www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I January 2025 35
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GRANT LAIDLAW
Grant Laidlaw is currently the owner of the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Academy ( ACRA ) in Edenvale . He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and an associate degree in educational administration . He has a National Technical Diploma and completed an apprenticeship with Transnet . He has dual-trades status : refrigeration and electrical . He has been involved with SAIRAC for over two decades and served on the Johannesburg committee as chairman and was also president between 2015 and 2018 . Currently he is the SAIRAC national treasurer .
WELCOME TO THE SOLUTIONS PAGE
By Grant Laidlaw
Many people ask for assistance in the understanding of theoretical and practical aspects of the industry . I will endeavour to enlighten . We are going back to basics as I have questions coming in that indicate that the basic understanding necessary to work in industry is not in place .
Elsie asks : Hi Grant . We are working in refrigeration and people are requesting HIRA , can you please explain in a simple way what HIRA is ? Can you possibly define what section 14 of the OHS act is as it applies to the employees because we need to understand this . Thank you .
Hi Elsie . Starting with HIRA , these are the Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment principles in the workplace .
It is a requirement of the OHS Act that before commencement of any work a basic risk assessment must be conducted .
The five steps to risk assessment are : Step 1 : Identify the hazards Step 2 : Decide who might be harmed and how Step 3 : Evaluate the risks and decide on precautions Step 4 : Record your findings and implement them Step 5 : Review your risk assessment and update if necessary
STEP 1 : IDENTIFY THE HAZARDS
• Walk around your workplace and look at what could reasonably be expected to cause harm .
• Ask other people what they think . They may have noticed things that are not immediately obvious to you .
• Check manufacturers ’ instructions or data sheets for chemicals and equipment as they can be very helpful in spelling out the hazards and putting them in their true perspective .
• Remember to think about long-term hazards to health ( eg high levels of noise or exposure to harmful substances ) as well as safety hazards .
• Specific areas where hazards may be identified are :
• Working at heights . Mandatory use of harnesses , correct scaffold erection , inspection and usage , ladder inspection and usage .
• Working in confined spaces . Refrigerants are heavier than air and can collect in high concentrations in confined spaces and low-lying areas . In such instances , the necessary precautions need to be applied , as asphyxiation and death may result .
• Working on live equipment . Working on live equipment should be avoided as far as possible but should it be a necessity , the necessary precautions should be taken .
• Working in or near excavations . Working in or near excavations , the necessary precautions must be put into place for both workers and the public .
STEP 2 : DECIDE WHO MIGHT BE HARMED AND HOW
• For each hazard you need to be clear about who might be harmed . It will help you identify the best way of managing the risk . That doesn ’ t mean listing everyone by name , but rather identifying groups of people ( eg ‘ people working in the storeroom ’ or ‘ passers-by ’)
• Remember that some people have particular requirements , for example new and young workers , unskilled workers , new or expectant mothers and people with disabilities may be at particular risk . Extra thought will be needed for some hazards ( oil spills , trenches , electrical cables , refrigerant leaks , ladders , tools falling , tripping hazards etc .)
• Consider cleaners , visitors , contractors , maintenance workers and so on , who may not be in the venue all the time
• Members of the public , if they could be hurt by your activities
In each case , identify how they might be harmed , i . e ., what type of injury or ill health might occur . For example , ‘ Possible oil spillage causing a fall — cordon off area ’.
STEP 3 : EVALUATE THE RISKS AND DECIDE ON PRECAUTIONS
• Having spotted the hazards , you then must decide what to do about them . The law requires you to do everything ‘ reasonably practicable ’ to protect people from harm . You can work this out for yourself , but the easiest way is to compare what you are doing with good practice .
• First , look at what you ’ re already doing , think about what controls you have in place and how it is organised . Then compare this with the good practice and see if there ’ s more you should be doing to bring yourself up to standard .
www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za RACA Journal I January 2025 35