FEATURE 27
Accidents ? Not on a plumber ’ s watch !
By
Rory Macnamara
The safety of people , especially those employees who are exposed to dangerous work , must be a primary consideration to any employer .
Danger may be categorised into not so dangerous to very dangerous , but our view is dangerous is dangerous no matter what the situation .
For a plumber to be working in an environment of blocked drains internally and externally does not mean working in a less dangerous situation , as it affects the health and wellbeing of such a person . Several deadly diseases may well be lurking in a drain and if the plumber is not well prepared to handle such a situation , he / she is being put at risk . So , the issue is correct protective clothing and equipment must be the responsibility of the employer .
If the plumber is welding , then a face mask , googles and protective wear are essential . Installing drainage systems and piping in buildings , especially refurbishments , offers great potential for accidents to individuals if those same individuals are not correctly equipped .
This article does not assume that employers are sending their employees out unprepared and unequipped , far from it . But we do hope to draw attention to the detail that must be considered within the scope of the Occupational Health and Safety Act together with the national standards that apply to each situation .
To the employee who finds face mask , goggles , protective eye gear , gloves , and clothing too hot and impedes his / her work , beware ! One is placing oneself at great risk . Workman ’ s Compensation and the employer are not the proverbial ATM if one has not complied with the requirements of the law .
Those who work at height , including installing a geyser in a roof or on a roof , there are certain requirements . A recent situation where a plumber was installing a geyser in a roof and did not realise the electrician , who pitched up after him , was working at the Distribution Board . He touched the electric wire as he had switched the geyser isolator switch off and went crashing through the ceiling ending up on the floor . Damage to his person was never established but neither the insurance nor Workman ’ s Comp paid out . And understandably one upset client ! A step ladder was used , and it went crashing down with the plumber .
The point here is that the ladder should have been a straight one in a firm position , held by an assistant . The plumber should have had gloves on and checked whether the wire was safe . It ’ s a simple story but shows that with one tiny error the result was a nightmare . eskay lim | Unsplash
There are many SABS standards relating to PPE and Safety and the OSH Act which details how health and safety must be practiced in industries .
The OSH Act No 85 of 1993 and amendments dated 06 December 2019 GNR 1589 of Government Gazette 42894 and the Ergonomics regulation in April 2018 refer . The update in April 2020 was around Covid-19 and the handling under the Disaster Management Act .
We will record the various Standards at the end of the article , which we believe relate to plumbing . One point to note is if working at height ( from 2 metres upwards ) other standards regarding harnesses , lines and such come into play in and around scaffolding as well .
The basic premise of Personal protective Equipment ( PPE ) is that it is there to guarantee one ’ s own safety .
These eight tips are a must when considering PPE and the benefits of each . 1 . Safety for the head : Wearing a helmet offers protection and protects head injuries . The helmet must be sturdy and applicable for the application . Helmets have developed over the years to be more ‘ wearable ’ by including sweatbands and adjustable harnesses ensuring comfort as well .
2 . Protection of eyes : The eyes are the most fragile and complex part of the body . Safety glasses are essential . One little plastic chip from a pipe or a tiny piece of steel can cause irreparable damage . Likewise , safety shield / welding goggles when working with bright lights and infrared radiation .
August 2021 Volume 27 I Number 6 www . plumbingafrica . co . za