heath and safety at work, Study notes of Business English

Download heath and safety at work and more Study notes Business English in PDF only on Docsity! 1 health & safety HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE AT WORK This module aims, through the medium of discussion, worksheets, exercises and information. to : 1. create an awareness of the importance of safety in the work environment; 2. help students recognise hazards in working environments; 3. create an opportunity for students to appreciate the importance of safe working practices; 4. know the rights and responsibilities of employees and employers; 5. understand some of the terminology relating to health and safety; 6. understand basic safety legislation and the role of the Health and Safety Authority. 7. elicit questions and stimulate discussions 8. provide an opportunity to develop personal skills 1 4 By Tim O’Brien S I X T Y-SIX people were reported killed at work during 1998, a 40 per cent increase on 1997, according to figures issued by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) y e s t e r d a y. The highest number of deaths, 27, was in the farming sector. There were 22 in the construction industry and six in the fishing industry. Manufacturing accounted for two deaths. Of the 66 people killed, 31 were self- e m p l o y e d . The HSApointed out that the figures for the self-employed indicated that it was d i fficult for the authority to send a message to people about “the duty of care to t h e m s e l v e s ” . The figures were just the tip of the i c e b e rg in terms of the total number of accidents and occasions of ill-health at work, according to the director-general of the HSA, Mr Tom Wa l s h . He described the 27 deaths in the farming industry, including six children, as completely unacceptable. The causes of the farm deaths were the obvious ones, he said, :for example, eight deaths were from transport equipment, five from falling objects, three deaths caused by animals and three from machinery”. Mr Walsh said that the authority would continue its random inspections, which he acknowledged would reach only a limited number of farms. The HSA’s view was that farm bodies such as Teagasc should make a renewed effort to advise farmers on safety. He said that the authority welcomed the recent proposals from the Minister for the Marine, Dr Woods, to improve safety in the fishing sector. Atotal of 17 deaths occurred in the mainstream construction sector, of which eight resulted from falls from heights. Other fatalities involved collapsing walls, burial in trenches and transport accidents. A f u r t h e r five died in construction maintenance work, three from falls and two in accidents involving machinery. According to Mr Walsh, the fact that there were no deaths in the construction in the Dublin area, compared to nine in the previous two years, was “a glimmer of h o p e ” . Next year, he said, the authority would continue to meet representatives of the industries concerned and produce advisory literature for employers and workers. Irish Times 31/12/98 Concern as accidents at work account for 66 deaths in year By Aideen Sheehan There has been a 40pc rise in workplace deaths this year, reversing the downward trend of previous years, the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) revealed yesterday. Sixty-six people died in the workplace this year, 55 of them in the high-risk sectors of farming, fishing and construction. This compared with 48 deaths in 1997 and was the highest level since 1995 and the second highest in the last seven years. The stark figures were only the tip of the iceberg however as many others were injured or became ill through work, said Tom Walsh, Director General of the HSA. The grim tally raised questions about whether employers were losing sight of their legal and moral obligations to keep people safe and healthy at work, he said. “Are employers and workers themselves taking chances in the booming economy? Are deadlines and work targets too tight to allow jobs to be finished safely?” It was “completely unacceptable” that in farming alone 27 people, including six children, had been killed this year, almost double the 15 who died in 1997, said Mr Walsh. The causes of death on farms had been very obvious and unavoidable, with eight deaths from transport equipment such as tractors, five from falling objects and three caused by animals. CONSTRUCTION Seventeen deaths took place in construction in 1998, eight of them involving falls from heights while others were caused by collapsing walls, trenches and transport accidents. T h e fact that no workers died in construction this year, compared with nine the previous two years, showed what could be done when industry shouldered a greater responsibility, Mr Walsh said. The authority would keep a very high level of vigilance in the capital next year because so much of the building boom in concentrated there, but industry chiefs on small scale developments must also wake up to their responsibilities, he said. ENFORCE Six people died in the fishing industry and the authority welcomed measures by the Marine Minister to improve safety in this sector. However, as 31 of those killed were self-employed it was difficult to enforce safety standards, Mr Walsh said. “The self-employed must undertake every job as carefully as if their lives depended on it,” he added. The authority will publish guidelines on health and safety problems posed by the millennium bug early next year. Irish Independent 30/12/98 Death toll in the workplace rises by 40pc 5 Group discussion How many people were reported killed at work in 1989? Who issues figures on accidents and deaths at work? Who is responsible at national level for health and safety. How many accidents occurred in farming? How many accidents occurred in the construction industry? How many people died in the fishing industry? How many self-employed workers were affected? What are the problems faced by the self-employed? Summarise Mr Walsh’s comments. What is your reaction to this information? Can you list the three high-risk sectors for accidents? Assignment. Find out about more recent examples of accidents and injuries in local and national newspapers. For an update on accidents and injuries at work visit the Health and Safety Authority Website at http://www.has.ie/osh Each year approximately 17,000 people are injured at work. Injuries cause pain, suffering and loss to employers and employees. Most accidents can be predicted and can usually be prevented. There are laws to protect your health and safety at work and you must also take care to obey the safety at work regulations. Employers have a responsibility to look after their own and their employers safety by providing a safe place to work in and a safe way to get in and out of a building. The Safety, Health and Welfare at work Act 1989 requires all employers to prepare safety statements in writing for their work placement. A safety statement is a very important document. By writing up a safety statement you can check out possible accidents and put in place ways of preventing them. To write up a safety statement, employer and employees must identify any hazards i.e. anything that could potentially cause harm in the workplace. Hazards can be divided into categories such as physical, chemical, human, biological and transport. Hazards can also be described as high risk, medium risk, or low risk. 6 Safety Statement This Safety Statement is our programme in writing to highlight the importance of health and safety in ____________________________________________ (Name of classroom or department). We want to protect ourselves from accidents and injury while at school. We promise to be safety conscious, act responsibly, follow instructions and accept directions when given. We will check and revise this statement regularly. Examples of Hazards Risk of Injury is We need to do the following to avoid accidents and injuries Ex: faulty socket Ex: Electric shock Ex:Report the fault horseplay bullying litter Signed: _____________________________________________________ Class group: ________________________________________________ Teacher/Tutor signature: ____________________________________ Date: _________ 9 Guidelines for Safe Practice at Work The main duties of employers towards health and safety in the workplace are as follows: • Ensure, as far as it is reasonably practicable, the health safety and welfare at work of all employees • Identify hazards to safety and health and provide a safe and healthy place to work in • Eliminate bullying/harassment in the workplace • Proper guards must be fitted to dangerous machinery • Establish safe work practices • Machines must be serviced regularly and kept in good working order • Provide personal protective equipment where necessary • Machines and chemicals must be used, stored and transported safely • Provide as much advice, information, training and supervision as is possible to ensure health and safety of employees • Employer must provide safe entrances and exits • Employer must provide a written safety statement and bring it to the notice of all employees • Adequate lighting and ventilation and heating at 16°C must be provided • Toilets and washrooms must also be provided • The employer must ensure that the firm’s activities do not place the health and safety of visitors at risk from dust, chemicals, noise, fumes and fire. 10 Guidelines for Safe Practice at work. As an employee: • Treat any training you receive seriously - it is there to protect you! • Do not undertake tasks you have not been properly trained to do. • Take reasonable care to avoid injury to oneself and others • Avoid horseplay or inappropriate use of equipment • Do not use equipment that you have not been trained to use • Follow the regulations that apply in your workplace • Stop and think! • Ask questions! • Report anything that could be potentially dangerous • Co-operate to make your workplace safe • Make proper use of personal protective equipment • Behave in a sensible responsible manner • Do not engage in bullying or harassment at any time • Do not misuse or abuse anything that would make your workplace unsafe for your colleagues • Make proper use of all machinery tools and substances If your work isn’t safe speak immediately to your supervisor, the safety representative or a union representative. If there is no action, call the Health and Safety Authority in confidence. They will provide advice, information and prompt action 11 People Divide your class group into groups of four. The four people are a manager, a safety representative, a union representative and a sales assistant. Of the four people one is asthmatic, another is pregnant, one is a heavy smoker and another is a non-smoker! You may also appoint an extra person as a neutral observer to take notes and report back to the main group. Your brief is to set out a no-smoking policy for the store. You must suggest four proposals that your group would like to put forward. Time The meeting is held at lunch hour so you have approximately 30 minutes to come up with some suggestions. The staff may wish to continue discussions at a number of meetings and this will have to be agreed. Possible discussion points or agenda for the meeting: You must decide: • What type of smoking ban would be fairest to the staff. • Should there be a ban on smoking in all areas or in certain areas? • Should people be allowed to smoke in the canteen or on the seats outside the entrance? • At certain times and restricted to certain areas? • What rules for (a) the shop floor (b) shared offices? • What rules for meetings and in the meeting room? • What rules for (a) corridors (b) lifts (c) toilets (d) washing areas? • What impression might smoking give to customers, especially if the company’s logo is emphasising health and fitness? • How would you offer support for people who want to stop? • Would you hand out information from various organisations such as the Irish Heart Foundation, The Irish Cancer Society the Health Promotion Unit? (Addresses and Websites are at the beginning of this module) 14 • How would you deal with people who broke the rules or ignored the rules? • How would you go about finding out everyone’s view, opinions and suggestions? • What guidelines or signs would you suggest for visitors to the premises? • Should the view of non-smokers take priority? Discussion or Debate In the interests of everyone’s health there should be a total ban on smoking in all workplaces. Do you agree or disagree? 15 Working in a Shop Many young people work part-time in shops and stores. Customer safety is very important, and so too is the safety of people working in the workplace. Here is a list of hazards that workers need to be alert of while working in a shop, store or supermarket or similar workplace. After each hazard: (a) Describe a possible injury or accident that could occur (b) Suggest one way the accident or injury could be prevented. Accident Prevention Wet floors pools of water: Mats on floors: Water: Fruit: Steps/stairs: Containers of oil: Boxes left around: Cigarettes: Cooking facilities left on: Vandalism and robbery: Heavy loads: 16 19 Group work In groups of four, work out some advice and information you would give to someone visiting a farm. Your primary aim is to ensure that the visitor has a pleasant and safe visit to the farm. Write a funny and entertaining story or poem about life on a farm, pointing out as many dangers as possible that the farmer may meet in a day’s work. Working on a Construction Site Did you know that over 100,000 people are employed in construction in Ireland and, as you read this, the figure is rising. Some points to note! • Safety equipment and helmets do prevent injury and death • The first week on site is the most dangerous • Accidents are more frequent at the end of the day • Small building jobs are the most risky • Trainers and runners are not suitable footwear on site Hazards on a Construction Site Read the following handout and in pairs answer the questions 1. Ladders- how could accidents occur? 2. Lifting – what are the dangers? 3. Roofs – what are the dangers? 4. Transport – dumper trucks, cranes etc – what must workers watch for? 5. Scaffolding – what are the dangers? 6. Power tools – what is the greatest risk to workers using them? 7. Excavation work – what are the dangers when digging holes, trenches, foundations etc? 8. Electricity – what could happen and how? 9. Dust, paint, asbestos, welding cements – what are the risks? 20 21 Using your answers from the previous questions try and identify at least twelve (12) common hazards for workers on a construction site. Imagine you have been elected safety officer on site. • What advice would you give to a young person about to start work on the site? • What rules would you put in place to ensure the safety of everyone on site. • What guidelines and instructions would you give to visitors to the site? • What would be your biggest concerns on a day to day basis? • What protective clothing would workers need to wear at all times? • What would you say or do to a worker who consistently refused to wear a hard hat or proper boots? Prepare a safety statement outlining the hazards and the steps needed to ensure safety on the site. Design one poster with a specific warning. Print up one rule which all workers and visitors should observe. Make a simple safety rulebook, which could be given to employees on a construction site. Students may be able to get a copy of a rulebook from a parent working in an organisation and this could be used to get the project started. Students could also make a simple booklet for a retail store a laboratory or any other work area they may have visited on work experience. 24 Protective Equipment. Match a worker with Protective Equipment Worker Type of Protective Equipment needed Welder Boner Workers in a deep-freeze room Fisherman/woman Landscape gardener/farmer Fire–fighter Spray painter Pneumatic drill worker Refrigeration plant worker Saw milling operator Mast erector Surgeon Detective Garda Ground staff at an airport Life boat rescuer Nurse taking blood Cleaner using toxic cleaning materials Scaffolder Excavator and earthworkers Shipbuilder Roofer Miners Civil engineers Furnace worker Finally can you give other examples? Safety Signs Safety signs provide important information in the workplace. They are used to draw your attention quickly to objects and situations capable of causing hazards for you at work. Four colours are used: Red for prohibition and fire equipment (signs are usually disc shaped) Yellow for caution (signs shaped as triangles) Green for positive action (signs are usually rectangles or squares) Blue for mandatory (signs are disc shaped) Note for Teacher/Tutor T h ree colour versions of a number of safety signs are prov i d e d . Te a cher/tutor could: • introduce students to the different signs and guide them through the information provided; • use handouts to help students recognise the signs; • ask students to write correct word provided at the bottom of handout under each sign to reinforce the information; • ask students to look out for warning signs around them on the streets, building sites, school, shops, household goods etc. 25 26 Match the correct sign with the correct warning in words Make a list of places where you would see these signs Teacher/Tutor If you want students to work out signs for themselve s , fold over before copying or display i n g 1. Eye protection must be worn 2. Safety helmet must be worn 4. Ear protection must be worn 5. Respiratory Equipment must be used 7. Safety boots must be worn 8. Safety gloves must be worn 6. Safety overalls must be worn 9. Face protection must be worn 3. General Mandatory Sign BLUE SAFETY SIGNS: MANDATORY 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 29 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 K Match the definition with the correct word The second one is done for you! 1 Hazard A Numbness in arms, tingling or pain in fingers and wrists while working long hours at a keyboard. 2 Exposure B Cancer producing substance. 3 Risk C Wears away or destroys gradually 4 Accident D Irritating or inflammatory to the skin. 5 Ergonomics E An event unexpected that causes injury or damage. 6 Toxic F The technology of fitting the workplace to suit the requirements of the people who work there. 7 Carcinogenic G Causes physical discomfort to the body internally or externally. 8 Corrosive H Responsible for implementing the law and protecting the health of the public. 9 E. H. O. I Anything that could cause harm. 10 Dermatitic J Caused by poison, poisonous 11 Irritant K Leaving a person unprotected. 12 R. S. I. L Expose to the chance of injury, ill-health or other dangers . 30 Quiz on Safety and Health and Welfare at Work The Health and Safety Authority provides information and advice to employers and employees and self-employed on all aspects of workplace health and safety. The Safety, Health and Welfare Act was passed by Government in 1989. Tick true or false to the following statements True False 1 The ideal temperature for working in is 16°C 2 An employer in the workplace must provide adequate eating facilities. 3 An employer in the workplace must provide clean toilets and washing facilities. 4 Cold rooms must open from the inside. 5 In 1998, 66 people were killed in accidents in the workplace. 6 High risk sectors for accidents at work are farming, construction, and fishing 7 The Health Safety and Welfare at Work Act requires all employers to prepare a safety statement in writing for their workplace. 8 The Health and Safety Authority looks after the wages and salaries of workers in the workplace. 9 Mandatory warning signs are round in shape and are blue and white. 10 Emergency signs are green and white and usually rectangular in shape. 11 A hazard is anything,which potentially can cause harm; such as ill-health, injury or damage to property 12 Hydrogen Sulphide (sewer gas) has a smell similar to rotten eggs. 13 Tinnitus is a disease caused by over exposure to tin. 14 A person working in a confined space such as a tank, and deprived of oxygen for more than four minutes is likely to suffer brain damage. 15 It is acceptable to wear soft shoes on a building site. 16 Never transfer chemicals into lemonade or beer bottles.. 17 An accident is an unplanned event, which may result in injury or death. 18 Hygeia is the name of the Greek Goddess of Health. 19 Most accidents in construction involve trips, slips and falls. 20 P.P.E . should be the last line of defence against risks. 31 Crossword Clues Across 1 Another word for cancer causing substances (13) 7 Protects ears from noise (7) 8 Loss of balance caused by something in your way (4) 10 The best place to control noise (6) 13 Where dermatitis occurs (4) 14 Safety boots protect these! (4) 17 Every workplace must have one of these (3) 19 Capable of catching fire easily (9) 21 This safety document is required by law and every employer and employee must have one (8) 23 If in doubt, its the best way to get information (3) 24 An unplanned or unwanted event (8) Clues Down 2 A dangerous substance found in brake pads and ceilings (8) 3 Easy to step on! (4) 4 A type of P.P.E. (7) 5 A widespread and common hazard (5) 6 We need this to recover from noise (7) 9 Chips and hot oil in this - be careful (3) 11 A layer in the stratosphere, protects from radiation (5) 12 The likelihood, great or small, that someone could be harmed (4) 15 Can be a dangerous odourless material (3) 16 Anything that can potentially cause harm (6) 18 A place to dump solid material - a waiter might expect one too! (3) 20 Consult for further information on health and safety (3) 22 Do not wear loose and hanging near machines (3) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 C A N G N S E T P S O R S T G H K T F H S T A A 34 Group Activities 1. Study the fire drill instructions in your school. Make sure you know the exits and exit routes. What colour are the signs for exits and exit routes? 2. Practise making an emergency phone call for an ambulance, the gardai, the fire brigade. Would you know the telephone numbers? What would you do? Draw a diagram of three fire-fighting signs. Don’t forget to use the right colour! 3. Find out the work of the Safety Representative in your school. With their permission, set out a series of questions you would like to ask him/her. 4. Choose three of your teachers and interview them about safety in their departments. What are the main hazards for students and teachers? Case Study 1 Accident on a Construction Site On a building site a young worker was walking across the roof of a multi-storey building which was under construction.The roof was to have a skylight designed to give natural light to the stairwell. It was a concrete roof and an opening had been left where the skylight would later be fitted. Safe working practice in such situations would involve placing timber over this opening, nailing it down and writing HOLE in red paint.This was not done on this occasion. When rain water from the roof began to pour into the stairwell a young worker was asked to spread a layer of plastic across the roof to keep out the rain. Another young worker could see that the roof was covered in plastic and assumed that it was safe. When he stepped on to the opening, he fell to his death. In groups of four discuss the following questions: • Who was responsible for this accident? • How could it have been avoided? • How do you think the worker who spread the plastic felt? 35 Case Study 2 Safety in the Office A large city centre office contains work areas on the ground floor and the first floor. A tearoom and canteen is located on the ground floor. A practice developed where staff working on the first floor would bring tea or coffee upstairs to consume at their desks. On the day of the accident a person unknown spilled tea or coffee on the upper steps of the stairs. A young female staff member slipped on these steps and fell to the bottom of the stairs injuring her back severely. • Who was responsible for this accident? • Could the accident have been avoided? • How? In groups of four imagine you are a group of workers in the company. • Who do you think the person unknown might be? • What questions would you want to ask? • What recommendations would you make for the future? • Why is it that workers are not using the tea room and canteen? • What do you think the employer’s response might be? 36 Health and Safety in the Food and Catering Industry Many young people are employed in the food and catering industry, often on a temporary or part time basis. Hygiene and safety in the food industry is extremely important and irresponsible behaviour can have huge implications such as prosecution, instant dismissal, food poisoning and even death. Personal hygiene is a very important indicator of a young person’s suitability to work in the food and catering industry. Good personal hygiene also prevents dermatitis - a difficult and troublesome skin condition caused by improper handling and use of cleaners and chemicals. John and Sarah are interested in working in the food catering industry. John wants to be a chef and Sarah hopes to set up her own business organising events for companies and other organisations. Both students opted to participate in work experience in a large catering company. Sarah and John had an appointment to meet the Health and Safety Manager on the first morning they were due to start their work experience. She briefed them about: • developing a safety conscious attitude • personal hygiene • proper dress code • food contamination and foreign bodies • bacteria and food poisoning • customer relations. Both John and Sarah had taken particular care of their appearance and personal hygiene before they arrived at their placement. The Health and Safety Manager requested them to read the dress code carefully. John wore a very small stud in his nose and his jeans were clean and neat. He also wore his high quality trainers. He had a small cut on index finger which had almost healed. Sarah wore earrings. She used hair clips to hold back her long hair and she wore several rings on her hands. She had long nails, which she took very special care of and polished them the previous evening. Sarah and John had to make a number of changes to their dress and appearance before starting work experience. Read the dress code on the next page to find out the changes they need to make. 39 DRESS CODE Read a copy of the Dress Code that the Health and Safety Manager gave to Sarah and John and complete the exercises that follow. Uniform The company believes that the appearance of all staff is very important. You will be provided with uniform, safety shoes and a name badge on commencement of employment and it is company policy that all staff wear a uniform. Each employee must sign when they receive their uniform. These uniforms remain the property of the company at all times, and should be returned when you leave the employment of the company. The maintenance of the uniform is your responsibility, and you should ensure that it is kept in good condition and is presentable at all times. Uniforms may not be worn outside of working hours. Should you mislay your uniform, you will be responsible for its replacement. In order to comply with safety and hygiene regulations, the following standards will apply to all staff. Male Dress Code Policy Hair: Well groomed and short. Uniform: The current corporate uniform should be adhered to at all times. Shoes: All members of staff must wear safety shoes. Socks: Black or navy socks - only when wearing dark trousers. Facial: Clean - aftershave is not permitted. Jewellery: Wedding rings only. Nails: Short and clean. Name badges: Must be worn by all staff. Female Dress Code Policy Hair: Well groomed. Hairnets must be worn at all times. Uniform: The current corporate uniform must be worn at all times Shoes: All members of staff must wear safety shoes. Tights: Tights should be neutral / flesh coloured. Socks: Coloured tights are not allowed. Socks black or navy. Make-up: Keep it simple and subtle. Perfume is not permitted. Jewellery: Weddings rings only. Nails: Short and clean. Nail varnish is not permitted. Name badges: Must be worn by all staff. 40 41 Personal Hygiene As you are working in the food and service industry, your appearance and personal hygiene are of vital importance, both from a safety and personal point of view. Personal hygiene is your responsibility. As well as wearing your correct uniform each day, any illnesses, skin diseases, stomach trouble, eye, ear, nose or throat infections must be reported to your manager. Certain illnesses will require a doctor’s certificate stating that you are fit to return to work. All cuts, burns and abrasions must be covered. Food is easily contaminated, so you must wash your hands regularly throughout the day. Smoking is forbidden in food areas and may be prohibited on some sites. Work for you to do! • Read the Dress Code carefully. What, in your opinion, are the most important points made in the Code? • Make a list of the changes to their dress and appearance that John and Sarah must make before working in the company. • Proper food handling is a priority with the company. Can you explain why this is so? Did you know that food poisoning is a killer? Many of the people killed by food poisoning are elderly and young people can suffer for up to 72 hours with sickness before recovering. Can you explain why it is very important for hospitals, nursing homes, créches and restaurants to have high standards of food hygiene and safety? 44 Study the following chart. What level of decibels (approximately) were Sandra and Liam exposed to? Source Intensity in decibels Army rifle.(undefended ears) 160 decibels Passenger jet plane at 30 metres. 150 decibels Disco close to loudspeaker 120 decibels Pneumatic drill (unprotected ears) 115decibels Very noisy factory 100 decibels. Symphony orchestra (peak) 100 decibels Motorcycle at 8 metres 90 decibels Hi-fi stereo equipment 80 decibels Loud conversation 70 decibels Light traffic at 30 metres 50 decibels Did you know? • If you work where noise is measured at more than 85 decibels you are advised to wear ear protection. • Noise measured at over 90 decibels can seriously damage your hearing. • If your colleague in the work place has to shout loudly for you to hear him or her then it is likely that your hearing will be damaged. • Forty of every hundred workers who have worked all their lives at high noise levels (90 decibels) will at the age of 65 years find it difficult to hear other people talking. Some will even be deaf! • Prolonged exposure over 90 decibels can lead to permanent tinnitus and deafness. It is recommended that 85 decibels and lower are safe but prolonged exposure at lower levels may also be harmful. 45 Make a list of workers who are susceptible to noise-induced deafness – That is where the delicate hair cells in the inner ear (the cochlea) are permanently or temporarily damaged by constant loud vibrations. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Read the story about Sandra and Liam again and in groups of 3 or 4 discuss and answer the questions that follow. What levels of noise were Sandra and Liam exposed to? Explain how Sandra was exposed to more noise than Liam. Were they above the legal limit for work when they played their gigs? Sandra’s deafness is incurable and could have been prevented. What should she have done? How could Liam have protected his hearing? How did their damaged hearing affect their personal lives and their futures? Perhaps you know of people in a similar situation right now. What would you say to them? Do you protect your hearing? If your hearing is impaired how might it affect your future? 46 Find out more about The cochlea Decibels. Did you know that all workers who are exposed to 85 decibels or more are entitled to have a hearing test at their employer’s expense.This test must include a special test of hearing called ‘Audiometry’.This test must be carried out in suitable quiet conditions with specified equipment, by a person properly trained to do the test. Student project. Is there a Safety Representative in your school? • Make a list of questions that you as a group would like to ask the Safety Representative. • Elect two people in your group to interview him or her. • Give the questions to the Safety Representative and make an appointment to meet him or her at a suitable time. • Report back to your group what you learned. Student project Do you have a part time job? Do you know who the Safety Representative is at your workplace? • Compile a list of questions that you would like to ask and at a convenient time. • Interview the Safety Representative in your place of work and report back to your group what you learned. The Effects of Accidents Using the information on the previous page fill in the following. Make a list of ways accidents affect the person 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Make a list of ways accidents affect an organisation. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Make a list of ways accidents affect the person directly responsible. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 49 50 Make a list of ways accidents affect a team or group of workers. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Make a list of the costs of accidents to the taxpayer and the country. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. On day one, when you start your work experience, you should find out: • The way out of the building • Who is responsible for first aid? • How can you get to them? • Where is the nearest fire alarm point? • Where is your fire assembly point or assembly point? • What the fire alarm sounds like • The meanings of all safety notices in your work area • Who is the Safety Representative for your department • Draw a diagram of an emergency exit/escape route. What colour should it be? • Draw a diagram of a First Aid post. What colour should it be? If you are unsure or need more information contact: Health and Safety Authority at http://www.hsa.ie/osh Tel: 01 614 7010 51