Industrial Technology
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Industrial Technology
Safety Issues
This unit of work addresses aspects of the following syllabus outcomes:
A student:
H1.1 investigates industry through the
study of businesses in one focus area
H7.1 explains the impact of the focus area industry on the social and physical environment
Source: Board of Studies (2008) Stage 6, Industrial Technology syllabus, preliminary and HSC courses. Board of Studies: Sydney.
Work related accidents result in a heavy economic and sociological cost to the country. The number of deaths from workplace incidents is greater than the number of deaths from motor accidents. It is therefore of great importance that all workplaces are safe and that risks are minimised to ensure the wellbeing of all employees.
The Government has legislated that all employers will provide a safe working environment for their employees.
This involves:
- ensuring work practices are safe and do not pose a threat to the health of workers
- ensuring that all tools, equipment and machinery are in safe working order
- ensuring that the handling, storage and transport of hazardous materials is carried out safely
- ensuring that workers are adequately trained and that there is safety information signage throughout the workplace to help avoid accidents
- consulting with workers and/or their representatives about safety concerns
- regularly checking and monitoring the workplace for safety hazards and keeping adequate records of procedures.
All workplaces are expected to have an OH&S committee that will:
- ensure that the organisation has adequate safety policies and safe working procedures
- be aware of the safety and health issues related to that organisation
- advise management on risk reduction in the workplace
- regularly check working procedures for hazardous practices
- provide health and safety training
- resolve disagreements or problems.
Read the following case study and identify the OH&S breaches that led to these worker's injuries.
WORKCOVER AUTHORITY OF NSW V SWIFT PLACEMENTS PTY LTD, APPEAL
(Marks J. Industrial Relations Commission, 26 March 1999, Lack of control will not be sufficient to escape liability.)
Swift Placements Pty Ltd conducted an industrial labour hire business and personnel agency.
A worker was hired to Warman International Limited, a manufacturer and supplier of slurry pumps. In early January 1996 the hired worker was cleaning a sand-mixing machine in the foundry area when his right hand came into contact with moving blades within the machine.
The worker suffered amputation injuries to the middle and ring fingers of his hand and severe lacerations to the index finger. At the time of the accident the machine was not switched off or isolated. When the worker first started at Warman's the work involved operating a grinding machine.
The worker was later transferred to the foundry section to perform general labouring duties. The injured worker had been in the foundry section for one week when the accident occurred. Up to the day of the accident the worker had been assisting an employee of Warman's. On the day of the accident the employee of Warman's was absent and the worker was asked to carry out the cleaning.
Safety Signage
The communication of important information and safety warnings is essential in the workplace.
The design of safety signage must ensure that information is easy to read, easy to understand (non-ambiguous) and must be able to be interpreted the same way by people of all languages.
That is why signs are created to an internationally recognised standard.
Messages are conveyed using different colours, standard shapes and graphics depending on the purpose of the sign.
| WARNING signs use these symbols and colours: | ||
|---|---|---|
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| PROHIBITION signs use a red circle with a slash through it. |  |
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INFORMATION signs are always in blue rectangles. | |
- What do you understand each of these signs to mean?
A B C 
D E F
- What are three design elements that help to make the meaning of these signs clear?
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