6 January 2009

Machinery still kills

Over the last 20 months there has been an increase of workplace fatalities within the Printing and Packaging Industry, two related to the operation of Hand Fed Platen Presses and a Web Line Press.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a warning not only to the Printing and Packaging Industry, but to all industries of the dangers of carrying out mechanical interventions, clearing machinery blockages or carrying out running repairs without proper isolation procedures and / or interlocking.

"Machines still kill people", said James Barrett, Head of HSE's Manufacturing Sector (now retired). "Our inspectors all too regularly investigate fatal accidents. One common feature is the failure to properly isolate and lock-off power before carrying out work on machines. It is really so depressing when you know that simply locking off the power before you start work could save somebody's life".

During the last three years over 40 people have died as a result of accidents in the manufacturing industry within the UK, and contact with moving machinery is the largest cause of death.

The message that employers need to take on board is the significance of imbedding ‘isolation and lock-off' procedures within their organisation, when mechanical interventions are being undertaken by either the machine operator or an engineer. The HSE have recently made comment to the Printing and Packaging Industry that machine safety devices should not be solely relied upon as there have been incidents whereby either the relevant interlock guard has accidently been reinstated by another operator who was not aware of a second person within the machine, or that there has been a fault with the electronics of the machine, allowing the machine to start up unexpectedly.

Employers need to carry out these simple steps, firstly to identify where ‘isolation and lock-off' procedures needs to be used as a significant control measure, i.e. through the workplace activity risk assessment approach, identifying mechanical interventions that expose a risk to the machine operator or engineer, known as being exposed to the ‘danger zone'.

Once the danger areas have been identified the next stage is for the Safe System of Work (SSW) to be devised, encompassing the requirement to use a formal lock-off and isolate process.

The lock-off and isolate process is exactly what it is implying. Before the operator or engineer gain access to a potential danger zone of the machine the person in question should shut down the power to the machine via the main isolation switch at the wall, if that is the case, and apply a padlock through the main isolation switch lever/handle and lock into position. The operator or engineer should now be the key holder until work has been completed whereby the padlock can be removed and power re-applied.

The documented SSW will need to be communicated to those at risk and suitable training in the SSW to be delivered to those concerned. The employer also has a duty to provide ‘adequate supervision' to obtain assurance that the SSW and lock-off and isolate procedure is followed and adhered to by his/her employees.

If you require any further advice about this topic, please contact one of the following BPIF Health and Safety Advisers:
Simon Lunken, Head of Health and Safety, East and South East - 07957 564 979
Tom Rayer, South West and Midlands Health and Safety Adviser - 07801 981 321
Liz Cheetham, North Health and Safety Adviser - 07801 981 340