FACILITY SAFETY

 

Click on any of the following links for detailed information.

 

·       EMERGENCY LIGHTING

·       EXITS

·       FLOORS

·       HOUSEKEEPING

·       ILLUMINATION

·       LADDERS

·       WORK AREA

 

 

EMERGENCY LIGHTING

The employer must provide emergency lighting where failure of the normal lighting could cause a risk to worker health and safety. (Occupational Safety General Regulations 44/99, 17)

 

EXITS

Do not lock, bolt or bar an emergency exit while a person is present in the workplace. (Occupational Safety General Regulations 44/99, 25)

        

Provide a safe means of access to and exit from all work areas. (Occupational Safety General Regulations 44/99, 140)

 

All exit doors must be hinged to open outwards, and be maintained so that they open freely from the inside of the building. (Egress From Building Regulations 170/79, 4)

 

FLOORS

Do not allow any hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical or electrical lines to run across work areas or aisles to create trip hazard. (Occupational Safety General Regulations 44/99, 107)

 

Design, construct and maintain all floor, stairways, and passageways so as not to create a hazard to a person in the workplace.

 

If a floor is slippery because of a work process, provide mats or grates. If these devices are not adequate, ensure the workers who are affected wear non-slip footwear.

 

If a floor is slippery due to weather conditions such as ice or snow, remove it and use salt or another material to prevent slipping. (Occupational Safety General Regulations 44/99, 139)

 

HOUSEKEEPING

Remove waste routinely so that it doesn’t become a hazard. (Occupational Safety General Regulations 44/99, 139)

 

ILLUMINATION

Provide lighting that is sufficient for the type of work that is being done. Use ANSI/IES-RP-7-1991 American National Standard Practice for Industrial Lighting. (Occupational Safety General Regulations 44/99, 16)

 

LADDERS

Ensure a portable ladder used at your workplace meets the following requirements. The ladder is:

·       Able to withstand 4 times the maximum load likely to be imposed

·       Clean and free of grease, oil or other substances that may cause slipping

·       Maintained in a safe condition

·       Inspected by a competent person before each use to ensure all components are in an adequate condition and the ladder is safe to use

·       Not used, where the inspection required identifies an inadequate condition with the ladder

 

When actually using a portable ladder, follow these requirements:

·       Place it on a firm footing

·       Secure it in an adequate manner against movement as soon as reasonably practicable

·       If you use it as a means of access or exit, it has side rails that extend at least 1 m above any platform or landing, and has a clearance of at least 150 mm between it and the supporting structure, except in the area where the ladder is supported against the structure

·       If you use it as a step ladder, it has legs securely held in position by means of metal braces or an equivalent rigid support

 

Ensure that no portable ladder is:

·       Spliced together with another ladder unless the spliced section is braced so that the spliced side rails are as strong as the original side rails

·       Placed in front of or against a door that can be opened towards the ladder unless the door is blocked in the open position, locked or guarded

·       Used as a scaffold, ramp, or as a support for such flooring

·       Placed on a box, barrel, scaffold, or other unstable base

·       Lashed to another ladder to increase its length

·       Located in an elevator shaft or hoistway when such space is being used for hoisting

(Occupational Safety General Regulations 44/99, 148 – 151)

 

WORK AREA

The employer must provide a safe means of access to work areas. (Occupational Safety General Regulations 44/99, 140)

 

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