Jan 2009

Volume 2, Issue 1

ADCC-JV

Don’t Walk By

“Our work activities achieve compliance with legislation, and our people are empowered to take action to minimise Health and Safety risks.” Think Safe……. Work Safe…… Stay Safe…...

Editorial Board Chief Editor : DR TM Chandran Editors: Vipinchandran Nair : Jayakumar Sub editors : Subhash. P : Pradeesh Prabhakaran Patron : Richard Harkink Projects Director: Anthoullis Manoras ADCC-JV, CP-26 WAS AWARDED THE CONTRACTOR OF THE MONTH FOR ITS EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2008

AS ON 30th JANUARY 2009 CP-11 ACHIEVED 4.6 MILLION MAN-HOURS AND CP-26 ACHIEVED 3.9 MILLION MAN-HOURS WITHOUT LTA.

CONTRIBUTING TO ACHIEVE…..

Post Box: 9213

Phone:4562400 / 4562600 Fax: 4562456 / 4562666 E-mail: [email protected] : [email protected]

1

ES&H News Magazine

AS ON 30th JANUARY 2009 CP-11 ACHIEVED 4.6 MILLION MAN-HOURS AND CP-26 ACHIEVED 3.9 MILLION MAN-HOURS WITHOUT LTA.

Jan 2009 Volume 2 Issue 1

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Message from the Projects Director

3

Message from the Projects Director Message from the Project Manager CP-11

3 3

Message from the Project Manager CP-11 and ES&H Managers CP-11 & CP-26 Editorial—Safety Culture, Balancing act of production and profit with safety at work

4 4

Editorial—Chemical hazard communication Safety Tips

5 5

ES&H Article– Preventing falls from vehicles—Andreas Petrou, Chief Foreman Article—Dana Marco Littlefield, QA Manager

6 6

ES&H Statistics ES&H Article—Emergency Preparedness, Panos Botsis

7 7

What’s Happening ES&H Statistics, What is happening

8 8-10

ES&H Article—Role of frontline leaders—DR TMChandran, ES&H Manager, CP-11

9 11

Welfare facilities in ADCC-JV Camp DR TMC ES&H Article – Compressed Gas Cylinders—Eamonn Toland, ES&H Manager, CP-26

10 12

ES&H Cement, A major hazard in construction ES&H Article Article –– Horseplay—Vipinchandran, ES&H Advisorsite, Pradeesh CP-26

11 13

Safety Quiz /–Cartoon Corner ES&H Article VDU, Safety measures, Pradeesh Prabhakaran, ES&H Officer

13 14-16

Information Corner & Cartoon Corner Information corner

14 17

PBS PBS – Vipinchandran Nair, PBS Champion, CP-11

15 18

Spot theAnalysis Hazards / Legal Corner Hazard

16 19

Legal corner

19

“ADCC JV is recognised for excellence in the way we manage Health and Safety.” ADCC-JV Management

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ES&H News Magazine

AS ON 30th JANUARY 2009 CP-11 ACHIEVED 4.6 MILLION MAN-HOURS AND CP-26 ACHIEVED 3.9 MILLION MAN-HOURS WITHOUT LTA.

Jan 2009

The Director’s column

Volume 2 Issue 1

Everybody needs safety orientation When we think of safety orientation, we think immediately of new workers.

Statistically, workers who have been in the workplace for up to two years, are at higher risk for injury and illness than experienced workers. But they are not the only people at risk. Experienced hands also have, ♦

New equipment is commissioned

♦

New materials or chemical formulas are introduced

♦

New designs are introduced for the products you are making

♦

New or revised safety rules are imposed

♦

New workers are added to your team, or experienced workers leave

♦

New work procedures are instituted, or

♦

The workplace lay out is changed.

What is more, working safely is a matter of habit. But habits change, and had habits creep in. Safety orientation is not just for new personnel. It is for everyone. Neither those new to the job nor veterans are immune from the consequences of an unsafe act. Anthoullis Manoras, Projects Director, CP-11 & CP-26 From PM’s Diary

Machines are safe– when safety rules are followed. Is using safety guards, when operating machinery, a “No brainer”? If your answer is “Yes”, how come hundreds of workers suffer amputations or crushing injuries, daily? Ask this question to identify machines that must have guards. Then relate the list to your workplace and show employees why they must always comply with machine guarding rules. Workers must be continually educated to follow safety rules, respect machine guards and remain alert at all times. Help all remember, “The safe way is the only way!”

Richard Harkink, Project Manager, CP-11

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AS ON 30th JANUARY 2009 CP-11 ACHIEVED 4.6 MILLION MAN-HOURS AND CP-26 ACHIEVED 3.9 MILLION MAN-HOURS WITHOUT LTA.

Editorial

Jan 2009

Safety Culture - Balancing Act of Production and Profit with Safety at work.

Volume 2 Issue 1 DR.TM Chandran, Chief Editor

Safety cultures require two forms of commitment to build: organizational and employee commitment. Let’s see how to secure each one. Organizational Commitment. Organizational commitment involves getting upper managers to buy-in. But it doesn’t stop there. You also need to win over other organizational leaders down the chain of authority including line managers, superintendents, supervisors, foremen—in short, anyone who oversees the work of others. Not involving all organizational leaders’ causes’ culture building efforts to fail. Unfortunately, it’s a common mistake that companies make. Why? In my experience, 95% to 97% of the employees in a workplace do exactly what they think their boss wants them to do. So it’s important that organizational leaders communicate their belief in safety as a fundamental organizational principle to employees. Most significantly, they must demonstrate their commitment to safety as a value. Companies that have a positive safety culture (like our company) handle safety the same way. If they don’t, the message will come through loud and clear: Safety is less important to this company than the achievement of production and profit goals. Employee Commitment. To get employees to integrate safety into their own culture and workplace worldview, they must see this same commitment being displayed by the organization’s leaders. Equally important, employees must feel that they’re included in the safety culture. How organizations react to safety problems that employees report is often the acid test of culture. When problems get swept under the rug or dismissed as being too expensive to rectify—or worse, the person who reports the problem gets chastised—it sends a clear message to employees. By contrast, when employees are encouraged to report problems and their concerns are taken seriously, investigated and rectified—especially with the employees’ own participation, it builds trust in the organizational leaders and demonstrates to employees that the organization is truly committed to safety. Don’t underestimate the employee participation element. One of the hallmarks of a positive safety culture is the feeling of empowerment by employees to work for their own safety. Employees who are trained to understand safety principles and requirements, empowered by the organization to address safety issues when they arise and encouraged and applauded when they do so, recognize that the organization’s commitment to safety isn’t simply rhetoric. Employees should be given clear standards of safety performance and held accountable for performing up to those standards, just the way they are with production and profit. In this way, safety joins production and profit as equally essential parts of workplace life and worldview. Conclusion. The principles and processes required to develop a positive safety culture are simple: Backing verbal commitment to safety with real action isn’t exactly rocket science. But simple isn’t the same as easy. Implementing these principles and processes often involves difficult decisions, painful changes and serious effort. But it’s more than worth the investment.

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ES&H News Magazine

AS ON 30th JANUARY 2009 CP-11 ACHIEVED 4.6 MILLION MAN-HOURS AND CP-26 ACHIEVED 3.9 MILLION MAN-HOURS WITHOUT LTA.

Jan 2009

Safety Tips

Volume 2 Issue 1

10 Easy steps to Complete Road Safety 1) DO check your fuel, engine oil, brakes, air pressure, tyre treads and wind shield cleaning liquid at regular intervals. 2) DO secure the seat belt comfortably before hitting the road. The diagonal straps should rest on your shoulder, and the horizontal strap should be below your stomach. 3) DON’T drive when you feel tired or sleepy. Make sure you pull over and rest a while; then get going. 4) DON’T drive on an empty stomach. It can make you irritable, anxious and reckless. Make sure you stop by, have a snack, and then move on. 5) DO keep a spare bottle of water in the car at all times. In case the engine heats up, park the car and fill some cold water in the radiator. 6) DO watch out for errant pedestrians, drivers or animals. Keep a distance of at least 6 feet from the car ahead of you. 7) DON’T drive while eating, drinking or talking on the phone. If you have to talk, pull over talk and get going. 8) DON’T get out of the car from the side where traffic is flowing. Rather get down from the pavement side. 9) DON’T ever place a single belt over yourself and a child. In a fronted collision, the child could be crushed by your body. 10)DON’T ever seat children under 10 years of age in the car without appropriate child safety seats. Please keep the restraints secured at all times in the car.

“Bad times have a scientific value. These are occasions a good learner would not miss” 5

ES&H News Magazine

AS ON 30th JANUARY 2009 CP-11 ACHIEVED 4.6 MILLION MAN-HOURS AND CP-26 ACHIEVED 3.9 MILLION MAN-HOURS WITHOUT LTA.

ISO Validation This topic relates to identification of ISO Certified organizations and proper usage and display of the registration.

Allowing the ISO logo to be used would give the false impression that ISO carries out certification activities, or has approved or authorized the organization using its logo. These activities are not business functions of ISO. ISO is not an auditor, assessor, registrar, or certifier of management systems, products, services, materials or personnel, nor does it endorse or control any such activities performed by other parties. ISO develops International Standards but does not operate any schemes for assessing conformity with them. Remember ! ISO has no “ ISO 9001:2000” logo or “ ISO 14001:2004 logo ”. In addition, you are not allowed to use ISO’s logo, which is copyrighted. ISO will take whatever actions it considers necessary to prevent the misuse of its logo. In brief •

Don’t use ISO’s logo.

•

Don’t adapt or modify ISO’s logo for your use.

• If you want to use a logo, ask your certification body for permission to use its logo. •

If your organization is certified to ISO 9001:2000, use the full designation (not just “ ISO 9001”).

• If your organization is certified to ISO 14001:2004, use the full designation (not just “ ISO 14001”). • Replace use of the generic terms “ ISO 9000 certification ” and certification ” and “ ISO 14001:2004 certification ”. • In the ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004 contexts, “ certified ” and “certification” and “registered” and “registration” are equivalent in meaning and you can use either term. •

Don’t say your organization has been “ accredited ” (unless it has been).

•

Don’t use “ ISO certified ”, or “ ISO certification ”.

• Use instead “ ISO 9001:2000 certified ”, “ ISO 9001:2000 certification ”, “ ISO 14001:2004 certified ”, or “ ISO 14001:2004 certification ”. • Don’t display ISO 9001:2000 or ISO 14001:2004 certification marks of conformity on products, product labels, or product packaging, or in any way that may be interpreted as denoting product conformity. • Don’t give the impression in any context that ISO 9001:2000 or ISO 14001:2004 certifications are product certifications or product guarantees. • When including a reference to ISO 9001:2000 or ISO 14001:2004 certifications in product-related information, including advertisements, do not do so in such a way that ISO 9001:2000 or ISO 14001:2004 certifications may be interpreted as being product certifications or product guarantees. Be accurate and precise about the scope (the extent) of your organization’s ISO 9001:2000 or ISO 14001:2004 certifications, as far as both the activities and geographical locations covered by the certifications are concerned. Dana Marco Littlefield, QA Manager

ES&H News Magazine

AS ON 30th JANUARY 2009 CP-11 ACHIEVED 4.6 MILLION MAN-HOURS AND CP-26 ACHIEVED 3.9 MILLION MAN-HOURS WITHOUT LTA.

ES&H Article— Emergency Preparedness

This is a very important subject as every business could experience some type of emergency crisis from fire or a natural disaster. Emergency preparedness will help to minimize human suffering, together with property and economic losses caused by such hazardous events. Any business would be wise to proceed, step by step, through a process to develop an appropriate emergency plan. Company rules and procedures should be easy to understand and perform. But more importantly, workers must be encouraged and trained to buy into the company’s emergency planning, designed to protect their safety. They must understand that forethought, planning and compliance will help everyone survive any unforeseen disaster. In

a time of crisis, ACTION is the key word. This step-by-step guide will ensure employees understand their part in the company’s emergency response plan and the IMMEDIATE ACTION THEY MUST TAKE. When everyone responds positively, injuries can be reduced and lives saved.

In an emergency evacuation, everybody’s safety is the prime concern. This guide provides an emergency plan framework including how to highlight escape routes, sound the alarm, start the evacuation and complete employee assembly. Then it goes much further discussing what actions to take for any critical plant operations that should not be left unattended.

Get out quickly. But first, sound the alarm. However, if you decide to fight a small

fire use the correct alpha rated fire extinguishers. The proper training for the use of these extinguishers is highlighted here together with many other fire prevention measures. An optional item, 'How to deal with Home Fires' is included.

Accounting

for everybody’s safety after an evacuation is a major responsibility. Sometimes employees work in unfamiliar noisy surroundings or are using personal protective equipment that could prevent them from hearing an alarm. Teach employees how to operate 'buddy systems' with workers watching out for each other. Visitors may also be present; look out for them too.

Could

a disaster hit your project site, completely disrupting everyone’s lives? Of course not, that only happens to other people! If you think that way you need an Emergency Action Plan. This topic disseminates 'How to Knowledge' for creating fast response measures, emergency escape routes and a complete evacuation approach for everybody.

PLEASE BE PREPARED! Panos Botsis, Construction Superintendent

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ES&H News Magazine

AS ON 30th JANUARY 2009 CP-11 ACHIEVED 4.6 MILLION MAN-HOURS AND CP-26 ACHIEVED 3.9 MILLION MAN-HOURS WITHOUT LTA.

Jan 2009 Volume 2 Issue 1

ES&H Statistics Cumulative Man hours worked

As on

Remarks

CP-11 - 4,609,335 CP-26 - 3,902,233

30/01/2009

Without LTA

Total No of STARRT briefing for the Month of January

935 in CP-11 1223 in CP-26

No of BOT Observations for the Month of January

36 in CP-11

BOT: Behavior Observation Team

ADCC have a major safety campaign with a target of zero accidents and an uncompromising message message:

‘If it’s not safe safe--don’t do it’ Accident Statistics as on 30/01/2009 FOR THE MONTH OF JAN

PREVIOUS MONTH

CATEGORY

(CUMULATIVE)

CP CP--11

LWDC RWDC MTC NMI MAJPD MINPD MAJENV MINENV

TILL DATE

NIL NIL NIL 1 NIL 1 NIL NIL

CP CP--26

NIL NIL NIL 4 NIL NIL NIL NIL

CP CP--11

NIL NIL 6 35 NIL 20 NIL NIL

CP CP--26

NIL NIL NIL 14 NIL 9 NIL NIL

CP CP--11

NIL NIL 6 36 NIL 21 NIL NIL

CP CP--26

NIL NIL NIL 18 NIL 9 NIL NIL

(LWDC) Lost Work Day Cases, (RWDC) Restricted Work Day Cases, (MTC) Medical Treatment Cases (NMI) Near Miss Incidents, (MAJPD) Major Property Damage, (MINPD) Minor Property Damage , (MAJENV) Major Environmental Inci8 dent, (MINENV) Minor Environmental Incident.

ES&H News Magazine

AS ON 30th JANUARY 2009 CP-11 ACHIEVED 4.6 MILLION MAN-HOURS AND CP-26 ACHIEVED 3.9 MILLION MAN-HOURS WITHOUT LTA.

What is happening

Jan 2009

ES&H Trainings –October Sl No

Subject

Training provider

1

Hand tools Safety

ADCC-JV (CP-11)

2

Hazard Identification

ADCC-JV (CP-11 & CP-26)

3

Permit-to-Work

ADCC-JV (CP-11 & CP-26)

4

Office Safety & Environmental Awareness

ADCC-JV (CP-11 & CP-26)

5

Working at heights

ADCC-JV (CP-11 & CP-26)

6

STARRT—Refresher

ADCC-JV (CP-11 & CP-26)

7

Leadership training

OBI (CP-11 & CP-26)

8

Fire Watcher/ Hot Jobs

ADCC-JV (CP-11)

9

Basic lifting & Rigging awareness

ADCC-JV (CP-11)

Volume 2 Issue 1

Positive Action Notices

CP-11 received 4 positive action notices from OBI for the month of January 2009 on categories like Excellent Housekeeping, Proper PPE compliances, Excellent welfare facilities, Proper Waste Management, Excellent traffic management etc.

Audits and Assessments

BESH ASSESSMENT OF BOTH CPs OF ADCC-JV WERE COMPLETED WITHOUT MAJOR ISSUES. THE NON COMPLIANCES AT THE TIME OF BESH AUDIT ARE CLOSED OUT. THE REMAINING PART OF THE ASSESSMENT WHICH IS NOT RELATED TO OUR CPs IS BEING REVIEWED FOR COMPLIANCE AS APPLICABLE.

• MAKE SURE YOU UNDERSTAND THE HAZARDS AND RISKS AROUND YOU.

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ES&H News Magazine

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What is happening

Jan 2009 Volume 2 Issue 1

PERMIT-TO-WORK AND HAZARD IDENTIFICATION TRAINING BY DR.TM CHANDRAN

DSD Started steel erection at Cargo Terminal Site 10

ES&H News Magazine

AS ON 30th JANUARY 2009 CP-11 ACHIEVED 4.6 MILLION MAN-HOURS AND CP-26 ACHIEVED 3.9 MILLION MAN-HOURS WITHOUT LTA.

Jan 2009

ES&H Article

Volume 2 Issue 1 Frontline leaders play a key role in helping management to comply with safety laws. Employers are required to operate within safety limits set by a labyrinth of laws and regulations governing workplace safety. In practice those in direct leadership positions, including supervisors and team leaders, are directly involved in meeting their employers’ safety obligations. If you are in a supervisory position you must ♦ Know the laws and regulations that apply to activities carried out under your direction; ♦ Make sure that the work site is, and remains in compliance with applicable laws; ♦ Analyse the work under your supervision to identify potential hazards; ♦ Make sure that your team members are protected from recognized workplace hazards by means of engineered protective devices, administrative options and personal protective equipment; ♦ See that team members work in ways that do not conflict with the law; ♦ In general sense, see that team members work safely, in accordance with management’s responsibility to furnish employees from job-related safety and health hazards. An effective programme looks beyond specific requirements of law to prevent all workplace injuries and illnesses. The programme should include the four elements of management commitment and employee involvement, worksite analysis, hazard prevention and control, and safety and health training. Management commitment and employee involvement Management commitment and employee involvement from the core of an occupational safety and health programme. Management provides the motivating force and needed resources. Workers express their own commitment to safety and health protection for themselves and for their fellow workers. Some recommended actions are: ♦ State clearly a worksite policy on safe and healthful work and working conditions ♦ Provide visible top management involvement ♦ Hold managers, supervisors, and employees accountable for meeting their safety responsibilities.

(To be continued in the next issue)

• MAKE SURE YOU FOLLOW BEST PRACTICE, THE RULES AND METHOD STATEMENTS.

DR.TMC

ES&H News Magazine

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Safe Use and Storage of Compressed Gas Cylinders.

Eamonn Toland, ES&H Manager CP-26

Compressed gases present several hazards. Labels on the cylinder and the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) supplied with the gas and/or your Safety Field Manual tell you about the hazardous properties of the gas; such as toxic, flammable, or oxidizer. In addition to the gas hazards, compressed gas cylinders pose other hazards simply because they contain gas under pressure. Regardless of the properties of the gas, any gas under pressure can explode if the cylinder is improperly stored or handled. Making a balloon fly around by suddenly releasing the air is amusing, but a flying cylinder is not so funny. The principle is the same for both a balloon and a compressed gas cylinder. Improperly releasing the gas from a compressed gas cylinder is extremely dangerous. Cylinders are definitely not balloons--they are hard and heavy. A sudden release of the gas can cause a cylinder to become a missile-like projectile, destroying everything in its path. Cylinders have been known to penetrate concrete-block walls. To prevent such a dangerous situation, there are several general procedures to follow for safe storage and handling of a compressed gas cylinder: • Store cylinders in an area specifically designated for that purpose. This area must protect the cylinders from being struck by another object. The area must be well-ventilated and away from sources of heat. It must be at least 20 feet away from highly combustible materials. Oxidizers must be stored at least 20 feet away from flammable gases. • Cylinders must not be dropped or allowed to fall. Chain and rack them in an upright position during use and storage. When transporting cylinders, they must be secured from falling. • When moving a cylinder, even for a short distance, all the valves must be closed, the regulator removed, and the valve cap installed. Never use the valve cap to lift a cylinder. If you are using a crane or some other lifting device to move a cylinder, use a cradle or boat designed for that purpose. Never use a sling or a magnet to move a cylinder. •

Never permit cylinders to contact live electrical equipment or grounding cables.

• Cylinders must be protected from the sun's direct rays, especially in high-temperature climates. Cylinders must also be protected from ice and snow accumulation. Before the gas is used, install the proper pressure-reducing regulator on the valve. After installation, verify the regulator is working, that all gauges are operating correctly and that all connections are tight to ensure that there are no leaks. When you are ready to use the gas, open the valve with your hands. Never use a wrench or other tool. If you cannot open it with your hands, do not use it. Following these procedures, which should be outlined in our safety Tool Box Talks will help prevent accidents. Remember, your safety when using compressed gas cylinders depends on you. In the coming weeks there will be many areas on CP 26 where daily use of gas cylinders will be commonplace. We all must ensure ALL workers are aware these cylinders are very dangerous if tampered with and MUST only be used by competent personnel. 12

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Jan 2009 ES&H Article

Volume 2 Issue 1

Horseplay is a safety topic that is imperative to all types of industries, such as; Construction, Customer Service, Driving, Food/Package Goods, General Service, Health Care, Home Safety, Hospitality, Industrial / Manufacturing, Municipalities, Office Safety, Pharmaceutical/Bio Science, Retail, School Bus, Truck Driving, Utilities and Warehousing Late in their shift, employees sometimes get a little bored with their jobs, so they try to liven things up with a little fun. However, fun can have its dangerous side. Horseplay is another matter as this usually involves practical jokes that could hurt somebody. Take an early stand… Point out that there are no ‘harmless’ jokes. Horseplay is an ongoing, hard-tocontrol part of the everyday working environment and this type of behavior can best be described as childish, infantile, and foolish in nature usually disrupting work of employees with the potential for personal injuries. Horseplay should never be tolerated in the workplace and supervisors and managers have direct responsibility for controlling such behavior. Employees found to have contributed to any adverse consequences, in particular an injury or worse, should be subject to disciplinary action.

13 Vipinchandran, ES&H Advisor, CP-11

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Jan 2009 ES&H Article

Volume 2 Issue 1

What’s the difference between a VDU, a VDT, a monitor and display screen equipment (DSE)? There isn’t one. All these terms mean the same thing - a display screen, usually forming part of a computer and showing text, numbers or graphics. ‘Does my VDU affect my health?’ Answers to some common questions from VDU users Am I at risk? VDUs have been blamed - often wrongly - for a wide range of health problems. In fact, only a small proportion of VDU users actually suffer ill health as a result of their work. Where problems do occur, they are generally caused by the way in which VDUs are being used, rather than the VDUs themselves. So problems can be avoided by good workplace and job design, and by the way you use your VDU and workstation. Are aches and pains caused by using a VDU? What about ‘RSI’? Some users may get aches and pains in their hands, wrists, arms, neck, shoulders or back, especially after long periods of uninterrupted VDU work. ‘Repetitive strain injury’ (RSI) has become a popular term for these aches, pains and disorders, but can be misleading - it means different things to different people. A better medical name for this whole group of conditions is ‘upper limb disorders’. Usually these disorders do not last, but in a few cases they may become persistent or even disabling. How can I avoid these aches, pains and disorders? Problems of this kind may have a physical cause, but may also be more likely if a VDU user feels stressed by the work (see next question). If you get aches or pains you should alert your supervisor or line manager. Problems can often be avoided by good workplace design, so that you can work comfortably, and by good working practices (like taking frequent short breaks from the VDU). Prevention is easiest if action is taken early, before the problem has become serious.

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ES&H News Magazine VDU—Safety Measures

AS ON 30th JANUARY 2009 CP-11 ACHIEVED 4.6 MILLION MAN-HOURS AND CP-26 ACHIEVED 3.9 MILLION MAN-HOURS WITHOUT LTA.

Jan 2009 Volume 2 Issue 1

What can be done to reduce stress in my VDU work? People who use a VDU sometimes complain of stress, but this usually arises from increased pace of work or pressure to meet deadlines, not the VDU itself. Some VDU workers find stress reduced because the VDU makes their job easier or more interesting, but for others stress becomes worse. This can happen when a system does not work well or when the user does not feel in control or competent to operate it.

Employers can help overcome stress by providing the right training, and by designing systems and tasks to match the abilities of the people who work with them. Can work with VDUs affect eyesight? Extensive research has found no evidence that VDUs can cause disease or permanent damage to eyes. But long spells of VDU work can lead to tired eyes and discomfort. Also, by giving your eyes more demanding tasks, it might make you aware of an eyesight problem you had not noticed before. You and your employer can help your eyes by ensuring your VDU is well positioned and properly adjusted, and that the workplace lighting is suitable. Ask for an eye test if you still think there is a problem. What about problems with my contact lenses or bifocals? The heat generated by computers and other equipment can make the air seem drier, and some contact lens wearers find this uncomfortable. If you have this problem but don’t want to change to spectacles, you can try blinking more often or using tearsubstitute drops. Where the air is dry, employers can help by taking steps to increase the humidity. People with bifocal spectacles may find them less than ideal for VDU work. It is important to be able to see the screen easily without having to raise or lower your head. If you can’t work comfortably with bifocals, you may need a different type of spectacles. Consult your optician or doctor if in doubt. What can I do to help myself? Make full use of the equipment provided, and adjust it to get the best from it and to avoid potential health problems. If the Regulations apply to you, your employer should cover these things in training. If the Regulations don’t apply, it is still worth setting up your workstation properly, to be as comfortable as possible.

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Jan 2009 Volume 2 Issue 1 Getting comfortable Adjust your chair and VDU to find the most comfortable position for your work. As a broad guide, your forearms should be approximately horizontal and your eyes the same height as the top of the VDU. Make sure you have enough work space to take whatever documents or other equipment you need. Try different arrangements of keyboard, screen, mouse and documents to find the best arrangement for you. A document holder may help you avoid awkward neck and eye movements. Arrange your desk and VDU to avoid glare, or bright reflections on the screen. This will be easiest if neither you nor the screen is directly facing windows or bright lights. Adjust curtains or blinds to prevent unwanted light. Make sure there is space under your desk to move your legs freely. Move any obstacles such as boxes or equipment. Avoid excess pressure from the edge of your seat on the backs of your legs and knees. A footrest may be helpful, particularly for smaller users.

Keying in Adjust your keyboard to get a good keying position. A space in front of the keyboard is sometimes helpful for resting the hands and wrists when not keying. Try to keep your wrists straight when keying. Keep a soft touch on the keys and don’t overstretch your fingers. Good keyboard technique is important.

Pradeesh Prabhakaran, ES&H Officer 16

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Information corner

PERMIT-TO-WORK SYSTEM: A Permit to Work System is a formal written procedural system used to plan and control work which is considered potentially hazardous, to ensure the work is completed in accordance with safe working practices. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? When incidents do occur, human factors, such as failure to implement procedures properly, are often a root cause. These failures may in turn be attributable to a lack of training, instruction or understanding of either the purpose or practical application of Permit-to-Work (PTW) systems. WHERE IT IS APPLICABLE? Permit To Work system should be considered where it is intended to carry out any work which has the potential to adversely affect the safety of person/s, the site or an adverse impact on the environment. HOW IT IS ASSESSED? ⇒

At design stage activity is assessed for its Risk Potential.

⇒

Next stage is breaking the activity to look at the risk through different stages such as processing, temporary works, support works, methods and completion.

Cartoon corner

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Volume 1 Issue 2

18

Vipinchandran Nair, PBS Champion, CP-11

ES&H News Magazine

AS ON 30th JANUARY 2009 CP-11 ACHIEVED 4.6 MILLION MAN-HOURS AND CP-26 ACHIEVED 3.9 MILLION MAN-HOURS WITHOUT LTA.

Jan 2009 Volume 2 Issue 1

SPOT THE HAZARDS

SPOT 5 MAJOR HAZARDS IN THE PICTURE AND SEND TO THE FOLLOWING E-MAIL ID. ALL THE CORRECT ENTRIES WILL BE PUT INTO A LOTTO TO SELECT ONE WINNER. Answers to be addressed to [email protected]

Legal Corner Every edition will have a couple of legal requirements to be complied with in the Construction Industry. 1.

As per Qatari Labour Law Article 100, The employer shall take all precautionary measures for protecting the workers during the work from any injury or disease that may result from the work performed in his establishment or from any accident, defect or breakdown in the machinery and equipment therein or from fire.

2. As per Qatari Labour Law 104, The employer employing a number of workers ranging from five to twenty-five shall prepare for them a first aid box furnished with the medicines tools and equipment to be specified by the competent medical authority. The box shall be kept in a conspicuous place in the establishment and shall be available to the workers. The use of the box shall be entrusted to a worker trained in providing first-aid medical services. KNOW YOUR EMERGENCY CONTACTS ALWAYS AT YOUR CALL CP-11

CP-26

Mr. Richard Harkink (Project Manager)

5881692

Mr. Demetriades Constantinos (CM)

5537139

DR. TM Chandran (ES&H Manager)

5051599

Mr. Eamonn Toland (ES&H Manager)

5826013

Mr. Valdemaro Mari (Sr.Admn Manager)

6880029

Mr. Valdemaro Mari (Sr.Admn Manager)

6880029

Mr. Basil George Latham (Administrator)

5364814

Mr. Basil George Latham (Administrator)

5364814

Mr. Sayyar Singh (Male Nurse)

6406869

Mr. Amir Khan (Male Nurse)

5087600 19

All manuscripts in this Magazine have undergone initial editor screening and editorial office screening prior to publishing