Introduction
The health and safety regulations at the workplace entail a set of guidelines put in place to guide the management and junior workers on the safe and appropriate ways of carrying out their day-to-day occupations while avoiding accidents. These provisions are outlined in the Workplace regulations of 1992, the Quarries regulations of 1999, the Health and safety regulations of 2002, the work at height regulations of 2005, and the construction regulations of 2007. In this essay, the health and safety regulations in mechanical and electrical engineering environments are discussed by looking at their unique features. Moreover, the legal and financial implications involved in violating these regulations are provided by considering a specific case study.
The health and safety regulations in a mechanical engineering environment
In the mechanical engineering workplace, the health and safety provisions available can be divided into emergency and fire safety regulations, laboratory regulations, building access regulations and general safety regulations. The emergency and fire safety regulations require the management to provide first aid services, the first aid personnel’s list, fire safety protocols, and the red fire telephone instructions. On the other hand, the laboratory safety regulations entail the provision of information on laser safety, chemical safety, and the mechanical workshop safety regulations (‘Health and Safety Executive’ 2002, p. 3).
The general safety regulations entail information regarding the corridors and staircases, arranging materials and equipment, ladders, lifting equipment, occupational hygiene, smoking, electrical hazards, noise at work and accident reporting. Finally, the building access regulations stipulate the opening and closing time of the mechanical workshops (‘Health and Safety Executive’ 2002, p. 3).
Features of these regulations
The emergency and fire regulations
Under these regulations, the management should provide a clear procedure regarding emergencies during working hours and off-work hours. Additionally, a voice message fire system should be installed in the mechanical workshop to notify workers during fire outbreaks. Finally, the management should provide emergency telephone numbers and calling equipment to allow for quick notification of firefighters (‘Health and Safety Executive’ 2002, p. 4).
The laboratory regulations
These regulations provide for the general protocols governing the conduct of laboratory users. In addition, they provide for the procedure to be followed when a lab user is exposed to lasers. Moreover, these provisions protect the safety and health of workers against hazardous chemicals as provided in the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) of 2002 (‘Queensland Division’ 2008, p. 16).
The Mechanical Workshop safety regulations
These regulations outline the general information regarding the arrangement of merchandise in the workshop and corridors. Additionally, these regulations provide for the safe management of materials and equipment in the workshops. Finally, these safety rules stipulate the safe hygienic behaviors at the workplace and outside the workshops (‘Queensland Division’ 2008, p. 24).
The Building Access safety regulations
These rules define the persons authorized to use certain restricted areas. In addition, they stipulate the normal hours during which authorized individuals are supposed to use confined areas. Furthermore, these provisions show the safety, health, and legal implications involved in entering restricted areas during odd hours (‘Queensland Division’ 2008, p. 33).
The Health and safety regulations in Electrical Engineering Environments
In this essay, the safety regulations and legislature in electrical testing at work are considered. Under these circumstances, workers can be injured by exposed electrical parts or metal-works. Therefore, the safety regulations protecting workers under such circumstances include risk assessment regulations, management of electrical testing, establishment of safe test areas, and protection of the persons carrying out the tests (Crandall & Sieber 1996, p. 533).
Features of the Above-mentioned Regulations
Risk Assessment Procedures and regulations
These regulations require that the worker should follow strict risk assessment protocols, which allow for the establishment of necessary precautions before beginning electrical tests. Moreover, the worker should determine the possibility of working with a dead or energized equipment. Furthermore, under these regulations, the competence of testers should be determined before being used for testing (Greenberg & Cramer 1991, p.34).
Regulations involving the process of Electrical Testing
These provisions require the management to provide safe working surroundings to avoid accidents. Additionally, the workers should be provided with a safe working system. And finally, the workers should co-operate with the management in taking the appropriate precautions for their safety and that of co-workers (Crandall & Sieber 1996, p. 536).
Establishment of safe test areas
These provisions ensure that anyone who is not directly involved in the testing procedure is not at risk of electrical injuries. Thus, safe areas should be established in confined and restricted environments. In addition, physical barriers should be provided to prevent unauthorized persons from touching electrical equipment under test (Crandall & Sieber 1996, p. 538).
Regulations entailing Protection of the Persons involved in Electrical Testing
These regulations require that testing should be done at reduced and harmless electrical voltages. Additionally, the workers should be provided with temporary insulators incase they have to work with energized equipment. Finally, the employees should be in access of isolating transformers wired to the mains (Crandall & Sieber 1996, p. 533).
Case Study: The consequences of violating the safety and health regulations in a small engineering company
The case considered in this essay entails an employee who has suffered injury at work. As noted, during the time of the accident, there was no first aider who could attend to the injured worker. Therefore, the first regulation violated here involves the emergency and fire safety regulation. Secondly, the laboratory safety regulations are also violated. Thirdly, the regulations providing for establishment of safe working environments are violated. Lastly, regulations providing for emergency telephone access are also not considered.
Thus, under the afore-mentioned circumstances, the management would have done better by providing first aid services and training to workers and ensure that they are capable of caring for their injured co-workers. Moreover, the management should have outlined strict procedures governing the conduct of workers in the workshop or laboratory. In addition, the management is at fault for failing to establish safe working environments, which prevents unauthorized persons from using dangerous materials and providing safety to those working with hazardous substances. Lastly, it is a legal provision that any mechanical or electrical workshop should have an emergency voice messenger or live telephone for emergency cases.
Therefore, the financial implication for the irregularity committed here involves the management catering for the hospitalization costs the employee incurs in seeking medical attention. And if the worker suffers permanent damages or disabilities, the company should be responsible for the upkeep of this person and his/her dependants as may be determined by the judicial system. In addition, the company should pay the worker his/her monthly salary for the period this individual stays out of active service.
Conclusion
This essay reviews the health and safety regulations and legislation available in the mechanical and electrical engineering environments. In addition, the essay describes the various features of these regulations. From the discussions above, various regulations are in place, which safeguard the safety and health of employees at work. These regulations also govern the conduct of these people in their day-to-day activities. Finally, a case study is given in this essay to illustrate the safety, health, legal, and financial implications involved in violating the regulations that are in place in the two environments. Therefore, it is the duty of the top management and the junior staff members in any organization to follow these regulations and ensure that their safety and those of others is protected.
Reference List
Crandall, M. S & Sieber, W. K., 1996. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health indoor Environmental Evaluation Experience. Applied Occupational & Environmental Hygiene, Vol. 11, No. 6, pp. 533-539.
Greenberg, H. R & Cramer, J. J., 1991, Risk assessment and risk management for the chemical process industry. Canada: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Health and Safety Executive 2002, Workplace health, safety and welfare: a short guide for managers, HSE. Web.
Queensland Division., 2008. Workplace health and safety regulations 2008. Subordinate Legislation, Vol. 2, No. 283, pp. 16-83.