Attitude for safety

Every day we hear or read about accidents during transport, in factories, etc. Most of the time, reasons appear to be silly which could have been overcome. Still, it happens every day. 

Why it happens? 

Even though it is known that the accidents do take place for the causes in our control, occurrence indicates the perception of the person involved directly or indirectly ignoring the safety principles. 

Risk-taking is more in these instances. 

Risk-takers may earn more in financial circles, but, the benefits are always negligible compared to one major injury that cripples our as well as dependant's lives.

Easier said than followed, still one should always go for a safe method that protects him and others.

Construction labour falls down - 3 rods enter the body - person suffers injuries

Doctors had tough time to save the injured with 3 rods in his body.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/doctors-couldnt-carry-out-tests-because-of-protruding-rods/articleshow/65331052.cms

Chemical reactor explosion kills one, injures three

As per news report in The New Indian Express, an explosion in a chemical reactor in a bulk drug company, caused death to a person and injuries to three persons.
The metal piece of reactor after explosion, flew by 100 meters, passed through by breaking a wall and hit the person working at distance. The person died immediately due to head injury.
The incident reveals dangers of flying fragments from explosion and need for assessment of explosion consequences.

Workplace incident causes serious injuries to woman

A woman while cleaning a machinery, got trapped in conveyor belt and received serious head injuries.

Workplace incident causes serious injuries to woman

Explosion in detonator factory during disposing of rejected detonators from explosives

In an explosion in one of the largest explosives exporting factory, during separation of rejected detonators from explosives by cutting wires, a mechanical cutter fell down on the explosives below causing the blast leading loss of two lives and injuring 13 others with some of them receiving severe burns.

One of the injured suffered hearing loss during the incident.

The site was visited by State Home Minister, Police and other officials.

Police registered case under various sections of IPC (Indian Penal Code) for negligent act and others leading to personal harm and initiated the probe.

As per reports, the persons doing the job were retired employees as contract workers having experience.

There were also reports of demanding for shifting of the factory from residential premises.

There were some fatal incidents earlier also in the last 10-15 years.

To avoid such incidents, possibility of  automation of removal of rejected detonators needs to be explored.

As the cutter fell down below on explosives during the job, and it is likely that such slippages can happen, suitable path for shifting of material below as soon detonator is separated from the explosive material for every explosive or collecting the explosive material under water or any other medium has to be seen.

Governments have to ensure that industrial areas are well separated from residential areas. There should a sort of no habitat zone between industries and residential areas. It is natural that wherever development is there, the surroundings will see growth of residential areas with a view to gain from real estate price increase. 

Definitely, large industrial complexes would have been set up far away from residential areas at that time. Earlier remote places would have become part of the present cities due to growth. Shifting of industries also will be costly and who will foot this cost. 

Hence, a policy as suggested above is required with marked zones and no-man zones.

Saved my forehead because of helmet

Two days ago, in the evening I was going back to home on my two wheeler after office work. I saw an empty plastic water bottle ahead on the road. A bus overtaking me went near that bottle, and the bottle flew off and hit me on my forehead. I heard a loud sound, ringing in my ears. I escaped injury, as I was wearing a full helmet. Else, surely, I could have been distracted and might have fallen due to this sudden development.

Worker killed in accident at BHEL - The Hindu

Worker killed in accident at BHEL - The Hindu



Incident occurred while lifting a heavy object and failure of wire rope. An apprentice died and another worker suffered injury.

Dangers of hydro fluoric acid HF

Recently, I had an interaction with some persons in a training programme. During the discussion, a person narrated his experience with HF handling three decades ago.

The person was asked to take a plastic bottle from one place to another. He held the bottle at the top and it crumbled and in the process, he had splashing of some contents on his thumb. Not knowing what it is, he washed and continued his work. Later, in the evening he had swelling and pain for which he consulted the doctor.

On enquiry, it came out that the bottle contained some HF.

After a week of exposure to HF, the injured could see the bone of the thumb and it took a long time for recovery.

Though, I could not make out the injury from the normal appearing thumb, but the pain underwent is visible, when he narrated the incident to the audience.

Search from internet shows incidents, wherein, innocent persons just washed off the spillage with some water and continued their work, but were found dead in the sleep.

As per standard practice, in case of any chemical splash, remove the clothing and wash the affected organs for atleast 15 minutes and consult the doctor. Even after 15 minutes wash, only about 95% of the chemical is removed and thus care is very much required. One should not ignore the advice by experts.

Bursting of empty plastic chemical drum while removing the lid with a hot rod

Three children aged 8, 10 and 12 years were mildly injured when they tried to remove the cover of the empty plastic drum that was used for storing chemicals. As soon as they inserted a hot rod through the top cover, the drum got burst.   The children were offered Rs. 10/- to remove the top cover by a person. The hole mark is visible near the ruptured portion. 

Air receiver blast

There was a blast during the cleaning of gas turbine in a polymers factory that makes cans, jars, etc. It is reported that the the valve of the gas turbine suddenly blew up that caused ripping of roof and fragments caused injury to a woman nearby. As per the news in a local news paper, due to malfunctioning of safety valve on the air receiver, the air receiver exploded. As Monday was holiday for the factory, it is reported that no injuries took place in the factory. It is luck that the person involved in the work is safe though the roof sheets blew off but did not fall on him. It is not known what precautions were taken before taking up the cleaning job, like, i) emptying the vessel and purging with inert gas and then purging with air, ii) positive isolation of all lines leading to and from the tank, iii) checking for presence of flammable concentrations in the tank, iv) checking for oxygen level, v) job hazard analysis, vi) supervision and so on.

As the work was taken up on factory holiday and incident happened, one should be careful when planning such maintenance jobs on holidays it should be ensured that safety work permit is obtained and supervision is provided.

Fatality due to fall of tripod at construction site

A person died when a tripod kept above at a construction site for shuttering work fell down. In another accident, a drum kept at height for use as access fell down on a person causing minor head injury. Accidents like these are common at construction sites and minimum safety guidelines recommend use of safety nets, barricading the area below, posting danger signs, securing the loose items at top, supervision, etc and failure to comply with these recommendations will result in injuries and deaths at times like the first one. It is not clear whether the person died is a construction worker or not and whether he was wearing any safety helmet.

Lathe machine accident

A news paper report about 10 days ago mentioned about death of a sweeper near lathe machine in an engineering work shop. The lady sweeper was hit by pieces of drill bit that broke while threading a job piece on the lathe. It appears that excessive force was applied to do threading by the operator. While the woman died at the spot, the operator received serious injuries. This accident reminds about the need for job hazard analysis, proper training and supervision in any work.

Stress and accidents

Reason for many of the accidents appears very simple and silly at times.  Many of the accidents did not occur because of some complex reactions or failure of safety systems. But, why do people get involved in such silly accidents. I think, lack of peace of mind is the reason. When we are not at peace, we cannot concentrate on our activity. Lack of peace can be due to

• arguments with relations / servants / milkman / paper boy/ gas station employ
• children education
• well being of blood relations
• arguments with colleagues
• business loss
• greed
• simple problems like vehicle breakdown, plumbing problem at home, ...
• financial needs
• thinking about meeting, examination, bank loan, ...
• etc

We keep thinking about these problems and something happens suddenly causing some injury / emergency. I saw a video, in which it is said, SAFETY IS NO ACCIDENT, NO ACCIDENT DOES NOT MEAN IT IS SAFE.
Accident means an event that unplanned, unexpected, unintentional,...
Though, nobody intends to get in to accident, lack of hazard identification, failure to take preventive measures and not reviewing the safety processes are the reasons for accidents. However simple the hazard appears, we should not be casual. It should be attended immediately. There is no use of repenting after the accident.
Similarly, one should not be relaxed when there are no accidents. May be they are not reported. May be there are many unreported nearmisses. May be the attitude of the manager is not to see minor accidents as accidents.
It is common for top management to boast of good safety record and take credit for it. But, a trulyaccident-free workplace is a reality because of sustained efforts all employees over a period of time. It will not happen overnight or in a week or in a month or in a year.
Some people attach value to human life and workout how much money can be spent on safety programme. My life may be worth $ 1.0 million to you. But, my family does not see like that. For them, it is invaluable. Nobody can remove the tears in the eyes of family members, when somebody dies. Nobody got right to decide the value of human life.
I read in the internet that some organizations care for their employees by attending to their personal problems, employ professionals to teach yoga, meditation and allocate time within working hours so that their employees can have healthy and peaceful life.
What for we earn money, if we do not have stress-free life. Though, some people say, certain stress is required for the growth of the individual, I think this is purely business oriented. The increase in suicide rate everywhere in the world shows that so called acceptable stress is NOT acceptable to the individual. As there is no other means to earn income, persons accept the additional demands and stress themselves. Ultimately, weak hearted will take their lives.  Persons responsible for causing stress should think twice by entering into others shoes and then decide about the work.

A simple incident during the construction

Recently, I heard an accident from my friend who experienced during the floor tile work in his apartment. Tiles were purchased and brought to the apartment. The marble tiles (about 10' x 6') were kept in an inclined position in the corridor outside the apartment. The corridor is about 4' width. Next day, when he went to construction site, one of the worker commented that the tiles are having vertical straightline cracks and appear to be joined with white cement.
To check the condition, the person in-charge for laying the tiles was called. Both my friend and the worker pulled one tile to vertical position and checked for cracks. To the dismay of my friend, there were such vertical lines as if joined by white cement. Then, 2nd tile also was brought to vertical position and then the third. While checking the third, by holding the tiles in vertical position with my friend on one side and the worker on the other side, slowly the tiles started moving towards the worker's side as the center of gravity (C.G) shifted. This could not be seen initially, but shortly both understood something is wrong and tried to push the tiles to the wall without success. The tiles were now heavy and beyond the capacity of the both persons. Both shouted for help.
Immediately, workers in the ground floor rushed and with great difficulty, the tiles could be put back into position. By that time, the worker had chest congestion because of the weight of marble tiles on him. Immediately, he was rushed to the hospital and the person was alright in a day.
The above accident is unimaginable for ordinary folks like us. The fact that the experienced construction worker also did not caution before examination shows that we have to learn a lot.

Later, on enquiry, the supplier informed my friend that they are not cracks but lines which come during polishing and that he will not spoil his reputation by supplying damaged tiles. He offered to replace the tiles of much superior quality and premium brand, even if one single tile shows cracks.

Similar to the above incident, I remember, few years ago, when my child (about two years old at that time) climbed over the refrigerator racks to take some fruits, the refrigerator started falling towards the floor.
Fortunately, I was next to the refrigerator and immediately could hold and stop the fall of the unit. Otherwise, my child could have got injured under the falling refrigerator.
Same is the case, when we go up the portable ladders and try to access by over reaching. Then also, ladder can fall on the side because of shifting of C.G.

Uneven floor - finger injury

A person was loading a gas cylinder on to the cylinder trolley, by rolling the cylinder in inclined position with one hand. While rolling the cylinder near the trolley, it slipped and fell on the hand. Before he could take off the hand, it fell and the person's finger came between the cylinder and the trolley. Though, the uneven surface was known to the people, not much attention was given for repairing it and this hazardous condition lead to finger injury. It is not possible always to predict what type injuries a hazard can cause. However, it is common sense to remove any hazard once it is idenfied.

If we don't respect the hazardous condition, then the hazard also will return the favour in the same manner. People spend more time and give justification for not attending the hazard rather than taking corrective action.