Workplace Assignment (wpa) Paper 4 Sho Niosh

Reports of Hazards For Door Inner Assembly Process at XXX Sdn. Bhd.

By

Index No:

EAC123

IC No: 900415-00-0000

Safety and Health Officer Examination Paper IV Part 1: Workplace Assignment

1

PERAKUAN TUGASAN TEMPAT KERJA Adalah saya dengan ini mengaku bahawa dokumen ini yang disediakan untuk Peperiksaan Pegawai Keselamatan dan Kesihatan adalah berdasarkan hasil kerja asal sendiri dan maklumat diperolehi hasil lawatan tapak ke tempat kerja yang berkenaan kecuali sedutan atau petikan yang dinyatakan.

WORKPLACE ASSIGNMENT VERIFICATION I hereby certify that this document prepared for the Safety and Health Officer Examination is based on my original work and information gathered from the site visit except for citation and quotation made.

Tandatangan Signature

:.....................................................

No. Kad Pengenalan I.C. No.

: 900415-00-0000

No. Indeks Index No.

: EAC00

Tarikh Date

: 30 January 2019

2

Table of Contents 1.0

ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................... 5

2.0

INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 6

2.1

Company Background ................................................................................................. 6

2.2

Organizational Chart ................................................................................................... 6

2.3

Workforce.................................................................................................................... 7

2.4

Working hours ............................................................................................................. 7

2.5

Activity and Work Process .......................................................................................... 8

2.6

Working Environment at Assembly Line Section..................................................... 11

3.0

OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................... 12

4.0

METHOD ..................................................................................................................... 13

4.1

Scope of Assignment ................................................................................................. 13

4.2

Basic Concepts .......................................................................................................... 14

4.3

Hazard Identification ................................................................................................. 15

4.3.1

Workplace Inspection and Observation ............................................................. 16

4.3.2

Review and Analyzing Relevant Documents .................................................... 16

4.3.3

Interview and Questionnaire survey .................................................................. 17

4.4

Risk Assessment........................................................................................................ 18

4.4.1 Likelihood of an occurrence ................................................................................... 18 4.4.2 Severity ................................................................................................................... 19

3

4.4.3 Risk Assessment (Risk Matrix) .............................................................................. 20 4.4.4 Prioritization of Actions.......................................................................................... 21 5.0

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ................................................................................... 22

5.1

List of Identified Hazards .......................................................................................... 24

5.2

Hazard Prioritization ................................................................................................. 34

5.2.1 List of Safety Hazards based on their risk rating .................................................... 34 5.2.2 List of Health Hazards based on their risk rating ................................................... 35 5.3

The Most Critical Safety Hazard ............................................................................... 35

5.4

The Most Critical Health Hazard .............................................................................. 37

5.5

The Impact of the Most Critical Safety and Health Risks to the Organization ......... 38

6.0

RECOMMENDATIONS .............................................................................................. 40

6.1

Proposed Control Measures for the Most Critical Safety Hazard ............................. 40

6.2

Proposed Control Measures for the Most Critical Health Hazard ............................ 44

6.3

Recommendation for Review Program ..................................................................... 45

6.4

Benefits of Implementing the Control Measures Recommended ............................. 46

7.0

REFERENCE ................................................................................................................ 47

8.0

APPENDICES .............................................................................................................. 48 Appendix 1 – Assembly Flow Chart for A complete Door Panel (Front-Right Door Assembly) ........................................................................................................................ 48 Appendix 2 – Findings from Walkthrough Inspection and Job Process Observation ..... 49

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1.0

ABSTRACT

This report attempts to identify all hazards at a chosen workplace, assess its associated risk and then suggest and discuss the suitable control measures to eliminate or reduce the risk of the critical hazards. The workplace chosen for this study is at the Assembly Line section of XXX Products Sdn. Bhd. whereby the main process undertaken at the workplace is Door Panel Assembly. This study adopts Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment, and Risk Control (HIRARC) as a method to assess risk at the chosen workplace. The objective of this study is to identify at least six (6) safety and health hazards, including two (2) health hazards at the workplace, assess the associated risk and then prioritize the identified hazards based on their risk rating. In addition, control measures to eliminate or reduce the risks of the critical hazards were also suggested and discussed. The hazards are identified based on walkthrough inspection at the workplace, document review, as well as questionnaire survey. Using these methods, twelve (12) hazards are identified which consist of eight (8) safety hazards and four (4) health hazards. All the identified hazards are analysed using likelihood of occurrence and severity of consequences in qualitative method and the results are derived from a simple risk matrix. The two most critical hazards identified are the location of antirust chemical which is a flammable liquid in close proximity to ignition source (spark from spot welding) and the noise from the destructive test activity conducted at the assembly line section. The control measures to eliminate or reduce this critical hazard are then recommended based on the findings, results and reviews obtained with appropriate references/sources and appendices. In addition, review programs to further ensure the hazards and risks are being controlled were suggested in this report.

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2.0

INTRODUCTION

2.1

Company Background

XXX Sdn. Bhd. was incorporated in 1981 and is a subsidiary of a major company listed on the Malaysian Stock Exchange, XY Motor Holdings Berhad. The principal activities of the company are related to the automotive industry. XXX Sdn. Bhd. has been in the business of manufacturing metal stamped parts for both the automotive and non-automotive industry for 20 years. The factory is located at Lot 4185 Jalan Segambut, 51200 Kuala Lumpur occupying a land area of 8,000 square meters and is strategically located at close proximity to its international sea port, Port Klang.

As of December 2018, the company have a total workforce of 114 employees. The company’s main customers come from OEM and after-sales markets of the automotive industries in the South East Asian countries.

2.2 Figure

Organizational Chart 1

shows

the

organizational

chart

Figure 1: Organizational Chart

6

of

XXX

Sdn.

Bhd.

In this paper, we will focus on the Assembly Line section, highlighted in yellow in the organizational chart shown in Figure 1 above. The door panel assembly is the main process in Assembly Line section which also includes resistance spot welding process.

2.3

Workforce

The total manpower in XXX Sdn. Bhd. as of December 2018 is 114 employees. The breakdown of the manpower for each department and section is shown in Table 1 below. Table 1: Workforce in XXX Sdn. Bhd.

Department / Section

Manpower

Logistics

16

Press Part

27

Assembly Line

15

Die Maintenance

5

General Maintenance

4

Quality Department

5

Plant Management

23

Account

11

Human Resources, Environment, Health & Safety (EHS) and Security

9

The total manpower for Assembly Line section is fourteen (15) employees including one (1) supervisor and one (1) engineer.

2.4

Working hours

The normal office hours are from 7:30 AM to 4:35 PM for day shift and 8:30 PM to 5:35 AM for the night shift. Since January 2017, the company only operates day shift as the production

7

volume demand decreases from the previous years. Employees are entitled to a 15-minute break after 3-hours of work and lunch break is between 12:30 PM to 1:05 PM.

2.5

Activity and Work Process

The principal activities at XXX Sdn. Bhd. correlate with the manufacturing of metal stamped parts for automotive industry. The manufacturing products produce by the company include automotive stamped parts and automotive assembled parts. Figure 2(i) and Figure 2 (ii) shows the stamped parts and assembled parts produce by the company.

Figure 2 (i): Automotive Stamped Parts

Figure 2 (ii): Automotive Assembled Parts (i.e. Door Sub-Assy)

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The assembly process of a complete door inner panel or ‘Door Sub-Assy’ is part of the production line for the assembly of a complete door for car assembly. Its main purpose is to produce a complete door panel called ‘Door Assy’. There are three (3) separate sections involved in the making of ‘Door Assy’ which are Logistics Department, Press Part Section and Press Part Section. Figure 3 below shows the entire work process for the assembly of a complete door panel or ‘Door Assy’ undertaken in XXX Sdn. Bhd. The following Figure 4 shows the breakdown of the activity undertaken at Assembly Line section for Door Assembly which produces a complete assembled door inner or also known as ‘Door Sub-Assy’. The process flow chart for Door Sub-Assy is shown in Appendix 1.

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START Logistics (Raw Material)

Press Part

Logistics (Delivery of Products)

END Quality Assurance Department (Final Check)

Logistics (Storage) Forklift Operation

Assembly Line Press Part (Hemming Process)

Figure 3: Assembly Process for Door Panel

10

Preparation for Spot Welding Process (i.e. Welding Tip Dressing by filing, Machine preparation)

Transfer of Door INR panels and child parts from storage location to Assembly Area (i.e. Forklift Operation)

Setting Panel and Child Parts on Jig (i.e. manual handling)

Spot Welding Process (i.e. Welding of approximately 50 spot points per door)

Apply Antirust chemical for visual check and conduct chisel check

Transfer assembled door sub-assy to rack (i.e. manual handling)

Figure 4: Door Sub-Assy Job Process Flow Chart

2.6

Working Environment at Assembly Line Section

The Assembly Line section of XXX Sdn. Bhd. offers a fairly safe and healthy working environment for the workers. The company encourages good cleanliness and organization of workplace by practicing the Japanese’s 5S method for housekeeping, discipline and orderliness. The workplace has good lighting and good general ventilation that is sufficient for the safe use of the chemicals such as antirust. One (1) water dispenser unit is available at the supervisor area and emergency eye wash station is located not far from the chemical

11

handling area. Two (2) units of spill kit are available to be used during any chemical spill incidents. Besides that, the workplace is well equipped with firefighting equipment such as fire extinguisher, fire hose reel and fire alarm. Floor condition is maintained and pedestrian walkways are designated for the safety of pedestrians.

3.0

OBJECTIVES The overall aim of this report is to identify all hazards at the Assembly Line section of XXX Sdn. Bhd., assess the associated risk, and provide suggestions on safety and health measures that could bring about beneficial end results by containing or preventing these risks from bringing harm to the workers and the organization. The specific objectives are:

i.

To identify at least 6 safety and health hazards, including at least 2 health hazards at the workplace and discuss the techniques used to identify each of the hazards;

ii.

To assess the risk of all identified safety and health hazards;

iii.

To prioritize and rank the safety and health hazards based on their risk rating and determine the most critical safety and health hazards.

iv.

To suggest and discuss the control measures to eliminate or reduce the risks of both critical hazards.

v.

To suggest recommendation of review program on control measures to ensure the effectiveness of managing safety and health at the workplace.

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4.0

METHOD

This section describes the methodology used to identify hazards, assess the hazards as well as the associated risks for the door panel assembly process undertaken at the Assembly Line section of XXX Sdn. Bhd.

4.1

Scope of Assignment

This paper only focuses on the Door Panel assembly process as well as other associated work activities conducted at Assembly Line Section at XXX Sdn. Bhd. There are only four (4) portable spot welding guns in Assembly Line section. Figure 5 and Figure 6 below show the layout of Assembly Line section and the location of the spot welding station.

Figure 5 : Layout of Assembly Line Section

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Figure 6: Assembly Line Section

4.2

Basic Concepts

Hazard is defined as a source or a situation with a potential for harm in terms of human injury or ill health, damage to property, damage to the environment or a combination of these (Department of Occupational Safety and Health). It is important to understand the nature and source of hazards in order to conduct risk assessment at a particular workplace. Source of hazards can be classified into five categories as presented in Table 2 below. Table 2: Source of Hazards

SOURCE

EXAMPLES

Man

Behavior of workers: horseplay, rowdiness, lack of attention

Machine

Design, installation, location, maintenance

Method

Cara kerja yang tidak betul, non-compliance & SOP

Material

The use of substances: Hazardous chemicals and gases.

Media

Workplace Environment: Indoor air quality, noise, lighting 14

Hazards generally fall into one of six (6) groups: Table 3: Types of Hazards

HAZARD

CONTOH-CONTOH HAZARD

MECHANICAL /

Sharp objects, rotating machinery, cutting, moving parts, shearing

PHYSICAL

and entanglement

ELECTRICAL

Poor wiring, defective electric wires, outlets close to water,

BIOLOGICAL

Viruses, bacteria, animals Depends on the physical, chemical and toxic properties of the

CHEMICAL

chemical such as flammable liquids, corrosive liquids and toxic gases Repetitive movements, improper manual handling techniques,

ERGONOMIC

PSYCHOLOGICAL

4.3

awkward postures, height and body positioning Workplace stress which include remote and isolated work, bullying, fatigue, aggression from other workers

Hazard Identification

There are many techniques that can be used to identify hazards at the workplace. The methods used in this study include: i.

Workplace inspection and Work Process Observation to analyze potential accident factors

ii.

Review and analyze available documents and records (Accident Investigation Reports, Medical Claim reports, and yearly accident statistics as well as relevant Safety Data Sheets)

iii.

Conduct interview and administering questionnaire survey

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4.3.1 Workplace Inspection and Observation Walkthrough inspection and observation of work activities are conducted by observing, documenting and analyzing the work processes for the assembly of door panel at Assembly Line section of the factory. Walking through the target area and observing the process are essential information-gathering for hazard identification. Observation are made on work instructions, spot welding gun alignment, manual handling techniques, operator positions as well as lighting and environmental temperature at the working area. Observing how work is carried out will reveal valuable clues about the hazards involved. Observation is also being conducted on how specific tasks are undertaken to understand how workplace practice varies from the standard operating procedure. Hazards identified using this method is documented in Appendix 1. Some examples of the hazards identified for Door Panel Assembly process using this method include but not limited to: i.

Sharp objects (i.e. panels and parts)

ii.

Spark or spatter ejection during resistance spot welding process

iii.

Moving parts of spot welding gun (i.e. pinch point at the tip)

iv.

Ergonomics – turning and handling heavy spot welding gun

v.

Inhaling toxic fumes during chemical handling

vi.

Location of flammable liquids at the working areas (fire hazards)

4.3.2 Review and Analyzing Relevant Documents Another method used to identify hazards for the door panel assembly process is by reviewing all available information that can be obtained. The idea is to analyze key sources of information which may assist in indicating how hazards have arisen in the past, and are likely

16

to happen in the future. The following documents can be analyzed to identify the hazards and assess the associated risks: i.

Incident Notification Report and Incident Investigation Report

ii.

Yearly and Monthly Safety Statistical Data Incident at all XY Motor Manufacturing Plants

iii.

Standard Operating Sheet and One Point Standard for the Door Panel Assembly process

iv.

External reports such as Chemical Health Risk Assessment (CHRA) Report, Noise Monitoring Report and JKKP Logbook.

v.

Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for the relevant chemicals used for the Door Panel Assembly process

4.3.3 Interview and Questionnaire survey Following the methods of hazard identification described in Section 4.3.1 and 4.3.2 above, a simple survey questionnaire technique was adopted as part of data collection for this study. A questionnaire was designed to obtain detailed information regarding the hazards that were identified for the Door Panel process. The questionnaire survey used was included in Appendix 3. Besides that, unstructured interview was also conducted to obtain more information regarding the hazards identified. This interview was conducted without having predetermined question and answer. Unstructured interview relies entirely on the spontaneous generation of questions in the natural flow of an interaction which typically an interview that occurs as part of on-going participant observation fieldwork. One of the advantages of these interviews include respondent was given the opportunity to take control, to direct the interview into areas which they see as interesting and significant. This can lead to new and

17

important insights in identifying workplace hazards. Besides that, if respondent feels at ease in the interview they are more likely to open up and say what they really mean which will eventually provide valid data. This will help the author to really explore the worker’s beliefs and opinions without the limitation of pre-set questions.

4.4

Risk Assessment

Risk assessment is a process of evaluating risks to health and safety of the workers from workplace hazards (Department of Occupational Safety and Health). In order to communicate the distribution of the risk throughout an area in a workplace, risk can be presented in variety of ways. The results of risk assessment that presented in a risk matrix are essential to make decision on risk control. Risk is the combination of likelihood and severity of a specified hazardous event occurring (Department of Occupational Safety and Health). Based on this definition, risk can be calculated using the following formula: ( )

( )

( )

4.4.1 Likelihood of an occurrence Likelihood is an estimate of how often a hazard event occurs. This report adopts qualitative values for likelihood which are rated numerically and defined in Table 4 below. Rating five (5) indicates an event that is most likely to happen whereas rating one (1) indicates an event that is impossible and has never occurred.

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Table 4: Likelihood of Occurrence

Likelihood (L) Almost Certain

Rating Definition 5 The most likely result of hazard being realized in normal working conditions

Likely

4

Has a good chance of occurring and is not unusual

Possible

3

Possible and known to occur. Might occur at some time in future

Unlikely

2

Uncommon occurrence (only in abnormal cases)

Rare

1

Is practically impossible and has never occurred

4.4.2 Severity Severity of a hazard is the amount of damage or harm a hazard could create to an individual’s health, the environment, or to property. In this study, severity of consequences is ranked on a five (5)-point scale as follows: Table 5: Severity of Consequences

Severity (S) Catastrophic

Rating Definition 5 Likely to result in death, cause major property damage and severely disrupt productivity

Critical

4

Potential for severe injury or caused permanent disability

Serious

3

Disabling but not permanent injury (Loss Time Injury of more than 4 days) Disabling but not permanent injury (Loss Time Injury of

Minor 2

maximum 4 days) Negligible / First-Aid

1

Minor abrasions, bruises, cuts, first aid type injury

Injury

19

The likelihood and severity table were inspired from the Guidelines for HIRARC (Department of Occupational Safety and Health). The definition and rating for both severity and likelihood was reorganized to correspond to the chosen workplace. This study adopts semi-qualitative values for severity and qualitative values for likelihood. Each rating was carefully defined so that it can be used to evaluate hazards at the chosen workplace. Besides that, the definition of both severity and likelihood conforms to the management’s views on the company’s risks. An event that is likely to cause death was defined as ‘catastrophic’ instead of ‘fatal’ because the management perceives it as a catastrophic event. In other words, in the views of the management of XXX Sdn. Bhd., the death of one employee is already too many.

4.4.3 Risk Assessment (Risk Matrix) The results of risk is presented using risk matrix in order to simplify the decision on risk control. The risk assessment values assigned to the risk matrix below are determined by multiplying the scores for ‘Likelihood (L)’ and ‘Severity (S)’ values together. The risk matrix used in this study is shown below:

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Table 6: Risk Matrix

Severity (S) Likelihood (L)

1

2

3

4

5

5

5

10

15

20

25

4

4

8

12

16

20

3

3

6

9

12

15

2

2

4

6

8

10

1

1

2

3

4

5

In order to assess risk associated with a particular hazard using the risk matrix above, severity column that best describes the outcome of risk is being determined first followed by likelihood row to find the description that best suits the likelihood that the severity will occur.

4.4.4 Prioritization of Actions The relative risk value can be utilized to prioritize necessary actions in order to effectively manage workplace hazards. In this study, three (3) categories of risk were adopted based on HIRARC guidelines (Department of Occupational Safety and Health): low risk (risk values of 1 to 4), medium risk (risk values of 5 to 12), and high risk (risk values of 15 to 25). Table 7 illustrates priority based on the following ranges:

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Table 7: Prioritization of Actions based on Risk Values

RISK

DESCRIPTION

ACTION

15-25

HIGH

A HIGH risk requires immediate action to control the hazard as detailed in the hierarchy of control. Actions taken must be documented on the risk assessment form including date for completion. Besides that, person-in-charge (PIC) should be assigned and follow-up as well as audit must ensued to guarantee control are put in place.

5-12

MEDIUM

A MEDIUM risk requires a planned approach to controlling the hazard and applies temporary measure if required. Actions taken must be documented on the risk assessment form including date for completion.

1-4

LOW

A risk identified as LOW may be considered as acceptable and further reduction may not be necessary. However, if the risk can be resolved quickly and efficiently, control measures should be implemented and recorded.

5.0

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This chapter presents the findings from the workplace inspection and observation, document review as well as the results from the questionnaire survey. The workplace inspection revealed plenty of hazards with regards to the environment of the workplace, the activities undertaken and the behavior of the workers. Besides that, by analyzing available documents, a number of hazards were also identified and acknowledged. Among the hazards that were identified using this method includes, caught between spot welding gun hanger, components of portable spot welding gun fall from height, pinching point of spot welding gun, struck by moving forklift and the heat accumulated at the spot welding gun tips that could cause scalding injuries. Results from questionnaire survey and interview facilitates the addition of, if any, unidentified hazards as well in providing detailed information pertaining to the

22

hazards identified. Section 5.1 describes briefly and presents a list of hazards identified at Assembly Line section of the workplace.

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5.1

List of Identified Hazards

Table 8 below presents the list of hazards that have been identified for the Door Inner Assembly process including all the activities directly related to the process. Table 8: List of Identified Hazards

Hazard Identification No. 1.

Work Activity / Material / Machineries / Tools

Hazard

Effect/ Potential Risk

Transfer of parts and panels to the

Forklift traffic at

Struck by moving

Assembly Line (Forklift

the assembly line

forklift – Could

Operation)

area

cause serious

Risk Assessment Relative Likelihood Severity Risk / Risk (L) (S) level 2 4 8 (Medium)

Controls in Place -Forklift Authorization Program

injuries (permanent disability is

-Forklift Operation

probable)

Procedures (honking, speed limit)

-Forklift training including refresher training every 2years 24

-Pedestrian safety walkway and work zone marking

2.

Preparation for Spot Welding

Moving parts on

Caught between

2

4

8

activity such as welding tip setup

the spot welding

spot welding tips –

and tip dressing.

gun (pinching

could cause serious

accompanied with

point)

injuries on hands

One Point Standard:

and fingers

Only one operator

(permanent

is allowed to

disability is

operate one portable

probable)

spot welding

(Medium)

-Safe work practices

-Safe working procedure is available (i.e. kill switch is activated during tip dressing)

-Training conducted to new workers

25

3.

Manual handling of panel and

Sharp metal parts

Strike against the

4

2

8

child parts

(i.e. stamped parts

sharp object could

such as door

cause minor

Lesson (on how to

panels and child

injuries such as

hold Door Panel)

parts)

laceration, cut, etc.

(Medium)

-Safe work practices: One Point

-PPE – (i.e. cutresistant gloves, protective sleeves) 4.

Setting up door panel and child

Moving parts on

Hands and fingers

parts on the jig

jig (i.e.) clamping could get caught

2

2

4 (Low)

-Training to new operators

mechanism

between the jig

(pinching point)

clamping

-Safe work

mechanism

practices :- One

causing minor

Point Standard

injuries such as

(OPS) for spot gun

bruises

handling and turning is available

26

5.

Spot welding process

Spark or spatter

Spark and spatter

3

3

9 (Medium)

-Engineering

(molten metal)

(ejected molten

control – calibration

ejected during

metal) generated

and spot welding

resistance spot

could penetrate

parameters are set

welding process

through normal

according to

clothing and cause

thickness of

minor or serious

welding materials

injuries. -Training conducted -Burn and scalding

for new workrs

injuries -Foreign object

PPE – Faceshield,

penetrates the skin

Safety eyewear,

-Eye injuries

leather apron. Leather gloves, protective sleeves

6.

Applying antirust chemical at the

Inhalation of

-Skin irritation due

spot welding areas.

vapor of antirust

to prolonged

chemical and skin

contact with the

and eye contact

chemicals

27

2

2

4 (Low)

-Adequate general ventilation

-PPE: Hand

with antirust chemical

protection (nitrile -Chemicals

gloves) and cotton

splashed into eyes

gloves are worn

causing eye injury

together

-Inhalation of toxic

-PPE: Protective

vapor could cause

eyewear

dizziness, drowsiness and headache 7.

Location of antirust chemical and

Flammable

Could cause fire

thinner at the assembly area

liquids (thinner

-Serious injury,

and antirust) in

property damage

3

5

15 (High)

-Only small quantity of liquid is allowed in the

close proximity to

Assembly Line area

ignition source

for the quality

(spark from spot

assurance purposes

welding) -The use of fully covered container

28

8.

Hanging portable spot welding

Condition of the

Objects falling

gun

components, wire

from height due to

rope and sling

failure of wire

used to support or

rope, slings, ropes

raised hanged

could cause minor

portable spot

and serious injuries

welding gun

to the person

2

3

6

Preventive

(Medium)

Maintenance

4

Safe Working

working underneath it.

Effect includes impact injuries such as bruises, dislocation and fractures 9.

Handling and positioning portable Spot welding gun

Caught between

spot welding gun

hanger that allows

heavy portable spot

for tilting

welding gun and

movement

its hanger could

-Training and

cause minor

briefing

injuries such as

29

2

2

(Low)

Procedure

muscle contusion and bruises

10.

Handling and positioning portable Handling of

Musculoskeletal

spot welding gun

heavy spot

disorders such as

welding gun and

low back pain and

awkward posture

neck pain.

3

3

9 (Medium)

-Use of spring balancers to reduce operator fatigue

during spot

-Working platform

welding process

or jig is at the

(Ergonomic

suitable height for

hazard)

all assembly line operators

30

11.

Hot working environment

Heat hazard to

-Heat stroke is

(Measurement taken using Hygro- worker from:

unlikely, however,

Anemometer at Spot Welding

worker could

3

2

6

-Industrial fans are

(Medium)

available; however it does not supply

Station W11 in 5 working days

-hot condition due suffer from heat

good air flow

between 1PM to 2PM: Average

to heat from the

exhaustion and

(velocity) to the

relative humidity = 42.4%,

spot welding gun

dehydration.

working area.

-strenuous

-Water depletion

-Scheduled rest

physical activities

(signs include

time

-weather

excessive thirst,

average temperature = 32.9 C; Wind Speed (0.5 m/s)

31

condition

-level of airflow

weakness,

-Water dispenser is

headache, and loss

available close to

of consciousness)

the work area

to the worker from old

-Salt depletion

industrial fans

(signs include nausea and

-weather

vomiting, muscle

condition (relative cramps and humidity and

dizziness

temperature) -Profuse sweating, fatigue and heat rashes

12.

Chisel check activity after spot

Loud noise

-Short term

welding process

generated from

exposure to loud

using metal head

noise can cause

32

3

4

12 (Medium)

PPE Awareness Training (Hearing Protection) is being

hammer to pound

temporary change

metal chisel

in hearing (i.e. ears

(approximately

may feel stuffed

120 dB)

up) or a ringing in ears (tinnitus)

-No adequate procedure for the

-Exposure could

specific activity –

cause permanent

no established

hearing loss

procedure enforcing hearing

-Other effects

protection (i.e.

include sleep

Ear Plug)

disturbances, headache and other emotional and behavioral stress

33

conducted yearly.

5.2

Hazard Prioritization

The hazards identified in Section 5.1 above were categorized into safety and health hazards and then listed based on their risk rating. 5.2.1 List of Safety Hazards based on their risk rating Overall eight (8) safety hazards were identified and Table 9 shows one (1) safety hazard that was classified as ‘high risk’, five (5) safety hazards were classified as ‘medium risk’ and two (2) hazards were classified as ‘low risk’. Table 9: List of Safety Hazards based their Risk Rating

No

1

2 3 4 5

6

7 8

Hazard Description

Likelihood (L)

Severity (S)

3

5

3

3

Location of flammable liquids (thinner and antirust) in close proximity to ignition source (spark from spot welding) Spark and spatter (molten metal) ejected during resistance spot welding process Forklift traffic at the assembly line area Moving parts of the spot welding gun (pinching-point) Sharp metal parts (door panels and child parts) Condition of the wire rope, slings and other components used to support or raised hanged portable spot welding gun The spot welding gun hanger that allows for tilting movement Moving parts of the jig clamping mechanism (pinchingpoint)

34

2

4

2

4

4

2

2

3

2

2

2

2

Risk Rating

Risk Level

15

High

9

Medium

8

Medium

8

Medium

8

Medium

6

Medium

4

Low

4

Low

5.2.2 List of Health Hazards based on their risk rating There were four (4) health hazards identified in the workplace. Three (3) of the health hazards were classified as ‘medium risk’ and one (1) health hazard was determined to have ‘low risk’. No 1

2

3 4

5.3

Hazard Description

Likelihood (L)

Severity (S)

3

4

3

3

3

2

2

2

Loud noise generated from using metal head hammer to pound metal chisel Handling of heavy spot welding gun and awkward posture during spot welding process (Ergonomic hazard) Heat hazard from hot working environment Inhalation of vapor of antirust chemical and skin and eye contact with antirust chemical

Risk Rating

Risk Level

12

Medium

9

Medium

6

Medium

4

Low

The Most Critical Safety Hazard

The most critical safety hazard was selected according to the highest level of risk where its severity conditions are classified as likely to result in death, cause major property damage and severely disrupt productivity. The decision to take preventive action and implement control measures should be based on the highest risk of priority. The location of antirust chemical which is a flammable liquid in close proximity to ignition source (spark from spot welding) was determined to have the highest risk rating of 15 was because of its damaging severity of consequences (severity = 5). Besides that, the hazard was given likelihood score of 3 because of the occurrence of fire is probable and although there were no reported incidents, there are evidence of its occurrence. The results from the questionnaire survey shows that, 8 out of 10 respondents have witnessed the

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flammable liquid caught fire at the Assembly Line section. Although fire incidents are not usual in the plant, a photo shared by one of the Assembly Line employee confirms that the hazard had been realized before. Figure 7 below shows that one of the metal container used to store the chemical had a sign that it had caught on fire before.

Figure 7: Evidence to suggest that container used to store antirust chemical had caught on fire

Antirust used in the assembly line section, the Rustilo DWX 30, has a flashpoint of 45 ℃ and was categorized as Category-3 flammable liquid. In other words, the chemical can vaporize to form an ignitable mixture in air at around 45 ℃ when an ignition source is present. The details of the chemical which can be found on the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is shown in Appendix 4. A seemingly minor safety-related event such as antirust container caught on fire could have resulted in a much damaging event if preventive measures are not set in place. Assembly Line Section which only consists of maximum six (6) workers at the Spot Welding area at one time could have easily overlooked an antirust container that have been ignited by spark ejected from spot welding process. The unpredictable nature of fire means it can often

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spread quickly and have devastating consequences.

5.4

The Most Critical Health Hazard

Loud noise generated from using metal head hammer to pound metal chisel during destructive testing (chisel check) was selected as the most critical health hazard for the chosen workplace based on the risk rating and its chronic effect. Other than that, there are currently no control measure established to reduce the risk associated with high noise exposure for the work activity. The hazard, which has a risk rating of 12 and classified as ‘medium risk’ due to the fact that it was given a severity score of ‘4’ and likelihood score of ‘3’. The hazard was classified as the most critical health hazard because exposure to high levels of noise can cause permanent hearing loss. In addition, short term exposure to loud noise can also cause a temporary change in someone’s ability to hear. A person exposed to loud noise may feel stuffed up or experience ringing in ears or tinnitus (United States Department of Labor). Permanent hearing loss due to exposure to loud noise is possible and it is supported by the statistics published by SOCSO concerning to Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH)).

During the walkthrough inspection, it was found that the activity produced a very distressing level of noise. The act of striking a metal head hammer onto metal chisel on a metal parts can produce a very loud noise that may cause great discomfort to the ears. The noise produced from the hammer striking the nails was considered an impact noise and could reach a maximum of 131 dBA (Anderson). It can be estimated that the noise level produced is close to 131 dBA. According to the Factories and Machinery (Noise Exposure) Regulation

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1989, no employee shall be exposed to noise level exceeding 115 dB (A) at any time (Factories and Machinery Act (Noise Exposure) Regulation 1989).

Besides that, the risk pertaining to noise exposure had not being assessed and addressed. The management have to conduct additional noise monitoring due to the fact that there has been a process and control measures change in the factory (Factories and Machinery Act (Noise Exposure) Regulation 1989). Previously, chisel check was done randomly every two (2) hours of assembly of door inner. However, in order to improve quality assurance level of the product, assembly line section was required to conduct chisel check on every door panel assembled.

5.5

The Impact of the Most Critical Safety and Health Risks to the Organization

Effect of the safety hazard will cause severe injuries, major property damage and disrupt the productivity. However, the most terrifying effect of this hazard is fatality. A fire in a workplace can also mean the termination of jobs. Apart from the trauma these accidents cause to the employees themselves and their families, from employer’s perspective workrelated accidents can also be hugely detrimental. Noise-induced hearing loss will not only affect the involved employees, it will also impact the reputation of the company in the future. They generally result in expensive personal injury claims made by the employee, but the unseen costs are even higher. Loss of business reputation due to accidents and enforcement action can lead to loss of new or repeat business or loss of new investment. The impact of the risks to the company is huge as suggested in the Iceberg theory. The unseen effects which include the uninsured sot is 8 to 36 times the cost of the insured. Hidden or uninsured costs are as follows:-

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i. Work is delayed because the machine (i.e.Spot Welding Gun) cannot be used ii. New worker training because of existing employees are on long sick leave. iii. Contract hiring for temporary replacement. iv. Loss of productivity and quality because of inexperienced workers. v. Cancellation of customer order due to delayed delivery. vi. Penalties and summons for delivery upon expiration. vii. Financial assistance, welfare and logistics to injured workers. viii. Raw material and machinery damage. ix. Repairing and replacing damaged equipment, materials and facilities. x. Time for investigation to be made and cost of legal fees. xi. Fines (if any) xii. Compensation to the employees involved. xiii. Loss of business reputation due to accidents and enforcement action can lead to loss of new or

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6.0

RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter outlines the proposed control measures for the most critical safety and health hazards according to the hierarchy of control. The most effective control measures are done at the source of the hazard. Therefore the first step in the hierarchy of control is to eliminate the source of hazard. The next step,

6.1

Proposed Control Measures for the Most Critical Safety Hazard

Elimination: The most critical hazard which is the location of antirust in close proximity to spark produced during spot welding process could be eliminated by getting rid of the process of applying antirust liquid at the spot welding areas on the assembled parts. However, this measure is not practical as it has a negative effect on the quality of the assembled metal parts.

Substitution: It is possible to replace the antirust with a less hazardous, non-flammable chemical. A nonflammable, multipurpose rust preventive liquid that has almost the same characteristic as the current antirust (Rustilo DWX 30) is available in the market. For example, Antirust 99 DW produced by Matrix Specialty Lubricants, a company based in the Netherlands has a flashpoint of 120 ℃ and it is fairly safe to be used in Assembly Line Section. A liquid with a flashpoint above 93 ℃ does not meet GHS classification criteria and will not be regarded as

40

a flammable liquid or a hazardous chemical. The move to substitute the use of the current antirust chemical with a substance that is non-flammable can significantly improve plant safety.

Engineering Control (Isolation): If a hazard cannot be eliminated or replaced, it can sometimes be isolated or contained. The process can be done at another location away from any ignition source. However, to move the process away from the assembly area will reduce efficiency in terms of manpower, extended working hours as well as forklift traffic to transport the parts to another location.

Engineering Control (Barrier): Since the hazard can only be activated when the antirust get in contact or come close with an ignition source, the spark generated during spot welding process can be blocked before it could reach the location of the antirust. Installing special compartmentation such as fireretardant curtains can be used as barriers to protect against the realization of the hazard. Besides that, a temporary control measure using this method is easily available in the factory. There are a lot of metal barriers that can be used to segregate and divide the spot welding process from the antirust liquid. Figure 8 shows one of unused metal divider found in the compound of the factory that can be used as a barrier to block the spot welding spark from reaching the working area where the flammable chemical is being used.

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Figure 8: Metal barrier that can be used as a temporary control measure

Administrative Controls (Safe work procedures): Workers can be required to use standardized safety practices. In order to reduce the risk associated with the flammable liquid, a standard safety practices need to be strictly followed. All flammable need to be stored in a fully enclosed and approved container and keep close at all time. The tools such as brush and rags need to be kept away in a proper and enclosed storage area when it is not being used. Provided that a barrier is installed, no flammable liquids or combustible materials are allowed in the spot welding area. There is a need to establish safety procedures and company safety rules in order to ensure all the standardized safety practices are being strictly followed. Finally, inspection need to be conducted regularly for any deficiencies such as damaged or leaking containers, poor ventilation or non-approved equipment. All deficiencies identified need to corrected as soon as possible as they could result in unintended hazardous condition.

Administrative Controls (Signage and Labels): Best safety practices require the use of safety signs to indicate specific hazards that, without identification, may lead to accidental injury to workers or lead to property damage. Signs 42

should be kept concise and simple, however, they must communicate sufficient information so that the message is clear.

Housekeeping and Maintenance Programs Housekeeping includes cleaning, waste disposal and organization of workplace so that no hazards can be introduced to the existing hazard. Slip and trip accidents due to messy and workplace, oily floors, spills can be prevented by ensuring workplace are clear and in order. Repair and maintenance program needs to be set in place in order to make sure the flammable liquids are free from any potential ignition source. All damaged containers and tools use to apply antirust on metal body need to be replaced. This maintenance program is required in order to avoid dripping or leaking of flammable liquids. Finally, in terms of chemical handling, smart absorbent usage is key to good housekeeping.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Personal Protective Equipment for fire protection is not practical to be used in the workplace such as Assembly Line. However, emergency preparedness is very important in order to reduce the consequences of any emergency situation. Emergency response team need to be well prepared and well protected and equipped in order to response to a fire incident. It is for everyone’s best interest that the company invest in firefighting essentials such as fire retardant suit, Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA), and other emergency response equipment.

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6.2

Proposed Control Measures for the Most Critical Health Hazard

Elimination: The elimination of quality control activity is not practical in this age and time. There is an ever increasing need for efficient quality control in the automotive industries for several reasons. In order to ensure the structural strength of the product, quality control activities such as destructive test using chisel check is required.

Substitution: The quality control method of using destructive test that apply the use hammer and chisel can be substituted. Other methods are widely available such as the use of thermography as a method for spot weld inspection. However, due to limited facilities and the high cost of thermal non-destructive testing (TNDT), it is not practical to be implemented at the chosen workplace.

Engineering Control: A temporary control measures that can be implemented to reduce the risk of this hazard is to install rubber head on the hammer or on the tail or the handle of the chisel. This improvement may reduce the noise level without affecting the efficiency of the quality control activity.

Administrative Control: Implementing work cycles or job rotation on this activity can reduce the risk of noise exposure and ensure workers are not affected by the high noise levels at the workplace. Work activities can be modified to shorten time or decrease noise level influencing a particular worker. Also, training is important to increase awareness and in recognizing when hearing

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protection is required. Training should also be provided to teach proper wearing and fit, and in recognizing when hearing protection needs to be replaced. Policy on when to wear hearing protection (such as when entering plant or whenever sound exceed 85 dBA need to be implemented.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Finally, personal protective equipment shall be provided to employee at no cost to the workers. Hearing protectors shall attenuate noise sufficiently to keep the worker’s exposure to noise below 85 dBA as an 8-hour TWA.

6.3

Recommendation for Review Program

Through feedback from employees and supervisors, the management can assess the effectiveness of the actions taken. Information about any unidentified near-accident or accident can be obtained through this method. Safety committee meetings that are held every 3 months should discuss the effectiveness of the hazard control measures taken and where other hazards are urgently needed to control the source of the hazard. Besides that, discussion and review of HIRARC need to be conducted at a more frequent interval in order to ensure all hazards have adequate risk control in place.

Every hazard that has been identified and acted on escrow or elimination will be audited and re-checked to ensure that it is still under control, the employee is still in compliance with the instructions and repairs that have been taken. The work process is also audited to ensure that any changes in work processes to control hazards are practiced by employees. The audit and inspection also act to ensure that no new hazards exist within the workplace. Any changes to 45

the work process must be made safe working analysis to ensure no new hazard in the work process. Review program should also include the analysis of effectiveness of the trainings conducted. It is recommended that the workers are tested in their understanding of roles, work activities and their awareness of the critical hazards and its effects.

6.4

Benefits of Implementing the Control Measures Recommended

Control measures taken will bring benefits and benefits to the company when it is efficiently implemented and complied by the employees and the management. There are the short-term and long-term benefits to be obtained if the control measures are effectively taken. Accident and incident statistics will decline and this will give profit to the company where the cost of insurance decreases, the cost of compensation will also decrease as well as other costs that such as the cost of sick leave pay, labor replacement cost and cost of replacement and repair of machineries. In addition, the moral of the workers will increase when the working environment are most safe and comfortable. Employees can perform their duties will not lose skilled and experienced workers due to accidents and this can contribute to increased productivity for the company. The reputation of the company will also increase as the quality-produced and delivery products can be made at the promised time. The organization's image and reputation as a responsible employer will be acknowledged and this will bring in more investments in the future. It will facilitate the company in hiring new employees due to good corporate image. The deal with the Department of Occupational Safety and Health, the Department of Environment and other

46

relevant departments will also be easy where each applicable legal requirement is followed and practiced by the company. The company's commitment to prioritizing occupational safety and health can provide great benefits to companies and employees as suggested in the Iceberg theory, the uninsured cost is 8 to 36 times the cost of the insured.

7.0

REFERENCE

Anderson, Erik William. "The Measurement of Sound Levels in Construction." (2007): 65. Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH). Annual Report SOCSO 1995-2009 Statistik Kes Hilang Pendengaran Akibat Bunyi Bising. n.d. 18 December 2018. Department of Occupational Safety and Health. "Guidelines for Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Risk Control (HIRARC)." 2008. "Factories and Machinery Act (Noise Exposure) Regulation 1989." Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), 1989. United States Department of Labor. Occupational Noise Exposure. n.d. 18 December 2018.

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8.0

APPENDICES

Appendix 1 – Assembly Flow Chart for A complete Door Panel (Front-Right Door Assembly)

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Appendix 2 – Findings from Walkthrough Inspection and Job Process Observation

49

50

Appendix 3 – A sample of the Questionnaire Survey Administered to the respondents at Assembly Line Section

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52

Appendix 4 – Safety Data Sheet for Antirust Chemical used at Assembly Line Section

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55

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