Risk Assessment for Occupational Health and Safety
The third section of the Occupational Health and Safety Risk Assessment Regulation titled Risk Assessment Stages explains the subject of risk assessment. According to the law, the risk assessment study goes through the following stages for all enterprises, regardless of the sector in which they operate:
- Identify all potential hazards, identify risks and analyze these risks from the design and establishment of enterprises
- Decide what risk control measures will be
- Making these matters in writing
- Keeping all works up-to-date
- Re-conduct risk assessment when necessary
The most important point here is not only that these studies are carried out by the senior management or related employees, but also that all employees participate in these studies at every stage of the studies.
During the identification of current and potential hazards, it is necessary to collect the following information about the working environment, employees and the enterprise:
- Business building and add-ons
- Activities in the workplace
- Production methods and defined processes
- Used machines and equipment
- Substances used in production
- Business wastes and related processes
- Organizational structure of the business and determined duties, powers and responsibilities
- Employees' training and experience and their opinions on various risks
- Work permits and documents obtained by the company in accordance with legal regulations
- Employee education, age, gender and other characteristics and health surveillance records
- Status of elderly, young, disabled, pregnant and lactating employees and female employees
- Inspection results performed in the enterprise
- Business accidents and occupational diseases records
- Records of incidents encountered in the enterprise which do not result in death or injury, but which cause damage to the working environment and machinery and equipment
- Danger records avoided at the last moment
- Material safety data sheets in the enterprise
- Environmental and personal exposure levels
- Results of previous risk assessment studies
- Emergency plans in business
- Other documents for health and safety
In addition to this information, occupational accidents and occupational diseases occurring in similar enterprises using the same production methods should be taken into consideration while conducting risk assessment studies.
Chemical, physical, biological, ergonomic, psychosocial and similar hazards in the working environments of the enterprises are determined by taking into consideration this information as well as occupational health and safety regulations.
Platform What is the Platform Inspection Principles?
The majority of occupational accidents in the construction sector are caused by falls from height (44 percent). The main reason for this is the platforms that are not properly selected and installed. However, the establishment of these platforms in accordance with the standards and the points to be considered during use and taking necessary precautions will greatly reduce work accidents.
The construction sector is one of the most risky sectors in terms of working conditions, not only in our country but also in the whole world. Approximately 10 of the occupational accidents, 30 of the fatal accidents, 25 of the accidents that make it impossible to work are in the construction sector. In the construction sector, there are average 25 accidents every day and average 3 occupational accidents every hour.
Platforms are used frequently during construction, repair, maintenance and demolition of buildings and provide a safe working environment for employees. The work platforms must be installed in accordance with the characteristics of the work to be carried out and the load to be transported and placed in such a way as to allow safe work and transitions. Occupational accidents are caused by carelessness of employees as well as lack of adequate safety measures or errors due to installation.
In 2013, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security issued the Regulation on Health and Safety Conditions in the Use of Work Equipment. According to this regulation, platforms are classified as dangerous vehicles in terms of employee health and property safety of enterprises. In the annex of the Regulation entitled Maintenance, Repair and Periodic Inspection (Annex 3), the platforms fall within the group of lifting and transmission vehicles. If other regulations do not provide a different period of time, platforms should be inspected and inspected regularly at least once a year. Again, according to the regulation, a few standards to be considered in the inspection process of platforms are:
- TS EN 280 Upgradeable mobile work platforms - Design calculations - Balance criteria - Construction - Safety - Inspection and testing
- TS EN 1495 Platforms - Columnar work platforms
- TS EN 12385-3 Steel wire ropes - Safety - Part 3: Instructions for use and maintenance
- TS EN 13157 Cranes - Safety - Manually operated lifting gear
- TS EN 818-6 Short link chain - For lifting purposes - Safety - Part 6: Chain slings - Technical specification for use and maintenance information to be provided by the manufacturer
In accordance with the principles of the regulation, the platforms must safely lift and suspend at least the 1,25 floor of the declared load if no other value is specified in the relevant standards.
In industry, mobile platforms are used in various sectors. Mobile platforms are preferred because they are practical in use. Moreover, it is highly preferred because of its installation, movability, small footprint and low cost. However, in spite of these features, it is inevitable that it will cause loss of life and property if it is not installed and used carefully. Although not the size encountered in the construction sector, these are among the risky instruments.
The shape, size and placement of the platforms must fully comply with the characteristics of the load being carried and the work performed and allow safe operation and passage. If the stability and durability calculations of the platform to be installed are not made, or if the calculations are not suitable for the platform to be installed or or the platform is not manufactured in accordance with the known standard configurations, then the platform should not be installed.
