Industrial Safety

Industrial safety encompasses various types, including chemical, fire, electrical,

ergonomic, biological, and environmental hazards, all aimed at protecting employees
and assets by minimizing risks and accidents.
Here's a more detailed breakdown of common types of industrial safety:

1. Chemical Safety:
 Importance: Chemicals are used in many industries, and improper handling or storage
can lead to serious accidents and health issues.
 Focus Areas:
o Safe handling, labeling, and storage of chemicals.
o Proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) when working with chemicals.
o Emergency response procedures for chemical spills or leaks.
 Example: Manufacturing, healthcare, and agriculture.

2. Fire Safety:
 Importance: Fires can cause significant damage, injuries, and even fatalities.
 Focus Areas:
o Fire prevention measures (e.g., proper storage of flammable materials, regular
inspections of electrical systems).
o Fire detection and suppression systems.
o Emergency evacuation procedures.
 Example: Manufacturing plants, warehouses, and buildings.

3. Electrical Safety:
 Importance: Electrical hazards can cause severe burns, electrocution, and fires.
 Focus Areas:
o Safe practices for working with electrical equipment.
o Regular maintenance and inspection of electrical systems.
o Proper use of PPE (e.g., insulated gloves, safety glasses).
 Example: Construction sites, manufacturing plants, and power plants.

4. Ergonomic Safety:
 Importance: Ergonomics focuses on designing workplaces and tasks to minimize
physical strain and injury.
 Focus Areas:
o Proper workstation design.
o Safe lifting and handling techniques.
o Training on ergonomic principles.
 Example: Manufacturing plants, offices, and warehouses.

5. Biological Safety:
 Importance: This is crucial in industries that work with biological materials, such as
healthcare and research, to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
 Focus Areas:
o Proper handling of infectious materials.
o Use of PPE (e.g., gloves, masks, gowns).
o Disposal of biohazardous waste.
 Example: Hospitals, laboratories, and research facilities.

6. Environmental Safety:
 Importance: Protecting the environment is crucial for long-term sustainability and public
health.
 Focus Areas:
o Waste management and disposal.
o Pollution prevention and control.
o Safe handling of hazardous materials.
 Example: Manufacturing plants, construction sites, and mining operations.

7. Other Important Safety Considerations:

 Slips, Trips, and Falls: These are common workplace hazards, especially in
manufacturing and warehousing.
 Falls from Heights: A serious hazard in construction and other industries.
 Forklift Accidents: Improper operation and maintenance of forklifts can lead to
accidents.
 Emergency Depressurization: A safety system used in high-pressure systems to
release gas during emergencies.
 Physical Hazards: These include noise, vibration, and radiation exposure.
 Proper PPE Usage: Ensuring employees wear and use PPE correctly is crucial for
safety.
 FIRE SAFETY:
The Fire Triangle

This is The Fire Triangle. Actually, it’s a tetrahedron, because there are four elements
that must be present for a fire to exist:

 Oxygen to sustain combustion

 Heat to raise the material to its ignition temperature
 Fuel to support the combustion
 Chemical reaction between the other three elements

Remove any one of the four elements to extinguish the fire.

The concept of Fire Protection is based upon keeping these four elements separate.

Types of Fires:
Not all fires are the same. Per NFPA 10, burning may be classified into one or more of
the following fire classes and your fire protection specialist will select the right fire
extinguisher size and agent for the hazard.

What Are the 3 Methods for Extinguishing a Fire

According to OSHA, there are more than 200 workplace fires every day, with over 5,000
individuals injured each year. There is a small number of incidents that are deadly
despite the fact that the majority are quickly stopped. Making sure that staff and
employees are aware of practical fire safety precautions is essential.
There are several ways to put out a fire. Previously, we discussed the components of
the fire triangle —heat, fuel, and oxygen. To start a fire, these three things are required.
These are also vital to comprehending extinguishing techniques.

Cooling
Cooling with water is one of the most typical ways of putting out a fire. The fuel is cooled
until it produces insufficient vapor to ignite. The drop in temperature is achieved by
applying enough water to create a negative heat balance.

Burning will stop if the rate at which heat is produced by combustion is lower than the
rate at which heat is lost from the burning substance. The fire may eventually go out if
the pace at which heat is lost from it exceeds the rate at which heat is produced.

Due to its high thermal capacity, water is an effective cooling agent. This makes it the
fire extinguishing chemical that is by far the most extensively used, and it is readily
available in enormous amounts.

Starving
In certain instances, putting out a fire only requires removing the fuel source. There are
several ways to do this, including stopping the flow of liquid, removing solid fuel from the
fire’s path, or letting the fire burn until all the fuel is gone.

Take away possible fuel sources from the area around the fire such as:

 Back-burning forest fires

 Fuel removal from burning oil tanks
 Cargo removal from a ship’s hold
 Removing cars from the area around the fire

Smothering
Fires will stop if the oxygen supply to the substance is cut off. The basic strategy is to
keep new air away from the fire’s source by:

 Extinguishing candles
 Using a fire blanket to smother a pan
 Encircling someone in a fire blanket
 Covering the burning area in foam

Smothering can also be accomplished by depriving the fire of oxygen.

Class A Fires
Fires in ordinary combustibles, such as wood, paper, cloth, rubber and many plastics.

Class B Fires
Fires in flammable liquids—such as gasoline, petroleum greases, tars, oils, oil-based
paints, solvents and alcohols—or flammable gases, propane and butane.
DOES NOT include fires involving cooking oils and grease.

Class C Fires
Fires involving energized electrical equipment, such as computers, servers, motors,
transformers and appliances. Remove the power and a Class C fire becomes one of the
other classes of fire.
Class D Fires
Fires in combustible metals, such as magnesium, titanium, zirconium, sodium, lithium
and potassium.

Class K Fires
Fires in cooking oils and greases, such as animal and vegetable fats.

Some types of fire extinguishing agents can be used on more than one class of fire.
Others have warnings where it would be dangerous for the operator to use on a
particular fire extinguishing agent.

Types of Fire Extinguishers

Cartridge Operated Dry Chemical Fire Extinguishers

Cartridge operated dry chemical fire extinguishers extinguish the fire primarily by
interrupting the chemical reaction of the fire triangle.

Like the stored pressure dry chemical extinguishers, the multipurpose dry chemical is
effective on Class A, B and C fires. This agent also works by creating a barrier between
the oxygen element and the fuel element on Class A fires.

Ordinary dry chemical is for Class B and C fires only. It is important to use the
correct extinguisher for the type of fuel! Using the incorrect agent can allow the fire to
reignite after apparently being extinguished successfully.
Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers
Dry powder extinguishers are similar to dry chemical extinguishers except that they
extinguish the fire by separating the fuel from the oxygen element or by removing
the heat element of the fire triangle.

Dry powder extinguishers are for Class D or combustible metal fires ONLY. They
are ineffective on all other classes of fires.

Water and Foam Fire Extinguishers

Water and foam fire extinguishers extinguish the fire by taking away the heat element of
the fire triangle. Foam agents also separate the oxygen element from the other
elements.

Water extinguishers are for Class A fires only; they should not be used on Class
B or C fires. The discharge stream could spread the flammable liquid in a Class B fire
or could create a shock hazard on a Class C fire.

Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishers

Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers extinguish fire by taking away the oxygen element of
the fire triangle, and by removing the heat with a very cold discharge.

Carbon dioxide extinguishers can be used on Class B and C fires. They are usually
ineffective on Class A fires.

Clean Agent Fire Extinguishers

Halogenated or clean agent extinguishers include the halon agents as well as the newer
and less ozone depleting halocarbon agents. They extinguish the fire by interrupting
the chemical reaction and/or removing heat from the fire triangle.

Clean agent extinguishers are effective on Class A, B and C fires. Smaller sized
handheld extinguishers are not large enough to obtain a 1A rating and may carry only a
Class B and C rating.

Dry Chemical Fire Extinguishers

Dry chemical fire extinguishers extinguish the fire primarily by interrupting the chemical
reaction of the fire triangle.

The most widely used type of fire extinguisher is the multipurpose dry chemical that is
effective on Class A, B, and C fires. This agent also works by creating a barrier between
the oxygen element and the fuel element on Class A fires.
Ordinary dry chemical is for Class B and C fires only. It is important to use the
correct extinguisher for the type of fuel! Using the incorrect agent can allow the fire to
re-ignite after apparently being extinguished successfully.

Wet Chemical Fire Extinguishers

Wet chemical is an agent that extinguishes the fire by removing the heat of the fire
triangle and prevents reignition by creating a barrier between the oxygen and fuel
elements.

Wet chemical or Class K extinguishers were developed for modern, high

efficiency deep fat fryers in commercial cooking operations. Some may also be
used on Class A fires in commercial kitchens.

Water Mist Fire Extinguishers

Water mist extinguishers put out fires by taking away the heat element of the fire
triangle. They are an alternative to the clean agent extinguishers where contamination is
a concern.

Water mist extinguishers are primarily for Class A fires, although they are safe for use
on Class C fires as well.

Hot Work Permit

A Hot Work Permit is required for any work involving cutting, welding, grinding, open
flames, or producing heat/sparks outside of permanently designated hot work
areas. It must specify the location, nature of work, hazards, PPE, and include
authorization signatures.

Height Work Permit

A height work permit is required for work that is performed at a height of more than 2
meters, or if there is a high risk of falling.

Behavior Based Safety

Behavior-based safety is a process that focuses on identifying and changing unsafe
behaviors in the workplace. It is based on the idea that most accidents and injuries are
caused by unsafe behaviors, and that these behaviors can be changed through
observation, feedback, and reinforcement.
There are several ways in which behavior-based safety can improve quality and be cost
effective:

1. Reduced accidents and injuries: By identifying and changing unsafe behaviors,

behavior-based safety can help reduce the number of accidents and injuries in
the workplace. This can lead to lower workers' compensation costs, reduced
absenteeism, and increased productivity.
2. Improved safety culture: A strong safety culture can lead to higher levels of
employee engagement and morale, which can in turn lead to improved quality
and performance.
3. Increased efficiency: When workers feel safe and secure in their work
environment, they are more likely to be efficient and productive. This can lead to
cost savings for the organization.
4. Enhanced reputation: A strong safety record can enhance an organization's
reputation and make it more attractive to customers and employees.

Overall, behavior-based safety can be a cost-effective way to improve quality and safety
in the workplace.

First Aid
First aid is emergency care given to an injured or sick person before medical help is
available. It can be a one-time treatment that involves cleaning wounds, applying
bandages, or providing CPR.
First aid basics
DRSABCD
An action plan for first aid that involves checking for danger, responding, sending for
help, and assessing the airway and breathing
CPR
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a first aid technique that involves artificial ventilation
to help an unconscious person breathe
Golden rules

Assess the situation and victim, call for help, control bleeding, treat for shock, and be
mindful of head and spinal injuries
First aid supplies
1.Latex-free gloves
2.Sterile alcohol pads
3.Antibiotic ointment
4.Sting relief
5.Adhesive bandages and gauze
6.Q-tips
7.Tweezers

First aid limitations

First aid has limitations and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical
treatment.
Other first aid skills
1.Heimlich maneuver
2.Setting a splint
3.Treating a burn
4.Spotting a concussion
5.Supporting a sprain
6.Sutures and stitches

Accident Pyramid or Triangle