is low risk on the remaining chances of accidents.

STEP 5.
Finally, you should update your findings. From time to time, you should be able to check
and review your risk assessment procedure and update if necessary. This is quite essential if
you have new machineries installed in your warehouse or that your company is using a new
type of chemical which can be hazardous for the health and safety of your employees.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Promote-Safety-With-the-Five-Steps-in-Risk-Assessment&id=5406833

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OSHE Bulletin JANUARY 2011 is a knowledge sharing initiative created by Assoc. Prof. Abdul Shukor.
He can be contacted at prof.shukor@gmail.com and H/P: +60122731434. Your feedback is welcome.
 A Special Article.
ASSE Offers Heat-
Heat-Illness Safety Tips
The American Society of Safety
Engineers issued a timely reminder that
heat stress can cause workplace injuries
and illnesses, and in many parts of the
country the threat is imminent. The
society suggests employers and
employees be aware of the factors that
can lead to heat stress and how to
prevent them, as well as the symptoms
of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and
what can be done for these heat-related
illnesses.
First, as OSHA notes, when one’s body is
unable to cool itself by sweating, several
heat-induced illnesses such as heat stress or
exhaustion and the more severe heat stroke
can occur, and can result in death. Factors
leading to these conditions include high
temperatures, being in direct sun or
heat, limited air movement, physical
exertion, poor physical condition, some
medicines, and inadequate tolerance for
hot workplaces.
”Heat and humidity can be a serious safety threat
to all workers during the summer -- from
lifeguards to agriculture, construction, and
roadway workers,” said ASSE President Darryl C.
Hill, Ph.D., CSP. “People should think twice if they
begin to feel these symptoms and act quickly.”
OSHE Bulletin JANUARY 2011 is a knowledge sharing initiative created by Assoc. Prof. Abdul Shukor.
He can be contacted at prof.shukor@gmail.com and H/P: +60122731434. Your feedback is welcome.
Headaches, dizziness, lightheadedness or
fainting; weakness and moist skin; mood changes
such as irritability or confusion and upset stomach
and vomiting are symptoms of heat exhaustion,
the society notes.
Symptoms of heat stroke include dry, hot skin
with no sweating; mental confusion or losing
consciousness; and seizures or convulsions.
Prevention efforts include blocking out direct sun
or other heat sources, using cooling fans or air
conditioning, and resting regularly. It is also
important to drink lots of water -- about one cup
every 15 minutes -- and to wear lightweight, light
colored, loose-fitting clothes. It is recommended
that if you’re going to be in the sun, avoid
alcohol, caffeinated drinks, and heavy meals.
According to the National Institute of
Occupational Safety and Health, heat can also
cause injury due to accidents related to sweaty
palms, fogged-up glasses, and dizziness.
Sunburns are also a hazard of sun and heat
exposure.
Suggested tips for employees and employers
to use in order to prevent heat-related
illnesses and injuries include:
• Use cooling pads that can be inserted into
hardhats or around the neck to keep the
head and neck cool. Vented hardhats or
neckbands soaked in cold water can also
be used to minimize prolonged heat
exposure and prevent the body from
overheating.
• Wear protective eyewear that features
sufficient ventilation or an anti-fog lens
coating to reduce lens fogging from the
heat. Sweatbands also can be used to
prevent perspiration from dripping into
the eyes.
• Use gloves with leather palms and cotton
or denim backs, which allow for an
increased airglow and still protect hands.
Also, choose gloves with a liner to absorb
sweat preventing perspiration buildup.
Some gloves also feature strips of nylon
mesh or are perforated at the back of the
hand for more airflow.
• Wear light-colored, loose-fitting,
breathable clothing such as cotton,
recommends OSHA.
• Take breaks in cooler shaded areas.
• For workers exposed to extreme heat,
proper hand protection from burns
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 depends on the temperature and type of
work to which workers are exposed.
• To prevent dehydration, NIOSH
recommends that workers drink five to
seven ounces of fluids every 15 to 20
minutes. Drink cool water and avoid
diuretics such as coffee, tea, alcohol, or
soda that actually deplete body fluid.
Sports drinks are also good for replacing
fluid in the body, but use should be
monitored due to the high sodium
content.

Among the many locations when heat stress is

commonly found are as follows:

A recent article in ASSE’s journal, Professional

Safety, describes the heat hazards encountered
by one company working in the State of Qatar
and what the company did to index the severity
of the heat-related illness problem and the
preventive work practices it provided to workers
resulting in a reduction of heat-stress-related
medical treatments. The article, titled “Heat
Stress – Improving safety in the Arabian Gulf oil
and gas industry,” by ASSE member Oliver F.
McDonald, CSP, CIH, et al., points out that the full
spectrum of heat stress disorders were a hazard
at the location and notes that the State of Qatar
had banned midday working hours for certain
employees during the hottest times of the year
due to the threat of the illnesses.

Campaign under way to beat heat stress in UAE.

Construction workers working under Due to the high summer temperatures in

hot sun at a site in Abu Dhabi the UAE, heat stress and hyperthermia
yesterday. Despite the midday break for (raised body temperature) was a definite
outdoor workers, the risk of heat stress risk for those exposed to the sun for long
is very high. periods of time.

5
OSHE Bulletin JANUARY 2011 is a knowledge sharing initiative created by Assoc. Prof. Abdul Shukor.
He can be contacted at prof.shukor@gmail.com and H/P: +60122731434. Your feedback is welcome.
 OSHE TRAINING ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY THE AUTHOR – Part 1.

Ergonomics & Manual Handling Training Session at

Swedish Motor Assemblies - VOLVO's Factory, Malaysia.
A 1-day high impact training session
was organised for the employees of
Volvo Assembling Plant by the author
on the 25th January 2011. A total of 25
participants attended the 1 day
session. Among the topics covered
during the session include OSHA 1994
(The Act), issues and effects of
Manual Handling activities,
ergonomics and occupational stress.

A practical session was also planned

and this has enabled the participants
to relate the knowledge acquired Participants and the author took an opportunity
during the theoretical session and the for a group photo at the end of the training
existing situations at the factory. session.

A group project activity at the assembly

line – identifying ergonomics hazards
during an assembly process. A group presentation session.

Overall, the 1-day training session

has enabled the participants to learn
about ergonomics and manual
handling issues at their respective
departments and units.

The course also provided them with

ample opportunities to learn about
ergonomics risk factors and the effect
of occupational stress.

A group photo taken at the assembly line.

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OSHE Bulletin JANUARY 2011 is a knowledge sharing initiative created by Assoc. Prof. Abdul Shukor.
He can be contacted at prof.shukor@gmail.com and H/P: +60122731434. Your feedback is welcome.
 OSHE TRAINING ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY THE AUTHOR – Part 2.

A 2-day Knowledge Sharing Session on Ergonomics and

Manual Handling at CANON Opto Plant, Malaysia.

On 12th & 13th January 2011, the

author was conducting a 2-day
knowledge sharing and work
analysis activities at CANON OPTO
(Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. The theme of
this event is 'Ergonomics & Manual
Handling'.

Major issues on the effects of manual

handling activities were discussed.
These include severe back pains,
shoulder pains, occupational stress
and staff well being matters.

During the information gathering session,

the factory supervisors were given tasks to
identify sources of hazards and the level of
risks to the workers. These were discussed
and necessary corrective actions are
developed and proposed to the
management.

Overall, the session was indeed a very

successful one and immediate actions are
being implemented to solve ergonomics
related issues at the factory.

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OSHE Bulletin JANUARY 2011 is a knowledge sharing initiative created by Assoc. Prof. Abdul Shukor.
He can be contacted at prof.shukor@gmail.com and H/P: +60122731434. Your feedback is welcome.
OSHE NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
13th January 2011
Lack of risk
assessment caused
hernia injury.
Injured at Work
A GMB member who needed
surgery to correct a hernia
when he was injured at work
has received compensation
after help from his trade
union.
Andrew Kelly, 47, from
Chaddesden near Derby,
needed the major surgery after
moving several objects weighing
up to 40kg during an eight-hour
shift.
The yard supervisor for
recycling firm Sims Group UK
was unable to access lifting
equipment when instructed to
move heavy objects like lorry
batteries and fridge motors to
various parts of the yard for
collection. Mr Kelly, who has
worked for the firm for 31 years
originally as a heavy goods
driver was moved to the new
role just before the accident,
was off work for three weeks
following it and still suffers
discomfort over a year later.
He has been forced to give up
his hobby of cycling until the
injury is fully resolved.
Following his diagnosis he
contacted his trade union the
GMB as he was concerned about
the losses he would suffer from
taking so much time off work.
The GMB instructed its lawyers
Thompsons Solicitors to pursue
a claim for compensation.
Employer should have risk
assessed the task
Mr Kelly said: “I knew that it
would take me several weeks to
recover from the operation so
contacted the union because I
was worried about what it would
mean for me and my family
OSHE Bulletin JANUARY 2011 is a knowledge sharing initiative created by Assoc. Prof. Abdul Shukor.
He can be contacted at prof.shukor@gmail.com and H/P: +60122731434. Your feedback is welcome.
financially. The GMB were great
and organised for Thompsons
Solicitors to handle my claim.
“The hernia was painful and it
slowed me down a lot. I wasn’t
able to lift and found walking
difficult. Since the operation I
have been able to return to
work but I still suffer from some
discomfort.”
Accident could easily have
been avoided
Andy Worth from the GMB said:
“Long established employers
like these really have no excuse
not to think ahead when they
ask employees to lift heavy
weights with no help. Mr Kelly’s
losses and pain lie at their door
when a simple risk assessment
could easily have avoided the
accident.”
Claire White from Thompsons
Solicitors Nottingham office
added: “Employers handing out
tasks to employees need to
make sure there are systems in
place so jobs can be performed
safely.”
Filipino workers
file injury
complaints vs
Hyatt hotels.
SAN JOSE, California –
Filipinos joined around 3,500
hotel workers in filing injury
complaints with the
Occupational Safety and
Health Administration
(OSHA) against 12 Hyatt
hotels.
The workers are set to file the
suit against Hyatt hotels in San
Antonio, Chicago, San
Francisco, Santa Clara, Los
Angeles, Long Beach, Honolulu
and Indianapolis.
“We want workplace injuries to
stop and for this to stop, Hyatt
management has to minimize
the workers’ workload and
maintain higher standards at
work. Most of the housekeepers
are older immigrant women,
and with the working conditions
they are in, they’re prone to get
injured on the job,” said Israel
Alvaran, spokesperson of
UniteHere.
UniteHere is a union that
represents over 250,000 hotel
workers throughout the United
States and Canada. The union
said Hyatt hotels have the
highest injury rate among
workers compared to other
hotels. With more rooms to
clean, workers end up rushing
their work, leading to more
accidents like slipping on wet
bathroom floors or tripping over
furniture.
In 2009, Nenita Ibe, 68, said
she hurt her shoulder while
putting sheets on Hyatt hotel
beds. She works as a
housekeeper at Hyatt Hotel in
Santa Clara, California. In some
Hyatt properties, housekeepers
are required to clean as many
as 30 rooms a day.
According to Ibe, the
management questioned her
because they did not believe
that she got injured on the job.
Ibe said her injury became
worse. She said it’s now harder
for her to clean the rooms, and
she can barely sleep at night
because of the pain.
Workers recommended to OSHA
a number of remedies that
could reduce injury risks such as
supplying fitted sheets, long-
handled mops and dusters and
implementing reasonable room
quotas. The union alleged that
workers are also discouraged
from reporting injuries for fear
of punishment.
Source: http://www.abs-
cbnnews.com/global-
filipino/11/10/10/filipino-workers-
file-injury-complaints-vs-hyatt-
hotels
8
HOW MANY HAZARDS ARE THERE AT YOUR WORKPLACE? THIS
ARTICLE COULD BE VERY USEFUL IN ANSWERING THE
QUESTION.
Mechanical hazards due to:
• Machine parts or workpieces, e.g.:
a) shape;
b) relative location;
c) mass and stability (potential energy of elements which may move under the effect of gravity);
d) mass and velocity (kinetic energy of elements in controlled or uncontrolled motion);
e) inadequacy of mechanical strength.
– accumulation of energy inside the machine , e.g.:
f) elastic elements (springs);
g) liquids and gases under pressure;
h) the effect of vacuum.
• Crushing hazard
• Shearing hazard
• Cutting or severing hazard
• Entanglement hazard
• Drawing-in or trapping hazard
• Impact hazard
• Stabbing or puncture hazard
• Friction or abrasion hazard
• High pressure fluid injection or ejection hazard

Electrical hazards due to:

• Contact of persons with live parts (direct contact)
• Contact of persons with parts which have become live under faulty conditions (indirect contact)
• Approach to live parts under high voltage
• Electrostatic phenomena
• Thermal radiation or other phenomena such as the projection of molten particles and chemical
effects from short circuits, overloads, etc.

Thermal hazards, resulting in:

• Burns, scalds and other injuries by a possible contact of persons with objects or materials with an
extreme
• high or low temperature, by flames or explosions and also by the radiation of heat sources
• Damage to health by hot or cold working environment

Hazards generated by noise , resulting in:

• Hearing loss (deafness), other physiological disorders (e.g. loss of balance, loss of awareness)
• Interference with speech communication, acoustic signals, etc.

Hazards generated by vibration

• Use of hand-held machines resulting in a variety of neurological and vascular disorders
• Whole body vibration, particularly when combines with poor postures

Hazards generated by radiation

• Low frequency, radio frequency radiation, micro waves
• Infrared, visible and ultraviolet light
• X and gamma rays
• Alpha, beta rays, electron or ion beams, neutrons
• Lasers

Hazards generated by materials and substances (and their constituent elements) processed
or used by the machine or process
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OSHE Bulletin JANUARY 2011 is a knowledge sharing initiative created by Assoc. Prof. Abdul Shukor.
He can be contacted at prof.shukor@gmail.com and H/P: +60122731434. Your feedback is welcome.
• Hazards from contact with or inhalation of harmful fluids, gases, mists, fumes, and dusts
• Fire or explosion hazard
• Biological or microbiological (viral or bacterial) hazards

Hazards generated by neglecting ergonomic principles in machine and /or process

design or workstation design as, e.g. hazards from:
• Unhealthy postures or excessive effort
• Inadequate consideration of hand-arm or foot-leg anatomy
• Neglected use of personal protection equipment
• Inadequate local lighting
• Mental overload and underload, stress
• Human error, human behavior
• Inadequate design, location or identification of manual controls
• Inadequate design or location of vi sual display units

Combination of hazards
Unexpected start-up, unexpected overrun/overspeed (or any similar malfunction) from:
• Failure/disorder of the control system
• Restoration of energy supply after an interruption
• External influences on electrical equipment
• Other external influences (gravity, wind, etc.)
• Errors in the software
• Errors made by the operator (due to mismatch of the machine with human characteristics and
abilities
• Impossibility of stopping the machine in the best possible conditions
• Variations in the rotational speed of tools
• Failure of the power supply
• Failure of the control circuit
• Errors of fitting
• Break-up during operation
• Falling or ejected objects or fluids
• Loss of stability / overturning of the machine
• Slip, trip and fall of persons

Hierarchy of Controls
1. Elimination/Substitution
2. Engineering Controls
3. Warnings
4. Administrative Controls, Procedures and Training
5. Personal Protective Equipment

QUOTES ON SAFETY.
Our technological powers increase, but the side effects
and potential hazards also escalate.
Alvin Toffler

When you gamble with safety, you bet your life.

Author Unknown

Safety is as simple as ABC - Always Be Careful.

Author Unknown

“Safety First" is "Safety Always."

Charles M. Hayes

10
OSHE Bulletin JANUARY 2011 is a knowledge sharing initiative created by Assoc. Prof. Abdul Shukor.
He can be contacted at prof.shukor@gmail.com and H/P: +60122731434. Your feedback is welcome.