4.9. Health & Safety
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Some work stages in production require the use of protective equipment such as gloves, breathing masks, ear protection and protective glasses. This protective equipment shall be provided by the employer free of charge, in a fully functional form and in sufficient quantities.
The protective equipment must be in good condition so that it can fulfil its protective function. The employer must also ensure that the protective equipment is used by the employees, even if wearing it is perhaps uncomfortable at first. This can e.g. be done by instruction signs, regular training and continual checks.
Machine Safety
Machines are often a potential danger for employees. This danger can stem from rotating, punching, sharp or particularly hot or cold machine parts. Lifting equipment, generators and boilers are especially dangerous.
To protect the employees appropriately, the machines must be regularly maintained and equipped with the appropriate safety devices. The employees are to be trained regularly in the handling of machines.
Building Safety
The rooms in which production takes place must be suited for this. This concerns the general conditions (e.g. ceiling heights, statics, floor plan) as well as the condition of the building.
Health Care
Apart from protecting employees against possible dangers, their treatment in the event of injuries or illness is equally important. This includes both equipping the production facilities with a sufficient number of well labelled first aid kits and training selected employees to be first aid assistants. In many countries, a company doctor and the installation of a sick room are also required for companies above a certain size.
Training of Employees
All employees must be regularly trained with respect to health and safety. This should take place immediately after hiring and should then be repeated at regular intervals. The training should cover all the aforementioned aspects and should be carefully documented (date, participants, content).
Many of the points described in this chapter appear obvious and comparably simple to implement. Nonetheless, violations of these rules are discovered at the majority of production sites. The reason is often an absence of management in this area which ensures that clear responsibilities are defined for ensuring the implementation of the above points. Also, regular
internal audits are necessary to ensure continuous compliance with the requirements and specifically motivate the employeesin becoming disciplined in applying the safety measures.