Plant and Equipment

OH&S and WH&S state laws identify specific requirements for operating, testing, servicing and working with different types of machinery, tools, plant and equipment, and in different work environments.  You should make yourself familiar with legislation and relevant codes as they apply to your work.

Machinery – general

All dangerous moving parts of machinery, including gears, belts, pulleys, sprockets, counter-weights, chains, shafts and all nip points must be securely guarded.  All guards and safety devices must be secured and in working order prior to operating any machinery.  Keys shall not be left in place whilst the machinery or vehicle is unattended.

Make sure you know how to safely use and stop any machinery or equipment before operating it, and never operate a machine, plant or equipment without proper authority and training, including any permits or License’s, where required.

Do not use mobile phones when using any machinery.

Hand tools and materials

• Always use the correct hand-tool for the job, and ensure tools, materials and equipment are appropriate and safe to use to do the job in the environment, including insulated tools for electrical works and spark resistant tools for explosive atmospheres.
• Handle sharp-edged tools with care, carry pointy side down and by your side, and cut away from yourself.
• Before using tools, check to ensure:
  • They are not damaged or handles not loose
  • They are sharp and teeth are not worn
  • Ease of operation and correct type/size/fit
  • You have the correct PPE: eg head, ear, eye/face, hand, foot protection, lanyards/wrist straps, as appropriate.

Use of power tools and leads

Most trades work is deemed to be construction work or in a hostile work environment and it is appropriate that power tools and leads be tested and tagged each three months and protected by an RCD when in use .

Push button test portable RCDs daily and fixed RCDs each month.  Check extension leads, tools and other equipment for any damage before use every day and ensure that all guards, handles etc, are in place.  Store tools in a protected environment.

Damaged equipment should not be used and any identified damaged or unsafe equipment replaced/reported to your supervisor.

Drilling machines, pedestal type

Serious injury can occur while using high-speed twist drills in any type of machine.  Observe the following:

1. Eye protection should be worn whenever using a drill.
2. Do not wear gloves or loose clothing that may get caught.
3. Jewelry should be removed to prevent entanglement or degloving.
4. Long hair must be securely tied up or a hair net worn to avoid becoming entangled during drilling operations.
5. Never hold small work by hand; always use a clamp, special holder or vice to hold the work. Stop the drill and tighten the clamping device if the work becomes loose while drilling. When drilling thin material, it must also be supported on timber block or by other suitable means.
6. Never try to remove material that has become jammed whilst the drill is in motion or with power switched on.
7. Waste and cleaning rags must be kept clear of revolving chuck and drill to avoid becoming entangled.
8. Remove drift and chuck-key before switching on the drill.
9. When the drill is breaking through the material, ease the feed to avoid breaking the drill and damaging the job.
10. For safe drilling, use only drills that are sharp and properly ground at the correct angle for the job material.
11. Avoid splashing coolant. Clean up spills immediately.
12. Do not be distracted by others while drilling, and always cease drilling before diverting your eyes from the job.
13. Chips must not be brushed off the machine with your hands – use a brush or other suitable implement.
14. When adjusting the machine column, keep your hand away from the hand feeder lever to avoid being struck.
15. Do not use mobile phones when operating machines.

Abrasive wheels and grinders

Grinders of all kinds, and certain types of cutting-off machines, disc grinders, angle grinders all with abrasive wheels can be extremely dangerous if not properly used and maintained.

There is no requirement for a Certificate of Competence or a Licence for this equipment, but all persons should be properly instructed in the correct use of these tools and need to be extra careful whilst using them or working in the vicinity of other users.

• The operator (and all persons involved in any way with the operation) must wear eye and face protection.
• Guards must be properly adjusted. Machines without proper guards are illegal and users may be prosecuted.
• Only someone trained to do the job correctly and safely may fit replacement wheels.
• Portable machines must have “Dead man” switches.
• Never use an abrasive wheel that is or has been damp or wet as they can explode when operating.
• Wear hearing protection when using grinders.
• Depending on the material being ground wear a P2 mask when using grinders.
• For grinding wheels over 120mm, handles must be fitted.

Explosive powered tools

Explosive powered tools (EPT), sometimes known as cartridge assisted tools are commonly used on construction and building sites to make attachments to existing structures.

• Only authorised persons who have satisfactorily completed safety training to use that particular type of tool must use such tools.
• Persons under the age of 18 years are not to use EPTs.
• Standard procedures require barricades and danger signs to be placed at approaches to the work area, including on levels above and below if the work requires this to be done.
• Always wear hearing and eye protection when using EPTs and consider those around you as they may require similar PPE protection as well.
• All explosive powered charges and EPTs must be kept in an approved locked box, and when not in use, stored in a security controlled storage area.
• The two types of tools commonly in use are the direct acting high velocity tool, and the low velocity captive piston type tool. Operators must be trained for each and be fully aware of the hazards and nature of operation for each type.
• Check behind structures for dangers before firing and protect the area from possible injury. There have been a number of incidents where fasteners and pins have gone straight through soft paneling.

Lifting gear, cranes and hoisting equipment

• A person who operates a crane must hold a license relevant to the type of plant they operate. The operator of multi-purpose powered mobile plant configured as a crane, for example a telescopic handler configured as a non-slewing mobile crane over 3 tonnes, must hold a relevant high risk work licence to operate the plant in that configuration.
• Doggers and riggers must also hold a high-risk work licence relevant to the work they are carrying out.
• Where the person responsible for slinging a load needs to exercise judgement about the suitability and condition of lifting gear and the method of slinging the load and sling accessories, this person must hold a dogger or rigger high risk work licence or be a directly supervised trainee. The trainee must be enrolled for relevant training with an RTO.
• A crane operator may only supervise a trainee to carry out dogging work if the crane operator holds a dogger’s licence and the trainee is carrying out the work as part of training towards a certification to be licensed as a dogger.
• All lifting tackle, machines or equipment, including cranes, hoists, winches, pulley blocks, chains, steel wire ropes, slings, eye-bolts, hooks, etc., must be regularly inspected and maintained in good condition and working order.
• Every such item of equipment must be stamped with the Safe Working Load (SWL) and carry a means of identification to enable regular inspections and tests to be recorded.
• Never overload or misuse lifting tackle or equipment of any sort. Never use damaged lifting tackle or improvised hooks or slings, etc, and never take chances with lifting gear.
• Tag lines must be used to control suspended loads, and all persons must stand clear of suspended or swinging loads, and clear all areas where suspended loads are slewed, lifted and lowered.
• Clear and standard signals, (either hand, clearly audible voice or whistle, or radio communicated) to crane operators must only be made by a trained, competent, authorised and experienced person.
• Hook or load riding is not permitted.
• Mobile cranes must have load secured to crane and have tag line(s) attached to control load while travelling.

Forklift trucks

• A person who operates a forklift truck must hold a forklift high risk work license.
• Training to obtain a high risk work licence must be completed as part of a course from a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). A person training to operate a forklift may operate a forklift truck at their workplace if they are:
• enrolled with an RTO to train as a forklift truck operator, and
• directly supervised while operating the forklift truck by a person who has both the relevant licence to perform the high risk work and appropriate workplace experience.
• Conventional forklifts are only designed to travel on a firm level surface and not rough terrain. Care should be taken when operating machines that are designed for rough terrain because their operating characteristics can be quite different.
• When conveying a load or travelling empty, forklift trucks are to have the fork tines at a minimum safe distance above the floor or ground level.
• Forklifts should only travel on an incline less than 15 degrees only.
• Loaded forklift trucks should travel on inclines with the load in front, and on declines with the load following behind.
• Forks must not be used to sling loads, only purpose-designed equipment is permitted for such use on a forklift.
• Forklifts with pallets must not be used as an elevating work platform.
• Passengers shall not ride on lift trucks and operators shall wear seat belts where fitted.

Noise control

If sounds and noises are too loud, they can cause stress and fatigue, temporary hearing loss, tinnitus (ringing of the ears), but more importantly, permanent damage to your hearing.  The damage depends on how loud the noise is and how long you are exposed to it.  The damage builds up gradually and you may not notice changes from one day to another.  There is no cure for most of the harmful effects caused by excessive noise and preventing excessive exposure to noise is the only way to avoid hearing loss.

It should be noted that 85 decibels (8 hours) is the level where protection becomes essential.  The risk of permanent damage increases rapidly from this level, meaning that permissible exposure times reduce quickly: a halving of time for each increase of 3 decibels.  The problem is that the damage at these levels is painless but the loss can well be permanent.

Generally speaking, noise is likely to be harmful when:

• The noise is as loud or louder than heavy city traffic
• You have to raise your voice to speak to someone a metre away
• Things sound different after exposure to the noise
• You hear ringing or other noises in your ears after the exposure has ceased.

If this is the case then you should be wearing ear protection independent of the duration, move further away or otherwise reducing the exposure time.  Options for reducing or protecting against excessive noise exposure include quieting the source, use of sound proof enclosures, closing a door or moving the source away from the work area.

To get a rough but useful measure of sound level you can download an App for your smart phone or buy good low cost sound meters.  In an open space, the sound level from a single source will reduce by about 6 dB for each doubling of that distance.  Sound is reduced less when spreading inside an enclosed space because of reflecting surfaces.

Machines may have the noise level displayed on the frame however the working environment and conditions including multiple sources can affect levels significantly and complicate remedial work.  Where a noise level is considered to be excessive and suitable controls cannot be found, it might be appropriate to use a trained person to measure the noise and advice on possible control measures.

Persistent noise at levels that do not damage hearing may interfere with concentration and communication causing stress and fatigue and can have other adverse health effects including high blood pressure and heart disease.  Ideally it is desirable to keeping noise levels below:

• 50 dB(A) – work requiring high concentration or effortless conversation
• 70 dB(A) – routine work requiring speed or attentiveness and some conversation.

Smart phone as an instrument

The high resolution camera is ideal for recording before and after installation photos, communicating back to the office, etc.  You can download Apps to measure Noise, Vibration, Distance, Lighting, Colour, EMR, Compass, etc.  It is useful to check performance against a known standard and in any case values should be treated as indicative.

Whenever you use a phone or other such devices, think of safety and the possibility of causing distraction .  Stop what you are doing and move to a safe location before using a phone or such devices.