Workshop safety - common faults

• Introduction
• Legislation
• Common faults
• Futher information

Introduction

Carpentry, welding, panel beating and paint spraying are just four of the jobs that could be associated with workshops. All too often a lack of good housekeeping and regular cleaning result in accidents such as cuts and pulled muscles. A lack of protection when welding could result in "arc eye" or respiratory problems; oil on a floor could result in slipping; permanent or temporary deafness can result from a lack of hearing when panel beating.

Have a look around your workshops and as a start think about cleaning the place up making sure everything is in the right place.

Legislation

Visit our Health and Safety Regulations pages.

Common faults

The following are just a few examples of common safety faults found in workshops:

• Guards or screens not on equipment
• Gas cylinders not chained to a wall
• Lack of adequate ventilation
• No safety signs
• Hidden or missing safety notices
• Machinery left unattended when running
• Obstructed emergency cut out switches
• Cluttered workbenches
• Chemical substances in unmarked containers
• Blocked fire exits
• Loading bays not fenced off
• Trailing wires
• No barrier cream
• Flickering lights
• Incorrect ambient temperature
• No electric shock treatment poster
• Missing or inadequate covers over inspection pits
• Improvised tools
• Top heavy shelving
• Missing, damaged, or misused machinery guards.

Futher information

• Visit www.hsebooks.co.uk