Machinery and Workshops
Mechanical Hazards and Workshop Safety
It is important to maintain a safe working environment in workshops and with mechanical equipment as often they contain hazards which are not normally present in domestic or office environments. These hazards are associated with:
- Manual handling, lifting operations and lifting equipment resulting from interacting with heavy equipment or moving heavy items
- Machining equipment, potential for crush, entrapment, entanglement, impact, injuries from compressed air sources, swarf generation and chemical and biological risks from greases, fluids used in machining processes and degreasing agents
- Respiratory hazards from spray painting and coating, sand blasting, grinding and wood work
- Fire risks from using oil based products, creating sawdust and working with flammable equipment, against the ignition risk resulting from welding, sparks, friction and heat being generated by machining equipment
To ensure the safety of all using the workshop areas, it is necessary to ensure that each activity is risk assessed, individuals undertaking activities have been trained, certified as competent and are familiar with the equipment and the local emergency procedures. Each activity must be assessed using the hierarchy of control:
- Eliminate the hazard where possible
- Substitute the hazard with a less hazardous alternative
- Reduce the quantity that will be used, or reduction of hazard e.g. vibration
- Use of engineering controls, e.g. extracting fumes, guarding and interlocks
- Use of procedure controls, e.g. written instructions how to operate the machinery safely
- Use of PPE as a barrier between the worker and hazardous substances e.g. dust mask or gloves
Maintaining a good housekeeping standard, is essential for minimising fire risk and preventing harmful breathable air (from mists, dusts and vapours). Appropriate use of PPE and personal hygiene is necessary for minimising health effects from the substances being used and created. Housekeeping must be checked by the team working within the workshop on a monthly bases, and any identified actions must be implemented.
Policies and guidance documents
Pressure Systems
A pressure system is a closed system which holds steam at any pressure, any fluid or fluid mixture at greater pressure than 0.5 bar above atmospheric pressure or a gas dissolved under pressure in a solvent.
Pressure systems can range from steam-generating commercial coffee machines to large boilers.
The use of pressure systems and equipment at work are covered by the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000 (PSSR).
The regulations ensure that the University and SEF appropriately maintain pressure systems to prevent serious injury or damage to property resulting from stored energy being released from a failed pressure system or component.
Staff members working with pressure systems must follow the HS G057 Pressure Systems Procedure.
Lifting Equipment
Lifting equipment can be defined as work equipment for lifting and lowering loads, including any accessories used in doing so (such as attachments to support, fix or anchor equipment).
Lifting equipment is covered under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) 1998.
LOLER requires the University to undertake thorough periodic inspections of their lifting equipment by an independent, competent person, alongside user checks. For the University the independent inspector is Zurich.
Inspections
All lifting equipment must be inspected by an insurance engineer every 6 months or 12 months. This is summarised as:
• 6 months Lifting equipment that lifts people
• 6 months Lifting accessories, including shackles, hooks, chains etc.
• 12 months All other lifting equipment, including cranes and loading equipment
Technical Teams should have access to the insurance data base (Crimson). Please contact the H&S Team or Insurance Manager if access is required.
The insurance tags on lifting equipment for the past 12 months:
- EARLY 2021: BLUE
- LATE 2020: WHITE
- EARLY 2020: PURPLE
Untagged, or incorrectly tagged, lifting equipment should not be used (unless status verified via Crimson).
Staff members working with lifting equipment must follow the HS G011 Lifting Equipment Procedure.