In health problems, bad manual handling and poor ergonomics top the list. Safety considerations in steel design Erection safety starts at the design stage. Design for safety implies 'Life Cycle Design' which covers safe construction, use, maintenance, and demolition. Apart from normal responsibility for strength and stability of completed permanent structure, designer must consider potential problems arising during erection, Steel Construction.
Corus Group suggests that designers should include stability and bracing for individual members and assemblies during lifting into position, successive erection stages, partially erected, and in final erected condition. Safeguards and controls for erection hazards 4. Fall from height Fall arrest equipment has been the mainstay of fall protection methods after the belt and lanyard were banned for that purpose in the late s.
Collective fall arrest methods such as safety net should take precedence over individual fall arrest system of safety harness. With nets, hitting something on the way to the net may become an issue. PPE manufacturers are focusing on anchorage and fall-arrest systems that are easy to install and to use Martin et al, These systems include lightweight stanchions that can be installed or removed with no special tools.
Some have built-in shock absorbers that simplify horizontal lifeline systems. Much unsafe work at height WAH may be eliminated by pre-installing edge protection on structural members in the shop or at site at ground level.
As Pocock points out, technology is providing additional methods to help prevent iron workers from falling. Items such as retractable lifeline and horizontal lifeline systems and "Beamers" that attach by clamping on beam or column flanges provide effective fall protection anchorage points. New fabrics make harnesses lighter and more comfortable, and can be equipped with tool belts, back pads etc.
Beavers et al report valuable OSHA data on fall from height events, which the author re-analysed to determine the physical factors contributing to falls, as listed in Table 2. Lack of fall protection FP nearly half the time and improper FP are indeed massive management lapses, but fall protection unsecured one-third of the time is unconscionable!
Factor No. Lack of fall protection FP 42 48 2. Fall protection not secured 35 33 3. Lost balance 31 28 4. Improper climbing 16 10 6. Equipment failure 16 10 7. Improper fall protection 11 8 Numbers in last two columns will not add up to and due to multiple factors.
All components of FP should be compatible, preferably from a single manufacturer. Proper anchoring and positioning mechanisms must be available. Author supports many of the management-oriented recommendations in Singapore context. Struck by falling objects The second most common cause of death and injury during construction occurs when a worker is struck by an object.
Studies show that a high proportion of head injuries are due to the lateral impact of flying objects and not just the vertical impact of falling material.
Special hats to cater to these extra forces have been developed, with additional conveniences. Workers must protect themselves and their co-workers from falling objects, by securely fastening the materials they are working with to the loading equipment or to the structure, before they remove supporting cables. Lanyards will ensure that their tools will not fall if misplaced or dropped. Manual handling and ergonomic risks A third problem is ergonomic risks while workers physically maneuver the heavy structural components into place and fasten them down.
Preferably hoists should do the heavy lifting. Good communication with the hoist operator can save work and back muscle strain. Vibration injuries while using power tools should be avoided or minimised; symptoms such as finger blanching, tingling, and numbness should not be ignored.
Low vibration tools and protective gloves should be used, and tools must be held with a light, secure grip. Prolonged awkward postures and repetitive work must be avoided and mini-breaks must be taken.
The Singapore Scene Singapore had made its mark globally with its many iconic structures, most of which involve large quantities of steel. As the number of local steel-structure related accidents is small and data on them is scarce, author will make only general comments on critical factors discussed earlier, in the hope that lessons learned and controls developed elsewhere would be applied to advantage for steel.
Working at height Author holds that with the relatively recent introduction of many safety procedures and certain new technologies, Singapore construction industry is still coming to terms with the demands made by new regulations and safeguards. Inadequate appreciation of ramifications of WAH, and misperception or misinterpretation of recommendations hinder faster progress. Under the unique circumstances of steel erection, fall arrest remains the control of choice. Collective solution for all workers by a soft landing would be preferable, but lack of experience has kept Singapore employers away from this, leading them to individual full-body safety harness.
Although China, as a whole, is both the the largest steel producer and consumer, ArcelorMittal is, in fact, the world's largest steel producing company. Although it deserves to be said that the slowdown was occurring already before the worldwide great recession that started in The industry witnessed a turnaround in late and continued to grow together with the global economic recovery.
World crude steel production went up from megatons Mt in to 1, Mt in This outperformed by almost 1. Specifically, the U. However, on a good note, global steel demand is expected to improve gradually this year in comparison to In the United States, growth will be supported by attempts to sustain the economy's momentum, an improving labor market, strong momentum in the auto sector and recovery in construction markets. Increased demand should lead to improved profitability for and , driven by better utilization rates.
European steel demand is likely to fall further this year before a mild rebound takes hold in T he big challenge for steelmakers in is to be cost competitive while maintaining enterprise value. Safety and Health in the Iron and Steel Industry. The main aims of the ILO are to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue on work-related issues.
The newest version of this code, updated , reflects the many changes in the industry, its workforce, the roles of the competent authorities, employers, workers and their organizations, and on the development of new International Labour Organization instruments on occupational safety and health, focuses on the production of iron and steel and basic iron and steel products. According to Part II, Section 5.
Below are the most common causes of injury and illness in the iron and steel industry:. As you can see quite well, the importance of safety and safety training in the steel and iron industry. With hazards ranging from noise to physical to chemical to ergonomics, it is a inherently dangerous industry to work in. Specific PPE should include, but not be limited to:. If you work in the industry, your next step should be to identify these issues at work. Have you found a problem in not knowing how to handle a situation listed above?
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