INDUSTRIAL SAFETY: ORIGIN, WHAT IT IS FOR, MEASURES AND STANDARDS - DUDAS - 2025

The industrial safety refers to the administration of all transactions and events within an industry in order to protect employees and assets, seeking to minimize risks, hazards, accidents and errors.

Although work brings many economic and other benefits, a wide range of risks in the workplace also pose risks to people's health and safety.

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These include, but are not limited to, chemicals, biological agents, physical factors, adverse ergonomic conditions, allergens, a complex web of security risks, and a wide range of psychosocial risk factors.

Industrial workplaces are dangerous. Manufacturing facilities have machines with moving parts, dangerous tools, and ergonomic hazards.

Accidents do happen, but that doesn't mean there's nothing that can be done about it. With some preparation and planning, employers can identify hazards in their facilities and take steps to reduce the risk of injury, illness, and even death.

Personal protective equipment can help protect against many of these hazards.

Risk factor's

Specific occupational health and safety risk factors vary by specific sector and industry.

Construction workers could be particularly at risk for falls, while fishermen could be particularly at risk of drowning.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics identifies the fishing, aeronautics, lumber, metalworking, agriculture, mining, and transportation industries as some of the most dangerous for workers.

Similarly, psychosocial risks, such as workplace violence, are more pronounced for certain occupational groups, such as health care employees, police officers, correctional officers, and teachers.

Falls, moving vehicles, and heavy materials are common on construction sites. Warehouses experience a lot of forklift traffic, lifting hazards, and even slip and fall hazards.

The first step to increasing security is getting the information you need to get started.

Origin and history

There is much speculation about the number of people who died while the Egyptian pyramids were being built. It is likely a number that would not be considered acceptable today.

More recently, in the 19th and 20th centuries, thousands died during the construction of the great canals: Suez and Panama.

In the UK in the 19th century, children were employed in cotton mills and mines. The Factory Act of 1833 only prohibited children under the age of nine from working in textile factories.

Fortunately, the legislation was gradually tightened. The Factory Law of 1878 extended the previous law to cover all trades, and the minimum age for work was raised to ten years.

Otto von Bismarck inaugurated the first social security legislation in 1883 and the first workers' compensation law in 1884. This was the first of its kind in the Western world. Similar acts followed in other countries, partly in response to labor unrest.

In the Factory Act of 1891, the rules on machine fencing were tightened.

Twentieth century

Of central importance was the establishment of protective legislation, such as the Workers' Compensation Act, enacted in the early 20th century, and the Occupational Safety and Health Act, enacted in 1970.

Significant amendments to the Factory Law in 1937 and 1961 brought things closer to current standards.

The discussion on industrial safety began to change in the 1970s, from referring mainly to compensation issues to being more related to prevention and the study of the effects of long-term occupational hazards.

The 1992 Regulations for the Provision and Use of Work Equipment and the implications of the Machinery Directive, which have been in place since 1995, have provided a framework for safety in machinery.

Today, industrial safety is considered one of the most important factors that any company must consider in its operations.

What is industrial security for?

It is natural that the industrial environment of many manufacturing companies involves a number of critical safety points. This is due to production systems that use heavy machinery, chemicals, and other sensitive materials and processes.

The identification of these threats has generated regulations on safety in the workplace, so that they are fully enforced.

These safety regulations are implemented and enforced by federal and state agencies, all of which seek to greatly reduce and eliminate workplace hazards, which can be prevented through education and safety teams.

A modern vision within management is to see preventive measures as smart, long-term investments for the well-being of the industry and the business itself.

In fact, safety precautions offer businesses time and money saving benefits. In the same way, they improve productivity and motivation.

This proactive push within the manufacturing industry to help strengthen safety precautions in the workplace is also supported by various preventive equipment options.

Safety culture

No business can afford not to have an industrial safety program.

In order for it to work, security must be the top priority. When discussing strategies, they should be shared with employees and implemented in the workplace. Commitment must be clearly communicated at every step of the process.

A written policy must be established, signed by senior management, detailing the organization's commitment to internal employees, as well as to contractors and suppliers.

The objectives of the program should be defined: reduce injury-related absenteeism among employees, reduce insurance premiums and workers' compensation payments, etc., and allocate sufficient resources to achieve them.

One of the most important factors in any security program is establishing a simple mechanism for reporting incidents and encouraging employees to report quickly.

Industrial security measures

Take frequent walks around the facility to look for hazards, gather ideas on how to control them and implement the best suggestions. Among the best measures to consider are:

Eliminate clutter

Items that are not needed must be disposed of, recycled or donated. Materials must be stored properly, especially hazardous substances.

Keep aisles clear of tripping hazards. If extension cords are to be used in high traffic areas, they should be clearly marked and secured with strong tape.

Ensure tools are hung on walls, or stored in sturdy tool boxes or shelves.

Check electrical hazards

Electrocution is one of the top five causes of death in the workplace. Electric cables must be checked for wear before starting work.

If outdoors or in a humid location, make sure tools and extension cords are suitable for outdoor use and that circuits are equipped with ground fault interrupters.

Eliminate fire hazards

- Define and describe escape routes and train employees on their role in evacuation.

- Make sure exits are clearly marked and that fire extinguishers are readily available.

- Isolate garbage and recycling, especially flammable products such as cardboard and paper.

- Keep floors swept and control debris.

- Check the containers of combustible liquids and gases to avoid leaks.

Assess plumbing hazards

- Find and repair minor leaks before they become major problems.

- Clean sink debris and floor drain traps to ensure water flows unhindered.

- Remove materials from the drains of the building so that rainwater is not trapped and seeps.

Provide visual aids

Posting signs that advocate safe behavior may seem obvious, but its importance is great. Such signs keep the eyes busy and the brain alert and active.

Employees should be expected to record and track daily safety information, such as the cumulative total of injury-free days, in their departments.

Personal protective equipment

Although each industry has its own risks, some are inherently more dangerous than others. Personal protective equipment (PPE) must be provided to workers.

All employees should be educated on how to use PPE. Equipment must be snug and comfortable, or employees will not wear it.

Main industrial safety standards

International

From 1999 to 2018, the OHSAS 18000 occupational health and safety management system was adopted as a standard and used internationally.

OHSAS 18000 was developed through a selection of international standards, by leading certification bodies. It served to address a gap where a third-party certifiable international standard did not exist.

ISO 45001 is an ISO standard for occupational health and safety management systems, published in March 2018. The objective of ISO 45001 is the reduction of occupational injuries and illnesses.

The standard is based on both OHSAS 18000, as well as the conventions and guidelines of the International Labor Organization, including the ILO OSH 2001 standard, and national standards.

ISO 45001 also follows the high-level structure of other ISO standards, such as ISO 9001: 2015 and ISO 14001: 2015, which makes their integration much easier.

These guidelines promote continuous improvement in the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) of employees. This is achieved through a continuous process of planning, implementation, evaluation and improvement actions, supported by audits.

National legislation

Occupational safety and health practice varies between countries, with different approaches to legislation, regulation, enforcement, and incentives for compliance.

National standards for occupational health and safety management systems include AS / NZS 4801-2001 for Australia and New Zealand, CAN / CSA-Z1000-14 for Canada, and ANSI / ASSE Z10-2012 for the United States.

For example, in the European Union, some member countries promote OSH by providing public funds, such as subsidies, grants or financing. Others have created tax system incentives for investments in OSH.

A third group of European Union member countries has given discounts on workplace accident insurance premiums to companies or organizations with strong OSH records.

In 1996 the European Agency for OSH was founded. All the member states of the European Union have incorporated into their national legislation a series of directives that establish minimum standards on health and safety at work.

Importance

Industrial safety is important as it safeguards human life, especially in high-risk industries such as nuclear, chemical, oil and gas, aeronautics, and mining industries, where a fatal mistake can be catastrophic.

Health and safety are the key factor in all industries to promote the well-being of employees and employers. It is a duty and a moral responsibility of the company to protect the employee.

Safety in the workplace is very important to all employees in the industry. This is because all workers want to work in a safe and secure environment.

All people who leave home for work in the morning should return home at night in good health. This is the only reason it is important to create a safe work environment.

Safety and health procedures in the workplace are important to the well-being of both employees and employers, because human loss is immeasurable and intolerable.

Identify security risks

All industries have security risks. Therefore, management must spend time thinking about what things require security precautions in the company. This way you can ensure that workers are safe enough at all times.

Maintaining a safe and hygienic work environment is not only an important issue for the human resources department, it is also a law.

All employees must understand health and safety risks. Also the steps to follow to minimize these risks, and the safety regulations to comply with.

One of the fastest growing types of occupational injuries is the so-called 'repeat trauma disorder'. This condition results from repeatedly performing the same tasks for a long time.

Managers generally determine hazards by examining accident records, interviewing equipment operators, and consulting with safety specialists. They are generally classified into three classes:

-Chemical dangers: where the body absorbs toxins.

-Ergonomic risks or dangers: such as those resulting from repetitive effort.

-Physical hazards: where you are exposed to extreme temperatures, dangerous conditions or excessive noise.

References

1. Safeopedia (2018). Industrial Safety. Taken from: safeopedia.com.
2. Creative Safety Supply (2018). Industrial Safety. Taken from: creativesafetysupply.com.
3. Ammex (2017). 6 Safety Tips for Every Industry. Taken from: blog.ammex.com.
4. Inc (2018). Industrial Safety. Taken from: inc.com.
5. Design Spark (2017). A brief history of industrial safety. Taken from: rs-online.com.
6. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (2018). Occupational safety and health. Taken from: en.wikipedia.org.
7. Medium (2018). Top 10 Reasons - Why workplace safety is Important? Taken from: medium.com.