Wrong & Right

See examples of hazardous situations related to maintenance illustrating the wrong and the right solutions relating to maintenance in the categories "Agriculture", "Catering/Care", "Construction", "General", Manufacturing" and "Transport".

Agriculture

  • Clearing blockages

    A farm growing crops like potatoes (or other root vegetables). The farm operator is using a large automatic planting machine, which is driven by a chain drive.
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    The operator of a potato planting machine repairs the chain drive which has snapped (broken) during planting. He does not replace the guard before running the machine to check the repair. When he is satisfied with the repair he replaces the guard, but his thumb (or hand) is caught between the moving chain and sprocket. Ouch! The operator stops the machine, makes the repair and replaces the guard with the machine stopped, before the test run. Important to illustrate that the machine is switched off.

  • Driving mirrors

    A farm tractor is leaving a wet and muddy field to join the main road, which is busy with traffic.
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    A farm tractor is covered in mud – on its windows, mirrors, lights – after working all day in a wet and muddy field, The tractor driver does not stop on entering the main carriageway but continues although his vision is impaired by a dirty windscreen and he cannot see through his side mirrors. Before leaving the field and joining the carriageway, the tractor driver stops, takes his keys from the ignition, and gets out of his cab to clean the windscreen and side mirrors, (and checks that his lights are clean too).

  • Fragile roof

    A farm building, possibly used for animals or for storing feed such as hay or straw. A farm worker is repairing a damaged roof sheet.
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    A farm worker is repairing a damaged roof sheets on a farm building about 4m from the ground. He is using a single scaffold board to walk on the roof. As he stands up on the board he loses his balance and falls backwards through the roof to the floor below. The man went up a ladder (not tied and with no handrails at the top) and along the roof. No handrails, edge protection, crawling boards or other means of preventing a fall were provided. The farm worker is lifted to the roof using a mobile elevating work platform to replace the roof sheet. There is a sign clearly indicating ‘fragile roof’.

Catering/Care

  • Slips

    A kitchen area in a hospital, restaurant, hotel or café – cooking equipment, sink or dishwashing machine, kitchen utensils etc
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    A kitchen worker is cleaning a floor with a wet mop, there is no ‘Wet floor’ sign, and another worker slips on the wet floor. A kitchen worker is drying the floor with a dry mop, a ‘Wet floor’ sign marks off the area and a second worker is seen walking around the recently cleaned area avoiding the wet surface.

  • Trips and falls

    A walkway leading to the rear doors of a kitchen at a hospital. There is an unprotected hole on the right-hand side of the walkway immediately before the doorway, and the surrounds of the hole are broken with loose concrete and stones. A kitchen worker is …
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    A hole had been dug in a concrete walkway at a hospital to repair a leak. The walkway was a busy access route to the hospital kitchen and restaurant. There is a makeshift (unsuitable) ‘fence’ round the damaged area, but no warning sign. A kitchen worker, pushing a trolley, trips on the dug up walkway falling into the shallow hole, injuring their leg and ankle. The walkway is repaired and the surface is flat and smooth, making it easy to push the trolley towards the doorway without risk of an accident.

  • Electric shock

    A hospitality worker has a heated trolley (left) connected to the electricity supply by a 13 amp plug fitted with a curly cable. They are serving a hot buffet at a convention/conference.
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    A hospitality worker has a heated trolley (left) connected to the electricity supply by a 13 amp plug fitted with a curly cable. The plug and cable are faulty and in poor condition. The food on the trolley has gone cold. The worker investigates the plug socket in the wall – bang! There is a short circuit and the worker receives an electric shock. We see an electrician (with tool-belt and toolbox) checking the wiring (curly cable) and the 13 amp plug. The hospitality worker looks on.

Construction

  • Work at height

    An existing building like a garage, single-storey office or workshop with a sloping roof for the rain to run into a gutter, maybe 3m from the ground level.
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    A construction worker is using a ladder to repair a gutter on the roof of a building. The ladder is not long enough. It is placed at a very steep angle against the wall of the building but he still needs to stretch to reach the gutter. His work tools (hammer, screwdriver etc) are hanging loosely from his belt, and swinging in the air. A construction worker is using a tower scaffold instead of a ladder. The tower scaffold is secure at the base (with wheels locked), vertical and with toe-boards and handrails. The worker can easily reach the gutter and his work tools are in a toolbox on the floor of the tower scaffold. Both his hands are free to work.

  • Unprotected edging

    An old, tall building (apartments, for example), which is under refurbishment. The workers are stripping away old timber and plaster work, and making good the surfaces with new materials.
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    A building worker on a refurbishment project is working on the upper floor of a building. The floor is very untidy - covered with debris, materials and equipment. The man is carrying a large sheet of timber boarding (2.4m x 1.2m) but he cannot see clearly where he is walking and falls through a hole in the floor at the top of a stairway. A building worker on a refurbishment project is working on the upper floor of a building. The work area is tidy and the floor area is clear of clutter (rubbish). Two men are carrying a large sheet of timber boarding (2.4m x 1.2m). The open stairway is protected with a guardrail to prevent anyone from falling down the stairs.

  • Asbestos dust

    An electrician is removing an asbestos insulating board (60cm x 60cm) in the ceiling of an office (or factory) to access cables in the ceiling cavity. [Removal of asbestos insulating board is normally a job for a specialist but some minor tasks can be …
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    The electrician, at the top of a ladder, takes a chisel to the edge of the panel to prise it away from the ceiling. In doing so, dust and particles of asbestos fibre are released into the air. He wears no breathing protection, and has a careless approach to his work. The electrician is wearing full breathing apparatus and overalls with a hood. The area around the work is sheeted with 500-gauge polythene sheeting and duct tape. The tile is removed with great care.

General

  • Falls on stairs

    A worker is going downstairs. The stair treads are in poor condition with no markings on the edges (nosings). They use the handrail for balance.
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    As a worker is going downstairs carrying some papers in one hand they reach for the handrail because the stair treads are in poor condition, the lighting is poor and they fear that they will lose their balance. The handrail breaks away because the fittings (screws) have come away from the wall. As a result the worker falls down the stairs. A maintenance worker stands at the top of the stairs after finishing repairs to the handrail and marking the stair treads. The handrail is clearly secure against the wall, and the stair treads have clear markings on the edges (nosings). The stairway is well- lit.

Manufacturing

  • Lock-off

    A production line in a factory.
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    An operator on a production line stops work to unblock a machine (at the end of his/her work shift). He does not isolate the machine or switch off the electric power at source. Another operator starts work and switches on the machine while the first operator is still trying to unblock the machine. An operator on a production line stops work to unblock a machine (at the end of his/her work shift). He switches off the electrical power and isolates the machine by inserting a padlock so that no other worker can start the machine again until he has finished his task of unblocking the machine. Another operator tries to start up the machine but cannot because of the padlock on the power switch.

  • Confined spaces

    Solvent degreasing machines need cleaning and regular maintenance for safe and efficient working. Various organic solvents are used, and exposure to organic solvent vapour or liquid is harmful to health causing breathing problems, dizziness and even death.
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    A worker in a powder coating company is found dead in a solvent degreasing tank. His usual practice was to enter the tank to clean out the waste until he felt 'unwell'. He would then climb out, get fresh air and then go back in to continue the operation. This time he was unlucky! Two workers with full face-piece breathing apparatus, self-contained compressed air (tanks) and full coveralls enter the tank; a third worker (supervisor) stands by to raise the alarm (if necessary) and to start rescue procedures in the event of an accident..

  • Lifting equipment

    A worker is using lifting equipment in an engineering workshop to move a heavy machined part (a metal casting like an engine block for a car) from the tool- cutting lathe to a nearby workbench.
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    A worker is using lifting equipment to move a heavy machined part from the tool-cutting lathe to a workbench but the lifting chains are not well maintained (dirty/corroded) and fail, causing the heavy machined part to fall and smash on to the tool-cutting lathe, narrowly missing the worker. A worker is ready to use lifting equipment to move a heavy machined part from the tool-cutting lathe to a workbench. A second worker (competent person/inspection) - wearing a hard hat - is checking the lifting chains. He has a clipboard in one hand to record his findings.

Transport

  • Driving surfaces

    A warehouse, factory or industrial building where goods are stored or manufactured.
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    The operator of a fork-lift truck with a load on the front (carried correctly with the forks lowered) hits a pothole in the surface of the road, which causes him to lose control and crash through safety barriers separating vehicles from people. The road surface is clearly in good condition with clear road markings and a smooth surface.

  • Mobile platform

    A worker is putting a direction sign on the wall of an industrial building.
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    The worker is using a ladder to place a sign about 4m from the ground on the wall of an industrial building. He is using a cordless screwdriver but not wearing a hard-hat. There is no protection for the ladder to prevent a collision with traffic, no warning signs and no second person at the foot of the ladder. A passing vehicle hits the ladder causing the worker to fall to the ground. Ouch! The worker is using a mobile platform to place a sign about 4m from the ground on the wall of an industrial building. He is wearing a hard-het, high visibility jacket and using a cordless screwdriver. The area round the base of the platform is fenced by a protection barrier, there are warning signs (‘men at work’) and a diversion arrow, and a second person is at the foot of the platform.

  • Vehicle maintenance

    A driver/mechanic is repairing a vehicle, which needs to be lifted so that he can access the underside of the engine.
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    The vehicle is held only by axle jacks. The driver/mechanic is working underneath the vehicle when the axle jacks fail and trap him between the engine and the floor of the garage. The vehicle is raised by axle jacks and supported by axle stands. The driver/mechanic can work safely underneath the vehicle, and has adequate space to work between the engine and the floor of the garage.

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