Electrocution in chicken shop

As per the news in Deccan Chronicle on 08.11.2011, a chicken shop owner died of electrocution while trying to retrieve dressed chicken from a chicken dressing machine. This may be due to poor wiring, improper or no earthing, lack of ELCB for the machine, no rubber mat in front of the machine, not using proper PPE.
The incident reminds that safety is required everywhere, not restricted to factories alone.

Dust explosions kill workers

Rules lag as factory dust explosions kill workers | ajc.com

The above link is about US Chemical Safety Board investigations on dust explosions and their recommendations. As I posted earlier on the same subject, I am surprised to know that even iron dust catches fire. Many times we concentrate on the dust that we see in the shop floor. But, airborne dust settled at roof level or on the surface above false ceiling or in the elevated surfaces adjacent to the building from which dust is generated require more attention because persons in these areas are unaware or complacent as they are not the dust generators. Any disturbance due to wind or occasional work in the elevated surfaces or sparks generated from electrical fittings at roof level can be a source of dust explosion. It is said that the dust explosions after the primary explosion are more severe. The dust explosion is identified with a roaring and thunder sound and therefore all shop floor persons should be aware of these symptoms and should run away for safety.

Dust explosions are also possible with grain powder and therefore requires communication of dust explosion hazards to these groups also. Enclosures for dust generating equipment, earthing, flameproof electrical fittings, regular cleaning of equipment and ducts that may contain dust, wet mopping, avoiding synthetic dress and static charge dissipation stations are some of the measures that help in preventing dust explosions.

Assess a person's attitude the way he uses water

In our childhood, we were told about a story which concludes that the person using more water is spend thrift and thus faces problem every time. The story is briefly as below.

There were two women in a neighbourhood. One woman borrow some money from the other but fails to return after sometime and replies that she never borrowed. The lender complains to the village head. He calls both women and asks them to stamp with their feet, the mud with some water in front of his house. After sometime, he asks both of them to wash their feet and come inside. The lender washes her feet thoroughly with little quantity of water whereas the borrower uses lot of water and walks inside with some mud left on her feet and makes the floor dirty. The village head rules that the woman actually borrowed money from the other woman, she does not have any control over her expenditure and to avoid repayment she lied to the other woman. He asks her to pay the money borrowed with penal interest.

It appears true as I observed my own water use pattern. When use water judiciously, I also spend money wisely and at times when I use water without concern, my attitude towards spending money also in those lines.
This type of understanding may be true for human behaviour in all respects including safety. However, it requires some study by framing suitable questionnaire and also talking to people who are involved in accidents, rash driving, less respect for safety, not concerned to follow safety procedures, so on.
It's only my thought and I will come out with results, if the assumption is supported with some evidence.

Style statement?

Last few months, I am observing on the road where some bike riders, mostly young age boys, drive with a brush in the mouth. I do not know where from they start and where they want to go. It takes hardly two minutes to brush and wash. Add to this some riders will be talking on the cell phone, that is held between the head and the shoulder. I do not know how such parallel processing of driving, brushing and talking is being done by them.
I feel these people want to show their machoism by such acts ( a style statement) and may be there are some who fall for display of such acts. But, these acts can lead to other road users getting involved in the accidents as these stylish bike riders may not be able to control their vehicle properly and be safe on the road. May be the road traffic police should include driving with tooth brush also as  punishable offence.

What is safe speed on the road?

Last few days, I felt myself lucky many times on the road while going to my workplace. All the times, I feel I saved my self from some injury due to my low driving speed. There are pedestrians crossing the road all of a sudden, persons asking for lift by coming to half of the road, 2-/3-/4-wheelers suddenly coming to the middle of the road from left side, persons moving on the road while conversing on the mobile, pushcarts taking their own time to move, and so on.
Many times I felt like shouting, but what is the use other than increasing my stress and spoiling my day.
I found during these observations that the safe speed (not average speed) on the road that I can control my self from hitting others on the road is 30 kmph, not more than that. With this speed, even if someone crosses my line suddenly or the vehicle in front stops suddenly, still I can apply brakes and avoid any accident even if the other fellow on the road wants to take a hit from me.

Person suffers burns during digging

A construction labourer suffered burn injuries while working in a trench to repair a septic tank piping. The person using a power tool to remove the damaged pipe hit an LPG line in the trench and the sparks led to fire engulfing the person. The injured with difficulty came out of the trench and rolled over the grass to extinguish flames. The person who engaged the injured was penalised for various lapses.

From the description about the incident, the lapses that come to notice are,

1. Whether any permission taken for digging where the gas lines are present. It is a widely followed safety practice to identify presence of utility lines like electrical/gas/water in the area proposed for digging and take precautions to ensure safety of the persons and property. If it is in a factory area, concerned engineer will give clearance and in case of public area, town planning engineer will give such clearance.
2. From the photograph in the weblink, service line identification marks are not visible in the area.
3. Absence of measures for preventing trench cave-in.
4. Lack of proper means of access/egress from the trench like a ladder at 30 m distance intervals.
5. Whether only one person was engaged for such work and if not what happened to other workers.
6. Absence of supervision.

Most of accidents reported are leak/fire/explosion due to puncturing of gas lines during digging.

Off-Site Emergency Response Plans: A Preparedness Tool - Fire Engineering

The Bhopal accident in 1984 led to promulgation of an Act in 1986 to identify hazardous substances, notify the inventories and prepare for emergencies by planning, notification and reporting. It is stated that for chlorine, if the quantity is above 100 pounds, one has to comply with this Act and there are about 350 chemicals in the list.
Off-Site Emergency Response Plans: A Preparedness Tool - Fire Engineering

LINK

Robospiders to monitor chemical accidents

German scientists developed robospiders to monitor chemical activities at the accident site to help what is going on after an accident, check the toxicity levels, caution the engineers to save lives and minimize property damage. It is stated that the thin robospiders when become thick come to life and perform their job. I am unable to understand the mechanism of its working, but the concept is new to me. This appears to be better than remote cameras and sensors as these work from fixed areas whereas robospiders that crawl can detect the condition at the desired place. Details of communication between the robospider and the control room and effectiveness of communication and safety in hazardous environment are not available in the article.
http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/245698/20111109/robospider-created-monitor-chemical-accidents.htm

About safety leadership - Pull the String

The link below is about safety leadership, the required qualities of a safety professional.
Pull the String

LINK

Another acid related incident

Few days ago, I posted an article about use of acid thinking it as water that caused acid burns. Yesterday, another incident of similar nature was reported in news papers wherein acid was applied to a pregnant lady assuming it as antiseptic in an hospital. It is reported that the baby boy delivered later died though there are conflicting reports about the time of death.
Hospital authorities suspect that
In the same news paper report, it is stated that earlier in other hospitals, i) a nurse used acid for swabbing instead of spirit before administering an injection and ii) a patient was given acid mistakenly instead of water.

It is observed that sometimes, incidents of similar nature like trapping of kids in the open bore wells, attack by jilted lovers on the girls, acid burns, etc are reported one after another in a short time. I don't know the reason for such pattern, whether such incidents occur regularly, but are reported during a period or incidents occur only during certain period
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata-/Acid-used-for-delivery-at-state-hospital-baby-dies/articleshow/10600194.cms