Plant Hazard Checklist

110797 VWA PlantHazard Cvr

21/11/05

10:28 AM

Page 1

Plant hazard checklist

Some of the questions you should ask to help identify hazards arising from plant

WorkSafe Victoria is a division of the Victorian WorkCover Authority VWA 556/03/11.05

HAZARD CHECKLIST

Introduction This checklist provides a typical range of questions that can be asked to help with the identification of hazards associated with plant. It may be used as a starting point, with certain questions added or deleted to make the checklist appropriate to the plant and associated systems of work being examined. If “yes” is the answer to a question in the checklist, the plant, parts of the plant and/or the situation associated with the hazard, should be identified on the checklist. The following are examples of hazards identified and recorded in checklists: • someone’s fingers may get caught between the two rollers of the paper processing machine • the pipe containing high pressure fluids in the stamping machine may burst • the boom of the mobile crane may touch the overhead powerlines • people may trip over the electric power lead for the bench grinder When completing the checklist, consider the hazards that may affect: • plant operators • anyone working, or in the vicinity of, the plant • others who could be affected, such as visitors, contractors, etc.

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If “yes” is the answer to a question in the checklist, the plant, parts of the plant and/or the situation associated with the hazard should be written in the space provided.

HAZARD CHECKLIST A ENTANGLEMENT Can anyone’s hair, clothi ng, gloves, n ecktie, jewellery, cle ani ng brushes, r ags or other materia l s become entangled with moving parts of the p lant, or materials in m oti on?

B CRUSHING Can anyone be crushed due to: a. material falling off the plant?

b. uncontrolled or unexpected movement of the plant or its l oad?

c. lack of capacity for the plant to be slowed, stopped or immobilised?

d. the plant tipping or rolling over?

e. parts of the plant col l apsing?

f. coming in contact w i th moving parts of the plant duri ng testing, inspection, operation, maintenance, cleaning or repair?

g. being thrown off or under the plant?

h. being trapped be tw een the plant and materials or fi xed structures?

i. other factors not m entioned?

HAZARD CHECKLIST C CUTTING, STABBING AND PUNCTURING Can anyone be cu t, stabbed or punctured due to: a. c oming in co ntact with sharp or flyin g objects?

b. c oming in co ntact with moving parts of the p lant during testing, inspection, o peration, maintenance, cleaning or r epair of the plant?

c. the pla nt, pa rts of the plant or work pieces d isintegrating?

d. work pieces being ejected?

e . the mobility of the plant?

f . uncontrolled or unexpected movem ent of the plant?

g. other factors not mentioned?

D SHEARING Can anyone’s bod y parts be sheared be t ween two part s of the plant, or between a part of the plant and a wor k piec e or stru cture?

E FRICTION Can anyone be bu rnt due to contact wi th mov ing parts or surfaces of the plant, or mat erial ha ndled by the plant?

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If “yes” is the answer to a question in the checklist, the plant, parts of the plant and/or the situation associated with the hazard should be written in the space provided.

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If “yes” is the answer to a question in the checklist, the plant, parts of the plant and/or the situation associated with the hazard should be written in the space provided.

HAZARD CHECKLIST F STRIKING Can anyone be struck by m oving objects d ue to: a. uncontrolled or unexpected movement of the plant or materi al handled by the plant?

b. the plant, parts of the plant or work pieces disintegra ti ng?

c. work pieces bein g ej ected?

d. mobility of the pl ant?

e. other factors not m entioned?

G HIGH PRESSURE FLUID Can anyone come into contact with fluids under high pressure, d ue to plant failure or m i suse o f the plant?

HAZARD CHECKLIST H. ELECTRICAL Can anyone be injured by electrical shoc k or burnt due to: a. the plant contacting live electrical conductors?

b. the pla nt wo rking in close proxim i ty to elec trical conductors?

c. overload of electrical circuits?

d. damaged or p oorly maintained elec trical leads and cables?

e . damaged electrical switches?

f . water near electrical equipment?

g. lac k of isolat ion procedures?

h. other factors not mentioned?

I EXPLOSION Can anyone be injured by explosion of gases, vapours, liq uids, dusts or other substanc es, triggered by the operation of t he plant or by material handled by t he plant?

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If “yes” is the answer to a question in the checklist, the plant, parts of the plant and/or the situation associated with the hazard should be written in the space provided.

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If “yes” is the answer to a question in the checklist, the plant, parts of the plant and/or the situation associated with the hazard should be written in the space provided.

HAZARD CHECKLIST J SLIPPING, TRIPPING AND FALLING Can anyone using the pl ant, or in t he vicinity of the plant, sl ip, trip o r fall due to: a. uneven or slippe ry w ork surfaces?

b. poor housekeeping, eg. swarf in the vicinity of the pl ant, spillage not cleaned up?

c. obstacles being pl aced in the vicinity of the plant?

d. other factors not m entioned?

Can anyone fall from a hei ght due to: a. lack of a proper w ork platform?

b. lack of proper stai rs or ladders?

c. lack of guardrail s or other suitable edge protection?

d. unprotected hole s, penetrations or gaps?

e. poor floor or wal ki ng surfaces, such as the lack of a slip-resi stant surface?

f. steep walking surfaces?

g. collapse of the s upporting structure?

h. other factors not m entioned?

HAZARD CHECKLIST K ERGONOMIC Can anyone be injured due to: a. poorly design ed seating?

b. repetitive bo dy movement?

c . constra ined body posture or the n eed for excessive effort?

d. design defici ency causing mental or psyc hologica l stress?

e . inadequate o r poorly placed lighti ng?

f . lac k of consid eration given to human error or human behaviour?

g. mismatch of the plant with huma n traits and natural limitations?

h. other factors not mentioned?

(F or more inf ormation on hazards assoc iated with manual handling, refer to the WorkSafe publication Manua l H and ling – Code of Practi ce No. 25, 2000 )

L SUFFOCATION Can anyone be su ffocated due to lack of ox y gen, or atmosp heric contamination ?

M HIGH TEMPERATURE OR FIRE Can anyone come into contact with objects at h igh temperatures?

Can anyone be injured by fire?

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If “yes” is the answer to a question in the checklist, the plant, parts of the plant and/or the situation associated with the hazard should be written in the space provided.

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If “yes” is the answer to a question in the checklist, the plant, parts of the plant and/or the situation associated with the hazard should be written in the space provided.

HAZARD CHECKLIST N TEMPERATURE [THERMAL COMFORT] Can anyone suffer ill -heal th due to exposure to high or l ow temperatures?

O OTHER HAZARDS Can anyone be injured or suffer ill-health from exposure to: a. chemicals? (For more informati on on hazards associated with chem i cals, refer to the Code of Prac ti ce for Storage & Handling of Dan gerous Goods and the WorkSafe publ i cation Hazardous Substances – Code of Practice N o. 24, 2000) b. toxic gases or va pours?

c. fumes?

d. dust?

e. noise?

(For more inform ati on on hazards associated with noi se, refer to the WorkSafe website or WorkCover Advisory Service) f. vibration?

g. radiation?

h. other factors not m entioned?

WORKSAFE VICTORIA CONTACTS WorkSafe Victoria

Local Offices

WorkSafe Victoria offers a complete range of health and safety services: • emergency response • advice, information and education • inspections • licensing and certification • publications For further assistance and information, contact any of the WorkSafe Victoria offices listed below.

Ballarat

5338 4444

Bendigo

5443 8866

Dandenong

8792 9000

Geelong

5226 1200

Melbourne

9941 0558

Mildura

5021 4001

Mulgrave

9565 9444

Preston

9485 4555

Shepparton

5831 8260

Head Office

Traralgon

5174 8900

Victorian WorkCover Authority 222 Exhibition Street Melbourne Victoria 3000 GPO Box 4306 Melbourne Victoria 3001 Phone 9641 1555 Fax 9641 1222

Wangaratta

5721 8588

Warrnambool

5564 3200

WorkCover Advisory Service 222 Exhibition Street Melbourne Victoria 3000 Phone 9641 1444 Fax 9641 1353 Toll-free 1800 136 089

Publications Phone Email

9641 1444 [email protected]

Website www.workcover.vic.gov.au

Email [email protected]

110797 VWA PlantHazard Cvr

21/11/05

10:28 AM

Page 1

Plant hazard checklist

Some of the questions you should ask to help identify hazards arising from plant

WorkSafe Victoria is a division of the Victorian WorkCover Authority VWA 556/03/11.05