Hazard assessment and protective measures at workplaces involving manual filling and weighing-out processes

Status:

completed 12/2005

Aims:

In many areas of industry, base materials and additives are weighed out or metered into mixing systems by hand. These activities are associated with dust emissions, in some cases high, primarily in the form of the raising of dust, during opening of the shipping containers, pouring the substances in, laying down and depositing of the empty containers, and breaking them down for dispatch. Problems concerning fire and explosion protection may be anticipated as a result. In addition, ergonomic load is observed when the shipping containers are handled manually (picking up, putting down, metering in, etc.). As part of this interdisciplinary project, an interactive PC application was to be developed which supports the user in assessing hazards and planning protective measures at affected workplaces. The software is to be suitable for facile and practical use in particular by SMEs, and should make provision for special cases.

Activities/Methods:

Based upon existing checklists which consider the working area integrally, an interactive CD-ROM was developed. The user of this application is able to access all essential information required for a hazard assessment without having to conduct time-consuming searches. The same applies to the obtaining of information on safety measures.

Results:

An improvement in working conditions during manual filling and weighing-out can be achieved only if all hazards are considered within an interdisciplinary concept for protective measures. The interactive CD-ROM which has been developed is intended as a source of detailed support for individual cases, and as a means by which comprehensive risk assessment may be performed by means of checklists. The checklists consider the following areas: handling of hazardous substances, fire and explosion safety, engineered protective measures, workplace design, ergonomics, machine safeguarding, hygiene, training/instructions, and personal protective equipment. The CD-ROM is to be published in the course of 2006 as BGI 5029.

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