Workshop Accidents, Causes, Prevention and Safety Rules for JSS 1

Workshop Accidents and Safety

Performance Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. list types of accidents that occur in workshop places;
2. state causes of workshop accidents;
3. identify some workshop accidents preventive measures;
4. state workshop safety rules and regulations;
5. visit workshop, observe and identify workshop safety devices;
6. apply common safety rules and regulations to prevent accident in the science laboratory.

Meaning of a Workshop Accident

A workshop accident is an unplanned, unexpected and uncontrolled event that occurs in a workshop or laboratory, resulting in injury to people or damage to equipment and materials.

Workshops and science laboratories are places where practical activities are carried out. These places contain various tools, machines, chemicals and electrical appliances. When these items are handled incorrectly, or when safety guidelines are ignored, accidents can occur. Understanding how to identify risks and prevent accidents is essential for anyone working in these environments.

Types of Workshop Accidents

Accidents in a workshop or science laboratory can range from minor injuries to severe physical harm. The common types of workshop accidents include:

1. Cuts and Lacerations: These are wounds caused by sharp tools such as chisels, saws, knives, files or broken laboratory glassware.
2. Burns and Scalds: These are injuries caused by heat. Burns are caused by dry heat, such as hot metal plates, soldering irons or open flames from Bunsen burners. Scalds are caused by wet heat, such as boiling water or hot chemicals.
3. Electric Shocks: These occur when a person comes into direct contact with live electrical wires, faulty electrical appliances or operates electrical switches with wet hands.
4. Falls, Slips and Trips: These occur when a person loses balance and falls. They are often caused by wet or oily floors, scattered tools, cords stretched across walkways or uneven floor surfaces.
5. Eye Injuries: These are injuries to the eyes caused by flying wood chips, metal filings, chemical splashes, dust or intense light from welding activities.
6. Asphyxiation and Poisoning: This is difficulty in breathing or bodily harm caused by inhaling toxic fumes, gases or swallowing harmful chemicals.

Observe the illustration below showing common types of workshop accidents.

Causes of Workshop Accidents

Workshop accidents do not just happen; they are caused by specific factors. These factors are generally grouped into unsafe acts and unsafe conditions.

Unsafe Acts

Unsafe acts are human errors and wrong behaviours exhibited by people in the workshop. Examples of unsafe acts include:

1. Running, playing or engaging in horseplay inside the workshop or laboratory.
2. Using the wrong tool for a job, such as using a screwdriver as a chisel or a plier as a hammer.
3. Operating machines or handling chemicals without proper instructions or permission.
4. Failing to wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as safety goggles, hand gloves or lab coats.
5. Working with tools or machines when tired, distracted or lack of concentration.
6. Disobeying safety rules and warning signs posted on the workshop walls.

Unsafe Conditions

Unsafe conditions are physical hazards in the workshop environment that make accidents more likely to occur. Examples of unsafe conditions include:

1. Wet, oily or greasy floors that can cause slips and falls.
2. Poor lighting that makes it difficult to see tools, materials or machine parts clearly.
3. Poor ventilation, which leads to the accumulation of toxic fumes, dust and heat.
4. Faulty, worn-out or damaged tools and machines, such as hammers with loose handles or electrical appliances with exposed wires.
5. Scattered tools, materials and waste products on workbenches and walkways.
6. Lack of safety signs, emergency exits or functional safety devices.

Workshop Accident Prevention Techniques

Preventing accidents requires a combination of safe habits, proper tool maintenance and a clean working environment. The main techniques for preventing workshop accidents include:

1. Good Housekeeping: This involves keeping the workshop clean and orderly. Spills should be wiped up immediately, and walkways must be kept clear of tools, cables and materials.
2. Proper Tool Maintenance: Tools should be kept clean, sharp and in good working condition. Damaged tools must be repaired or replaced immediately.
3. Using the Right Tool: Every tool is designed for a specific task. Using the correct tool reduces the risk of tool slippage and injury.
4. Wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Appropriate safety gear must be worn at all times. This includes safety goggles for eye protection, hand gloves for handling hot or sharp objects, and safety boots to protect feet from falling heavy objects.
5. Adequate Ventilation and Lighting: Workshops must have large windows or extractor fans to remove dust and fumes, and sufficient lighting to ensure clear visibility.
6. Proper Storage of Materials: Heavy materials should be stored on lower shelves, and flammable chemicals must be kept in designated fireproof cabinets away from heat sources.

Workshop Safety Devices

Safety devices are equipment installed or kept in the workshop to prevent accidents, protect workers or control emergencies when they occur. Common workshop safety devices include:

1. Fire Extinguisher: A portable device used to put out small fires by spraying chemicals, foam or carbon dioxide onto the flames.
2. Sand Bucket: A bucket filled with dry sand, used to extinguish chemical or electrical fires where water cannot be used.
3. First Aid Box: A container holding essential medical supplies used to give immediate treatment to an injured person before professional medical help is available.
4. Safety Goggles: Protective eyewear worn to shield the eyes from flying particles, dust, sparks and chemical splashes.
5. Fire Blanket: A sheet of fire-resistant material used to smother small fires or wrap around a person whose clothes have caught fire.
6. Eye Wash Station: A device designed to flush the eyes with clean water in case of chemical contamination.

Observe the diagram below showing essential workshop safety devices.

Workshop Safety Rules and Regulations

Safety rules and regulations are guidelines that everyone must follow to ensure a safe working environment. These rules apply to both general workshops and science laboratories.

General Workshop Safety Rules

The general safety rules for workshops include:

1. Do not enter the workshop without permission from the teacher or instructor.
2. Do not run, play or shout inside the workshop.
3. Wear appropriate safety gear, including safety goggles, aprons and safety boots.
4. Do not operate any machine or tool unless you have been trained and permitted to do so.
5. Keep workbenches and walkways clean and free from scattered tools.
6. Report any damaged tool, faulty machine or accident to the instructor immediately.
7. Know the location and operation of all safety devices, such as fire extinguishers and emergency exits.

Science Laboratory Safety Rules

The specific safety rules for science laboratories include:

1. Never taste, smell or touch chemicals unless specifically instructed to do so by the teacher.
2. Always wear a laboratory coat to protect clothing from chemical spills.
3. Handle glassware with extreme care to prevent breakage and cuts.
4. Point the mouth of a test tube away from yourself and others when heating substances.
5. Do not eat, drink or chew gum in the laboratory to avoid accidental poisoning.
6. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after performing experiments.

First Aid in the Workshop

Meaning of First Aid

First aid is the immediate and temporary care given to an injured or suddenly ill person before professional medical treatment or a doctor is available.

The main aims of first aid are to save life, prevent the injury or condition from worsening, and promote recovery.

First Aid Materials

A first aid box contains various materials used to treat minor injuries. Common first aid materials and their uses include:

1. Adhesive Plasters: Used for covering small cuts and minor wounds to keep dirt out.
2. Sterile Bandages and Gauze: Used for wrapping larger wounds, holding dressings in place and applying pressure to stop bleeding.
3. Antiseptic Liquid or Wipes: Used to clean wounds and kill germs to prevent infection.
4. Cotton Wool: Used for cleaning wounds and applying antiseptic liquids.
5. Scissors: Used for cutting bandages, gauze and adhesive tape.
6. Disposable Gloves: Worn by the first aider to prevent direct contact with blood and bodily fluids, ensuring hygiene.
7. Tweezers: Used for removing small splinters, glass pieces or thorns from the skin.
8. Methylated Spirit or Iodine: Used as disinfectants to clean the skin around a wound.

Observe the diagram below showing common first aid materials.

The ABC of First Aid

The ABC of first aid represents the three critical areas that a first aider must assess and address when attending to an injured person. These three areas are:

1. Airways (A): The first aider must check if the victim’s breathing passage is open and clear. If the airway is blocked by the tongue, vomit or a foreign object, the victim cannot breathe. Tilting the head back and lifting the chin gently can help open the airway.
2. Bleeding and Breaks (B): The first aider must check for severe bleeding and broken bones (breaks). Severe bleeding must be controlled immediately by applying direct pressure to the wound using a clean cloth or sterile bandage. If a bone break is suspected, the injured limb must be kept still and supported to prevent further damage.
3. Circulation (C): The first aider must check if the victim’s blood is circulating. This is done by checking for a pulse or looking for signs of life, such as normal breathing and movement. If the heart has stopped beating, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may be required by a trained person to restore circulation.

Look at the flow chart below illustrating the ABC of First Aid.

Practical Applications and Skills

How to Apply the ABC of First Aid

This practical procedure explains how to assess and assist a victim of a workshop accident using the ABC of First Aid.

The procedure involves the following steps:

1. Assess the Scene: Ensure the area is safe for both the first aider and the victim before approaching. Turn off any machines or electricity if necessary.
2. Check for Responsiveness: Gently tap the victim’s shoulders and ask loudly, “Are you okay?”
3. A – Check the Airways: If the victim is unresponsive, place one hand on their forehead and two fingers of the other hand under their chin. Gently tilt the head back to open the airway. Look, listen and feel for breathing for no more than ten seconds.
4. B – Check for Bleeding and Breaks: Look for any visible signs of bleeding. If severe bleeding is present, apply direct pressure to the wound with a clean bandage or cloth. Check the limbs for any unnatural positions that might indicate a broken bone. Do not move a limb that is suspected to be broken; keep it supported and still.
5. C – Check Circulation: Observe the victim for signs of normal breathing, coughing or movement. If the victim is breathing normally, their circulation is active. Place them in the recovery position if they are unconscious but breathing.
6. Call for Help: Send someone to call the school nurse, a teacher or emergency medical services immediately.

Applying Safety Rules in the Science Laboratory

This practical activity outlines how to maintain safety while working in the science laboratory.

The procedure involves the following steps:

1. Preparation: Before entering the laboratory, ensure that long hair is tied back, loose clothing is secured, and open-toed shoes are replaced with closed shoes.
2. Entry: Walk quietly into the laboratory. Do not run or touch any equipment on the benches until instructed by the teacher.
3. Wear Protective Gear: Put on a clean laboratory coat and safety goggles before starting any experiment.
4. Inspect the Work Area: Check the workbench for any spills, wet patches or scattered materials. Clean the area before placing apparatus down.
5. Handle Glassware Safely: Inspect all test tubes, beakers and flasks for cracks before use. Report any damaged glassware to the teacher.
6. Follow Instructions: Read the experimental procedure carefully. Measure chemicals exactly as directed. Never mix random chemicals together.
7. Clean Up: After the experiment, turn off all Bunsen burners and electrical appliances. Wash glassware, return materials to their proper storage places, and wipe the workbench clean.
8. Hygiene: Remove the laboratory coat and wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before leaving the laboratory.