The dirty work that keeps hands safe and clean

Mini Guide no.3

The ins and outs of risk assessment and exposure management in protecting workers from chemicals, bacteria and abrasions

The dirty work that keeps hands safe and clean

Mini Guide no.3

The epidermis is the outer layer of the skin that pushes new cells upward to provide the human body, with the tough, protective overcoat it needs to survive.

Although the thickness of the epidermis varies with the different types of skin, it must be protected with gloves and efficient hand hygiene as it can be only 1.5 mm thick on the palms of hands and the soles of the feet.1 1 Safe Work Australia, Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 Section 22 (3) http://

www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA/about/Publications/Documents/646/

Model_Explanatory_Statement.pdf

A plan of action

In the food manufacturing industry, damage to your workers’ epidermis can be the difference between meeting production targets and being short staffed.

Having the appropriate PPE, soaps and sanitisers is a good start, but it takes a far more comprehensive approach to really protect your workforce’s skin.

To effectively avoid dealing with the same symptoms and issues continuously resurfacing, a thorough risk assessment and hazard identification process is required.

Creating clearly documented exposure management processes is another method in which time can be saved in responding to emergencies when they strike.

The dirty work that keeps hands safe and clean

Mini Guide no.3

During the process of documenting hand health (for medical or legal reasons), managers may find themselves under a lot of pressure to identify a single cause for the issue.

Unfortunately (and frustratingly), it’s not always a simple fix: a number of factors are usually to blame when it comes to the most common hand complaints. A thorough risk assessment can prove vital in cases like these.

If managers are unsure what has caused an issue, identifying the possible hazards can help rule out the mismatched symptoms when they present themselves.

Where is the best place to start?

There are three main factors that can influence the ‘exposure pathway’ –the business’ materials, processes and people. In respect of the first of these factors (materials), identifying and documenting all the materials that can result in possible skin damage, should be the primary aim of any employer from a business.

In a similar fashion, identifying tasks that entail employees coming in contact with sensitisers (e.g. flour and fish proteins) and chemicals (e.g. soaps and disinfectants) can ensure a high standard of hygiene from a processes standpoint.

By documenting the pre-existing conditions and allergies of the workforce, an employer can avoid any emergencies arising from employees being given latex gloves without knowing that they are allergic.

Risks, hazards and hidden hazards

The dirty work that keeps hands safe and clean

Mini Guide no.3

In Australia, legislation requires suppliers of substances to be used in workplaces to (amongst other things) provide information necessary for the safe use and maintenance of the substance by the end user.2

Yet the information provided on the safety data sheet will often only pertain only to the single purpose for which the chemical was bought.

And in practice, this can hide the hazards that may arise when the chemical moves through different applications in the production process.

Through mixing, reacting, contaminating, diluting or oxidising, the initial chemical used won’t always be the same chemical workers end up handling.

When charting out processes, it is crucial that an employer follows the chemical’s potential transformations to avoid any sudden allergic reactions further down the track. 2 Safe Work Australia, Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 Section 22 (3) http://

www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA/about/Publications/Documents/646/

Model_Explanatory_Statement.pdf

Identifying hidden hazards

The dirty work that keeps hands safe and clean

Mini Guide no.3

After conducting a thorough risk assessment and identifying all the hazards in the workplace processes, the next step will often be to maximise worker safety in the event that they come into contact with those materials.

When designing skin management processes, employers should aim to reduce workers’ contact with hazardous materials. The key is to minimise contact wherever and whenever it may arise, with the necessary fail-safe procedures in place to mitigate the damage if a reaction does occur.

Establishing a skin care regime

The dirty work that keeps hands safe and clean

Mini Guide no.3

The main functions of exposure control should be carried out by technical measures, with PPE to be relied upon as a last resort:

— In the process design stage, eliminate contact or the need for it wherever possible. Remember, any impact on productivity will be offset by the fact that workers won’t be put in harm’s way at a later date.

— If there’s a repeated compliant about contact with a material, substitute it out for either a different material, or a different form of the material (for instance, replace disinfectant tablets)

— Often simple tweaks to the worker’s method are effective. If a worker is in frequent contact with a dangerous substance, then make sure they maintain a safe distance from it by using tools with handles and PPE so exposure can be minimised.

— Use visual controls to remind workers of the danger they’re placing themselves in whenever they leave their skin exposed, especially when they encounter dramatic drops or rises in temperature. At areas where they’re likely to take an ill-advised risk, make sure they know what’s really at stake.

Once a hazardous material has spilled or spread, definite and immediate action needs to be taken. At this point there is tension between containing the exposure and continuing your processes.3

By setting up contingency procedures in advance, your business can not only easily maintain continuity but can also save time in assessing the guidelines for staff redistribution.3 Safe Work Australia, Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 Section 22 (3) http://

www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/SWA/about/Publications/Documents/646/

Model_Explanatory_Statement.pdf

Technical measures

The dirty work that keeps hands safe and clean

Mini Guide no.3

Because hand washing is vital to contain and control infection, it’s important that you get it right. Ironically, while washing hands, employees will expose themselves to a number of cleansing agents that might well cause irritation.

When defining the hand washing procedures for employees, be sure to consult your risk assessment to identify:

— Substances that might be hazardous,

— Employees that might be allergic and

— Processes that might call for more hand washing than others (and the cumulative irritation that might cause).

In organisations that are focused exclusively on efficiency and productivity, it’s easy to forget why processes like these are so important.

But almost invariably, the organisations that most value their workers’ health are also the ones that achieve the highest levels of efficiency and productivity.

Just like the epidermis, your employees will protect your organisation –when you take care of them.

NB The material contained in this document is general in nature. It is not intended to constitute legal or medical advice.

Effective personal hygiene

Read the rest of our series Healthy Hands: a comprehensive guide to healthy hand habits in the food industry.

Not sure what to do next?

Or better still, invite us in for a Waste and Hazard Walk. We’ll walk your facility with you to spot new opportunities for greater compliance and efficiency.

Looking closer and maintaining a 360° view of your organisation is critical to your hand health policy. Read our next mini guide about establishing impactful surveillance procedures.

The dirty work that keeps hands safe and clean

Mini Guide no.3

Download Guides 1-5We know how critical it is to protect your workers (and their hands). Check out our full series of mini guides on hand health:

Hand health and profits

Coming to terms with the costs of poor hand health

The 3 major factors of hand health policy

A hands on guide to prevention, rehabilitation and education

Processes that protect

Analysing hand health procedures in the food industry

Keeping an eye on hand health

Surveillance, monitoring and education protocols for the food industry

The pressure to get it right

Mini Guide no.1

The 3 major factors of hand health

Mini Guide no.2

Shaping hands health policy

Processes that protectAnalysing hand health procedures in the food industry

Mini Guide no.4 Mini Guide no.5

Surveillance, monitoring and education protocols for the food industry

Keeping an eye on hand health

The dirty work that keeps hands safe and clean

Mini Guide no.3