HEALTH & SAFETY When respirators are used in a workplace, OSHA requires companies to establish and maintain a written respiratory protection plan. To be most effective, the plan needs to be tailored to the individual needs of the users at each worksite. Photo from iStock For a best-practices guide to establishing and maintaining an effective personal protective equipment (PPE) program to protect shop employees from workplace hazards, visit VehicleServicePros. com/12081202. AUGUST 2016 | Collision Repair | 15 Th e purpose is to remove a hazard, or reduce the level of its risk, by adding precautions or control measures, as necessary, to create a safer and healthier workplace. Th e three basics steps to risk assessment are: 1. Identify hazards. 2. Analyze or evaluate the risk associated with that hazard. 3. Decide upon appropriate ways to eliminate or control the hazard. It is useful to rank and prioritize risks, say the offi cials. One way to do this is to categorize by the likelihood of harm and the severity of harm. One way to accomplish this is to use a method established by the British Standards Organization (see Risk assessment estimator chart, page 13). Th e Organization uses these defi nitions for likelihood of harm for a typical occurrence: • Very likely – Typically experienced at least once every six months by an individual. • Likely – Typically experienced at least once every fi ve years by an individual. • Fairly likely – Typically experienced at least once every 10 years by an individual. • Unlikely – Typically experienced at least once during the working lifetime of an individual. • Very unlikely – Less than a 1 percent chance of being experienced by an individual during their working lifetime (see Tolerance criteria chart, page 13). REVIEW It is best to have risk assessments done by a competent team of individuals who have a good working knowledge of the workplace and who work with the processes under review. Furthermore, it is important to review the risk assessment on a regular basis to determine if any changes have occurred within the workplace and if the risk control methods remain eff ective, health and safety offi cials advise. Any of the following could be a cause for a review: • Changes in the work process or fl ow. • Changes or additions to tools, equipment, machinery, etc., including their locations or the way they are used. • Moving to a new facility or work area. • Introduction of any new chemicals or substances. PPE Shops need to provide personal protective equipment (PPE), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) offi cials say. Th e PPE needs to be suitable for the work being done and worn as intended. Employers and employees must understand the equipment’s purpose and its limitations, they note. PPE clothing and equipment should be of safe design and construction and be maintained in a clean and reliable condition. If PPE does not fi t properly, it can make the diff erence between a worker being safely covered or dangerously exposed. Wearing poorly maintained or malfunctioning PPE could be more dangerous than not wearing any form of protection at all, say OSHA (www.osha.gov) offi cials. Workers gain a false sense of security and think they are protected when, in reality, they are not. David A. Kolman is editor of Fleet Maintenance, the only publication that provides a wide-ranging curriculum and best practices to enable readers to keep vehicles operating with greatest efficiency and minimal downtime, and improve their personal performance. An award-winning journalist, he has been actively involved in the North American transportation industry for more than 30 years. ONLINE EXCLUSIVE For a free self-evaluation checklist of best practices for automotive refinish facilities, a tool to help evaluate current practices and technologies, plus identify areas where improvements should be made to protect workers and surrounding communities from hazardous air pollutants, visit: VehicleServicePros. com/12216931
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