Safety is freedom from danger. It is protection from risk of harm or injury. It is also protection against damage to machines, tools as well as the prevention or removal of factors that can lead to accident. Safety must be ensured in the workshop.
A workshop is a place where technical and engineering works are carried out.
Workshop safety is protection from risk of harm or injury to humans or damage to machines and tools in the workshop.
An accident is an unexpected event resulting in injury, illness or death as well as damage to property. Accident occurs as a result of hazards. Hazard is both an unsafe condition and unsafe act. It makes an accident to occur. Hazard is, therefore, any activity, situation or substance that causes harm or injury to someone in a workshop while he/she is working.
The basic causes of accidents are unsafe conditions of machinery, equipment, or surroundings, and the unsafe actions of persons that are caused by ignorance or neglect of safety principles.
The following are the causes of workshop accidents:
(i) Lack of safety devices.
(ii) Failure to use safety devices provided.
(iii) Failure to follow laid down methods for handling tools, equipment and machines.
(iv) Over confidence.
(v) Engaging in horse-play in the workshop.
(vi) Electrical faults from machines.
(vii) Mechanical faults from machines
(viii) Failure to replace worn-out parts of machines in time.
(ix) Inadequate lighting and ventilation.
(x) Ignorance and worry.
(xi) Lack of concentration due to tiredness (also called fatigue).
Workshop safety rules include the following:
1. Wear industrial protective clothing coat or apron.
2. Wear protective pair of shoes with strong toe caps.
3. Do not carry sharp tools in your pockets. Put them on a tool rack.
4. Keep tools in the locker after use.
5. Keep your sharp tools in a safe place.
6. Do not use chisels or file without handles.
7. Give out chisel and other sharp edged tools by the handle.
8. Keep your hand behind the cutting edge of chisel when using it for cutting.
9. Select the right tools for the job.
10. Wear goggles or eye shield while griddling your tools.
11. Do not fiddle with the ‘on’ and ‘off’ switches of the machine and appliance.
12. Do not run around in the workshop.
13. Do not make alarming noise in the workshop.
14. Do not operate a machine, unless you have been taught its working operation, and obtained permission before use.
15. Give the machine your undivided attention during operation.
16. Start and wait until a machine gathers its operating speed before use.
17. Stop the machine after operation.
18. Do not overload a machine.
19. Do not allow the workshop floor to become slippery.
20. Report any injury no matter how small.
21. Ask for the first aid treatment when necessary.
The following are the types of accidents in the workshop:
1. Electrical Accidents.
2. Faulty wiring.
3. Incorrect cable fixing.
4. Naked electrical wire.
5. Earth grounding not provided on all motors, fuse boxes, switches boxes, etc.
6. Over loaded socket as a result of use of multi-adaptors.
7. Machine Accidents.
8. Machine plants and equipment not arranged so that congestion is avoided.
9. Lack of adequate instructions and equipment.
10. Available machines not guarded.
11. Machines not kept clean and bearings not properly inebriated.
12. Using machine with faulty parts.
13. Fire Accident.
14. All highly flammable substance not stored outside the main school building.
15. ‘No smoking’ rule not prominently displayed.
16. Oil leakage not prevented from coming in contact with the surface.
17. Drip trays not provided where oil drips occurs.
18. Hand Tools Accidents.
19. Use of damage or workout tools.
20. Use of improper tools or equipment.
21. Tools with sharp edged or point like chisels and scribers carried in the pocket.
22. Tools and equipment not properly arranged
23. Use of right tools for wrong jobs.
24. Environment Accidents.
25. A clean, well ventilated, workplace is conductive to work.
26. Workshop practice, anything short of this will cause accident.
27. Horseplay and fooling in the workshop.
28. Taking of sandals or shoes with protective toe caps is necessary in the workplace.
29. Compressed air used in removing dust from surface.
30. Taking short cuts, improper route or walk in the workshop.
Safety Devices are used to protect human beings and material things such as buildings, machines etc. The following are workshop safety devices:
1. Fire Alarm: This is equipment which makes noises whenever it senses the occurrence of accident. Fire alarms are used for preventing accidents from occurring.
2. Goggles and Visors: They protect the eyes against metallic objects, dust and high intensity light.
3. Gloves: They protect hand against corrosive metals, burns, cuts, electric shock etc. They must not be worn around a rotating machine to prevent them from being caught by the machine parts.
4. Fire Extinguishers, Sand Buckets and Sand: They are used to fight and control fire anytime fire occurs. They are kept at important positions in the workshop or buildings.
5. Shoes: Special workshop shoes made up of thick soles and metal caps are used for foot protection.
6. Aprons and Overalls: They are strong and long clothes tied properly at the back to protect inner clothes from dirt.
7. Water hoses: They are pipes used to provide water for cooling and putting off fire.
8. Blanket: This is a material which is used to cover and put off fire. This material can be a solid or gas such as Carbon-dioxide etc.
EVALUATION
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