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 : 900415-00-0000

I.C. No.

No. Indeks : EAC00

Index No.

Tarikh : 30 January 2019

Date

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

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 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 Organizational Chart

Figure 1 shows the organizational chart of XXX Sdn. Bhd.

Figure 1: Organizational Chart

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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,
9
Health & Safety (EHS) and Security

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

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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.

9
START

Logistics (Raw Material)

Press Part

Logistics
(Delivery of Products)

END

Quality Assurance Logistics (Storage)

Department
(Final Check)
Forklift
Operation

Assembly Line

Press Part (Hemming Process)

Figure 3: Assembly Process for Door Panel

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 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

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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.

12
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
awkward postures, height and body positioning
Workplace stress which include remote and isolated work, bullying,
PSYCHOLOGICAL
fatigue, aggression from other workers

4.3 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

15
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) Rating Definition

Almost Certain 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) Rating Definition

Catastrophic 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)

Minor Disabling but not permanent injury (Loss Time Injury of

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.

23
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 Risk Assessment

Work Activity / Material / Relative
No. Effect/ Potential Likelihood Severity Controls in Place
Machineries / Tools Hazard Risk / Risk
Risk (L) (S)
level
1. Transfer of parts and panels to the Forklift traffic at Struck by moving 2 4 8 -Forklift
Assembly Line (Forklift the assembly line forklift – Could (Medium) Authorization
Operation) area cause serious Program
injuries (permanent
disability is -Forklift Operation
probable) Procedures
(honking, speed
limit)

-Forklift training
including refresher
training every 2-
years

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 -Pedestrian safety
walkway and work
zone marking
Preparation for Spot Welding Moving parts on Caught between 2 4 8 -Safe work
2. activity such as welding tip setup the spot welding spot welding tips – (Medium) practices
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

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

-Training conducted
to new workers

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3. Manual handling of panel and Sharp metal parts Strike against the 4 2 8 -Safe work
child parts (i.e. stamped parts sharp object could (Medium) practices: One Point
such as door cause minor Lesson (on how to
panels and child injuries such as hold Door Panel)
parts) laceration, cut, etc.
-PPE – (i.e. cut-
resistant gloves,
protective sleeves)

4. Setting up door panel and child Moving parts on Hands and fingers 2 2 4 -Training to new
parts on the jig jig (i.e.) clamping could get caught (Low) 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

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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 2 2 4 -Adequate general
spot welding areas. vapor of antirust to prolonged (Low) ventilation
chemical and skin contact with the
and eye contact chemicals -PPE: Hand

27
 with antirust protection (nitrile
chemical -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 3 5 15 -Only small
thinner at the assembly area liquids (thinner -Serious injury, (High) quantity of liquid is
and antirust) in property damage 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 2 3 6 Preventive
gun components, wire from height due to (Medium) Maintenance
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
working
underneath it.

Effect includes
impact injuries
such as bruises,
dislocation and
fractures
9. Handling and positioning portable Spot welding gun Caught between 2 2 4 Safe Working
spot welding gun hanger that allows heavy portable spot (Low) Procedure
for tilting welding gun and
movement its hanger could -Training and
cause minor briefing
injuries such as

29
 muscle contusion
and bruises

10. Handling and positioning portable Handling of Musculoskeletal 3 3 9 -Use of spring

spot welding gun heavy spot disorders such as (Medium) balancers to reduce
welding gun and low back pain and operator fatigue
awkward posture neck pain.
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 3 2 6 -Industrial fans are
(Measurement taken using Hygro- worker from: unlikely, however, (Medium) available; however
Anemometer at Spot Welding worker could 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.
average temperature = 32.9 C;
Wind Speed (0.5 m/s) -strenuous -Water depletion -Scheduled rest
physical activities (signs include time
-weather excessive thirst,

31
 condition weakness, -Water dispenser is
headache, and loss available close to
-level of airflow 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 3 4 12 PPE Awareness
welding process generated from exposure to loud (Medium) Training (Hearing
using metal head noise can cause Protection) is being

32
hammer to pound temporary change conducted yearly.
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
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

Likelihood Severity Risk Risk

No Hazard Description
(L) (S) Rating Level
Location of flammable liquids
(thinner and antirust) in close 3 5
1 15 High
proximity to ignition source
(spark from spot welding)
Spark and spatter (molten 3 3
2 metal) ejected during resistance 9 Medium
spot welding process
Forklift traffic at the assembly 2 4
3 8 Medium
line area
Moving parts of the spot 2 4
4 8 Medium
welding gun (pinching-point)
Sharp metal parts (door panels 4 2
5 8 Medium
and child parts)
Condition of the wire rope,
slings and other components 2 3
6 6 Medium
used to support or raised hanged
portable spot welding gun
The spot welding gun hanger 2 2
7 4 Low
that allows for tilting movement
Moving parts of the jig
2 2
8 clamping mechanism (pinching- 4 Low
point)

34
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’.

Likelihood Severity Risk Risk

No Hazard Description
(L) (S) Rating Level
Loud noise generated from
using metal head hammer to 3 4
1 12 Medium
pound metal chisel
Handling of heavy spot welding
gun and awkward posture 3 3
2 9 Medium
during spot welding process
(Ergonomic hazard)
Heat hazard from hot working 3 2
3 6 Medium
environment
Inhalation of vapor of antirust
2 2
4 chemical and skin and eye 4 Low
contact with antirust chemical

5.3 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

35
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

36
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

37
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 work-

related 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 non-

flammable, 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 fire-

retardant 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.

41
 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

44
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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Appendix 4 – Safety Data Sheet for Antirust Chemical used at Assembly Line Section

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