1. The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
CASE STUDIES EUROPEAN AND NATIONAL LEGISLATION ON SAFETY/HEALTH SIGNS AND SIGNALS IN WOOD INDUSTRY

2. Legislation in Force –vocational college students
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Legislation in Force –vocational college students
Objective
This case study aims at making the vocational college students familiar with the main European legislative documents in the filed of Safety and Health at Work.
Case
Read carefully the information about the Council Directive 89/391/EEC on the Introduction of Measures to Encourage Improvements in the Safety and Health of Workers at Work, Council Directive 92/58/EEC on the Minimum requirements for the Provisions of Safety Signs at Work and answer the following questions:

3. The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
1. What is main objective of Directive 89/391/EEC? Expected answer: The objective of this Directive is to introduce measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work and to ensure protection of workers through the implementation of preventive measures against accidents at work and occupational diseases. 2. What does this Directive determine? Expected answer: The Directive determines the rights and obligations of the employers and employees.

4. The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
3. What are the employers obliged? Expected answer: to ensure the health and safety of workers in every aspect related to the work; to evaluate the occupational risks and to provide adequate protection; to take the necessary measures for first aid, fire-fighting and evacuation of workers; to inform and consult workers on all questions relating to safety and health at work; to ensure that each worker receives adequate health and safety training. 4. What are the workers obliged? Expected answer: to make correct use of machinery, personal protective equipment and safety devices; to cooperate in fulfilling any requirements for safety and health working environment and working conditions.

5. The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
5. What is objective of Directive 92/58/EEC? Expected answer: To introduce a system of safety signs designed to reduce the risk of accidents at work and occupational diseases. 6. Where is this Directive not applicable? Expected answer: This Directive does not apply to signs used for regulating road, rail, inland waterway, sea or air transport.

6. The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
7. What types of safety signs providing instructions about safety and health at work do you know? Expected answer: prohibition sign, warning sign, emergency escape or first-aid sign, mandatory sign. 8. What are the hand signals used for? Expected answer: The hand signals are used for guiding persons who are carrying out maneuvers which constitute a hazard or danger for workers.

7. Safety at Workplace – European Legislation –university students
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Safety at Workplace – European Legislation –university students
Objective
This case study aims at improving the knowledge of the university students on the European legislation connected with safety and health in Wood Industry.

8. The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Case The employees from a big woodworking company in Europe, manufacturing composite materials (particleboards, fibreboards, MDF, etc.) were continuously exposed to wood dust and harmful chemical substances, exceeding the maximum exposure limits, which led to increased number of occupational diseases such as asthma and dermatitis.

9. The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Questions: 1. Being a manager in this company, which are the European directives you should apply in this case? Expected Answer: Council Directive on the Protection of Workers from the risk related to Exposure to Chemical, Physical and Biological Agents at Work, Council Directive 89/654/EEC concerning the Minimum Safety and Health Requirements for the Workplace. 2. What is the maximum exposure limit of wood dust? Expected Answer: 5 mg/m3 (8-hour time-weighted average).

10. The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
3. According to the provisions of the applicable directives what protective measures would you suggest? Expected Answer: Personal protective equipment, local exhaust Ventilation, additional training of employees, etc. 4. Do you know the main safety and health rules concerning this case study the employer is obliged to ensure according to Directive 89/654/EEC? Expected Answer: technical maintenance of the workplace; the workplace, equipment and devices are regularly cleaned; safety equipment and devices are regularly maintained and checked; workers are regularly informed of all measures to be taken concerning safety and health at the workplace.

11. The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
5. What can be the consequences from not knowing and applying the necessary directives adopted by the EU? Expected Answer: increased rate of occupational diseases, decreased productivity, increased number of lost working days, etc.

12. The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
The Importance of Training - professionals Objective This case study aims at improving the knowledge of the professionals on the European directive connected with the provision of safety and health signs and signboards at the workplace.

13. The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Case 1 An employee of only six days had his right index finger amputated to the second joint after coming into contact with a circular saw blade. The employee believed the top guard had to be removed as the machine had been set up by another employee.

14. The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Case 2 A trainee wood machinist amputated the ends of the first and third fingers on his right hand when using a spindle moulder to produce a bevel on a door fillet. No false fence was in place. The trainee had received instruction from the supervisor during a similar job and was incorrectly told that a false fence could not be used, because of the need to offset the fixed fence guards to facilitate a full depth cut.

15. The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Case 3 An employee suffered severe laceration of the thumb and forefinger on his left hand as a result of unsafe use of a circular saw. No guards were in place and his left hand applying downward pressure came into contact with the blade when the workpiece kicked back, possibly due to a knot.

16. The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Case 4 A newly employed operator (five days) was working out of sight of his immediate supervisor in 115dBA of noise. He was assigned to keep timber clear on a transfer line feeding a saw. The line was under control fed from photo-electric sensors. After a line-blockage the employee climbed onto the stopped conveyor belt to clear the jammed log. This interrupted a photosensor and restarted the conveyor. The employee was thrown off the end of the belt and became stuck between the belt and a cross conveyor, suffering severe injuries of broken ribs and a punctured lung. He had not been told of the dangers associated with clearing blockages, and neither he nor his supervisor knew how to isolate the line.

17. The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Unfortunately, no safety/health signs and signboards were placed at the workplaces and the employees were led make their own decision what to do and how to cope with the situation.

18. The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Questions: 1. What is the European directive regulating the use of safety/health signs and signboards at work? Expected Answer: Council Directive 92/58/EEC on the Minimum Requirements for the Provision of Safety Signs and/or Health Signs at Work. 2. If you were a safety officer at these companies, which are the signs and signboards applicable for these cases? Expected Answer:……………

19. The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
3. Which are the main types of safety signs according to the Directive 92/58/EEC? Expected Answer: prohibition sign, warning sign, mandatory sign, emergency escape or first aid sign, information sign. 4. Do you know the employers’ obligations according to this directive? Expected Answer: to provide safety and health signs where hazards can be avoided or adequately reduced.

20. The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Conclusion In order to avoid accidents at workplace the employers are obliged to provide the workplace with the necessary safety/health signs and signboards. The employees must be trained properly for the existing hazardous situations in Wood Industry. Otherwise, the consequences might be fatal.

21. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!