Accident Prevention e-News
April 2009
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Volume 4/Issue 4/Apr 2009
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In this Issue:
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Government funding for OHS/productivity improvements
 Small to mid-sized Ontario firms may be eligible for up to $50,000 in matching funding to boost productivity through OHS and other improvements. The funding is available from the Government of Ontario through Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME)’s SMART Program. Application deadline: June 1, 2009.
The intent is to help Ontario companies with 10 to 500 employees improve their productivity and compete more effectively in the global economy.
CME is inviting firms to submit proposals for productivity-improving projects involving lean design and lean manufacturing, quality improvement, energy efficiency, IT best practices, environmental impact reduction, and/or health and safety. CME will support the best projects proposed to it, with matching funding up to $50,000.
What type of health and safety projects would be considered? “Depends on the needs of the workplace,” says IAPA consultant Stephen Oakley. “Projects that come to mind include improving ventilation or noise controls, modifying machine guards, changing work design based on risk assessments, or implementing of an OHS management system such as CSA Z1000.
At minimum, the primary focus of the project must be on improving operational efficiency. Ideally, the project will also transform the way the firm does business and make it substantially more competitive.
“The SMART Program lines up directly with IAPA’s business philosophy,” says Oakley. “IAPA considers health and safety a core business value. Just a few of the benefits of a safe and healthy workplace are greater productivity and reliability, enhanced or more consistent quality, and better organizational processes.”
Selection criteria
CME is looking for projects that will be completed on time and under budget, that will reach their stated performance goals, and that will make more of a difference to the firm than just incremental performance improvements. Here are a few factors that will be assessed when considering proposals:
- feasibility, clarity and specificity of the project plan, and evidence the firm has assembled the right resources to complete the project successfully
- competence and capabilities of the project management team, its commitment to the project and to the larger objectives of continuous improvement, and any examples of successful improvement projects previously undertaken at the firm
- impact of the proposed project on the firm as a whole, and the scale and reasonableness of the benefits expected from the project
- the project’s economic and environmental benefits to Ontario, including interactions with other segments of the Ontario economy (e.g., by strengthening economic clusters across the province)
Oakley notes that training is not eligible for funding under the SMART Program. However, training funding is available through a parallel program offered by the Yves Landry Foundation: www.yveslandryfoundation.com. Training projects can be funded at the same time as the improvement projects, and a similar formula applies (50% of project costs or $50,000, whichever is less).
Get help—and funding—for identifying opportunities
Looking for project ideas? Funding may also be available for an on-site assessment that could help identify possible improvement projects. CME has pre-approved a limited number of expert service providers to help potential project applicants review their operations and find opportunities for improvement.
IAPA is a pre-approved service provider, and can work with you to assess opportunities.
This funding is limited to a maximum 250 assessments, valued at up to $7,000 each. The SMART program will pay up to $6,000 towards the assessment, while the applicant is responsible for 15%, or up to $1,000 of the total. Deadline for assessment funding applications: June 1, 2009.
Examples of possible IAPA assessments include
- industrial hygiene surveys
- ergonomic assessments
- machine guarding assessments
- risk assessments
- OHS management system gap analysis projects
An assessment is not a required prerequisite to apply for project funding, but could help applicants determine the scope of a funding application.
Learn more about the program
- Attend a half-day SMART Manufacturing Session. Visit the CME website for details: www.cme-smart.ca
- Visit IAPA’s website to find out more about our consulting expertise
Learn more about IAPA consulting services
IAPA consultants work together with clients to identify and assess health and safety needs based on the client’s readiness and capacity. As part of their work, consultants assist with the development of a basic health and safety program, provide health and safety information and training, and identify and facilitate practical solutions.
Choosing the right photoelectric machine guard
 Changing the operating parameters for a light curtain cost a machine press operator two fingers. The worker had set up the light curtain to “mute out” at 60 cm so that he could “hold parts close to the die.”
To prevent similar incidents, the employer replaced the light curtain with another that offered floating beams, and implemented a procedure allowing only supervisors to set non-standard die gap distances. But choosing the most appropriate photoelectric guard in the first place could have prevented the incident.
Photoelectric (optical) presence-sensing devices use a system of light sources and controls that can interrupt a machine's operating cycle. If the light field is broken, the machine stops and will not cycle. These devices are intended only for machines that can be stopped before the worker can reach the danger area.
Their goals, writes author Israel Alguindigue in an article for Stamping Journal, are to prevent access to a hazard, eliminate the hazard before access is attained, and prevent the unintended operation of a machine. What follows is an adaptation of Alguindigue’s article.
Safety devices protect operators and others from such residual hazards as crushing, shearing, cutting, snatching, clamping, trapping, perforating, puncturing, and shock.
Optoelectronic sensors help reduce access time and eliminate the waiting associated with opening doors or hard guards. In general, they are simple to operate, and help minimize or eliminate repetitive motions. Safety light curtains and scanners can help protect all individuals in and near the hazardous area, not just the operator.
First, a description of light curtains and scanners, including optoelectronics.
Safety light curtains
A safety light curtain consists of at least two units: sender and receiver. The sender unit emits infrared light beams toward the receiver unit. When the beams reach and are registered by the receiver, the light curtain is operational and allows the motion of the machine or robot to occur. Interruption of any beam in the safety light curtain generates a safety stop signal to the machine control circuit, which in turn should stop any hazardous motion or prevent the machine from initiating a start sequence.
Safety light curtains are designed with various functions to fit different applications, including solid-state outputs, fixed blanking, floating blanking, external device monitoring, coded beams, PC-based configuration, self-documentation, and advanced diagnostics.
In some instances, a third box may be required to house a controller unit or provide basic or advanced functions, solid-state interfacing for multiple-curtain applications, or relay functionality.
Regardless of the features or functions, safety light curtains are applied to safeguard hazardous applications that can be stopped electrically, quickly, and in any stage of the machine cycle.
Safety laser scanners
A laser scanner is an optical sensor designed for 2-D scanning of detection areas with infrared laser beams.
Laser scanners emit very short light pulses, while an electronic timer captures the time it takes for the light pulses to travel. When the light encounters an object, the light is reflected and received by the safety laser scanner. The scanner determines distances from the object during the time elapsed from emission to reception.
The scanner can be configured to safeguard areas of any shape, as well as multiple zones. It also can be reconfigured to handle different materials, and can be mounted horizontally, vertically, or at an angle and out of the way of the machine, helping to minimize the risk of damage and intrusion.
Vision systems
New systems for press brake safeguarding use vision-based optoelectronic technology. For instance, camera sensors can help ensure safety while optimizing a metal folding process by providing multiple safeguarding modes that can be changed automatically as the machine bends a complex part. These systems can also maximize throughput without compromising operator safety, and prolong machine life uptime by minimizing machine stops.
On a press brake, the vision system is mounted on the machine and travels with the ram. It monitors the hazardous area with a camera image and constantly evaluates the safety fields.
Built-in self-diagnostic tools can simplify installation and maintenance of a camera-based press brake safety system. In essence, the system reports any need for adjustment, minimizing troubleshooting time and maximizing machine uptime. Aligning the device takes less than five minutes, for example, because the camera system is able to tell the installer which direction to move the camera.
Choosing the right sensor
Several criteria need to be considered in selecting optoelectronic safeguarding equipment. National consensus standards help companies that manufacture, integrate, or use machines define the tasks and hazards associated with their machines. The standards also help users estimate risk, determine a corresponding risk reduction strategy, and understand the safeguarding and safety circuit performance requirements for their application.
The fundamental question in implementing safety with optoelectronic sensors is which device to use for which machine. The following are guidelines for selecting the appropriate sensor for the machine and application at hand.
- Identify and quantify machine risk. Consider the following points:
- the dimensions of the safety zone that requires safeguarding
- the different points of access and any other hazards related to the machine and its use
- the risk of machine initiation after workers pass through the safeguarding device and are in the hazardous area undetected
Depending on the machine, standards and technical reports outline the requirements for performing a risk assessment. Conduct risk assessments during the design stage before installation, at final installation, during configuration, and each time the system configuration changes. A number of methodologies for risk assessment may be consulted:
- CSA Z432-04, Safeguarding of Machinery is a general machine safety standard that outlines the general process and considerations for risk assessment
- CSA Z434-03 Industrial Robots and Robot System General Safety Requirements is closely aligned with the ANSI standard on robot safety. This standard helps to outline the risk assessment process and provides guidance for safety circuit performance
- ANSI B11.TR3-2000. Risk Assessment and Risk Reduction — A Guide to Estimate, Evaluate and Reduce Risks Associated With Machine Tools is a technical report (not a standard) that outlines the process of performing risk assessment for the machine tools industry
- ANSI/RIA R15.06-1999. Industrial Robots and Robot Systems — Safety Requirements outlines safeguarding requirements associated with robot and robot system applications. In addition to risk assessment, this standard also outlines other machine safeguarding implementation requirements
- ISO 14121 1999 (formerly EN 1050) Safety of Machinery — Principles of Risk Assessment is an international standard that outlines general risk assessment requirements
In general, the first two steps of the risk assessment process are:
- assume no safeguards are installed, and identify the tasks and associated hazards
- select the safeguards based on risk reduction and safeguard selection criteria
Once these steps have been completed, define the safeguard performance and circuit performance. Where suitable, engineering controls such as safety light curtains can be used to safeguard personnel.
Circuit performance requirements include control reliability, single channel with monitoring, single channel, or simple. Consult all applicable standards for the machine being evaluated when performing a risk assessment or implementing any type of machine safeguarding strategy.
- Define the safeguarding method. Primary functions of safeguarding devices include causing the hazard to cease before access is attained, and preventing the start of a machine when safety requirements are not met.
- Point-of-operation safeguards detect a finger or hand entering or existing in the safeguarded space; they’re generally used for applications in which work is performed on the material or workpiece close to personnel.
- Perimeter safeguards detect a torso or body entering a safeguarded space or area. In perimeter safeguarding, the safety functions of the system must use a manual reset placed outside the protected area. This forces the operator to return to a safe area before reinitiating the robot or machine.
- Area safeguards function similarly to perimeter safeguards, but with the added function of sensing the presence of personnel inside the defined hazardous area.
- Calculate the safety distance. After determining the safeguarding method, consider the minimum safety distance. The theory behind minimum safety distance is to allow sufficient time for a hazard to cease before workers are exposed to any danger. Components of the minimum distance requirement are based on the average speed a person would travel per second, the overall response time of the system, and how far a person penetrates the area before he is detected (depth of penetration).
CSA describes the minimum safety distance in CSA Z432-04, Safeguarding of Machinery, Clause 10.11 and Appendix B, as well as in CSA Z434-03 Industrial Robots and Robot System General Safety Requirements, Clause 10.4.3 and Appendix B.
- Validate the system and determine residual risks. After determining the minimum safety distance and safeguarding configuration, validate your choices to confirm that the safeguard accomplishes your goals. Personnel should not be able to reach over, under, or around the safeguard to bypass the safeguarding.
Users also must determine what residual risks may still exist. If the risks are deemed to be “not tolerable,” re-evaluate or supplement the chosen safeguarding method.
Israel E. Alguindigue is a market manager for SICK Inc. To read the entire article, visit http://www.thefabricator.com/Safety/Safety_Article.cfm?ID=1267. Ian Brough, a representative for SICK Inc. in Canada, will be a speaker at the upcoming IAPA/CSA 2009 Machine Safety Conference. See below for more information.
How IAPA can help
If your workplace contains machine-related hazards, consider these options.
- Register for IAPA/CSA’s 2-day 2009 Machine Safety Conference
- Attend these sessions at Health & Safety Canada 2009, taking place April 20-23
- Hazardous Energy 1: Principles and Concepts (1-day professional development course, Apr. 24)
- ABCs of Inspecting Machine Guards (Apr. 20)
- Current Initiatives in Robot Safety (Apr. 20)
- Lockout/CSA Z462: Which Direction Do I Take? (Apr. 22)
- Comparative Analysis of Lockout Programs and Procedures Applied to Industrial Machines (Apr. 22)
- Sign up for these IAPA training courses
- Download up to 12 related publications, free, including Lockout, Machines & People Can be a Deadly Mix, Machine Safety, and others
- Chat with an IAPA consultant
Take a hand tool safety quiz
 Using the right tool for the job and knowing how to use it can make the difference between completing a task safely and exposing yourself to unnecessary risks.
May is Hand Tool Safety Month. With this in mind, the Hand Tools Institute, an association of North American manufacturers of non-powered hand tools and toolboxes, has devised a quiz to test our knowledge of hand tool usage and safety.
The institute has also compiled a list of 5 top hand tool safety rules, based on a poll of experts at the National Safety Council’s annual congress. Compare their rules to your own. First, the quiz.
The quiz
The following 10 true or false statements deal with hand tools commonly found in most workplaces and households. Rate your knowledge – 10 correct is excellent; 9 is good; 8 is fair; 7 or less, poor. Answers appear at the end of the article.
- Plastic covered handles on wire cutting pliers may be used to cut low voltage live electrical wire
- When tightening a nut with an adjustable wrench, always pull the wrench away from you; never pull the wrench toward you
- Claw hammers may be used to strike wood chisels
- When splitting wood, the flat striking face of an axe may be used to strike a wood splitting wedge
- Screwdrivers may be used for purposes other than driving or removing screws, such as prying open paint can lids
- Vises should always be secured to the workbench with screws
- Snips are permissible for cutting wire
- Open-end wrenches may be used to free a frozen nut
- A proper use of the ball pein hammer is striking chisels and punches
- Safety goggles should always be worn whenever using hand tools
The rules
Experts at the National Safety Congress came up with these five basic guidelines to follow in all jobs involving striking and struck tools. They’re listed in order of importance.
- Wear safety goggles. Eye injuries are the most traumatic involving hand tools.
- Select and use the proper tool for the job. With many different categories of hammers and striking tools to choose from, be sure to select the one right for a specific job.
- Keep tools in good condition. They do a better job and are safer to use.
- Never use a hammer with a chipped face or damaged handle. A loose hammer head flying off a damaged handle is extremely hazardous. Likewise, if the face shows dents, cracks, chips, mushrooming, or signs of excessive wear, discard it. That goes for any striking or struck tool.
- Educate all persons in the workplace and at home on the proper use of hand tools. How a tool is used is just as important as what kind of tool you have chosen for a particular job. Keep tools away from those who haven’t been briefed on their proper use and selection.
Additional safety tips from the institute
- Plastic covered pliers handles are for comfort only, not for protection from an electrical current.
- Claw hammers are for driving and removing finishing and common, unhardened nails. Don’t strike other steel tools such as chisels, punches or masonry nails with a claw hammer.
- When working with a wrench, always pull the wrench, never push it.
- Hand sockets should never be used on power or impact wrenches. Hand sockets usually have a bright finish but may have a black finish.
- Never use an axe to strike a wood splitting wedge. Use a woodchopper’s maul or a sledge, and never use the axe as a splitting wedge.
- Discard any chisel or punch that is chipped or has mushroomed.
- Don’t use a screwdriver for prying, punching, chiselling, scoring, or scraping. Screwdrivers should only be used to drive or remove screws.
- Never use an extension bar such as a length of pipe to increase leverage on a wrench. This could break the wrench and cause personal injury.
- Use ball pein hammers of appropriate size or hand drilling hammers to strike chisels, punches and star drills. Do not use a claw hammer.
- Never use a C-clamp for hoisting or for supporting a scaffold or platform, or for securing a load that may be carried on a vehicle or truck.
One last piece of advice from the institute: there are many types of wrenches, pliers, screwdriver, hammers, etc., each suitable for a specific job. Your selection should include an assortment of each of the commonly used hand tools, and always wear safety goggles.
Quiz answers
- False. Plastic cover handles are for comfort only. Always cut off electrical power before cutting.
- True. The force of the pulling should be on the fixed jaw. Pushing away gives better leverage and balance.
- False. Claw hammers are for driving and removing nails only.
- False. Only sledge hammers or wood-splitting mauls should be used to strike wood splitting wedges.
- False. Screwdrivers must be used only to tighten or remove screws and for no other purpose.
- False. Never screwed. Bolted is correct.
- False. Wire cutters are correct. Snips are for cutting sheet metal.
- False. Box open is the correct wrench.
- True. Ball pein hammers are specifically hardened to strike chisels and punches.
- True. Safety goggles should always be worn when working with hand tools to prevent eye injury.
How IAPA can help
Download a free copy of
Certification training: preventing injuries, protecting the business
 If your workplace is experiencing job losses, are you at risk of falling out of compliance with requirements for joint health and safety committees and certification training? One such workplace without a safety committee was recently fined $70,000 (see "Workplace had no JHSC,” on our In the Courts page).
These days, virtually every budget item is under review, including training. What, many of us are asking, can we put off for a month? For another quarter?
Beware of making hasty decisions, especially with certification training. More than just a legal obligation under Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act, certification training and the safety committees it supports are core contributors to the success of Ontario’s internal responsibility system. More directly, certification training can be a key tool in helping your workplace to prevent injuries, production downtime, and other losses.
Need further incentive? During the Ministry of Labour’s ongoing campaign of inspection blitzes, inspectors are also checking on whether joint health and safety committees and health and safety representatives are in place where appropriate, and functioning as required. Learn more about the blitzes.
A cert training refresher
The Occupational Health and Safety Act requires that most workplaces with 20 or more workers have at least one worker and one management person to serve as certified members of a joint health and safety committee (JHSC).
For some workplaces, lay-offs and shift closings have meant that their JHSC is missing one or both of their certified members. Failure to meet this requirement could expose your workplace to fines, and your workers to greater health and safety hazards.
Certification involves training in health and safety law, and the identification, assessment and control of hazards, which helps the certified members—and the entire JHSC—to carry out their functions and support the internal responsibility system.
“Under the system,” says Cristina Campanelli, a senior prevention program specialist with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, “everyone in the workplace has a responsibility for health and safety.”
The nature of that responsibility depends on the position: worker, supervisor, employer, member of the joint health and safety committee, or health and safety representative. “If you don’t know what your responsibilities are, and if you haven’t received training on how to fulfill them, it’s harder to effectively participate in the internal responsibility system,” says Campanelli. “Certification gives the JHSC members designated as certified members the knowledge and skills so that they can participate and contribute.”
Not all JHSCs realize their potential to contribute, says IAPA consultant Paul Hartford. “One of the most common misconceptions I’ve encountered is that the JHSC has no power and can't change an organization. This may be the experience of some committees, but there’s no basis for it in law. When committee members understand their real legal powers—for instance, certified members can initiate a bi-lateral work stoppage procedure in ‘dangerous circumstances’—they realize that they can influence how an organization conducts itself with respect to worker safety.”
And if a JHSC shares its understanding with supervisors and employers, continues Hartford, they’re more likely to support the JHSC’s efforts.
What all this comes down to, says Campanelli, is that certification training can help a workplace develop or strengthen its health and safety culture. “Health and safety and the internal responsibility system are ultimately collaborative processes. Certification training can help JHSCs take part in that process to the best of their ability.”
What’s involved
Certification training is based on a two-part training process:
- Part One – Basic Certification Training applies to all workplaces where certified members are required, and has four main components:
- health and safety law
- workplace safety
- workplace health
- inspections
- investigations
- JHSCs
- Part Two – Industry-Specific Hazard Training builds on the basic training provided in Part One by helping participants to recognize, assess and control significant hazards in their industry sector. Exactly which hazards are significant is determined by an assessment that employers must conduct as part of their certification training responsibilities.
One worker and one management-designated JHSC member must each complete Parts One and Two. The knowledge gained through certification training helps certified members and their joint health and safety committees make their workplaces safer and healthier. On completing the training, certified members should be able to
- describe each significant hazard in their workplace and how it may cause injury or illness
- identify the relevant laws, standards and guidelines for the hazard
- describe how to identify and assess the hazard
- describe ways of controlling the hazard
- prepare an action plan to identify, assess, and control the hazard based on an actual workplace situation
How IAPA can help
IAPA is an approved certification training provider offering a number of options:
- Certification Part One courses, available publicly and on site, include
For participants who have little knowledge of health and safety or the Occupational Health & Safety Act, the following three-day courses are highly interactive:
- Certification Part Two courses, available publicly and on site, include
- Free hazard assessment downloads, including
- Hazard assessment consulting services
In the News
Recall notice: fluorescent portable lamp
The manufacturer of a fluorescent portable task lamp, Guangzhou Glorious Lighting Ltd., is recalling Model Number 15844-001 because it may pose a shock and/or fire hazard.
Lamp users are advised to stop using it immediately, and return it to the point of purchase.
Manufactured in 2007, the product may overheat around the lamp holder. This may cause the surrounding plastic material to soften and deform, possibly ignite, and expose live
electrical parts.
The product base has a holographic label containing the UL and c-UL listing mark with the following information:
05/07 E184412
Listed
Portable Luminaire
Issue No. BK-64, 219
Additional labels on the base have the following information:
E184412 GLO
Model: 15844-001
C07078439 V188
UL Item #3809
Why celebrate NAOSH Week?
It can make life easier and safer in your workplace. North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, May 3-9, 2009, has become a partnership opportunity among government, business, suppliers, community health organizations and other safety groups who provide support, resources and networking that can help you promote the week in your workplace.
But what’s in it for your workplace?
The Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE), the lead organization behind NAOSH Week, says it presents an excellent opportunity to focus, reinforce and strengthen commitment to safety and health. Participation and involvement in NAOSH Week have been shown to:
- improve attitudes towards safety
- increase understanding of health and safety’s importance
- foster a safety-minded culture
- increase cooperation
- raise awareness
- assist in team building
- improve communication between employees, safety committees and safety professionals
NAOSH Week ideas
Here are some suggestions from CSSE:
- sponsor a poster contest for your employees’ children and create a safety calendar for your staff and clients (see AP e-News’ January 2009 issue for a number of OHS calendar items)
- host a family safety fair or picnic for your company and their families
- launch a recognition program for safety suggestions that are put into use or enhance ongoing health and safety practices
- conduct an open house that focuses on health and safety. Involve suppliers. Invite local dignitaries, clients and colleagues
- conduct employee training sessions
- set up safety demonstrations focusing on specific safe work practices
- launch a “new worker” orientation manual
- promote NAOSH Week through articles in your company newsletter
- insert NAOSH Week messages in correspondence, memorandums and email messages to staff
- display NAOSH Week posters in offices, on bulletin boards and at work stations
- distribute buttons, stickers, and pens to staff
- use NAOSH Week mugs, safety whistles, caps, t-shirts, etc. as awards for safety achievements
Planning your event
Establish a NAOSH Week planning committee, suggests the CSSE. Involve everyone—staff, joint health and safety committee members, CSSE members on staff, representatives from business, suppliers, government, retailers and other safety organizations. Develop a proposal and outline plans for events and activities that will support your organization’s safety objectives and promote senior-level involvement and participation. Plan for broad sector involvement, whenever possible, through a variety of events—public, corporate, private industry and community events.
Find out more
Ask CSSE representatives about resource material and products when visiting the Health & Safety Canada 2009 trade show, April 20-21. Plan your trade show visit today. Alternatively, visit the NAOSH Week website: www.naosh.org.
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