Possible Sources of Ignition and Potential fuel hazards

Possible Sources of Ignition are:-

• Defective electrical fittings and defective or misuse of electrical apparatus - light bulbs and fluorescent tubes too close to combustible materials, misuse or defective electrical extension leads and adapters, faulty or damaged wiring.
• Matches, Lighters, Candles and Smoking materials. 
• Flame or sparks from a work process such as welding, cutting, grinding or the use of a hot air gun. 
• Sources of frictional heat.
• Electrostatic discharges. 
• Ovens, kilns, open hearths, furnaces or incinerators. 
• Boilers, engines and other oil burning equipment.
• Portable heaters.
• Cooking equipment, including deep fat fryers. 
• The threat of arson must not be overlooked and the malicious firing of combustible materials. 

The above list is by no means exhaustive and is provided merely as a guide.

Potential fuel hazards:

• Any combustibles - These can be divided into two main groups; combustible fuels such as paper, wood, cardboard, etc.; and highly combustible fuels such as thinners, solvents, polyurethane foam, etc. 
• Any unsafe procedures or acts - Persons undertaking unsafe acts such as smoking next to combustible materials.
• Any unsafe conditions - These are hazards that may assist a fire to spread in your workplace, e.g. if there are large areas of hardboard or polystyrene tiles etc., or open stairs that can cause a fire to spread quickly, trapping people and involving the whole building. 
• One hazard that is often overlooked is bad housekeeping and is the easiest to correct. It is responsible for many small fires either starting or certainly spreading and involving far more of the premises than was necessary. 

An ideal method of identifying and recording these hazards, is by means of the scaled single line plan. Checklists maybe also be useful.

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Fire Prevention and Controls

Control Measures to Minimise the Risk of Fire in a Workplace:

• Elimination of, or reduction in, the use and storage of flammable and 
• Combustible materials 
• Control of ignition sources, fuel and sources of oxygen 
• Systems of work 
• Good housekeeping 

Fire Detection, Fire Warning and Fire Fighting Equipment:

• Portable Fire Fighting Equipment: siting, maintenance and training requirements
• Extinguishing Media: water, foam, dry powder, vaporising liquids, gaseous 
• Means of Escape: doors, emergency lighting, exit and directional signs, assembly points 
• Emergency Evacuation Procedures: role of fire marshals, fire drills, roll call, provisions for vulnerable people

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Common Fire Hazards in the Workplace

Fire is a chemical reaction known as combustion which occurs when fuel and oxygen are brought together with sufficient heat to cause ignition

Oxygen: Approximately 16% oxygen is required to support combustion. Normal air contains 21% Oxygen - more than enough and it is readily available. Some fuels contain sufficient oxygen with their makeup to promote combustion. 

Heat Sources: To reach ignition temperature: Open flame, hot surface, sparks and arcs, friction, chemical reaction, electrical energy, compression of gases.

• WOOD 

• PAPER 

• PLASTIC 

• POLYSTYRENE 

• PETROL 

• PAINT 

• ACETYLENE 

• BUTANE 

• MAGNESIUM 

• COOKING OILS ANDFATS 

• COOKING OILS 

• PROPANE 

• METHANE 

• TITANIUM 

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Types of Cranes

There are many types of crane and a detailed classification is given in ISO 4306. However, the vast majority of cranes used in industry can be classed as:

• Lorry Loaders, (HIABs), which are suitable for delivery purposes and routine lifting operations associated uniquely with the vehicle on which they are fitted; 

• Truck Mounted Cranes, which are suitable for short duration operations where mobility around site is important;

• Crawler Cranes, which are suitable for longer duration operations and 'pick and carry duties' and for use on some types of terrain where a wheel mounted crane would not be appropriate; 

• Tower Cranes are suitable for semi-permanent installation for covering large areas whilst taking up relatively little room at ground level.

Selection of Cranes

While economic factors may influence the choice of a crane, it is essential that the crane selected is capable of lifting ALL loads that it would be expected to handle, within its capacity and stability limits. Manufacturers supply duty charts, which show the SWLs for specific duties. 

These are a good guide but are often compromised by many factors such as the design of the structure to be constructed, the characteristics of the individual loads to be lifted and site and environmental constraints.

Ideally a procedure for the procurement of lifting appliances and equipment should be outlined detailing how it is to be done and who is authorised to do it. The Lifting Equipment Engineers Association or most lifting equipment hire centres can provide advice on the selection, suitability, inspection and testing of lifting equipment and gear.

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MOBILE ELEVATED WORKING PLATFORMS (MEWPS)

MEWPs divide into two categories;

• Boom-type Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (cherry pickers), and
• Scissor lifts

The most common causes of death with MEWPs are falls from height and the second most common cause of serious injuries at work. This guidance is aimed at those who use or control the operations of boom type MEWPs, used across a range of industries including construction. 

The most common accident causes were:

• Unsuitable ground conditions;
• Critical parts of the MEWP failing or malfunctioning; or 
• The MEWP being struck by another vehicle.

Consequently it is critical that these issues are eliminated or properly controlled.

Mobile elevating work platforms can provide excellent safe access to high level work. When using a MEWP make sure that:

• Whoever is operating it is fully trained and competent; 
• The work platform is provided with guard rails and toe boards or other suitable barriers; 
• It is used on firm and level ground. The ground may have to be prepared in advance; 
• Its tyres are properly inflated; 
• Any outriggers are extended and chocked as necessary before raising the platform; and 
• Everyone knows what to do if the machine fails with the platform in the raised position.

Do not:

• Operate MEWPs close to overhead cables or other dangerous machinery;
• Allow a knuckle, or elbow, of the arm to protrude into a traffic route when working near vehicles; 
• Move the equipment with the platform in the raised position unless the equipment is designed to allow this to be done safely (check the manufacturer's instructions). 

Some MEWPs are described as suitable for 'rough terrain'. This usually means that they are safe to use on some uneven or undulating ground - but check their limitations in the manufacturer's handbook before taking them onto unprepared or sloping ground.

Wearing a harness with a fall restraint lanyard attached to the platform can provide extra protection against falls, especially while the platform is in motion.

The selection and use of appropriate personal fall protection equipment used as part of a suitable personal fall protection system. A personal fall protection system is an assembly of individual components. for example, a full body harness and lanyard with or without a shock absorber pack. A variety of equipment is available to prevent a person falling (work restraint) or to save them once they have fallen (fall arrest). 

Fall protection should not be relied upon as the only means of control because if the MEWP is pushed over or falls over being attached to it by a fall protection system is unlikely to prevent you from being injured or killed. For this reason, advice on controlling the risk by ensuring safe site, safe plant and safe operator are an essential part of this guidance.

In the case of scissor lifts fall protection is not normally required, unless a person needs to lean over the guardrail. In this instance, the sections of the guidance that relate to a safe plant, safe site and safe operator is relevant to preventing falls from scissors lifts due to overturning incidents.

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CONVEYORS - TRANSPORT SAFETY

These are sometimes used to transport materials e.g. minerals, metals, slates and tiles from one place to another, for example from the ground level to the roof of the structure.

Hazards

• Nips or traps between moving parts
• Traps between moving and fixed part
• Traps and nips created by the drive mechanism
• Sharp edges of guard rails
• Entanglement
• Electricity
• Noise

Precautions

It is important to ensure the safe use of conveyor belts, and we will discuss the precise type of machine guarding required for each different type of conveyor belt after we have examined the general points to be considered to ensure the safe use of conveyor belts

Provision of arrangements for lubrication whilst allowing guards to remain in position e.g. through suitably positioned small openings for maintenance access which do not permit access to the danger zone. 

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Safety of Site personnel

On sites operating fork lifts, all personnel must be fully instructed in the safe systems of work laid down for their protection, and must observe them at all times. Some of the points which should be covered by safe systems of work are:

Everyone not directly involved in fork lift operations should keep well clear of the machine. The carrying of passengers on fork lifts should be forbidden.

Persons acting as banksmen, or guiding the driver in removing his forks from the pallet, should:

• keep a safe distance from the machine and its load
• Never stand under the elevated load of a fork lift
• Never stand between the load and any exposed floor edge, or between the load and a fixed object
• Wear conspicuous clothing, reflective jackets should be worn during poor visibility 

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Fuel and Fuelling - Transport Safety

FLT can fuelled by, diesel, gas, battery.

Depending upon the fuel type, the hazards and precautions vary, as follows;

Fuel	Hazards	Precautions
Diesel	Dermatitis, carbon monoxide poisoning fire and explosion	Training / barrier creams / gloves selection of FLT suitable for Task
Gas	Gas explosion, manual handling of cylinders	Training / lifting equipment / no smoking / carbon monoxide poisoning
Battery	Electrical explosion during charging, acid burns hydrogen build up, electrocution	Training / PPE / No smoking / charge timers, use of RCD's

Hazards

There are numerous hazards associated with the use of FLT, and they may be minimised by the use of competent staff, sound equipment, and good design of the workplace. Below are the main categories of hazard, and their causes.

Hazard	Causes
Contact with vehicles, fixed plant, racks	poor layout/operation
Collision with people and other vehicles	lack of room, poor operation, poor layout
Overturning of vehicle	operator error
Load falling	broken pallets, poor stacking, unstable loads
Mechanical failure	poor maintenance, exceeding SWL
Operator error	poor training and/or supervision
Refuelling	poor system, poor supervision

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