Jun 14, 2010

Hazard communication - Way to reduce accidents

Accidents recur regularly on same or similar process / machine. A friend of mine said once that operators and supervisors can be reminded about the hazards by displaying on every equipment/machine, the list of persons injured - causes for accidents - protective measures taken subsequently so that people will not forget, do not opt for shortcut methods, do not bypass safety systems.

Further, flowsheet / block diagram, hazards, safe operating procedures (SOPs), dos' and don't's, safety systems and controlling parameters, location of emergency switches, checklist to be used before start of every shift, etc can be displayed on the particular equipment in the languages understood by the concerned persons to ensure safety at the workplace. I am sure, this will definitely help in reducing the accidents, though the information sheets displayed are more. One has to spend time in preparation of these information sheets once and they need to be changed only when they are required and approved by higher authorities.

Concerned operators and supervisors should be involved in preparing these information sheets so that they are relevant and are understood. Further, they feel that they are part of the system and are therefore responsible for ensuring safety.

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