Journal of Current Researches on Business and Economics

(1)

doi: 10.26579/jocrebe-8.2.22

Journal of Current Researches

on Business and Economics

(JoCReBE)

ISSN: 2547-9628

http://www.jocrebe.com

Assessment of Occupational Safety Hazard and Risk: A Case Study

in Waste Sector

Tuğçen HATİPOĞLU

1

_{& Hatice ESEN}

2 Keywords

Work safety, Risk assessment, Risk Matrix, Hazardous

Waste.

Abstract

This study consists of the application of risk analysis to a company operating in the waste removal and recycling industry to identify the existing hazards and take the necessary preventive actions. The analysis shows whether the current risks can be tolerated or not by calculating the risk levels in all processes and departments. Necessary preventions are taken for the risks that cannot be tolerated in such that they are decreased to tolerable levels and a safer work environment is developed by protecting the workers from unhealthy conditions.

Article History Received 25 Nov, 2018 Accepted 30 Dec, 2018

1. Introduction

This study was conducted to identify the existing risks for workers’ health and

safety, find the appropriate preventive actions against these risks and implement

these actions. Along this line, the contribution of our work can be listed as follows:



Establishing a safe work environment by improving the current working

environment,



Decreasing the loss of humans, machines, materials and time, which slow

down or impede the work flow,



Improving efficiency and effectiveness in the company due to the decreased

loss,



Decreasing the overall costs by taking all these actions and efforts

In the second section, the definition of risk analysis in occupational health and

safety and the application areas of it are given. The application details are

presented in the third section. The outcomes and further comments are discussed

in the last section.

2. Risk Assesment Matrix

This method represents the body of most methods. It is the most common one and

the easiest to use. To create a risk assessment matrix, “risk” is first separated into

two components categorized as likelihood and severity, and analyzed afterwards.

1_{Corresponding Author. Research Assistant, Kocaeli University, tugcen.hatipoglu@kocaeli.edu.tr} 2_{Assist. Prof., Kocaeli University, hatice.eris@kocaeli.edu.tr}

Year: 2018 Volume: 8 Issue: 2

For cited: Hatipoğlu, T. & Esen, H. (2018). Assessment of Occupational Safety Hazard and Risk: A Case Study

in Waste Sector. Journal of Current Researches on Business and Economics, 8 (2), 345-354.

(2)

346

Hatipoğlu, T. & Esen, H. (2018). Assessment of Occupational Safety Hazard and Risk: A Case Study in Waste Sector

For each risk (R), the likelihood (L), which is the probability that a risk will

materialize, and the severity (S) of the results in the case that it materializes, are

determined (Saat, 2009 :45).

Then risk is obtained by the formula: R= L x S

The acceptability level is defined in Table 3 by considering the constructed matrix.

This definition can vary in different companies. The risks above the level of 15 are

unacceptable, the ones between 12 and 15 are worth to investigation and the ones

with lower than 6 are low level risks.

The main issue with human factors is the concept of the risk assessment matrix.

The risk assessment matrix is a method that allows different types of risks and

hazards to be classified according to their level of importance. This classification

provide to determine the most important or urgent risks.

The risk matrix usually considers only one criterion, mostly economic effect.

However, when it is necessary to make a decision in a company, more than one

criterion should be considered in general. (Pérez-Fernández et al., 2015:67)

A combination of the severity and likelihood of a potential accident or illness

scenario is the basis of the risk matrix. The appropriate risk matrix selection is

very important because risk matrix is a tool to manage the relationship between

likelihood and severity ( Markowski and Mannan, 2008:153).

The risk assessment matrix allows for the classification of different kinds of errors

according to their importance. This classification can help in prioritizing risks and

making decisions about which are most important or urgent.

3. Application of risk assesment in waste sector

In the factory that this study is conducted, hazardous and non-hazardous wastes

are distinguished from the metals at the cutting machines and send to the cement

factories as fuels after their waste diameter is decreased below 3 cm by the

granulator cutting. Besides, all air, oil and fuel filters caused by the machines and

tools used in the factory are recycled by 100%.

First of all, we identify the risks and hazards existing in the factory and calculate

their magnitudes. According to the calculated magnitudes, we decide whether the

risk is tolerable or not.

The application consists of 13 main activities existing in the factory. The main

activity areas that are evaluated are waste receiving activities from customer plant,

vehicle movements in waste transportation, waste acceptance, factory dooryard,

production, office, transport vehicles, refectory, laboratory, archive, toilet -

bathroom - locker room, infirmary, warehouse

Total number of hazards identified are 347; 152 of them are in the acceptable

levels, 174 are in the medium level and 21 of them are in high levels. The

distribution of the risk levels is shown in Figure 1.

(3)

Journal of Current Researches on Business and Economics, 2018, 8 (2), 345-354.

347 When the current hazards are identified in the factory, the sub-activities under the

main activities are classified and the numbers of non-tolerable and total hazards at

each sub-activity are summarized in Table 1.

Table 1. Unacaptable risk distribution on sub-activity and main activity basis

Main Activities

Sub-Activity

Number of

_Hazard

Number of

Unacceptable

Hazard

Waste Receiving Activities

from Customer Plant

Extensive Work Activities 10 8 Visit to Customer Factory 2 2

Vehicle Shipment Plan 4 4

Waste Loading 7 7

Waste Removal By

Vacuum Truck

7 7

Vehicle Movements in Waste Transportation

Extensive Work Activities 9 8

Vehicle Shipment Plan

4 2

Drivers 7 6

Waste Acceptance

Waste Acceptance Point 3 3

Temporary Waste Storage

Area 9 9

Waste Acceptance With

Vacuum Truck 8 8

Factory Dooryard

Security 5 2

Vehicles Movements and

Parking 6 3

Weighbridge 4 0

Electric Transformer 5 1

Diesel Tank 7 6

Driver Resting Area 4 0

Production

Waste Storage 12 12

Decomposition of Wastes 8 8 Bucket and Forklift Use 9 8

(4)

348 Main Activities

Sub-Activity

Number of

_Hazard

Number of

Unacceptable

Hazard

Storage Of Recovered Wastes 8 8 Dispatching Of Recovered Wastes 3 3

Maintenance and Repair

Works 7 5

Production and Dispatch

Office 11 11

Office

Access to Offices 1 0

Extensive Work Activities in

the office 13 0

Working with Display

Screen Equipments 3 0

Liquid Consumption in the

office 2 0

Use of Electrical Equipment

for Office Requirement 4 0

Extensive Work Activities

in Field Offices

6 1

Transport Vehicles The Order Of The Cruise _{Passenger Vehicles} 15 ₄ 1 ₂

Refectory

Food preparation 4 0

Food service and working

inthe kitchen 14 4

Emergency 4 0

Material Storage 3 0

Laboratory 21 16

Archive 6 2

Toilet - Bathroom - Locker

Room Use of Toilet-Bathroom Use of locker room 2 8 0 0 Infirmary

Examine, Treatment 4 0

Injection 2 0

Storage and Disposal of

Medical Wastes 2 0

Warehouse 18 1

As the table shows, three sub activities that have the highest hazard levels are;

recycling of general wastes with 24 hazards, laboratory activities with 21 hazards,

and storage activities with 18 hazards. Figure 2 shows the categorised risk levels of

these three sub activities.

(5)

349 Figure 2. Classfied risk level of three significant sub-actvities

Table 2. Hazard types classified by reference to OSHA

Possible hazards in the company can be classified as Safety, Biological, Physical,

Chemical Ergonomic and Work Organization based on the OSHA report. The unsafe

situations that may lead to injury, ilness and death can be counted under safety

hazards. When the work includes animals, people, or plants (Blood and other body

fluids, Fungi/mold, Bacteria and viruses, Plants), these are called as biological

hazards. The elements in the surrounding that may cause a harm to body without a

physical exposure are named as physical hazards (noise, temperature extremes,

radiation, etc.). Any chemical exposure in the work environment are named as

chemical hazards such as cleaning products, pesticides, asbestos. When the work

affects the strain on your body, these are called as ergonomic hazards such as

repetition, lifting, awkward postures, etc. Finally, when the work environment

leads to stress in short term and strain in the long-term such as workload

demands, workplace violence, intensity and/or pace, respect, these are labelled as

Work Organization Hazards.

Since the company operates in the removal of hazardous wastes, environmental

hazards are also added to the clasification prepared for this study. Table 2 shows

the distribution of the possible hazards according to this classification. The

(6)

350 columns of the table shows 13 main activities, while the rows show the classified

hazard types. The reason behind the difference between the number of hazards of

each main activity in table 2 is that a hazard can be associated with more than one

type of hazard. The table shows that the highest rate of hazard is safety with 49%

value. This is followed by work organization with 24% and environmental hazards

with 8%. Figure 3 provides the percentages of the classified hazard types within

the company.

(7)

Table 3. Examples of possible hazards and precautions to be taken

Main Activities Hazard Hazard _Type Risk

1 Waste Receiving Activities from Customer Plant When the wastes are loaded, there is a hot work and free heat. Physical (H) 15

ACTION(S) REQUIRED The workers should be informed about the work health and safety and trained on site. 5 (L)

2

Waste Receiving Activities from

Customer Plant Driver is imposed to the steam and the dust of the waste.

Chemical

8 (M)

ACTION(S) REQUIRED

Information should be gathered about the ingredients of the waste. A material security data sheet or a report of the analysis related to the waste should be demanded. A work safety protocol providing the information related to the required usage of the personal protective tools should be

sent to the subcontracted transportation companies.

4 (L)

3

Customer Plant The leakage and fall of the waste from the vehicle due to the improper carriage. Environment al, Chemical, Safety 16 (H) ACTION(S) REQUIRED

The inappropriate waste should be reported back to the companies with the waste admission form. Subcontracted transportation companies should use non-leaking boxes and put a canvas

onto the boxes. The customer company should have an absorbent material. Subcontracted transportation companies should have the absorbent material in their vehicles.

5 (L)

4

Customer Plant The driver is not trained about the work health and safety.

Work Organization

5 (L)

The vehicles should be used by the skilled people. To ensure that, a work safety protocol should be prepared and added to the contracts made by the customers. The protocol that says that the driver has to wait inside the vehicle or in the waiting area during the carriage and also has to use

personal protecting equipment such as hand gloves, helmet, steel shoes, should send to the subcontractors.

5 (L)

5

Vehicle Movements in Waste

Transportation The move of the vehicle before an appropriate canvas is put on. Environment al, Safety

10(M )

ACTION(S) REQUIRED Motorway Carriage of Hazardous Materials. The follow-up of these documents should be carried The drivers should have the documents for the European Agreement on the International

by the logistics department. 5 (L)

6

Vehicle Movements in Waste

Transportation The drivers use the vehicles longer than the legal limit. OrganizationWork , Safety

5 (L)

(8)

352

Hatipoğlu, T. & Esen, H. (2018). Assessment of Occupational Safety Hazard and Risk: A Case Study in Waste Sector 7

Waste Acceptance The waste contains radioactive material.

Physical

15 (H)

A measure should be made with the radiation measurement equipment and when the radiation is more than the limit, the staff should inform the Atom Energy Institute. The workers should be trained on-the-job and with the work safety and security trainings and there should be regular

controls with the ground control form.

5 (L)

8 Waste Acceptance The fall of the boxes when they are landed. Safety

10(M )

ACTION(S) REQUIRED The places where the boxes are landed should be identified, a stopper should be put to prevent _{sliding, and the boxes should be controlled regularly.} 5 (L)

9 Waste Acceptance The blockage of valves due to the resident in the liquid drawn into the vacuum truck. Chemical

16 (H)

ACTION(S) REQUIRED The records of the vacuum trucker should be checked regularly, the workers should have on-the-_{job training, and there should be regular controls by using the area control form.} 4 (L)

10

Waste Acceptance Explosion on the mechanical parts due to the gas pressure that occur during the transfer of liquid _{waste with the pressured gas in the vacuum truck.}

Safety

15 (H)

There should be a water-gauge between the pump and tank to prevent the pressure on the vacuum truck, there should be an air evacuation valve to prevent the explosions that can occur

when the threshold pressure is passed during the waste disposal in the vacuum truck. The indicators showing the pressure on the vacuum truck tank and panel should be checked and the

disposal should be made at least with two people including a driver and an assistant.

5 (L)

11 Factory Dooryard The increase in the volume of the contaminated waste due to the rainfall leakage into the overflow pool. Environment

al 8 (M)

ACTION(S) REQUIRED A shelter should be put above the tank. 4 (L)

12

Factory Dooryard The fall of the load in the boxes due to the imbalance. _Environment al Safety

10(M )

ACTION(S) REQUIRED sliding, and the issue should be controlled regularly by the logistics department. The staff should The places where the boxes are landed should be identified, a stopper should be put to prevent

be informed with the on-the-job and work safety and health trainings. 5 (L)

13 _{ACTION(S) REQUIRED}Production _{A pallet jack should be used to prevent the manual carriage of the heavy loads.}Heavy loads are carried manually. Ergonomic 8 (M) _{4 (L)}

14 Production The workers on the boxes are exposed to the dust and steam of the waste. Chemical (H) 15

(9)

353

15

Production The wastes are not put into the identified places.

Work Organization

10 (M)

The usual cleaning and orderliness of the area should be controlled by the regular daily environmental controls. The labels of the chemicals should include the characteristic of the waste

such as corrosive, toxic, explosive, etc., and the wastes should be stored according to their labels. There should be material security data sheet.

5 (L)

16 Production The exposure of the workers to the waste water due to the covering of the area with the waste water because of the blockage on the drainage. Biological 4 (L)

ACTION(S) REQUIRED The residential wastes and rain waters on the area should be linked to the waste water canal. 4 (L)

17 _{ACTION(S) REQUIRED}Office By establishing a program on worker’s computer, the worker can be warned for a break in Working on the sitting position for a long time Ergonomic 8 (M)

regular intervals. 4 (L)

18 _{ACTION(S) REQUIRED}Office _{Some social activities should be organized by the management to decrease the work stress.}The work stress _OrganizationWork 4 (L) _{4 (L)}

19 Laboratory No air conditioning Physical

16 (H)

ACTION(S) REQUIRED An ex-proof electrical system should be implemented in the new laboratory and the air _{conditioning should be designed independently.} 4 (L)

20

Laboratory The exposure and contact of worker to the chemicals

Chemical

8 (M)

ACTION(S) REQUIRED laboratory staff should be provided with job-specific personal protective equipment and have to There should be warning signs showing that it is not allowed to enter except the staff, and the

use them. 4 (L)

21 Toilet - Bathroom - Locker Room The cleanings are not done on time and properly Biological 4 (L)

ACTION(S) REQUIRED The toilets should be cleaned regularly. 4 (L)

22 _{ACTION(S) REQUIRED}Infirmary A medical waste contract should be made and there should be a waste container for the medical The spread and fall of the medical wastes Biological 6 (L)

wastes. 6 (L)

23 _{ACTION(S) REQUIRED}Warehouse A maximum stowage limit should be identified and there should be signs showing the maximum Imbalanced storage of the materials _ErgonomicSafety 9 (M)

(10)