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This discusses identification of safety hazards at the workplace and explains stan- dard procedures to create a safe working environment.

Identifying potential safety hazards

Ahazardis something that can potentially cause physical harm or injury and that can directly affect the employees (such as exposure to dangerous chemicals), or can affect the environment in general such as waste materials used in the organiza- tion. Organizations need to ensure that all hazards, physical or environmental, are identified and appropriate measures are taken to reduce the risks associated with hazardous materials used in the workplace.

In busy workplaces such as an organization using hundreds of computers, a loose and trailing cable, exposed electrical wiring or a slippery surface can all be poten- tial safety hazards. It is important to identify any potential safety hazards. A risk assessment must be done to evaluate the hazards. Identification of hazards requires that you are able to distinguish between the following:

• Hazards in the workplace, such as its layout. • Hazards associated with activities of the employees. • Hazards that cause harm to the environment.

Most hazards can be easily spotted or their riskcan be reduced. There are still some hazards that are generally ignored and can be dangerous. The following general guidelines can help identify potential health, safety, and environmental hazards:

• Loose or trailing network and electrical cables must be contained.

• Networkand electrical cables should be running through proper routes and should not be exposed in areas where employees walk.

• Faulty electrical equipment should be either repaired or stored safely.

• Workstations located near hazardous materials should be relocated else- where.

• Persons working on computers, printers, and other network devices should take precautions to prevent electrostatic discharge (ESD), such as wearing wrist straps.

• Ladders must be used properly.

• Material Safety Data Sheets should be on hand and consulted for proper han- dling, usage, transportation, and storage of hazardous materials.

• Flammable material should be handled appropriately.

• Chemicals, batteries, and cleaning products must be stored at appropriate designated places.

• Waste materials should be disposed of using appropriate guidelines. • Proper protective wear should be used.

• Employees should be trained on safe use of hazardous materials.

• Only trained personnel should be allowed to workin locations where haz- ards exist. For example, a qualified electrician should be called to workon an electrical problem.

Aside from the above precautions, the workplace should be well lit and there should be adequate ventilation. A poorly laid out workplace increases the chances of accidents.

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)

The MSDS is an important document required at workplaces that deal with hazardous materials such as chemicals. It is a printed document that accompanies every chemical product or other hazardous materials. MSDS provides guidance on the material’s safe usage, its potential hazards, and methods for its safe disposal. In the United States, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that every hazardous material be accompanied by an MSDS. In Canada, the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHIMS) program enforces this requirement.

The MSDS is required to identify the health and safety risks of a material and its impact on the environment. The MSDS may come as a label on the product or as a separate sheet accompanying the product packaging. Figure 2-17 shows a sample MSDS sheet.

The MSDS for a particular hazardous product essentially contains the following information:

• The name of the product, its chemical name, and the name of the manufac- turer, address and telephone number.

• The ingredients of the product that are considered hazardous. For example, a product can be listed as hazardous due to reasons such as toxic, corrosive, or flammable nature.

• The physical properties of the product such as its state (solid, liquid, or gas) and its color, odor, boiling point, etc.

• Health hazards associated with the product, including guidelines for its safe usage.

• The explosive nature of the product. For example, a product might burn or explode when subjected to certain conditions.

• Procedures for safe storage, handling, moving, and transportation of the product. Information on labels or signs should be posted inside and outside the designated storage place.

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• Information on how to contain spillage or leakage of the product.

• Special precautions such as any protective clothing, equipment, or tools that are required to handle the product.

Workplace safety requires that the MSDS be easily accessible to all employees working near the hazardous products. It is also important that employees be provided proper training in handling of the hazardous products.

Using appropriate repair tools

When you are working as a computer support technician, you will need a bunch of tools to accomplish a given service task. It is important that you use appro- priate tools in order to successfully complete the job. Using incorrect tools for a given job will not only cause unnecessary delays but can also cause personal

injury. As a simple example, removing the cover from a computer cabinet requires that you have a “+” or “-” screwdriver. You cannot do this job with a set of pliers. Similarly, you must use a correct method or technique to rectify a problem. This implies that you must also use all safety precautions when using a particular tool. As a service technician, you should carry your commonly used repair tools in your tool kit to avoid using an incorrect tool.

Handling safety incidents

Incidents related to the health and safety of the employees must immediately be reported to the management or appropriate department. Incident reporting proce- dures should be in place in all organizations where safety hazards exist. For example, a company involved in electrical wiring should train all its employees on safety procedures and how to handle and report incidents.

All unexpected hazards, unusual incidents, accidents, and injuries must be imme- diately addressed. The reporting may be in the form of verbal communication when the injury needs immediate attention. Later, an appropriate document should be prepared to elaborate on the sequence of events. Incidents can be minor, such as a simple injury that does not require immediate treatment or medi- cation. In some situations, the incident may be serious and the affected person might require immediate medical treatment. Depending on the type and severity of the incident, any of the following approaches may be adopted for reporting the incident:

Observation of a hazard

A person working near a hazard observes a potential problem such as leakage of a gas or spillage of a chemical. The person observing the hazard can submit a written report to the concerned supervisor. The concerned department should address the incident immediately to stop deterioration of the situation.

Incident without injury

An incident occurs that does not involve the injury of anyone or there is no harm to the environment. The person observing or involved in such an inci- dent should report it to the concerned department or staff. The department should take steps to address the problem so that the incident is not repeated in the future.

Incident involving serious injury or illness

All incidents involving serious injury or illness of one or more persons need instant attention and action from the concerned staff. The incident should be immediately reported verbally or over the telephone. A detailed report can be completed later. These types of incidents must be investigated by an internal or external agency.

Incident involving damage to the property

Incidents that might cause damage to the property or where the safety of the workplace is at stake must also be reported to the concerned staff. The concerned department might want to close the area until the problem is resolved.

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Incident resulting in disturbances

There are certain incidents that do not directly relate to the workplace but that cause a significant disturbance to the employees. Examples of such inci- dents include a gas leakin a nearly building or smoke coming from external fire. If it is unsafe to continue working, the building may be evacuated until it is declared safe.

All incidents need to be reported. Serious incidents must be addressed imme- diately. An investigation should be done to find out the cause of the incident and prevent similar incidents in future. Detailed documentation should be prepared in order to train and educate employees regarding potential safety hazards. Employees must also be educated on existing safety policies and incident reporting methods.