Introduction to Industrial Safety and Accident Prevention

Accident
The American National Safety Council has defined accident as: that occurrence in sequence of events which usually produces unintended injury, death or property damage.

Causes of Accidents
The causes may be human or mechanical failures. The two broad sources of the accidents may be classified in to: Unsafe conditions and Unsafe actions

Factors contributing to accidents

Mechanical Environment Human Human mechanical causes

Mechanical causes
In adequately guarded Unguarded Unsafe design or construction Hazardous arrangement

Environmental Causes
Illumination Ventilation Temperature Speed of work Hours of Work Spread over work period Workload

Human causes
Individual factors Age Marriage Education Health Length of Service Work performance Psychological Factors Attitude towards Job Interest & difficulties Machine habits Attention Fatigue

Personality factors Intellectual level Emotional maturity Adjustment Anxiety level

Sociological factors Size of family Number of dependents Financial position Social Status Interpersonal relations Home Environment

Classification of accidents
Fall from height Striking against Struck by falling objects Fall at same level Overexertion Inhalation or absorption Contact with electricity / Electric flash Others

Accident Prevention
Three Es of Safety - Engineering - Education - Enforcement

Controlling Accidents
Discover the causes Control environmental causes Control behaviorist causes Supplementary activities

Discovering Accident Causes

The Causes of previous accidents The existing hazards that will cause accidents unless corrected

Reporting Accidents
The first step in effective investigation is the prompt reporting of accidents. Hiding small accidents does not help prevent serious accidents that kill people. If the accidents are not reporting by the employees, they are stealing the authority of the management to prevent accidents.

Ten Reasons for not reporting Accidents

1. Fear of punishment 2. Concern about the record 3. Concern for reputation 4. Fear of Medical treatment 5. Dislike of medical personnel 6. Desire to keep personal record clear 7. Avoid of Red Tape 8. Desire to prevent work interruptions 9. Concern about attitude of others 10. Poor understanding of importance

How can we combat these reporting problems

React in more positive way Give more attention to prevention and control Recognize individual performance Develop the value of reporting Demonstrate belief by action Do not make mountains out of molehills

Reasons to investigate accidents and investigation

To know and understand what happened. To gather information and data for present and future use. To deter cause and effect. To provide answers for the effectiveness of intervention and prevention approaches. To document the circumstances for legal and workers compensation issues. To become a vital component of your Safety and health program.

Purpose of Accident Investigation

The kinds of accidents which should be investigated and reported are: 1. Fatal / disabling injury accidents. 2. Not disabling injury accidents that require medical treatment. 3. Circumstances that have contributed to acute or chronic occupational illness. 4. Non injury, property damage accidents that exceed specified cost. 5. near miss accidents with a potential for serious injury or property damage.

Tricks to a good interview

Survey the accident to get good picture. Out line what questions need to be answered. Make notes to help remember the things that look different or out of place so you can ask questions about the incident. Select a suitable place where the witness will feel comfortable. Control the impulse to get right to the facts. Explain the purpose of the interview is to find out what happened and why, so the problem can be corrected before the another accident. Actual testimony should start by asking the witness to tell, in his or her own words, what was observed, seen, heard, or known about the accident. Dont ask for chronological order.

 Dont prompt or question the witness until he or she appears to have exhausted his or her memory. Let the witness have silent periods to collect their thoughts. After the witness has exhausted his memory, you can ask question to a) Expand detail or earlier testimony. b) Answer predetermined questions you formed while getting the big picture.

 The questions should be neutral in form so they require the witness to form answers in their own words. While closing the interview, the investigator can employ control questions to evaluate the witness ability to observe and remember. The control questions can include: - Time and location of the accident - identification of other witness - Actions of the people after the accident

 Another important question to ask the witness is what attracted your attention to the accident?

Introduction
Occupational Safety and Health Management in India is guided by the broad policies of the Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Industry & Ministry of Environment & Forests, Govt. of India.

Legal Provisions & Enforcement

Factories Act, 1948 Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989 Dangerous Machines (Regulation) Act, 1983

Legal Provisions & Enforcement

Overview :
Basically, major number of industries are statutorily governed by the Factories Act, 1948, besides other statutes which cover other specific aspects of safety in the industrial activities, e.g. treatment of effluents, pollution control, hazardous wastes management, etc.

Factories Act, 1948

Objective
The Factories Act has been existing in India since 1881. The Act provides for the health, safety, welfare and other aspects of workers in factories. In 1987 major amendments in the Act were incorporated which covered three major areas i) basic approach ii) health protection & control of accidents and iii) emergency planning in the factories engaged in hazardous processes.

Major Provisions
Approval, licensing and registration of factories Duties of occupier, manufacturers etc. Safety and Health policy and organization Health and hygiene standards Safeguards for Dangerous machines, material handling, pressure plant, floors, stairs, access and covering to pits, sumps opening, etc. Precautions against dangerous fumes, gases and explosive dust and precautions in case of fire Stability of buildings, machines etc. and maintenance Notice of accidents, dangerous occurrences and diseases

Provisions for Hazardous Process Industry

Site Appraisal Committee Disclosure of information to Chief Inspector of Factories Local Authority Workers and general public, On-site emergency plan, Medical examinations and records Permissible limits of exposures of chemicals/ substances Right to workers to know hazards, etc.

Section 7-A:

General Duties of the Occupier

1 Every occupier shall ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all workers while they are at work in the factory. 2 Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of sub-s. (1), the matters to which such duty extends, shall include:a The provision and maintenance of plant and systems of work in the factory that are safe and without risks to health;

General Duties of the occupier

b The arrangements in the factory for ensuring safety and absence of risks to health in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of articles and substances; c The provision of such information, instruction, training and supervision as are necessary to ensure the health and safety of all workers at work;

General Duties of the occupier

d The maintenance of all places of work in the factory in a condition that is safe and without risks to health and the provision and maintenance of such means of access to, and egress from, such places as are safe and without such risks; e The provision, maintenance or monitoring of such working environment in the factory for the workers that is safe, without risks to health and adequate as regards facilities and arrangements for their welfare at work.

General Duties of the occupier

3 Except in such cases as may be prescribed, every occupier shall prepare, and, as often as may be appropriate, revise, a written statement of his general policy with respect to the health and safety of the workers at work and the organisation and arrangements for the time being in force for carrying out that policy, and to bring the statement and any revision thereof to the notice of all the workers in such manner as may be prescribed.

Provisions for OHS Management

The essential requirements Appointment of Safety Officer: for the

i. Wherein one thousand or more workers are ordinarily employed, or ii. Wherein any manufacturing process or operation is carried out involving risk of bodily injury, poisoning or disease or any other hazard to health to the persons employed in the factory, the occupier shall appoint Safety Officer. The no. of Safety Officers is specified by State Government notification.

Appointment of Factory Medical Officer

For Factories carrying out Hazardous Process* (*Hazardous Process means any process or activity in relation to an Industry where unless special case is taken, raw materials used therein or the intermediate or finished products, bye-products, wastes or effluents thereof would: Cause material impairment to the health of the persons engaged in or connected therewith or Result in the pollution of the general environment)

For Factories employing above 200 workers:

There shall be a full time Factory Medical Officer for factories employing up to 500 workers and one more Medical Officer for every additional 1,000workers or Part thereof. He should posses a Certificate of Training in Industrial Health of minimum three months duration recognized by the State Government, or He should posses a diploma in Industrial Health.

Safety Committee
Is a must in every factory
wherein 250 or more workers are ordinarily employed, or which carries on any process or operation declared to be dangerous under Section 87 of the Act; or which carries on Hazardous Process as defined in Factories Act.

Committee Composition
Management Representatives :
A senior official, who by his position in the organisation can contribute effectively to the functioning of the Committee, shall be the Chairman; A Safety Officer, and a Factory Medical Officer wherever available and the Safety Officer in such a case shall be Secretary of the Committee; A representative each from the production, maintenance and purchase departments.

Function and Duties of Safety Committee

Assisting and co-operating with the management in achieving the aims and objectives outlined in the Health and Safety Policy of the occupier; Dealing with all matters concerning health, safety and environment and to arrive at practicable solution to problems encountered; Creating safety awareness amongst all workers; Undertaking educational, training and promotional activities

 Discussing reports on safety, environmental and occupational health surveys, safety audits, risk assessment, Emergency and Disaster Management plans and implementation of the recommendations made in the reports; Carrying out health and safety surveys and identifying causes of accidents; Looking into any complaint made on the likelihood of an imminent danger to the safety and health of the workers and suggesting corrective measures; and Reviewing the implementation of the recommendations made by it.

Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989

Objective:
To ensure prevention of accidents involving hazardous chemicals in various categories

Major Provisions
Enforced by factory inspectorate along with SPCBs/ CPCB Identification of major hazards and take preventive steps for identified hazards Demonstrate safe operation / emergency preparedness. Prepare MSDS, ensure proper lebeling of containers. Preparation of Safety Reports, in case of exceeding threshold quantities of hazardous chemicals storage. Notification of sites, in case of use of hazardous chemicals storage exceeding threshold quantities. Preparation of on-site emergency plan and conducting mock drills.

OSH Organisations
Government OSH Organisations Directorate General Factory Advice Service & Labour Institutes (Founded in 1954) Central Labour Institute and 4 Regional Labour Institutes (Founded in 1959) State Inspectorate of Factories and Boilers Directorate General of Mine Safety

Autonomous OSH Organsations

National Safety Council of India (Founded in 1966) Loss Prevention Association of India (Founded in 1978) National Environmental and Engineering Research Institute National Institute of Occupational Health Disaster Management Institute

DISASTER MANAGEMENT & RISK ASSESSMENT

The Ministry of Environment & forests under Environment Protection Act has constituted 4-Tier Crisis Groups for Disaster Management of Chemical Accidents in the country. The Crisis Groups will work under the purview of the Chemical Accidents (Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Response)rules, 1996.

The Groups are constituted at:

Country level State level District level Industry Pocket : Central Crisis Group : State Crisis Group : District Crisis Group Level : Local Crisis Group

Penalty for Offences:

Any contravention of any of the provisions of this Act or of any rules made thereunder or of any order in writing given thereunder, the occupier and manager of the factory shall each be guilty of an offence and punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to (two years) or with fine which may extend to (one lakh rupees) or with both;

Penalty for Offences:

Provided that where contravention of any of the provisions under S 87 has resulted in an accident causing death or serious bodily injury, the fine shall not be less than (twenty five thousand rupees) in the case of an accident causing death, and (five thousand rupees) in the case of an accident causing serious bodily injury.

Penalty for Contravention of the Provisions of SS 41-B, 41-C & 41-H

(1) Whoever fails to comply with or contravenes any of the provision of SS41-B, 41-C and 41-H or the rules made thereunder, shall, in respect of such failure or contravention, be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years and with fine which may extend to two lakh rupees, and in case the failure or contravention continues, with additional fine which may extend to five thousand rupees for every day during which such failure or contravention continues after the conviction for the first such failure or contravention.

Penalty for Contravention of the Provisions of SS 41-B, 41-C & 41-H

(2) If the failure or contravention referred to in sub-S (1) continues beyond a period of one year after the date of conviction, the offender shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to ten years.

Statutory regulations on Construction Safety

The Building and Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Services) Act, 1996 The Building and Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Services) Rules, 1998. The Central Labour Commissioner has been designated as the Director General of Inspections for enforcing the Central Act, 1996 and Central Rules, 1998.

Industrial Accident Statistics in India

Year 1998 1999 2000 Non-fatal 96,232 81,815 28585 Fatal 1,026 974 660

Safety Management in NTPC

SAFETY ORGNISATION IN NTPC

Safety Policy
Safety Policy has been drawn which is also a statutory requirement committing the management concern towards Safety and communicated to all the employees at Projects / Stations. The Policy is being reviewed regularly to ensure that remains relevant and appropriate.

Safety Departments
To establish and to maintain procedures for the identification of hazards, the assessment of risks and to coordinate in implementation of necessary control measures in prevention of personal injuries, maintaining safe working environment and also fulfillment of its statutory obligations, Safety Departments have been set up at all the Projects / Stations and at Corporate Centre and qualified Safety Officers have been posted.

Appointment of Safety Officers

As per the Factories Act, 1948, (Sec. 40-b) Safety Officers are to be appointed in a factory wherein one thousand or more workers are ordinarily employed or in the opinion of the State Govt. any manufacturing process or operation is carried out which involves any risk of bodily injury, poisoning or disease or any other hazard to health, to the persons employed in the factory. The State Govt. by notification in the Official Gazette may be specified.

Appointment of Safety Officers

In NTPC the number of Safety Officers are more than the statutory requirement to ensure the safety of the employees. The qualifications of the Safety Officers are basically Engineering Graduates / Diploma Holders having a Post Qualification of Diploma in Industrial Safety which is a statutory requirement. The Safety Officers duties specified in the State Factories Rules are given below:

Qualification of Safety Officers

Possess Degree/ or Diploma in any branch of Engineering and 2/ 5 years Experience. Possess Degree in Physics or Chemistry 5 years Experience. Has adequate knowledge of Local Language.

DUTIES OF SAFETY OFFICER

The duties of a Safety Officer shall be to advice and assist the factory management in the fulfillment of its obligations, statutory otherwise concerning prevention of personal injuries and maintaining a safe working environment. These duties shall include the following, namely:-

DUTIES OF SAFETY OFFICER

To advise the concerned departments in planning and organising measures necessary for the effective control or personal injuries; To advise on safety aspects in all job studies and to carry out detailed job safety of selected jobs; To check and evaluate the effectiveness of the action taken or proposed to be taken to prevent personal injuries;

DUTIES OF SAFETY OFFICER

To advise the purchase and stores departments in ensuring high quality and availability of personal protective equipment; To advise on matter related to carrying out plant safety inspections;

DUTIES OF SAFETY OFFICER

To carry out plant safety inspections in order to observe the physical conditions of work and the work practices and procedures by workers and to render advise on measures to be adopted for removing unsafe physical conditions and preventing unsafe actions by workers; To render advise on matters related to reporting and investigation of industrial accidents diseases;

DUTIES OF SAFETY OFFICER

To investigate selected accidents; To investigate the cases of industrial diseases contracted dangerous occurrence reportable under Rule 108; To advise on the maintenance of such records as are necessary relating to accidents, dangerous occurrences and industrial diseases;

DUTIES OF SAFETY OFFICER

To promote setting up of safety committees and act as advisor to such committees; To organise in association with the concerned departments, campaigns, contests and other activities will develop and maintain the interest of the workers in establishing and maintaining safe conditions of work and procedures; and

DUTIES OF SAFETY OFFICER

To design and conduct either independently or in collaboration with the training department suitable training and educational programmes for the prevention of personal injuries.

Safety Training
Safety Training is being provided to all executives, supervisors and workmen at the induction stage itself. Need based training programms on safety are being organized by projects/stations and Corporate Centre at regular intervals for NTPC and contractors employees. Fire fighting and first aid training is providing to all the employees.

Training Programmes for Operating Stations:

Safety in Operation & Maintenance of Power Plants Safety in hazardous chemicals handling Disaster Management Plan Electrical & Mechanical Safety Rules Fire Protection, Detection and Fire Fighting System Safety Management Safe handling of chlorine and other hazardous chemicals Safe handling of lifting tools, tackles and pressure vessels First aid & Occupational Health

Training Programmes for Operating Stations:

NTPC also provides training to housewives, safe use of LPG, safety while using electrical appliances and school going children on road safety at regular intervals.

Reporting of Accidents
A detailed procedure for reporting of accidents and danger occurrences has been prepared to make prompt report of accidents to the concerned authorities and within the organization for keeping complete information of accidents for record and analysis which will be helpful in taking remedial measures for accident prevention in future.

Enquiry Committees
The prescribed guidelines have been formulated for constituting committees for conducting enquiries in cases of various types of accidents and dangerous occurrences to obtain the recommendations for prevention of recurrence in similar or related nature of accidents.

Personal Protective Equipments

Personal Protective Equipments are providing to all the employees at Projects those who are working in hazardous areas.

Safety Rules for Construction & Erection

Detailed Safety Rules for Construction & Erection have been prepared to ensure the safety of the employees working in Construction & Erection working in the Plants.

Safety Rules for Electrical & Mechanical

NTPC has prepared Safety Rules for Electrical & Mechanical in association with the National Power, U.K. The experts have visited several times to NTPC Projects to study the implementation of these rules and practicability. They also provided training to NTPC executives to ensure the safety of the employees working on plant and apparatus to which these Safety Rules apply are safeguarded from hazards arising from electrical mechanical systems. The Rules consists of Sections covering General provisions, basic safety rules, safety documents and keys, responsibility of the persons and code of practices.

Safety in Construction in NTPC

NTPC has produced a film on Safety in Construction to educate the employees of NTPC and contractors working in Construction & Erection works. Comprehensive Safety Clauses have been incorporated in the General Conditions of the Contract for Construction & Erection and Operation & Maintenance Works to ensure the safety of the contractors employees.

Safety Audit
NTPC organizes the Safety Audit of all its Projects / Stations every year by the Safety Officers of the other Projects. The Safety Audit by external professional agencies like National Safety Council, Loss Prevention Association of India, Tata Risk Management Services of India etc. to identify the hazardous conditions and taking appropriate corrective actions.

Safety Audit
Safety Audit has been made now mandatory in India, under Gazette Notification of the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Govt. of India, New Delhi, vide Part-II, Sec. 3, Sub. Sec. (ii) of Gazette of the Govt. of India dated 22.10.1994 amending the Rules relating to The Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989.

Fire Safety
Fire Detection and Protection Systems have been provided at all vulnerable areas. Effective functioning of the system is ensured through periodical inspection and monitoring.

Disaster Management Plan

All NTPC Projects / Stations are having the Disaster Management Plans aimed at ensuring the safety of people, protection of environment etc. in case of any disaster. Regular mock drills are being organized at regular intervals to educate the people and practice the system.

Occupational Health Check Up

Occupational health check up of the employees is being done for those who are working in hazardous areas.

Employees Participation in Safety Management

Employees participation in Safety Management is encouraging for effective consultation and communication with employees through various schemes like Safety Committees, Safety Stewards and Safety Circle Schemes.

Safety Awareness
Safety awareness is created among the employees by celebrating National Safety Day, Fire Safety Day, World Environment Day etc. Safety Competitions like Essay Writing, Poster Painting, Safety Slogans etc. are being organized on these occasions.

Review
Periodical Reviews are being taken at different levels at projects and Regions. The reviews take place at the level of GM at Projects and Executive Director at Regional level. G.M (R&R and Safety) also participate at Corporate Level to review the systems. Monthly Exception Reports are compiled and put up to the Management and concerned project authorities.

OSHAS 18001
The Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OSHAS) specifications gives requirements of an Occupational Health and Safety Management System. All NTPC Stations have obtained OHSAS / IS - 18001 Certification.

Indian Standards on Occupational Health and Safety Management System IS 14489: 1998 Code of Practice on Occupational Safety and Health Audit IS 15001: 2000 - Occupational Health and Safety Management System Specification with and use

Indian Standards on Occupational Health and Safety Management System

Occupational Health and Safety assessment 18001(OHSAS 18001) Certification IS 18001 Certification ILO Guidelines on Occupational Health and Safety Management System (ILO OSH 2001).

Thank You