An

Introduction to
Health & Safety
By 10,09,07,08,11

Objectives of this Section

To define the basic terminology of the subject
area.

To outline the reasons for a safe and healthy

workplace.
To show the accident trends in the UK industry
as a whole and the quarrying industry in
particular.

Accident
Undesired circumstances which give rise to
ill-health or injury, damage to property, plant,
products or the environment; production
losses or increased liabilities.

Incident
Undesired circumstances and near misses
which could cause accidents.

Ill health
Acute and chronic ill health caused by
physical, chemical or biological agents as
well as adverse effects on mental health.

Hazard
The potential to cause harm. Harm including
ill health and injury, damage to property,
plant, products or the environment,
production losses or increased liabilities.

Risk
Means the likelihood that a specified
undesired event will occur due to the
realisation of a hazard by, or during work
activities or by the products and services
created by work activities.

Hazards/Danger
Observable or predicted from knowledge

Risk
Not directly observable - probability of harm to system elements
being realised from exposure to hazards and danger.

Harm
Damage to system elements - long or short term

Injuries

Accidents

Ill-Health Damage

Safety
The control of accidental loss.

Reasons for Preventing Accidents

There are three main reasons for preventing accidents and illhealth.

Moral / Humane

No-one comes to work to be injured or killed

Cost
Accidents cost organisations money.
e.g. Piper Alpha 167 people killed estimated to
have cost over 2 billion including 746 million in
direct insurance payouts.

Legislation
Organisations have a legal obligation.
In the UK Health & Safety at Work Act, 1974 and
associated Regulations
e.g.
Management of Health & Safety at Work Regs 1999
Quarry Regulations, 1999

Accident Costs Iceberg

Insurance Costs

8-36

Covering Injury,
health, damage

ill

Uninsured Costs
Product and material
damage.
Plant & building damage
Tool & equipment damage.
Legal costs
Expenditure on emergency
supplies.
Clearing site
Production delays
Overtime working and
temporary labour
Investigation time.
Supervisors time diverted
Clerical effort.
Fines
Loss of
expertise/experience

Injuries in the UK
(1989/90 1998/99)

Fatal

1989/90

1990/91

1991/92

1992/93

1993/94

1994/95

1995/96

1996/97
(a)

1997/98

1998/99

681 (b)

572

473

452

403

376

344

654

667

625

Major

Workers

21706

21222

18698

18053

17979

18354

17734

29320

30002

28821

Non-fatal

Public

11378

9981

11009

10669

11552

12642

13234

35694

28613

23588

+3 day

167109

162888

154338

143283

137459

142218

132976

129568

135773

131191

TOTAL

220874

194663

184518

172457

167393

173590

164288

195236

195055

184225

Notes:
(a) Figures from 1996/97 are higher than previous years because of changes in accident reporting brought about by RIDDOR95 (Reporting of Injuries,
Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulation). Hence these figures cannot be compared with those of earlier years.
(b) This figure includes the 95 persons killed in the Hillsborough Stadium Disaster.

Comparison of Accident Rate

(1997/98)
Quarry
Industry

Construction

All Industry

Fatal

20

Major

400

382

128

+3 Day

1,400

966

589

Accidents in the Quarrying

Industry (1994-99)
250
200

193

150
100

144
115

108

124

50
0
1994/95

1995/96

3
1996/97

8
1997/98

5
1998/99

Fatal
Major

Types of Fatal Accident (1983-1993)

Conveyors

OHL

Falling Objects

Vehicles

SFS
Crusher
Blockages

Other
Maintainence

Types of Fatal Accidents (1983-93)

OHL (3%)

Maintenance (5%)

Contact with Overhead Electricity Lines

While maintaining plant or equipment

Other (11%)

Crusher Blockages (4%)

Other accidents involving machinery,

asphyxiation, burns or explosions

While clearing crusher or feeder

blockages

Vehicles (41%)

SFS (13%)

Runover by a vehicle, vehicles running

over open edge of quarry face, bench or
ramp, trapped under vehicle body,
vehicle overturned on quarry floor or
road and vehicles colliding with plants or
other vehicles

Stumbling, Falling or Slipping

Falling (8%)
Struck by falling objects or ground

Engulfed (4%)

Conveyors (11%)

Buried in material

Trapped between belt and head/tail drum

rollers

Common Office Safety and

Health Hazards
Whats Wrong Here?

Common Office Safety and

Health Hazards
Whats Wrong Here?

Common Office Safety and

Health Hazards
Whats Wrong Here?

Common Office Safety and

Health Hazards
Whats Wrong Here?

Common Office Safety and

Health Hazards
Whats Wrong Here?

VDT Work Positions in

Office
The following are important considerations
when attempting to maintain neutral body
postures while working at the computer
workstation:
Hands, wrists, and forearms are
straight, in-line and roughly parallel to
the floor.
Head is level, or bent slightly forward,
forward facing, and balanced. Generally
it is in-line with the torso.
Shoulders are relaxed and upper
arms hang normally at the side of the
body.

VDT Work Positions in

Office
The following are important considerations
when attempting to maintain neutral body
postures while working at the computer
workstation:
Feet are fully supported by floor or
footrest.
Back is fully supported with
appropriate lumbar support when
sitting vertical or leaning back slightly.
Thighs and hips are supported by a
well-padded seat and generally parallel
to the floor.
Knees are about the same height as

5
What could happen?
Near-miss

Major injury

Minor injury

Death

6 Kinds of Accidents