Secuencia didáctica 3

6.1. Summary

An assessment of the health and safety risks for the construction and operational phases of the Project was undertaken at the HAZID/ENVID session. The HAZID/ENVID looked in detail at the construction phase and also highlighted any key issues for the commissioning and operations phase.

No ‘High Risk’ Occupational Health Hazards have been identified by the HAZID/ENVID.

All risks were classified as ‘Medium’ or ‘Low’ according to the Zonescorp Risk Matrix.

Overall, the facilities and nature of construction of the Chlor-Alkali Plant at the All Ghaith site will be typical of chlor-alkali plants elsewhere in the UAE, and wider world. No significant new or unusual hazards have been identified. No new or different occupational issues are anticipated for the construction of the facility.

The operations at the new facility will involve operation, and maintenance of plant equipment, these or similar operations are already carried out at within ICAD-1, and in MIA. No new or different risks or hazards are anticipated during the operational phase.

The existing hazards are already managed by the ESNAAD HSEMS.

6.2. Overview

The Zonescorp Code of Practice (CoP) on HSEIAs and CoP on Risk Management states that the HSEIA should demonstrate that all High Occupational Health Risks have been systematically identified, and suitable action to mitigate these risks and to protect employees from these risks have been or will be taken in accordance with Zonescorp Codes of Practice on Environment, Health, and Safety guidance.

A systematic Health and Safety Risk Assessment has been conducted for the Project construction, commissioning and operations phases as part of this PEHSR and this has not identified any “Extreme” or “High” health and safety risks as defined in the Zonescorp Codes of Practice on Environment, Health, and Safety guidance.

The following section of the PEHSR therefore focuses on discussing the “Moderate” and

“”Low” risk hazards identified and how all HSE risk - including that resulting from

“Moderate” and “”Low” risk hazards - will be managed and controlled via the Al Ghaith / EPC Contractor project/site/operations specific HSE Management System.

Health and safety risk assessment is a discipline devoted to anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of environmental factors or stresses arising in the workplace, which may cause sickness and impaired health to workers.

As part of the Preliminary Environment, Health and Safety Review (PEHSR) performed for the Chlor-Alkali Plant in ICAD-1, the PEHSR describes the health hazards involved and arising from the activities involved in the construction, pre-commissioning, commissioning and operations phases of this project.

These activities will expose personnel to a variety of occupational health risks, which may impact worker health. These are classified as:

 Physical e.g.: noise, heat, vibration, UV

 Chemical e.g.: exposure to solvents, oils

 Biological e.g.: legionella, food poisoning

 Ergonomic e.g.: posture, manual handling

This assessment was performed by a multi-disciplined team as part of the HAZID/ENVID.

During construction, the main significant physical occupational health risks will be heat stress, high exposure to sun and outdoors UV radiation, dust exposure from grit blasting operations and vehicle movements, and noise from compressed air tools etc. Suitable controls will be in place for all these hazards including prevention/ minimisation strategies, controls and awareness / monitoring programmes, procedures and PPE as necessary.

In terms of biological health risks particular attention will be given to fitness to work assessments of labourers with medicals being required for all workers from abroad.

Only relatively low hazard chemicals will be used during construction and operations.

These are in common use and staff will be suitably trained and familiar with their safe handling. The solvents and other chemicals proposed to be used in the Chlor-Alkali process may spill and present potential environmental impacts.

The operating design for the facility incorporates a standard suite of controls to avoid accidental releases. Moreover, the equipment configuration at the proposed plant will conform to best practices for modern Chlor-Alkali plants.

In terms of ergonomic health hazards, these are numerous and include a wide range of activities such as lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling or carrying. These occupational hazards are relevant to both the construction and operations phases and will be controlled by appropriate training and work procedures and practices.

Management has a duty of care and must be sensitive to the diversity and individual requirements of its workforce. Elements that must be considered by management and in particular by health care personnel include:

• occupation • dietary habits

• literacy, education and training • sanitation

• culture • hygiene standards

• language • public health

• religion • endemic conditions

• tradition • medical and health beliefs

• superstition • alternative and traditional medicine

• gender • local law and political climate

• family • safety culture (fatalism and education)

The importance of familiarity with cultural norms of the workforce is an important factor in the successful implementation of health and safety controls, etc.

6.3. Health and Safety Risk Assessment

Health and safety risk assessment is the primary method for classifying risks to health. It is a discipline that is devoted to anticipation, recognition, evaluation and control of environmental factors or stresses arising in, or from, the workplace, which may cause sickness, impaired health and well being or significant discomfort among workers.

Occupational health is an integral part of the health management system. It is concerned with the interrelationship between work and health, i.e. the effects of work on health and the effects of people’s health on their capacity to work.

Figure 6-18 Schematic Representation of the Effects of Work on Health

By identifying health hazards in the workplace and subsequent evaluation of health risks, OHRA takes existing control measures into account and recommends further preventive or control actions where appropriate.

Four steps are accepted as being essential in the health and safety risk assessment process:

1. Hazard identification. Identifying the agent responsible for the health problem and