Training of Trainers on Occupational Safety and Health and HIV and AIDS Risk Prevention

General Remarks  According to many labour codes in Africa concerning the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work: The employer is obliged to - Prevent Risks and for this reason, Risk Assessment is mandatory. Strategy:  Creating risk prevention culture in the workplace  Bringing a global approach to health and safety understanding  Ensuring workers participation

What is prevention?  Prevention concerns acting before something happens so to prevent it from: -Occurring -To avoid its effects

Acknowledged Principles of Prevention  Avoiding risk  Evaluating the risk  Combating the risk at source  Adapting to the requirement of the individual  Incorporating prevention in all business management  Developing a coherent overall prevention policy & planning the prevention actions  Giving priority to collective protective measures or individual protective measures  Promoting workers’ participation

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Main Risks to Deal With  Chemical agents : Lead, tolulene, pesticides, etc.  Biological agents : TB, malaria, HIV and AIDS, etc.  Physical agents : Noise, lighting, radiation, etc.  Ergonomic agents : hazardous postures, seat and sitting, repetitive strain, working from height, etc.  Psychosocial : Stress, violence, sexual harassment, excessive hours of work, etc.

Risks’ Factors  Workplace and Installations : heat, poor lighting, waste, damage roof/floor, fire, poor hygiene, etc.  Machinery : damage or inappropriate tools, etc.  Substances : toxic and hazardous materials, etc.  Ergonomics : hazardous postures, seats & sitting, working from height, etc.  Work organisations : excessive hours of work, sexual harassment, etc.

Risk Assessment  Risk Assessment should involve: Participation of workers Provision of expert contribution Informing of workers Training of workers Protection & Prevention Approach

Main Aim of Risk Assessment The main aim of the risk assessment is to protect workers’ health and safety. And it is also helps to minimize the possibility of the workers or the environment being harmed due to work- related activities.

What is a risk assessment? Risk assessment is the process of:  Identifying hazards  Analysing/evaluating the associated risk of the hazards  Determining appropriate ways to eliminate or control the hazards

Relevance of Risk Assessment Risk assessment helps to….  Determine if existing control measures are adequate or if more should be done  Prevent injuries or illnesses when done at the design or planning stage  Prioritize hazards and control measures

Meaning of Hazard and Risk Hazard – the potential for something to cause harm - an intrinsic property… Risk – the likelihood of that hazard to actually cause harm… Risk = likelihood of Severity an event X of (Probability) Outcome

How to Do Risk Assessment?  Assessments should be done by a competent team of individuals who have a good working knowledge of the workplace.  Involved/include staff, supervisors & workers who work with the process under review as they are the most familiar with the operation.  Include both people familiar with the work area, as well as people who are not – in this way you have both the "experienced" and "fresh" eye to conduct the inspection.

Steps to follow…

Continues…  Identify hazards  Evaluate the likelihood of an injury or illness occurring, and its severity  Consider normal operational situations as well as non- standard events such as shutdowns, power cuts, emergencies, etc.,

Continues…  Review all available health and safety information about the hazard such as Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs), manufacturers literature, information from reputable organisations, results of testing, etc.  Identify actions necessary to eliminate or control the risk  Monitor and re-evaluate to confirm the risk is controlled  Keep any documentation or records that may be necessary (e.g. detailing the process used to assess the risk, outlining any evaluations, or detailing how conclusions were made).

Continues…  The methods and procedures used in the processing, use, handling or storage of the substance, etc..  The actual and the potential exposure of workers … When doing an assessment take into account:  The measures and procedures needed to control such exposure by means of engineering controls, work practices, hygiene practices & facilities.

How Hazards Are Identified?  To be sure that all hazards are found: -Look at all aspects of the work, include non-routine activities such as repair, maintenance or cleaning -Look at accident/incident/near-miss records -Include people who work "off site" either at home, on other job sites, drivers, teleworkers with clients, etc. -Look at the way the work is organised or “carried out" (include experience and age of people doing the work, systems being used, etc.),

Continues… -Look at foreseeable unusual conditions (e.g. possible impact on hazard control procedures that may be unavailable in an emergency situation, power cut, etc.) -Examine risks to sub-contractors, visitors or the public -Include groups that may have a different level of risk such as young or unexperienced workers, persons with disabilities, or new or expectant mothers.

Risk Assessment Table 1 Example of Risk Assessment TaskHazardRisk Priority Control Delivering product to customers Drivers work aloneMay be unable to call for help if needed Drivers have to occasionally work long hours Fatigue, short rest time between shifts Drivers are often in very congested traffic Increased chance of collision Longer working hours Drivers have to lift boxes when deliverying product Injury to back from lifting, reaching, carrying, etc.

How to Rank or Prioritise Risk  Ranking or prioritizing hazards is one way to help determine which hazard is the most serious and thus which hazard to control first.  Priority is usually established by taking into account the employee exposure and the potential for accident, injury or illness.

Continues… Assigning a priority to the hazards, creates a ranking or an action list. The following factors play an important role:  Percentage of workforce exposed  Frequency of exposure  Degree of harm likely to result from the exposure  Probability of occurrence

Continues…

How to Know that the Hazard is Serious (posses a risk?)  To research the hazard & determine its risk level look at: -Product information/manufacturer documentation -Past experience (workers, etc.) -Legislated requirements and/or applicable standards

Continues…  To research the hazard & determine its risk level look at: -Industry codes of practice / best practices -Material safety data sheets (MSDSs), -Information from reputable organisations -Results of testing (atmospheric, air sampling of workplace, biological, etc.)

Continues… -The expertise of a occupational health and safety professional -Information about previous injuries, illnesses, "near misses," accident reports, etc.

Factors that Contribute to the Level of Risk  Work environment (layout, condition...)  Capability, skill, experience of workers who do the work  Systems of work being used.

Triggers…  Triggers for a review can also include: -The start of a new project -Change in the work process or flow -Change or addition to tools, equipment  Machinery (including locations or the way they are used) -New employees -Moving to a new building or work area, -Introduction of new chemicals/substances -When new information becomes available about a current product.

Features of Risk Assessment  Risk Assessment should be: Suitable  A Risk Assessment should take into account the: Severity of hazards well known in the Type of activity / business. It can only refer to concrete findings (or anticipated risks) on site and at a certain point of time.

Features of Risk Assessment  Risk Assessment should be: Sufficient  A Risk Assessment should derive prioritised: Measures to improve the occupational health and safety situation according to the well known “hierarchy of prevention” and according to established legal principles…

Features of Risk Assessment  Risk Assessment should be: Systematic It should follow a defined and logical methodology. It should systematically lead to evidence based conclusions.

Principle of Crocodile Identify the risk

Principle of Crocodile Evaluate the risk

Principle of Crocodile Eliminate the risk

Principle of Crocodile Substitute the risk

Principle of Crocodile Isolate the risk

Principle of Crocodile Use Personal Protective Equipment

Principle of Crocodile Or else……….Run away !

The End! Any Questions?