30 October 2004 - HSE Launch Three Year Campaign Targeting Manufacturing Industries
The main cause of fatalities and serious injuries within these industries is due to the cleaning of machinery, releasing of blockages, or when running repairs are being carried out without the correct safeguards being in place. Industries being targeted will be the scrap metal industry, rubber industry, and the paper and wood industry.
The lock off procedures to isolate power to the machinery and correct management of this procedure, which lowers the risks of serious accidents and fatalities, will be one of the areas HSE inspectors will address within their campaign. Over the past 3 years, there have been more than 40 deaths within the manufacturing industry, mainly due to these factors.
The aims of the HSE's campaign are as follows:
- raise awareness about the risks and standards required for safe isolation and lock off;
- ensure, through formal enforcement, that robust isolation and lock off procedures are implemented; and
- ensure that employers have, or put in place, sound risk control systems for managing these procedures.
Mr Chris Flint from HSE's Manufacturing Sector commented:
“Machines still kill people. HSE inspectors all too regularly investigate fatalities at machinery. It’s not as if the risks of moving machinery are new - people need to stop and think before they work on a machine. It is not enough for managers providing safeguards and introducing a power isolation and lock off procedure and assuming employees will follow it. People need to be carefully trained in the procedure and supervised by a competent manager. Senior management must carry out regular checks to confirm the procedure is always followed. Anything less and people will continue to be killed.”
The press release on the HSE website can be accessed by clicking the following: HSE targets manufacturing industries
Article by Alexandra Johnston
