Hazard Identification and Safety Management System Development for Machining Workshops
Machining workshops are essential but risky, with injuries, electrical hazards, and fire threats endangering workers and sustainability.
Therefore, accurately identifying hazards within machining workshops and establishing a scientifically sound safety management system is of paramount importance.
Identification and Analysis of Hazardous Factors in Machining Workshops
Among the various hazards in machining workshops, mechanical injuries are the most frequent and immediate threats to operators.
Due to the high speed and complexity of machining equipment, even minor mistakes or inadequate protective measures can lead to serious accidents.
Mechanical Injuries
Pinching and Collision from Moving Equipment Components
High-speed spindles, cutting tools, and chucks in lathes, milling, and drilling machines can catch or pinch operators, causing serious injuries.
Cutting and Shearing Injuries from Equipment
During operation, equipment like shearing machines and punch presses cuts or shears workpieces through the relative motion of blades or dies.
Improper use or malfunctions can cause severe cuts or amputations of hands or fingers.
Equipment Entanglement and Wrapping Injuries
Rotating equipment like belt and chain conveyors can entangle clothing, hair, or limbs, causing serious injuries if guards are inadequate.
In machining long shafts, poor securing can pull in nearby personnel, causing injuries.
Electrical Accidents
Electrical Equipment Leakage
Electrical equipment like machine controls, lighting, and welders can leak due to wear, aging insulation, moisture, or damage.
Contact with a leaking device can cause electric shock, ranging from minor injury to cardiac arrest, respiratory paralysis, or death.
Electrical Circuit Short Circuits
Short circuits in electrical circuits may result from aging wiring, damaged insulation, overloading, or failure of short-circuit protection devices.
Short circuits can trigger intense currents that ignite fires, damage equipment, and endanger personnel.
Electrical Equipment Overload
Overload occurs when the actual operating power of electrical equipment exceeds its rated capacity.
Overloads raise equipment temperature, degrade insulation, shorten lifespan, and can cause burnout, fires, or explosions.
Fire and Explosion
Leakage of Flammable and Combustible Substances
Machine shops may use or generate flammable and combustible substances during production, such as cutting fluids, lubricants, and hydraulic oils.
Leaks from storage containers or pipelines can accumulate and ignite, causing fires or explosions.
Electrical Sparks and Static Sparks
Sparks from equipment or static discharge during operations can ignite fires or explosions.
Particularly in environments containing flammable or combustible substances, these sparks pose a high risk of triggering fire or explosion incidents.
Improper Management of Hot Work Operations
Hot work like welding or cutting can ignite nearby combustibles if fire prevention measures aren’t followed.
Additionally, smoking is a common open flame source within workshops. Smoking in prohibited areas can similarly trigger fires.
Other Hazardous Factors
Noise Hazards
Machinery in workshops produces intense noise from cutting, fans, and compressors.
Prolonged exposure to high-intensity noise environments can damage operators’ hearing, leading to hearing loss or even deafness.
Simultaneously, noise can cause irritability, fatigue, and lack of concentration among operators, increasing the risk of accidents.
Vibration Hazards
Machines like punch presses and forging hammers produce vibrations that can cause hand circulation and nerve disorders with prolonged exposure.
Furthermore, vibration can loosen equipment components and cause fatigue damage, reducing equipment lifespan and reliability.
Dust Hazards
Metal cutting, grinding, welding, and similar processes generate substantial amounts of metal dust, grinding wheel dust, and other particulates.
In poorly ventilated workshops, dust becomes airborne and inhaled by operators, potentially causing respiratory diseases like pneumoconiosis.
Dust accumulation on equipment or ducts can cause explosions, especially with combustible dust.
High Temperature Hazards
Processes like forging and heat treatment create high temperatures that can cause heatstroke or exhaustion in operators.
High temperatures can degrade lubricants and seals, reducing equipment reliability and safety.
Establishing a Safety Management System for Machining Workshops
To effectively prevent accidents and ensure safe operations, machining workshops must establish a systematic safety management framework.
This framework should be comprehensive, covering responsibilities, inspections, equipment management, hazardous operations, and employee training.
The foundation of this framework begins with well-defined safety management systems.
Safety Management Systems
Production Safety Responsibility System
Enterprises must define safety responsibilities for all roles and establish a comprehensive system from leaders to frontline staff.
The enterprise’s primary responsible person holds overall accountability for production safety.
Department heads are responsible for production safety within their respective departments;
Employees at each position are responsible for production safety within their respective roles.
Safety responsibility agreements assign specific tasks to individuals, ensuring every role has clear accountability.
Safety Inspection System
Workshops must create safety inspection plans detailing types, methods, frequency, and responsible personnel for all inspections.
Daily inspections shall be conducted by team leaders or safety officers, focusing on equipment operation, employee procedures, and on-site safety.
The safety department conducts periodic inspections of policies, equipment, and protective equipment usage.
Special inspections focus on hazardous equipment, while holiday inspections ensure safety during breaks.
Identified issues must be corrected immediately, assigning responsibility, measures, and deadlines, with follow-up until resolved.
Equipment and Facility Safety Management System
Equipment safety must cover its entire lifecycle, ensuring standards compliance and reliable operation.
Equipment must meet process and safety requirements, be sourced from reputable suppliers, and installed and inspected by qualified personnel.
Workshops must enforce operating procedures, perform regular maintenance, and promptly address malfunctions.
Equipment reaching end-of-life or posing serious hazards must be promptly scrapped and prohibited from use.
Hazardous Operations Management System
Workshops must strictly manage hazardous operations such as welding, cutting, work at heights, and confined space entry.
Permits must be obtained prior to operations, approved with clear details of the task, safety measures, and personnel information.
Hold pre-operation safety briefings, post warnings, provide protective equipment, and ensure supervision to correct unsafe behaviors.
Safety Education and Training System
Enterprises must implement three-tier safety training covering corporate rules, workshop hazards, and job-specific procedures.
Regular retraining on new technologies, equipment, and accident cases enhances employee safety awareness and skills.
Offer training for new equipment or processes and ensure special operations personnel hold valid safety certifications.
Principles and Considerations for Developing Safety Operating Procedures
Developing safety procedures in mechanical workshops follows five key principles:
Procedures must be relevant to the workshop’s equipment, processes, and environment.
Procedures should cover all operations, from startup to shutdown, with clear safety requirements at each step.
Engineers must design all procedures scientifically and reasonably, reflecting equipment, process, and safety standards.
Procedures should be clear, concise, and easy for employees to follow.
Procedures must be updated continuously to reflect equipment, process, and regulatory changes.
Additional Key Considerations During Development
Emphasize the proper wearing and use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Specify inspection and maintenance requirements for equipment safety guards.
Prohibit unnecessary adjustments or repairs while equipment is operational.
Establish emergency shutdown procedures to ensure rapid equipment stoppage during crises.
Emergency Response Plan
Emergency Response Organizational Structure
The enterprise must form an Emergency Response Leadership Group, led by the primary responsible person and department heads.
Subordinate units include the Emergency Response Office and Safety Management Department, responsible for daily emergency management.
Specialized teams for rescue, medical aid, firefighting, and security must be formed with clear responsibilities for rapid response.
Emergency Rescue Equipment and Facilities
Workshops must have emergency equipment like alarms, hydrants, extinguishers, first-aid kits, and lighting, all regularly inspected and maintained.
Equipment storage, use, and maintenance responsibilities must be clearly defined for quick emergency access.
Development and Revision of Emergency Plans
Enterprises must create emergency plans for hazards like fires, injuries, and poisoning, covering risks, organization, procedures, mitigation, and resources.
Plans must be regularly updated to reflect regulations, processes, equipment changes, and drill feedback for effectiveness.
Emergency Drills
Enterprises must hold regular emergency drills—tabletop, functional, and full-scale—to test plans and employee response.
Tabletop exercises simulate accident scenarios to assess plan familiarity and response procedure rationality;
Functional drills test specific emergency tasks, while full-scale drills simulate incidents to evaluate plans and team coordination.
Post-drill reviews should update plans, retrain staff, and ensure effective responses in real incidents.
Safety Culture Development
Cultivating Safety Culture Principles
Enterprises should prioritize safety, promote it through activities, and ensure leadership models safe practices to embed a strong safety culture.
Establishing Safety Culture Systems and Conducting Safety Activities
Enterprises must embed a safety culture into daily management, setting clear behavior standards with rewards and penalties.
Include safety culture in performance evaluations and organize activities to boost employee engagement.
Examples include:
– Safety Month activities featuring centralized training, hazard identification and remediation, and emergency drills;
– Safety Culture Festivals combining education with entertainment through cultural performances and exhibitions;
– Dedicated bulletin boards for regularly updated safety information;
– Solicitation of rationalization suggestions to stimulate employee participation in safety management.
Conclusion
Effective safety management in machining workshops—through hazard analysis, regulations, procedures, training, emergency plans, and safety culture—prevents accidents, protects employees, and supports sustainable corporate growth.