The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
HAZARDOUS AND
HARMFUL FACTORS IN
WOOD INDUSTRY
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Main hazardous and harmful factors in Wood
Industry:
•Woodworking Machines;
•Wood Dust;
•Fire and Explosion;
•Noise;
• Vibrations;
• Manual Handling;
• Hazardous Chemical
Substances;
• Slips and Trips
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
1. Woodworking Machines
What is woodworking machinery?
spindle moulders; circular, crosscut and rip saws; radial arm saws;
band saws; jointers; planers; shapers; lathes; sanding machines;
boring and mortising machines; routers; tenoning machines, etc.
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
What are the risks?
•Sharp unguarded parts;
•Rotating unguarded parts turning at high revolutions;
•The force exerted on a piece of wood by a rotating part causing
the machinist to be injured or knocked off balance;
•Unguarded moving parts, or moving without warning, or moving
unpredictably;
•Hand feeding without using a jig or push stick
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
What are the dangerous parts?
•nip points;
•rotating blades;
•rotating wheels;
•moving parts;
•movable (reciprocating) blades;
•pressing parts
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Which jobs are affected?
Regardless of which job or machine, those carrying out the work
must have the skills, knowledge, training and experience, to allow
them to work safely in accordance with the manufacturer’s
instructions and they must be provided with machines that are
properly maintained.
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
How should hazardous machines be guarded?
•Stationary guards;
•Moving, non-interlocking guards;
•Interlocking guards
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Stationary guards may be:
•fixed guards;
•distance guards;
•fence guards;
• adjustable guards;
• riving knives
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Moving, non-interlocking guards may be:
•automated guards moved automatically by the machine;
•self-adjusting, moveable guards which adjust to accommodate the
material. These guards are opened at the beginning of the
operation by the passage of the material and return to the safe
position when the last of the material passes through the guard.
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Interlocking guards may be:
•moving interlocking guards that contain movable parts and whose
movement is interconnected with the power or control system of
the machine;
•interlocking distance guards that do not completely enclose a
hazard, but prevent access by their distance from the hazard
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Guard construction
Guards can be made from durable material suitable for the purpose
and may be: solid sheet metal, metal rod, perforated or mesh
material, acrylic or polycarbonate, stainless steel, rubber or timber
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Other forms of safety devices
•Trip devices;
•Electro-sensitive safety systems;
•Pressure sensitive systems
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Basic Safety Rules for People Operating
Woodworking Machines
•Only authorised people who have been properly trained and
assessed as competent, should operate or work at woodworking
machines;
•Safe operating procedures must be provided and used in respect of
each machine;
•Appropriate hearing protection, eye shields and dust masks should
be worn when required;
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
•Machines must be switched OFF when not in use and ISOLATED
before any repair, cleaning or maintenance is done;
•The machinist’s attention must not be distracted while work is in
progress;
•Don’t operate machinery if fatigued or otherwise unfit for the task
at hand;
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
•If mechanical feeding is not available, use push sticks or avoid the
need for hands to be near cutters or saw blades;
•Wear clothing that will not catch in cutters or other moving parts;
•Don’t have long hair free or wear jewellery that might get
entangled in the machinery.
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
2. Wood Dust
Wood dust consists of tiny particles of wood produced during the
processing and handling of wood, particleboards, fibreboards and
other composite boards.
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Activities likely to produce high dust levels include:
•machining operations;
•sanding;
•using compressed airlines;
•hand assembly of machined/sanded components;
•any operations involving composite boards;
•the bagging of dust from dust extraction systems;
•factory cleaning
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
What are the hazards?
Health hazards include:
•skin disorders;
•obstruction in the nose and rhinitis;
•asthma;
•a rare type of nasal cancer
Maximum exposure limit (MEL) - 5 mg/m3 (8-hour time-weighted
average).
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Fire/explosion hazard - wood dust fires and explosions;
Safety hazard - wood dust on the floor can cause tripping or
slipping. Vision can be impaired by airborne chips and dust
generated during machining and sanding operations
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Basic Safety Rules
•Make sure the personal protective equipment is suitable and kept
in good order;
•Launder overalls and aprons regularly;
•Provide good washing facilities with hot and cold water, soap and
towels and encourage a high standard of personal hygiene;
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
•Provide vacuum cleaning equipment to remove dust from
clothing;
•Make sure workers are adequately informed, instructed, trained
and supervised;
•Check that the design and installation of dust control equipment
incorporates explosion precautions;
•Keep floors free and clear from wood chips and dust. Pay
particular attention to areas around machines and on or near
heating units;
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
•Clean inside walls, ceilings, ledges and other surfaces of
workrooms regularly to prevent dust accumulating;
•Do not use compressed airlines or hand brushing as these will
create dust clouds and redistribute the dust.
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
3. Fire and Explosion
Woodworking facilities are prone to fires and explosions for the
following reasons:
•Large quantities of fuel in the form of wood and wood products,
sawdust, and flammable materials such as paints, oil finishes,
adhesives, solvents, etc.;
•Ignition sources, such as potentially faulty electrical wiring,
cutting and welding operations, sparking tools. There is also the
potential for static electrical discharges.
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Basic Safety Rules
•Ensure the proper use and storage of flammable materials, such as
paints, finishes, adhesives, and solvents;
•Segregate tasks particularly prone to fire and explosion hazards,
such as spray painting and welding;
•Train employees to recognize, avoid, and correct potentially
hazardous conditions and behaviors;
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
•Train employees so that they are acquainted with the special
equipment and aspects of building design related to dealing with
fires and explosions;
•Control ignition sources;
•Never permit blow-down of accumulated dust with compressed
air;
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
•Provide local exhaust ventilation on all woodworking machines.
Dust collection systems must be located outside the building;
•Segregate combustible and flammable materials such as timber
stock and chemical solvents from each other and from ignition
sources;
•Ensure that you use equipment with a hazard classification
appropriately rated for your work environment.
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
What Other Fire Protection Measures Should Be
Taken?
•Fire-resistant construction and/or fire-resistant materials;
•Multiple emergency exits that are well marked and easily
accessible;
•Emergency alarms and communications systems to promote rapid
evacuation and fire-fighting response;
•Automatic sprinkler systems designed for a worst-case fire
scenario;
•Readily accessible, portable fire extinguishers
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
4. Noise
What are the hazards?
•temporary hearing loss
•permanent hearing loss
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Typical noise levels at woodworking machines
Machine
Typical noise data for machines with no
noise reduction measures /dB/
Beam panel saws and sanding machines
97
Boring machines
98
Band re-saws, panel planers and
vertical spindle moulders
100
Portable woodworking tools
101
Table saws and multiple ripsaws
102
Thicknessers
104
Edge banders
105
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Action values
•lower action values: daily exposure of 80 dB, and peak sound
pressure of 135 dB;
•upper action values: daily exposure of 85 dB, and peak sound
pressure of 137 dB.
Noise exposure limits
•daily personal noise exposure of 87 dB
•peak sound pressure of 140 dB
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Controlling noise
•using the best systems of work;
•using the most appropriate machine for the task;
•engineering noise control at source;
•effective maintenance of equipment;
•limiting how long people are exposed to noise
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Personal hearing protection
If an employee’s personal noise exposure reaches or exceeds the
upper action values then hearing protection is compulsory. The
employer must provide it and employees must use it.
Hearing protectors should be selected to:
•protect against the noise levels in the workplace;
•be comfortable;
•be suitable for wearing with other personal protective equipment.
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Basic Safety Rules
Make employees aware of the need to wear hearing protection
whenever they are exposed to noise. Not wearing hearing
protection for even a short period of time in a noisy environment
will significantly reduce the protection they receive over the
working day.
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
5. Vibrations
A significant physical hazard in the workplace. It is a disease that
develops and spreads slowly through the muscles and circulatory
system of the fingers, hands and forearms.
Hazards:
•"white fingers“;
•hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS)
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
The vibration 'dose' received by a worker over a day
depends on:
•vibration frequency (the worst range is from 5 to 20 Hertz);
•exposure duration;
•the grip and push force required to guide the tool or work piece.
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Basic Safety Rules
•Maintain machines in proper working order. Unbalanced rotating
parts or unsharpened cutting tools can give off excessive vibration;
•Arrange work tasks so that vibrating and nonvibrating tools can be
used alternately;
•Restrict the number of hours a worker uses a vibrating tool during
the workday. Allow employees to take 10 to 15 minute breaks from
the source of the vibration every hour;
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
•Train workers about the hazards of working with vibrating tools.
Instruction should include: the sources of vibration exposure, early
signs and symptoms of hand-arm vibration syndrome, and work
practices for minimizing vibration exposure;
•Instruct workers to keep their hands warm and dry, and to not grip
a vibrating tool too tightly. Workers should allow the tool or
machine to do the work.
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
6. Manual Handling
What is manual handling?
Manual handling is any transporting or supporting of a load by one
or more workers. It includes the following activities: lifting,
holding, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving of a
load. Manual handling is also sometimes called manual material
handling.
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
What are the problems?
In woodworking, manual handling causes approximately 30% of
the work-related injuries reported each year.
What are the causes?
•poor workplace or job design;
•heavy or awkward loads;
•difficulty in gripping;
•excessive use of force;
•repetition;
•twisting and other awkward postures
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
What are the possible negative health effects of
manual handling?
•Cuts, bruises, fractures etc., due to sudden, unexpected events
such as accidents;
•Damage to the musculoskeletal system of the body (muscles,
tendons, bones, joints, blood vessels and nerves) as a consequence
of gradual and cumulative wear and tear through repetitive manual
handling.
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
What is the cost?
Costs to the company can come from: loss of production; poor
product quality; sickness payments; accident injury claims and
higher insurance premiums; high staff turnover and retraining;
Costs to the individual are: pain; possible permanent disability; time
off work; and loss of earnings
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Prevention measures
•Elimination – can manual handling be avoided or restricted?;
•Technical measures - automation, mechanisation and the use of
lifting and transport equipment;
•Organisational measures;
•Information and training
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Basic Safety Rules
Lifting
•Put your feet around the load and your body over it (if this is not
feasible, try to keep your body as close possible to the load and in
front of it);
•Use the muscles of your legs when lifting;
•Keep your back straight;
•Pull the load as close as possible to your body;
•Lift and carry the load with straight arms.
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Pushing and pulling
•Pushing and pulling should be done using the body’s own weight:
when pushing you should lean forward, when pulling you should
lean backward;
•You should have enough grip on the floor in order to lean
forward/backward;
•Avoid twisting, turning and bending the back;
•Handle height should be between the shoulder and waist so that
you can push/pull in a good, neutral posture;
•Handling devices should be well-maintained so that the wheels
run smoothly.
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
7. Hazardous Chemical Substances
What are the health risks?
The main health risks are occupational asthma and dermatitis.
Some of the substances used can have very serious effects on the
liver, kidneys and the central nervous system.
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
What substances used in woodworking can cause
disease?
•wood dust from hardwood, softwood and wood composites, such
as particleboard and medium density fibreboard (MDF);
•resins used in the manufacture of compressed products and
particleboards;
•coatings, such as paints, varnishes, stains and preservatives;
•adhesives, such as those used in lamination or furniture assembly;
•stripping agents;
•solvents
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Basic Safety Rules
•Select the most suitable protective device for each work task or
exposure. Refer to the producer’s guidance for appropriate choice;
•Respirators should only be used by one worker and not be shared;
•In regular use, the device should be kept in good condition,
cleaned after use, filters changed as appropriate and the device
checked for technical or other damage;
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
•Make sure equipment for personal use, such as gloves, is carefully
selected, worn, maintained and replaced;
•Lay down written procedures for regular cleaning, disinfecting,
storing, inspection, repairing, discarding and maintaining
respirators.
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
8. Slips and Trips
•the single most common cause of injuries at work;
•occur in almost all kinds of workplace;
•There is an increased risk of injury from slips and trips whilst
carrying out manual handling activities
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Measures to control slips and trips:
•Preventing floor contamination;
•Managing spillages and cleaning regimes;
•Effective matting systems;
•Choice of suitable footwear;
•Design of the workplace and work activities;
•Maintenance of plant and the work environment;
•Specification of appropriate flooring;
•Effective training and supervision
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
Basic Safety Rules
•Every floor and the surface of every traffic route should be
constructed so as to be suitable for the specific use;
•The floor should have no holes; slopes or be uneven or slippery so
as to give rise to risks;
•Floors should be provided, where necessary, with effective
drainage;
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
•Floors and traffic routes should be kept free from obstructions and
from any article or substance that may cause a person to slip, trip
or fall;
•Employees should be trained so that they are acquainted with the
appropriate footwear for the specific workplace conditions;
•Provide all necessary signs and signboards, e.g. “no running”,
“slippery floor”, etc.
The Language of Safety and Health Signs and Signals in Wood Industry
No. 134575 – LLP – 2007 – 1 – BG – Leonardo – LMP
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!