Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Why Safety and Health Officer is Important

First of all, our nations is growing towards developed country in year 2020. In order to this, a lot of factors to be considered. One of it is that, to developed skilled workers and 1st class workers and yet the citizens itself have the 1st class mentality. To increase income per capita, to be recognized as the high income country. To be a competitive nation in the world.

To do this, accidents occurrence should be avoided and should be minimized. It is because the accidents itself is very costly, not only to the citizen but also to the country. So, to help to achieve the vision of 2020, safety and health officer is part of the bargain.
The duties of the safety and health officer itself can assists the nation to grow and move forward without any disability. A strong nation will be born to pursue the vision which already laid.

Besides that, it is prescribed that an occupier of a place of work to which this section applies shall employ a competent person to act as a safety and health officer at the place of work. 
[Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (OSHA 1994)]

The industries that shall employ safety and health officer are:
  1. any building operation where the total contract price of the project exceeds twenty million ringgit
  2. any work of engineering construction where the total contract price of the project exceeds twenty million ringgit
  3. any ship building employing at the peak of the work more than a hundred employees
  4. any gas processing activity or petrochemical industries employing more than a hundred employees
  5. any chemical and allied industry employing more than a hundred employees
  6. any boiler and pressure vessel manufacturing activity employing more than a hundred employees
  7. any metal industry where there is canning or stamping or blanking or shearing or bending operations and employing more than a hundred employees
  8. any wood working industry where there is cutting or sawing or planning or moulding or sanding or peeling or any combination of the above, and employing more than a hundred employees
  9. any cement manufacturing activity employing more than a hundred employees
  10. any other manufacturing activity other than the manufacturing activity stated above, employing more than five hundred employees.
These industries is known to be the most dangerous workplaces because it is an accident prone workplace. Safety and health officer is assigned to formulate and lay out plans to upgrade the safety and health in the workplace as well as to maintain it. Of course, the employer should support the work of the safety and health officer to sustain the safety and health in workplace so that it is in good order.

Nowadays, safety and health officers is a very demanding job in Malaysia because of the demand in the safety industries and for the high paid salary. Although the job itself seems to be simple, but, truly, the job offers a lot of commitments and high responsibilities. Responsible to make a safe and healthy workplace.

That's all for the time being.
Thanks

Saturday, April 9, 2011

How to loseweight-effectively?

Of how to lose weight effectively without excessive diet. This short explanation is to direct readers to a whole new way of eating to overcome obesity, losing weight and not dieting which pretty much like not to eat. Don't get me wrong aye, this spontaneousness idea did not come from the brilliant of my mind, which is sort of, they came from reading useful websites that lists down what is good to eat and not to be taken. Of how to eat carb that simultaneously burnt off , fat that not make you fat, also this website tells you what to take, the best to take, and it teaches you what are the best meal, for example, substitutes sugar with stevia leaf or honey, avoid eating junk food, avoid delicious ice cream, and a lot more.
For me, this website is very useful for those who planning in getting on diet program without fighting with hunger. Yes, no fighting with hunger. Interesting isn't it?. Furthermore, you can eat what you want, as long as the menu is follow the mentioned meal to be taken.
That's all from me, for the time being, yet to come, with a greater info..
Launching in July,    How to pass Safety and Health Officer exam?
Stay tune for the long waited appearance, for the first from its kind.
..........................................................
Sig. archaqx

Monday, March 7, 2011

101 Questions & Answers: Practical Knowledge of Steam Boilers (SECOND EDITION)

This is a truly a practically e-book that worth to have. I have bought this particular e-book and it has it all. 
From Q & A to real questions. This e-book offers not only to steam engineer, but also to students who's studying in engineering, lecturers, DOSH officers, Safety and Health Officer, boilerman, manager, and anyone who wants to be an steam engineer.
This e-book stretches from thermodynamics to Factory and Machinery Act, which covers all the syllabus stated in the Steam Engineer Examination Guidelines published by DOSH.


I am highly recommend this e-book for those who's hunger for knowledge and who wants to pass Steam Engineer Exam

Friday, March 4, 2011

How To Pass Steam Engineer Examination

ENGINEER’S CERTIFICATE OF COMPETENCY

Section 29 of The Factories and Machinery Act 1967 requires certain machinery to be operated by certificated staff. Therefore, an examination is hold to make these person competent in order to comply with requirement of law.

Basically there are 3 categories.
(i) Part A -Practical Mathematics
(ii) Part B -Engineering Knowledge
(iii) Part C -Oral Examination
 
Candidates who hold a recognized degree in Mechanical Engineering are exempted from parts A and B, whereas candidates from other disciplines and with other qualifications have to sit for at least two categories. However there are special cases where exemptions may be given with the approval of the Panel of Examiners.
 
(i) Part A -Practical Mathematics
This part will consist of two (2) papers namely

Paper I - 3 hours
Paper II - 2 hours
 
(ii) Part B -Engineering Knowledge
This part will consist of two (2) papers namely

Paper I - 3 hours
Paper II - 2 hours
 
(iii) Part C -Oral Examination
The candidates will be examined for their knowledge in the safe operation of the machine and its allied equipment.
 
The Syllabus Covers
 
Second Grade Engineer (Steam)

· Practical Mathematics which includes Applied Mechanics, Elementary Strength of Materials, and Heat and Heat Engines.
· Engineering Knowledge which includes Principle of Operation of Steam Boilers and Their Fittings, Boiler Fuel and Theory of Combustion, Principle of Operation of Steam Turbines, Boiler House Management and Boiler Repair, and General Engineering Knowledge which includes Construction Materials, Properties of Materials, Properties of Steam, Mechanical Working of Steel, Failure of Materials, Welding, and NOT.
· Oral examination on the management and safe operation of steam plant.
 
First Grade Engineer (Steam)

· Practical Mathematics which includes Applied Mechanics, Strength of Materials, Heat and heat engines, and Applied Thermodynamics.
· Engineering Knowledge which include Principle of Operation of Steam and Hot Water Boiler, and Their Fittings, Boiler Fuel and Theory of Combustion, Principle of Operation of Steam Turbines, Boiler Water Treatment and Analysis, Boiler Maintenance, Inspection and Repair, Boiler House Management and other General Engineering Knowledge which includes Construction Materials, Properties of Materials, Properties of Steam, Mechanical Working of Steel, Failure of Materials, Welding and Nondestructive testing.
· Oral examination on the management and safe maintenance and operation of steam plant, and related requirements of Acts and Regulations.

Second Grade Steam Engineer Examination Syllabus:
PART A -PRACTICAL MATHEMA TICS


This part will consist of two (2) papers namely -
Paper I - 3 hours
Paper II - 2 hours
and candidates will be examined for their knowledge in Applied Mechanics, Elementary Strength of Materials, and Thermodynamics. Detail of these are as follows -

(a) Applied Mechanics
(i) Forces, Mass, Impulse, Momentum, Work and Energy Power Forces acting on rigid body; Moments of forces; Compositions and resolutions of forces; Laws of solid and liquid friction (Friction angle and inclined plane); Mechanical advantage and efficiency of simple machines; Condition of equilibrium of solids and simple frame structures and beams; Moment of momentum, moment of inertia, their relation and measurement; Conservation of energy and momentum; Rectilinear motion of body under constant or variable forces; Equation of motion of a particle; and Motion of a body in a circular path with uniform speed.
(ii) Pressure and velocity change along a stream line Bernoulli's theorem; and Flow through orifice

(b) Elementary Strength of Materials
Hooke's Law; Young's Modulus; Poisson's Ratio; Modulus of Rigidity; Thermal stress; Theory of simple bending; Bending moment and shearing forces diagrams; Theory of torsion of solid and hollow round shafts; Analysis of stress; and Theory of thin shell and strength of rivetted and welded joints.

(c) Thermodynamics

(i) Heat Units B. Th.U.; C.H.U; gm-cal; and Joules

(ii) The Law of Perfect Gas
Absolute temperature; Isothermal, adiabatic and polytropic expansion and compression; Specific heat Cp and Cv and their relationship; and internal energy, enthalpy and entropy.

(iii) Heat Transfer
Heat transfer by conduction, convection and radiation -simple application; Properties of steam (change of state, latent heat, wet, dry saturated and superheated steam, dryness fraction); Use of steam table; Throttling; Separating and throttling calorimeter; and Boiler efficiency.

(iv) Reciprocating Steam Engine

Indicator diagrams (hypothetical and actual); Diagram factor; M.e.p, h.p, and b.h.p; and Compounded engines (thermal, mechanical and overall efficiency).

(v) Steam Turbine
Elementary principles; Simple velocity diagrams; Steam turbine efficiency; and Principles of energy boundary.

(vi) Combustion of Fuel (solid, liquid and gases)
Higher and lower calorific values; Chemical equations (stoichiometry);
Excess air; and, Incomplete combustion of fuel.

(vii) Refrigeration -Vapour Compression Cycle
Coefficient of performance; and capacity.

PART B - ENGINEERING KNOWLEDGE

This part consist of two (2) papers namely -
(i) Paper l - 3 hours
(ii) Paper II - 2 hours
and candidates will be examined for their knowledge on the following subjects

(a) Steam and Hot Water Boilers
Different types of boilers (e.g. fire and water tubes boilers, vertical shell type, multitubular underfired, economic package and waste heat); Constructional details; Mountings and fittings (e.g. water level gauges, steam pressure gauge, feed water regulator, safety valves, main stop valve, globe valve, gate valve, check valve, non-return valve); flue gas path pattern (singular or multiple, and function of baffle plates); and, Starting cold boilers, operating under emergency situations, idling procedure and maintenance (tubes, shell, drums, headers, superheater, economiser, furnace, air heater, pumps, fans and stacks).

(b) Combustion of Fuels

Theory of combustion (condition, constant temperature, constant volume and constant pressure); Combustion process (supply air, air-fuel mixture,combustion temperature, combustion time, combustion gases, and temperature of combustion gases); Gas analysing technique; and, Draft (natural, forced, draft differential, and factors affecting draft).

(c) Measuring Gauges and Instruments
The purpose, basic working principles, constructional details and functions of the main parts of commonly used gauges and instrument (e.g. pressure gauge, thermometer, pyrometer, barometer, salinometer, and hydrometer).

(d) Boiler Repair, Inspection and Maintenence
Repairs of tubes, shell, furnace, fittings and ancillary machinery including the statutory and technical (standards and codes) requirements; Internal and external inspection (procedure and implementation); and, Maintenance (daily,routine and planned).

(e) Boiler Fuel

Solid fuel (e.g. coal, lignite, wood and wood waste); Liquid fuel (petroleum oil,black liquor and other chemical derivatives); gaseous fuel (LPG, natural gas and waste heat); composition and properties of different types of fuel; and, advantage and disadvantage of different type of fuels.

(f) Boiler Water Treatment

Pure water; Impurities; Contaminated feedwater; external and internal treatment; Hard scale; Soft scale; Carry over; Priming; Foaming; and, Water treatment programme.

(g) Steam Properties
Steam (wet, saturated, superheated, degree of superheat and fraction); Temperature-entropy and temperature-enthalpy diagrams; and, application of wet and superheated steam.

(h) Pump and Compressor
Basic working principles, selection criteria, advantages and disadvantages of different types of compressors and pumps.

(i) Steam Turbines
Types and working principles (impulse, reaction, combination of impulse and reaction); and, Safe operation (start-up and shut-down).

(j) Condensers

Types and working principles, construction and construction materials, and maintenance.

(k) Governors
Types and working principles, function in turbine, and relay mechanism

(l) Materials Chemical
(e.g. carbon, phosphorus, silicon, manganese, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, cadmium) and physical properties of construction materials;
Mechanical testing (tensile, bend, hardness, nick break and charpy test); Stress-strain relationship (proportional limit, yield point, ultimate stress, permanent set, breaking stress point and elastic limit); Heat treatment (e.g.annealing, normalising, stress releiving, spheroidising, hardening and tempering) and effect on microstructure; and, Solution treatment.

(m) Mechanical Working of Steel
Hot work (forging and rolling) and cold work (cold roll and cold working)
 
(n) Creep and Fatigue

Creep and fatigue behaviour, factors affecting and testing method.
 
(o) Corrosion and Control

Causes (chemical attack, electro-chemical attack and stress influenced); Prevention and control (surface protection, metal cladding, electroplating); surface modification (e.g. cladding and chroming), metal spraying, painting,and cathodic protection.

(p) Welding
Basic principles and different types (e.g. shielded-arc, gas shielded metal arc, gas shielded tungsten-arc, plasma-arc, electroslag, stud and gas welding); Weld joint and preparation (butt, lap, fillet and nozzle); Welding defects (e.g. cracks, cavities, inclusions, lack of penetration, and fusion, imperfect shape), methods of detection and repairs; and, Destructive testing (e.g. tensile test, bend test, hardness test, proof test, fatigue test).

(q) Non-Destructive Testing
Non-destructive testing (radiography, ultrasonic, magnetic particle test, dye penetrant test and eddy-current); NDT operator qualification programme (national and international); Welding Procedure Qualification and Welder Performance Qualification Test.

Part C -Oral Examination

The candidates will be examined for their knowledge in the safe operation of a Steam Boiler and other auxilliaries. Detail of these are as follows –

(i) Working principles of various type of steam and hot water boilers, steam turbines and steam engines, and their fittings and functions.

Note: The candidate is expected to know the operation of all types of boilers, steam engines and steam turbines.

(iii) Boiler operation (e.g Start-up procedure, shut-down, emergency situation, conditional monitoring (e.g. water hammer, priming, foaming, familiarisation with all safety features etc). Installation of new boiler, various type of testing (water gaguge test, steam test etc.); and Basic boiler water treatment.

(iv) Boiler House management (e.g. Managing Log Book, Safety and Health aspects in boiler room)

(iv) Plant safety management (Policy statement, arrangement, implementation, accident prevention); Contingency Plan / Emergency Response Plan.

(v) The candidate is expected to know how to sketch the steam boiler, piping system, fittings etc.

(vi) Related provisions under The Factories and Machinery Act 1967 and regulations made thereunder.

(vii) Identification of parts (e.g. defected samples, failure tubes etc) and common boiler deposits.

(viii) Boiler inspections (defects identification, proposal for repair, codes and procedures).

First Grade Steam Engineer Examination Syllabus:
PART A -PRACTICAL MATHEMA TICS

This part will consist of two (2) papers namely -
Paper I - 3 hours
Paper II - 2 hours
And candidates will be examined for their knowledge in Applied Mechanics, Strength of Materials, and Applied Thermodynamics. Detail of these are as follows -

(a) Applied Mechanics
(i) Forces, Mass, Impulse, Momentum, Work and Energy, Power
Forces acting on rigid body; Moment of forces; Moments and couples; Composition and resolution of forces; Polygon of forces; Laws of solid and liquid friction (friction angle and inclined plane); Friction between unlubricated surfaces (friction angle, friction clutches, friction on inclined plane); Inertia forces on elements of plane mechanism; Mechanical advantage and efficiency of simple machines; Belt and rope drives; Engine measurement; Conservation of energy and momentum; and, Rectilinear motion of body in a cicular path with uniform speed.
(ii) Vibration

Body with single degree of freedom; Transverse vibration of beam; and, Torsional oscillations.
(iii) Pressure and velocity change along a stream line Bernoulli's theorem; Flow through orifice

(b) Strength of Materials

(i) Hooke's Law; Young's Modulus; Poisson's Ratio; Modulus of Rigidity; Thermal Stress; Theory of Simple Bending; Bending Moment and Shearing Force Diagram; Theory of Torsion of Solid and Hollow Round Shafts; and, Analysis of Stress.
(ii) Stress and Strain

In tension, compression and shear; Relation between elastic constants; Co-planar principal plane and stresses; Maximum shear stress; Stresses in thick walled cylinders under internal and external pressure; and, Theory of thin shells and strength of rivet ted and welded joints.
(iii) Beams
Direct and shear stresses in beam; Relationship between slope, curvature and deflection; Determination of shear force (SF), bending moment, slope and deflection of cantilevers, and freely supported and built-in beams for simple types of loading.
(iv) Torsion
Transmission of power; Closed coil helical springs; Combined bending, torsion and thrust; Principal stresses in shafts; Strain energy in tension, bending and torsional and combined loading.

(c) Applied Thermodynamics

(i) First and Second Law of Thermodynamics
(ii) Heat units B.Th.U., C.H.U., gm-cal and Joules; Specific heat, and mechanical equivalent of heat.
(iii) The Law of Perfect Gas
Absolute temperature; Isothermal, adiabatic and polytropic expansion and compression; Specific heat Cp and Cv and relationship between them; Internal energy, enthalpy and entropy.
(iv) Heat transfer
Heat transfer by conduct(on, convection and radiation (simple application); Properties of steam (change of state, latent heat, wet, dry saturated and supersaturated steam, dryness fraction); Use of steam table; Thtrottling; Separating and thtrottling calorimeter; and, Boiler efficiency.
(v) Reciprocating Steam Engine

Indicator diagrams (hypothetical, actual); Diagram factor; M.e.p., h.p., b.h.p.; and Compounded engines (thermal, mechanical and overall efficiency)
(vi) Steam Turbine
Elementary principles; Simple velocity diagrams; Steam turbine efficiency; and Principle of energy boundry.
(vii) Combustion of Fuels
Higher and lower calorific values; Chemical equations (stoichiometry); Excess air; and Incomplete combustion of carbon.
(viii) Refrigeration -Vapour Compression Cycle Coefficient of performance; Capacity.
 
Part B - Engineering Knowledge

This part consist of two (2) papers namely –
(i) Paper I - 3 hours
(ii) Paper II - 2 hours
and candidates will be examined for their knowledge on the following subjects

(a) Steam and Hot Water Boilers
Different types of boilers (e.g. fire and water tubes boilers, vertical shell type, multitubular underfired, economic package and waste heat); Constructional details; Mountings and fittings (water level gauges, steam
pressure gauge, feed water regulator, safety valves, main stop valve, globe valve, gate valve, check valve, non-return valve); flue gas path pattern (singular or multiple and function of baffle plates).

(b) Boiler Operation

Starting cold boilers (precaution -furnace explosion, dust explosion); connecting of more than one boiler; Operating under emergency situations, idling procedure and maintenance (tubes, shell, drums, headers, superheater, economiser, furnace, air heater, pumps, fans and stacks); Uses of low-pressure steam and hot water boiler for process heating; Special type of boiler for high pressure and temperature steam.

(b) Boiler Water Treatment
Pure water; Impurities; Type of water source; Recomended feedwater quality; Contaminated feedwater; External and internal treatment; Hard scale; Soft scale; Carry over; Priming; Foaming; Water treatment
programme; and Water analysis.

(c) Boiler Maintenance, Inspection and Repair
External and internal inspection; Boiler failure, causes and methods of repair (Window patch, tube plugging); Testing of safety features (e.g. Gauge glass, low water fuel cut-out, high/low water alarm); Maintenance (daily, routine and planned).

(d) Boiler Fuel

Solid fuel (e.g coal, lignite, wood and wood waste); Liquid fuel (petroleum oil, black liquor and other chemical derivatives); gaseous fuel (LPG, natural gas and waste heat); composition and properties of
different types of fuel; and, advantage and disadvantage of different type of fuels.

(e) Combustion of Fuels
Theory of combustion (condition, constant temperature, constant volume and constant pressure); Combustion process (supply air, airfuel mixture, combustion temperature, combustion time, combustion gases, and temperature of combustion gases); Gas analysing technique; and Draft (natural, forced, draft differential, and factors affecting draft).

(f) Steam Properties
Steam (wet, saturated, superheated, degree of superheat and dryness fraction); Temperature-entropy and temperature-enthalpy diagrams; and application of wet and superheated steam.

(g) Materials

Chemical (carbon, phosphorus, silicon, manganese, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, cadmium) and physical properties of construction materials; Mechanical testing (tensile, bend, hardness, nick break and charpy test); Stress-strain relationship (proportional limit, yield point, ultimate stress, permanent set, breaking stress point and elastic limit); Heat treatment (annealing, normalising, spheroidising, hardening and tempering) and effect on microstructure. Iron-Carbon equilibrium diagram (austenite, martensite, pearlite, binite)

(h) Mechanical Working of Steel
Hot work (forging and rolling) and cold work (cold roll and cold working).

(i) Creep and Fatigue
Creep and fatigue behaviour, factors affecting and testing method.
 
(j) Corrosion and Control

Causes (chemical attack, electro-chemical attack and stress influenced); Prevention and control (surface protection, metal cladding, electroplating), surface modification (e.g. cladding and chroming), metal spraying, painting, cathodic protection and water treatment.

(k) Welding
Basic principles and different types (shielded-arc, gas shielded metal arc, gas shielded tungsten-arc, plasma-arc, electroslag, stud and gas welding); Weld joint and preparation (butt, lap, fillet and nozzle); Welding defects (e.g cracks, cavities, inclusions, lack of penetration, and fusion, imperfect shape), methods of detection and repairs; Destructive testing (tensile test, bend test, hardness test, proof test, fatigue test). Welding Procedure Qualification and Welder Performance Qualification Test.

(I) Non-Destructive Testing
Non-destructive testing (radiography, ultrasonic, magnetic particle test, dye penetrant test and eddy-current); NDT operator qualification programme (national and international).

PART C -ORAL EXAMINA TION

The candidates will be examined for their knowledge on the safe operation of steam boiler and other auxiliary , understanding of related statutory requirements, and proper management of a steam plant.

(i) Working principles of various types of steam boilers, steam engines and steam turbines, their fittings and functions.

(ii) Boiler operation (e.g Start-up procedure, shut-down, emergency situation, .conditional monitoring, familiarisation with all safety features etc). Installation of new boiler, various type of testing. Identification of
essential fittings.

(iii) Boiler House management (e.g Managing Log Book, Safety and Health aspects in boiler room)

(iv) Plant safety management (Policy statement, arrangement, implementation, accident prevention); Contingency Plan / Emergency Response Plan.

(v) The candidate is expected to know how to sketch the steam boiler, piping system, fittings etc.

(vi) Related provisions under The Factories and Machinery Act 1967 and regulations made thereunder, and The Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (e.g. Requirements for importation, manufacturing, installation
and operation of steam boilers in this country; Duty of designer, manufacturer and supplier).

(vii) External and internal inspection of boiler, fault finding, identification of defects or failures, administrative procedure for repairs.

(viii) Boiler water treatment (internal and external), and the detailed programme.

(ix) Special type of boiler (e.g. Waste heat, high pressure and temperature boiler).

(x) The conduct of steam test, its purpose and frequency.

Note : The first grade candidates is expected to answer in depth of every questions posed.

Not to worry, there's another way to pass this exam flamboyantly,

do visit:

Boiler Ebook

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Driving

A lot of people won't mind the speed sign at the road side. 
Think twice if you are over speed limit, as the consequences would be distinctively great and not a good one.



The speed limit is 60 km/h.....


But your speedometer is at 169 ++ km/h...and you're busy messaging your friends....
It is hard to break on time and to maneuver on time..



you are not looking out for the road.....

THEN...

These might happens and 
shit do happens




You might HIT a motorcycle..... or


You might HIT pedestrian.....or



Lost control of your so called SAFE vehicle... or


Targeted on the SPEED TRAP....or


Being CHASE by the law enforcer.... or


Still don't mind who chasing you, then the whole squadron is line up to pursue your EGO.. or


you might end up in the hospital if you're LUCKY... or


just get a TICKET and get away from it... or




Just plan your journey WISELY, follow the RULES,  don't RUSH... 
You might safe other people'S lives and yours.

and lastly

Don't ever park your car like this... it's hard to do so....




USE iT

THE OFFICE

This is particularly similar with my workstation and my colleagues workstations. Throughout years, we had a crappy and lousy workstations which have forced us to ask for a whole new office. Our commitment and focus towards our routine and non-routine work deteriorated each day, which we don't want to.
Therefore, we are proposing the new look for our new office.



Neat, isn't it....(Current workstation)


We have to block this door because there's no lock.
(Current office)


So, perhaps, maybe the management would consider on our PROPOSAL.... which is....






Our very own section meeting room....



Our very own front counter....


Our very own brainstorming area...


Our very own eating area ..


Our very own head section room....


Our very own stress release area... (PS3 included)


Our very own discussion room...



And our very own employee work space...


We hope that the management would agree on this... 



JUST A THOUGHT  ...


Wednesday, January 26, 2011

PostYourSafetyNews


Rep Ireland
Airport responds to bird strike incident

Ireland West Airport(Knock) has amended its safety manual to now feature bird patrols prior to all aircraft departures and arrivals.
On October 19th 2009, an aircraft flying to Manchester with 127 passengers experienced damage to both engines when it struck a flock of lapwings and had to divert to Shannon. AAIU(Air Accident Investigation Unit) investigation found that no bird patrols had been undertaken in the 2.5 hours prior to the incident. 
26th January 2011
Singapore
Naphtha spillage ignited at refinery fire

MUN Siong Engineering was fined $100K(£49,380) over a fatal accident at the Exxon Mobil oil refinery at Pulan Ayer Chawan on Jurong Island in which 3 workers died in a fire. When a steel plate between 2 heat exchangers was removed, liquid with naphtha spilled. Instead of using a drip pan to collect the spillage, water was used and within 10 minutes the flammable liquid ignited.
 26th January 2011
England
Contractors failed to replace lift shaft guard rails

At Lewes Crown Court Brighton Construction Ltd pleaded guilty to breaches of health and safety legislation in respect of an accident 14 months ago in which a worker delivering kitchen units at the new Ocean Height apartment complex in Brighton fractured his spine and pelvis in a 10-metre fall into an open lift shaft.
Although guard-rails had been positioned around the open shaft, these had been removed by maintenance workers and had not been re-positioned after the maintenance work.
Sentence was deferred until 3rd March.
 25th January 2011
Austria
Piste worker rides into taut cable

A worker engaged on maintenance on snow-making machines has died on a piste at Nassfeld where the snowmobile he was riding ran into a taut metal cable which was anchoring machinery on a steep gradient.
 25th January 2011
EnglandFour die in Norfolk industrial accident
Four workmen lost their lives in an industrial accident on Friday afternoon at the premises of Claxton Engineering in Great Yarmouth.
Few details have been made available of the incident but reports suggest a steel structure may have collapsed or become otherwise unstable during foundation work being conducted by building contractors.
 24th January 2011
USA
Crane collapse kills Florida port contractor

A crane collapse claimed the life of a contract worker at the Talleyrand Marine Terminal in Jacksonville, Florida, on Saturday. The contractor was operating a crawler construction crane to dismantle and salvage sections of a gantry crane for scrap. However, during the work sections of the shipping crane fell on the cab of the portable crane, killing the operator
. 24th January 2011
Rep Ireland
Lobster fisherman missing off Cork

A search was ongoing yesterday afternoon for a fisherman missing in Ringabella Bay, Cork, when their lobster boat capsized south of Roche's Point, another fisherman managed to swim ashore
. 20th January 2011
Austria
Child killed by piste machine

A 5-year old boy was killed by piste -preparing machinery in Russbach, Salzburg. He and 6 other children had been in the company of an instructor whose attention was taken up by a girl who had fallen from a ski lift. The boy had been waiting beside the lift but curiosity caused him to wander on to the piste area
. 20th January 2011
England
Black Country worker's fingers severed in power press

JKL Industrial Services of Goscote, Wwest Midlands, were fined £5K plus £2,534 in costs after pleading guilty to breaches of health and safety legislation over an accident in which a 19-year old worker lost finger sections in a power press on his first day at work.
He was feeding steel strips into the press when his hand became trapped in an unguarded area, 2 fingers were amputated at the first joint.
 20th January 2011
Australia
Shearer killed in equipment accident

Safework South Australia has been informed of a fatal accident at a sheep farm near Tarlee, north of Adelaide, where a 29-year old shearer died when his shears recoiled and inflicted a fatal neck injury. 20th January 2011

England
Absence of training and risk assessment led to major injury
A workman has not worked for 18 months following an industrial accident in which he fractured a leg. The accident victim was working at Stanley's Quarry in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, removing scants (pieces of stone pre-cut into a block) during July 2009, manually removing each piece with a forklift truck to transport them. The accident occurred because the stones were not adequately stabilised and a number of scants broke free and fell onto him, breaking his left leg in two places.
HSE officials deemed that he should have not been working alone. He was unable to summon help, and resorted to using a hammer to move a lever on the forklift truck to lift the scants off his body and raise the alarm using the forklift horn.
Investigation revealed the stones had been inadequately secured. The accident victim's line-manager
had no relevant health and safety training. Additionally, the task had not been risk assessed and, as a consequence, no safe system of work had been devised.
The owner of the quarry admitted breaching S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and
was fined £5,000 plus £8,790 costs.
19th January 2011
England
HGV driver trapped by glass load

Poole fire crews had to deploy hydraulic cutting gear to free a lorry driver trapped in a tight space in the rear of his glass-laden lorry on the Nuffield Trading Estate where he was delivering to Dorset Glass.
He had slipped and fallen into the tight space between the vehicle wall and 6-metre long glass sections, he was transferred to hospital with a serious back injury.
 19th January 2011
Rep Ireland
Car salesman almost drowned by suicide driver

A coroner in Howth has ruled a verdict of death by suicide in respect of a fatal accident at Howth harbour on July 13th last year in which a car driver drowned when the vehicle was driven off the pier into the sea.
The driver was purportedly taking the car on a test drive, the proprietor of Beshoff Ltd Car Sales was in the passenger seat and came close to losing his life. He struggled to open the door of the submerged car on the harbour bottom but managed to swim up to safety
. 19th January 2011
England
Unstable asphalt lorry on Devon street

An asphalt-laden lorry became unstable during an attempt to tip its load at a site on Boot Hill, Weymouth, where Hanson are engaged on highway repair work. A wheelbarrow positioned at the rear of the lorry may have been implicated in the malfunction, a roads worker was fortunate to escape injury as he was in close
 proximity to the accident. 18th January 2011
New Zealand
British yachtsman feared drowned

North Island coastguard has abandoned the search for a missing 77-year old British yachtsman whose boat, Boadecia, was found by divers submerged in 10 metres of water at Tapotupotu Bay, Cape Reinga. It is believed that he had set out from Opua marina, Bay of Islands, police have indicated that the coastguard had not been notified of his travel nor had he customs clearance, and that, although he was an experienced sailor, in their opinion the 7.6-metre yacht was not suitable for prevailing sea conditions off the north of North Island.
 18th January 2011
EnglandBuilder's death was accident
An inquest jury has determined accidental death after listening to evidence concerning the
electrocution of a self-employed workman on 6th December 2007 as he worked within a residential
property in Dedham, Essex.
He was discovered by the occupier of the residential property lying on the floor next to a live conductor, it was speculated that he had came into contact with the cable as he
reached for a tool, as his work task gave him no reason to touch the cable. 
17th January 2011
Australia
Mill worker killed in timber machine

A 48-year old maintenance worker died in an accident at a timber mill in Oberon, New South Wales, where he was caught in machinery.
 17th January 2011
Belgium
Brussels psychiatric unit fire

Fifteen patients were treated for smoke inhalation following a fire in a patient's room on the 5th floor of the Sanatia psychiatric hospital in Saint-Josse(Sint-Joost-ten-Node), Brussels. Brussels-Noord police report that the patient alleged to have caused the fire has now been transferred to the Fond-Roy centre in Ukkel.
 14th January 2011
Romania
Ploesti school room stove explosion

Five pupils were admitted to Urgenta Hospital, Ploesti, with burns injuries when a stove
 exploded in a room at a secondary school in Ploesti. 14th January 2011
Austria
Worker injured in gas explosion

A female member of staff was injured in a gas explosion at a coffee processing unit of the Grisseman food chain yesterday in Zams, the unit was just opening after having had gas installation work completed
. 13th January 2011
EnglandArmoured truck flattens property
A military vehicle weighing almost 30 tonnes being taken from a low loader ran out of control from its operators and partly demolished a residential property in Portland, Devon. The transporter was parked  on the Southwell Business Park, no one was injured. 
13th January 2011
EnglandLifting operation fine for Lincs company
A workman sustained multiple major injuries when a 3-tonne process tank fell on him as a temporary lifting bracket welded to it failed as it was being lifted.
Wefco (Gainsborough) Ltd admitted  breaching S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 for which it was fined £15,000 with costs of £5,000 at Lincoln Crown Court.
An HSE official commented: "This was an incident that resulted in very serious injuries to a young man which could have been even worse. His injuries could have been avoided had a safe system of work been followed. Employers need to ensure that difficult lifting operations are planned beforehand and that correct lifting equipment is being used.
An incident like this demonstrates how vital it is that safe working procedures are communicated to and understood by people who carry out such lifting tasks. Supervision is also imperative and managers need to monitor the workplace of employees to ensure that safe working procedures are being followed and corners are not being cut." 
12th January 2011
EnglandSystem of work was unsafe for lifting of steel section
A building company had no suitable risk assessment in place for a task that required a 92kg section of steel to be put in place during the construction of a house extension.
HSE inspectors observed 4 workmen lifting the steelwork from the floor onto a scaffold before standing on the platform to place the steel in position, but no measures were employed to prevent falls, no edge protection was in place.
DA Cook (Builders) Limited of Winchcombe admitted breaching S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £2,000 with costs of £3,800. 
12th January 2011
England
Fall from roof at Lancs stable

A 49-year old Lancashire worker was admitted to Royal Preston Hospital with back injuries after falling from the roof of a stable at Bashall Hall.
 11th January 2011
England
HSE investigates Irish Sea wind farm accident

HSE has an investigation ongoing into an incident last August at the Walney Offshore Windfarm off Barrow-in-Furness, where an 18-tonne section of turbine fell into the sea. The blade broke loose from its lifting frame as a crane was lifting it from a support barge at the Danish Dong Energy site. 
11th January 2011
Rep Ireland
Hotel guest dies of suspected CO poisoning

A woman in her 30's died in Cork University Hospital on Sunday after having been admitted with suspected carbon monoxide poisoning. She had been occupying a room at the Trident Hotel, Kinsale, her roommate has also been hospitalised in serious condition, 5 people in all are believed to have been affected.
10th January 2011
USA
Worker killed in manhole confined space accident

A construction worker, believed to have been an employee of J Ramey Construction, died in a confined space accident in a manhole at Salem Lake in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, during maintenance work on valves. Some colleagues who were either working with him or attempting a rescue were also injured in the oxygen-deficient atmosphere
. 10th January 2011
Serbia
2 Nisava children killed by train

Two children aged 9 and 17 were killed yesterday when they were struck by a train on the railway bridge spanning the Morava River in Doljevac, the Presevo-Nis line was closed pending investigation of the accident. 
7th January 2011
Austria
Timber handling accidents

A 64-year old worker was hospitalised with 3rd degree burns yesterday after falling into a brazier at a site where he was cutting timber in Markt Neuhodis.
In Neumarkt a worker's thigh was broken when a felled tree came down on his leg, and in Piringsdorf a worker sustained a broken shin during the loading of wood on to a lorry
. 7th January 2011
Rep Ireland
HSA to double farm visits

The HSA has announced that it will make in excess of 3,000 farm safety inspections this year in response to last year's figures which saw 25 farm deaths, up from 11 in 2009. There will be a focus on farms being compliant with the mandatory Farm Safety Statement.
Of last year's figures, 10 involved machinery or vehicles, 4 falls from height, 4 arboreal accidents, 3 involving stock and 2 involved level crossing incidents.
Farm fatalities have fluctuated during the last decade: 22 in 2008; 11 in 2007; 18 in 2006; 18 in 2005; 13 in 2004; and 20 in 2003.
 I6th January 2011
Poland
Polish fire crew's unusual rescue

A Polish fire master has been describing an unusual rescue to the media, involving a fire crew rescuing a deer stranded on an ice floe some 400 metres off Kolobrzeg, a rescue which posed serious risks for his men but which was accomplished safely. The firemen had to twice pull the animal on to their small motorboat and tie its legs together to keep the traumatised animal still
.  6th January 2011
Japan
Missing doctor's plane recovered

Rescuers were believed to have reached the site of a crashed light aircraft on Tuesday on the 942-metre high Mount Yago where a search was focussed for a missing doctor and his wife whose flight from Kumamoto to Kitakyushu was lost from radar shortly after departure from Kumamoto Airport
. 5th January 2011
USA
Fatal trench collapse on Pennsylvania bridge

An excavation collapsed yesterday on Linden Street Bridge in Allentown, Pennsylvania, killing a worker of J D Eckman Inc and injuring another.
 5th January 2011
China
Contract helicopter hits power lines

CLP Power has suspended all helicopter winching work after an accident yesterday in which a contract worker sustained fatal burns to 40% of his body  and another was injured when they contacted an overhead high power line during work in Hong Kong
. 4th January 2011



http://www.safetynews.co.uk/

Monday, January 24, 2011

Residents Mentality Towards Lifts

Nowadays at this very frigging millennia, people need to use lift to go up and down, not only in apartments but also in shopping complexes and offices.
People are so depending on this machines so much that, if the machines malfunctions, people would have to face the difficulty to use the stairs. It's ok for you if your home is at 2nd floor, what about a resident who stayed at 30th floor? It would be troublesome isn't it? What about for those people that are aged, impaired, and pregnant?
The most common defects that leading to this situation is the landing door at the hallway. Every time the lift or elevator is too slow to arrive, people would get mad easily. Maybe the person is in rush, time attack or just frigging out of their mind. For them waiting is a waste. Well, TIME IS GOLD!!! What about safety, what about your life, other people's life? Is the life of human being is as cheap as the landing door? Rushing and vandalizing won't be the answer.
These type of peoples would easily raised their foot and make a side kick to get out of their system. This actions would definitely make the so called landing door dented which subsequently uplift the landing lock which is connected the electrical switches in series system. Then the lift would tripped. Just imagine that, if there are passengers in that very lift, the passengers would be in shock knowing that the lift had stop halfway from the floor. They would be panicked, and truly they would find a way to get out of the car lift. This ultimate blind action is leading them to accident which far most can be fatal.
Living in an apartments, condos is like a community that concerns for each other, taking care of each other. We living in a community for god's sake!
Than after the lift is tripped, the maintenance company would definitely quoted the damaged. Furthermore, the respected joint management body have to pay for the fault of their residents done. The money can go for the upgrading facilities rather spending the money repairing the lift defects every month which is largely comes from the residents itself. The other thing is that residents refuse to pay the maintenance fees. Refusing to pay would create greater problem. Think for yourself, for who ever reading this post. What are the consequences?
For me, local authorities should get involved in this problem to find a way to overcome it. It's just like a time bomb, waiting for an accidents to occur. If an accidents happens, who to be blamed and who to blame for?
Therefore, with this brief thought, the people's attitude and mentality must change in order to live in a harmony and prosperous environment.
Patience is virtue.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Joint Management Body.

After all these years, I've been wondering, why is it lifts in a low cost apartment is so not well maintained if compared to medium and high cost apartment and condominium.
I've been searching for the answer for a while now. Dont have the answer, but I've developed a theory for this neverending problem.
For me there are four things that contributed to this factor.
Hmmm... why is it low cost apartment is lacking in lift maintenance?...
First of all, maybe the attitude and mentality of a residents, secondly, commitment towards maintenance fees, thirdly, the lifts is outdated and lastly the management body itself.
If you noticed, medium and high cost apartment dont have much problem towards any lift breakdown, which is minimal. As far as I'm concerned, the attitude of one's behaviour can make a huge differences in lift breakdown.
For example, you have pressed  the call button and waited for the lift to arrive. But, still the lift didn't arrive after sometime. Your patience have grown dull, you are waiting no longer, with all the temper you kick and punch the call button at the hallway until the button is torn out. This is what happened at the low cost apartment. Apart from that, vandalisme is much higher, dont know why this nonsense happening, maybe some junkie had enough, or maybe stressfull person letting out the fury, or maybe just for fun. Dont know which is which, which is the answer for this wrong doing.
Another thing is that maintenance fees. All residents, I assure you, want a first class facility but dont want to pay for the fees. How could a car can have free maintenance for life?? I've seen a debt that reaches five figures, how that could be?
Futhermore, the lift itself. There are some lifts have been installed in the 80's. The control panel, the electrical parts, the mechanical parts  is outdated. The lifts is now a breakdown-prone. The spareparts is hard to get.
Just imagine that, the lift is just like a car. Would the spareparts for the 80's car still available in the market nowadays?.
Then, the management body, a full commitment and well organized management would have eliminate all of these nonsenses. The collected fees can be put in the good use.
I've seen a low cost management body manage to overcome vandalisme and fees problem. It's been a well organized management body. Firstly, they installed a bunch of CCTV camera to prevent any vandalisme, crimes and other things. This method seems to be a successful one. Then the residents feels that the money they put in have show the benefits. Not only that, the money they've collected is used for the swimming pool and spa facility. They have done it just with a proper management and CCTV camera.
Then I start to wonder again, is this method can be applied to all apartments and condominiums?

Sunday, January 16, 2011

PostYourSafetyNews

Brazil
Children drown at flooded tourist park site

Four Argentinian children aged 6-11 years drowned in a water feature under construction at the new Parque Turisto Ambiental de Integracion which lies on the border between Brazil and Argentina, extending over 2 miles between Bernardo de Irigoyen and Barraco y Bom Jesus do Sul. Heavy rains had caused the site to swell with water to a depth of 2 metres in places.
 14th January 2011
Sudan
3 aviation workers abducted

Three East European workers of an aviation company engaged in the provision of humanitarian aid were abducted on Thursday from their helicopter at a landing strip in Um Shalaya, 40 miles southeast of El Geneina, West Darfur.
 14th January 2011
Argentina
4 killed in Buenos Aires lightning storm

Four people were electrocuted in separate incidents during a violent lightning storm in Buenos Aires. Two children aged 8 and 11 were electrocuted at the Florencia Varela sports club swimming pool, having just left the pool and were walking under trees, and a 25-year old worker died in a farm in the same locality. In Lujan the masseur of Racing Club FC was struck by lightning as the team trained on a hotel playing field.
 13th January 2011
USA
Electrocution in Mississippi substation

A 29-year old electrician was electrocuted in an accident during the testing of transformers at a Howard Industries substation in Ellisville, Mississippi
. 13th January 2011
Turkey
5 killed in military helicopter crash

An instructor and 4 trainees on night-flight training were killed when their UH-1 military helicopter crashed in fog at Polatli, west of Ankara.
 12th January 2011
France
Nursery child scalded by hot coffee

A Nantes police tribunal has condemned a nursery as causing injury by negligence over an accident in June 2008 in which a child received 2nd degree burns to the face and arm when a cup of hot coffee overturned.
The nursery was fined €1,000 (£831-45), the owner stated that all refreshments are taken in the kitchen area and never in the play area.
 12th January 2011
India
6 killed in improvised service lift crash

An improvised service lift fell 19 storeys at the newbuild Rustomjee La Sonrisa site in Matunga, Mumbai(Bombay). The workers, engaged in interior finishing work and subcontracted to M/S Success Developers Pvte Ltd, were on the 21st floor and had gone down to the 19th floor to access the service lift. Five workers are thought to have died in the accident, as well as another person on the site.
11th January 2011
South Africa
Fatal accident at Limpopo platinum mine

Operations were suspended yesterday at Northam Platinum's Zondereinde mine in Limpopo Province pending investigation of a worker's death 1,480 metres underground in a tramming accident. 
11th January 2011
Iran
Boeing
 727 crashes in snow near Orumiyeh
A Boeing 727 aircraft of IranAir crashed near Orumiyeh on Sunday, of the 103 people on board it is believed that more than 70 died.
The flight from Teheran to Orumiyeh had been an hour late in taking off, heavy snow conditions were prevalent at Orumiyeh.
 10th January 2011
France
Breton fishing boat crew rescued

The fishing boat Amandhelo came to grief on rocks as it approached Beg-anTour on Sunday, beginning to take on water as it approached the harbour on Finnisterre. All 4 crew were safely rescued, spending some time in the water,
 which left 1 fisherman in a state of advanced hypothermia.
The harbour master closed the port later on Sunday as
 the boat posed a hazard to shipping. 10th January 2011
China
Tour driver killed by tiger

A Heilongjiang tour bus driver was killed by a tiger at the Hengdaohezi Feline Breeding Centre in Hailin City after alighting when his vehicle became stuck in snow
. 7th January 2011
France
CO incident

Five staff at the B'Plast home improvements showroom in rue de la Liberte, Avranches, were treated for carbon monoxide sickness yesterday morning, fire crews who arrived at the locus reported CO levels of 200ppm instead of the tolerated levels of 30ppm.
 7th January 2011
Malta
Fall from height

An accident on Wednesday on a construction site in Triq San Guzepp(St Joseph Street), Zabbar, has left a 44-year old Maltese worker with critical injuries after a 3-metre fall.
 6th January 2011
Russia
Trawlers stuck in Sea of Okhotsk

The 135-metre long ice-breaker Admiral Makarov yesterday managed to reach and free the trawler Mys Yelizavety and its 78-man crew which was trapped in ice in Sakhalin Bay in the Sea of Okhotsk.
The St Petersburg trawler Anton Gurin remains stuck, in all 500 seamen are trapped in the ice, including 340 on the factory ship Sodruzhestvo. 
6th January 2011
Argentina
Drilling triggers trench collapse

A Bolivian construction worker died and another has been injured when a sewerage excavation collapsed during drilling at the junction of Riestra and Lacarra Streets in the Fatima district of Soldati, southwest Buenos Aires.
 5th January 2011
USA
New Hampshire worker's foot amputated

A worker's foot was amputated following an accident in Claremont, New Hampshire, where he was cutting a steel beam which gave way and he  subsequently fell 5 metres into Sugar River, some material may also have fallen on him from a wall on which he was sitting.
 5th January 2011
Malaysia
Construction death in Kuala Lumpur

A construction worker died yesterday when a floor collapsed during a concrete pour at the Bank Rakyat building in Jalan Ang Seng, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur.
 4th January 2011




www.safetynews.co.uk