1. A REPORT ON THE SAFETY MEASURES
AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE
THE SAFETY STANDARDS AMONG THE
WORKERS OF VIVID TECH AND
RESOURCES LTD.
Prepared for
Dato’ Muhammad bin Abdullah
Managing Director, Department of Managers
VIVID Tech and Resources LTD
Kerteh Industrial Park, 24000,
By
Mazura bt Mohammad
Occupational Safety and Hazard Department
VIVID Tech and Resources LTD
Kerteh Industrial Park, 24000
20th October 2012
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2. Occupational Safety and Hazard Department
VIVID Tech and Resources LTD,
Kerteh Industrial Park, 24000,
Terengganu.
Dato’ Mohammad bin Abdullah
Managing Director, Department of Managers
VIVID Tech and Resources LTD,
Kerteh Industrial Park, 24000,
Terengganu. 20 October 2012
Dear Sirs,
A report on the safety measures and recommendations to improve the safety standards
among the workers of VIVID Tech and Resources LTD.
I am writing to lodge a report regarding the matter above. I was asked to conduct a tour at the
factory’s Material and Handling Department. I was shocked to learn that most of the operators in
the department were ignoring the safety rules and regulations.
Despite the safety campaigns and the care we take in ensuring that the “safety first”
policy is at the utmost importance, I find it hard to understand why precautions could not be
taken to prevent a repetition of an earlier damage.
Enclosed is my written report on the highlighted issue(s) for your consideration. I would
like to use my talents to rectify the situation at VIVID Tech and Resources LTD and towards the
betterment of all the staffs and for the benefit of others.
Thank you
Yours sincerely
Mazura bt Muhammad
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3. TABLE OF CONTENS
1.0 SUMMARY
2.0 INTRODUCTION
3.0 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
4.0 THE FINDINGS
5.0 ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN
6.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
7.0 CONCLUSIONS
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4. 1.0 SUMMARY
This paper consists of a full report regarding to the visit to VIVID Tech and Resources
LTD Material and Handling department on the 13th of September 2012. The visit to the Material
and Handling department was a routine visit and to investigate a report made from an
anonymous staff complaining on the safety issues being neglected at the department. As growing
concerns towards occupational hazards at the workplace are on the rise as more and more cases
involving factory operators nationwide are frequently reported in the mass media. The complaint
about the negligence at the workplace was quickly taken into consideration. After investigation,
it was found that three quarter of the operators in the department failed to comply with the safety
measures and the standard operational procedures. Immediate actions have been taken to probe
the cause of the problems and this paper is to report the current situation, problems faced by the
Material and Handling administration and actions that need to be taken plus recommendations to
improve the situation. It is hoped that this paper will provide in-depth information of the whole
situation and will finally make some changes to improve the productivity and to increase the
safety awareness among operators at all departments and divisions of VIVID Tech and
Resources LTD.
2.0 INTRODUCTION
VIVID Tech and Resources LTD is a global company that deals with the production and
supply of computer chips and computer parts that mostly supply the demands of the ICT industry
globally and locally. Our premise is well known for its high quality and long lasting durable
components. With the slogan “First in Quality” we are ahead of other ICT manufacturers in
supplying the best products to our customers. It is undeniable that we are the first choice when
dealing with computer chips and computer parts. We are the jack of all trades in the industry and
we have been standing tall for more than two decades of contribution as one of the global and
local key players in the industry.
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5. However, the company respected reputation could easily be tarnished and smeared by
certain quarter’s irresponsible misconduct and negligence. All the worldwide and local accolades
will be toss into the trash bin if prompt actions are failed to be carried out in rectifying certain
situation at the workplace. As the saying goes, “prevention is better than cure” so, the report is
meant to prevent something bad from happening and would tarnish the reputation of VIVID
Tech and Resources LTD. On September 6 th 2012, the Occupational Safety and Hazard
Department has received an anonymous email asking the person in charge to make a visit and to
conduct an investigation at the Material and Handling department. It was found that most
operators failed to comply with the strict standard operational procedures and regulations as
directed by the ILO (International Labor Organization) fundamental principles of occupational
safety and health as stated in the
2.1 Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No. 155)
The convention provides for the adoption of a coherent national occupational safety and
health policy, as well as action to be taken by governments and within enterprises to
promote occupational safety and health and to improve working conditions. This policy
shall be developed by taking into consideration national conditions and practice. The
Protocol calls for the establishment and the periodic review of requirements and
procedures for the recording and notification of occupational accidents and diseases, and
for the publication of related annual statistics.
2.2 Occupational Health Services Convention, 1985 (No. 161)
This convention provides for the establishment of enterprise-level occupational health
services which are entrusted with essentially preventive functions and which are
responsible for advising the employer, the workers and their representatives in the
enterprise on maintaining a safe and healthy working environment.
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6. Due to the complaint received, three senior officers from the Occupational Safety and
Hazard Department were sent to investigate the allegations on the 8th of September 2012. They
went as undercover operators as they were not supposed to blow their covers to the operators at
the Material and Handling department. They went on with the investigation for three days and
the findings from the investigation were tabled in a closed meeting with the board of committee
on the 11th of September 2012. The board of directors was satisfied with the prognosis of the
investigation and meeting as they (the investigators) have collected ample evidence including
interviews and photographs taken by hidden cameras and recorded tapes from the department’s
CCTV.
Regarding to the investigation, we are required to prepare a full report to the Managing
Directors and to the board of directors at the Department of Managers. As the occupational
health manager of the premise, I will present a report on the current situation, problems and
changes that need to be taken plus recommendations to rectify and to improve the current
situation. Thus the purpose of this paper is to report in details the findings from the three days
investigation conducted by our senior officers.
3.0 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
On 6th September 2012 the Occupational Safety and Hazard (OSH) received an
anonymous email from the Material and Handling Department (MHD) reporting about the safety
level among operators at the respective department. As the report had a serious tone, the OSH
department decided to go undercover by assigning three senior officers to investigate the matter.
They were assigned for three days and they need to gather the evidence before justifying any
actions to the operators. Prompt actions must be taken while the iron is still hot by inspecting the
report. Undercover officers were sent to the MHD and they need to mingle with the operators to
find out the real situation and to report the whole situation to the Department of Managers. The
findings of the investigation are reported in full details.
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7. 4.0 THE FINDINGS
The report brings a setback to VIVID Tech and Resources LTD. It carries a negative
impact to our business. In order to improve our reputation, a full investigation was held by senior
officers from the Occupational Safety and Hazard Department to get a clearer picture. Presented
below are the findings from the three-day investigation.
4.1 Handling and storing
Handling and storing materials would involve a set of and diverse operations such as
hoisting tons of steel with a crane, driving a truck loaded with raw materials, carrying bags of
cements or industrial material manually and stacking palletized wooden or aluminum crates or
other materials such as drums and barrels, A world class manufacturer needs to have efficient
handling and storing of materials as on the other hand; improper handling and storing of
materials can cause costly injuries. Most of the operations at the MHD involve a continuous flow
of raw materials, parts and assemblies through the workplace. Several factors that contribute to
potential injuries among operators and for more serious cases observed at the MHD include:
i. The weight and bulkiness of objects being lifted by the operators.
ii. Falling objects, improperly stacked materials and moving materials manually
iii. Carrying loads that are either too large or too heavy that will result in strains and sprains
to the body.
4.2 Stacking of materials
All bound material should be stacked, placed on racks, blocked, interlocked, or otherwise
secured to prevent it from sliding, falling, or collapsing. Bigger and bulky load or materials must
not be placed on any floor of a building as they may cause blockage. Storage areas must be kept
free from accumulated materials that may cause tripping, fires, or explosions, or that may
contribute to the harboring of rats and other pests. It is important to be aware of such factors as
the materials' height and weight and the condition of the containers where the materials are being
stored. Height limitations should be observed when stacking materials. Serious cases were
observed at the MHD include:
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8. i. Wooden crates were stacked more than 15 feet high when handled manually.
ii. Using forklift when stacking the materials, the stacking height was less than 18 feet tall
according to the maximum stacking height.
iii. Bags and bundles must be stacked in interlocking rows to remain secure and they must
not be closer than 15 inches to the walls, partitions, or sprinkler heads.
4.3 Conveyors
A conveyor belt is a mechanical device used in most factories and manufacturing. It
consists of two or more pulleys. One or both of the pulleys are powered, moving the belt and the
material on the belt forward. Conveyors are durable and reliable components used in automated
distribution and warehousing and this allows for more efficient manufacturing distribution. It is
considered a labor saving system that allows large volumes to move rapidly through a process,
allowing companies to ship or receive higher volumes with smaller storage space and with less
labor expense. It was found that some operators neglected their safety precautions when dealing
with conveyors as in such cases:
i. When operating conveyors, operators' hands may be caught in nip points where the
conveyor runs over support members or rollers.
ii. Workers may be struck by material falling off the conveyor, or they may become caught
on or in the conveyor and as a result being drawn into the conveyor path.
4.4 Cranes
A crane is a type of machine, generally equipped with a hoist, wire ropes or chains, and
sheaves. It used for lifting and lowering materials and to move them horizontally. Its main
function is for lifting heavy things and transporting them to other places. It uses one or more
simple machines to create mechanical advantage and thus move loads beyond the normal
capability of a man. Cranes are commonly employed in the transport and manufacturing industry
for the loading and unloading of freight, in the construction industry for the movement of
materials and in the manufacturing industry for the assembling of heavy equipment.
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9. Only a handful of experienced crane operators are able and allowed to operate specialized
cranes at the MHD. They must be thoroughly trained and competent and they should know what
they are lifting and what it weighs. The capacity of mobile cranes varies with the length of the
boom and the boom radius. When a crane has a telescoping boom, a load may be safe to lift at a
short boom length and or a short boom radius, but may overload the crane when the boom is
extended and the radius increases. Operators at MHD are digging their own graves when certain
SOP (Standard Operational Procedures) in such cases observed and recorded on the CCTV
(close circuit television)
i. Certain cranes with telescoping booms must be equipped with some means to determine
the boom length,
ii. Mobile cranes do not have uniform capacities for the same boom length and radius in all
directions around the chassis of the vehicle.
iii. Overloaded cranes in severe operations will cause the crane to tumble during use.
5.0 ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN
5.1 Handling and storing
Certain materials need to be moved manually. It is recommended, when dealing with
such situation or moving materials, operators should seek help when a load is so bulky or when it
could not be properly grasped or lifted or in certain cases when they cannot see around or over
it, or when a load cannot be safely handled. When moving materials manually, operators should
attach handles or holders to loads. In addition, workers should always wear appropriate personal
protective equipment and use proper lifting techniques. The operators need to use personal
protective equipment prevents needless injuries when manually moving materials:
Hand and forearm protection, such as gloves, for loads with sharp or rough edges.
Eye protection.
Steel-toed safety shoes or boots.
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10. 5.2 Stacking of materials
Working in the MHD is often risky. Things would go from bad to worse if operators
failed to follow the rules and regulations or standardized safety guidelines. Heavy loads or
materials are prone to fall, collapse and may crush operators working nearby the workplace
resulting in injuries or death. There are several safety guidelines to help prevent injuries when
stacking materials. They need to do the following procedures:
Wooden crates should be stacked according to the standard height. They should be
stacked not more than 12 feet high if it is handled manually and not more than 18 feet if
using a forklift.
Ensure that stacks are stable and self-supporting.
Stack bags and bundles in interlocking rows to keep them secure
Stack and block poles as well as structural steel, bar stock, and other cylindrical materials
to prevent spreading or tilting unless they are in racks.
5.3 Conveyors
Every operator should understand the function and the use of mechanical equipment in
the facilities and premise. By doing this, they would be able to avoid accident at the workplace.
Sometimes the conveyor belt could malfunction due to lack of maintenance and supervision.
Materials might fall from the conveyors at any time and workers might also get caught in the
conveyor and drawn into the conveyor path thus resulting to more damage and serious injuries.
To overcome this problem they need to follow the SOP and the safety guidelines issued by the
employers and in line with the ILO (International Labour Organization) standard. It is highly
recommended for operators to follow these standard safety guidelines:
The MHD should install an emergency button or pull cord designed to stop the conveyor
at the operator's work station.
It’s the responsibility of the MHD to appoint and assign appropriate personnel to inspect
the conveyor and clear the stoppage before restarting a conveyor that has stopped due to
an overload.
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11. Prohibit operators from riding on a materials-handling conveyor and to suspend the
offender from repeating the offence.
Provide guards where conveyors pass over work areas or aisles to keep operators from
being struck by any possible falling material.
5.4 Cranes
Employers should employ qualified crane operators to run the hoisting and lifting jobs in
the premise. They must be thoroughly trained and competent and they should be knowledgeable
and know the trick of the trade up on their sleeves. They must also be proactive and to be the
first to prevent such accidents from happening in the premise especially at MHD. They need to
observe the whole situation before beginning their work. To reduce the severity at the workplace
the following precautions must be taken:
The supervisor or crane operators must plan lifts before starting any type of lifting and
hoisting to ensure that they are safe and steady.
MHD could appoint a supervisor to check the crane’s load chart to avoid overloading of
materials and to prevent the crane from tumbling over.
Certain cranes might face problems in determining the angle of hoisting and lifting due to
difficulties to determine the right angle. The situation could be overcome by equipping all
cranes with adjustable booms with boom angle indicators for better judgment and proper
handling of materials.
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12. 6.0 RECOMMENDATIONS
Below are the recommendations for the betterment and in rectifying the situation at MHD
1. Firstly, it is recommended to the Administration and the Managers Department to
continuously monitor the whole premise and all the departments in the vicinity particularly at the
high risks department like MHD. It is very important that regular check-ups should be carried out
on a regular basis and warnings and suspension from work should be issued to repeat offenders.
2. Secondly, in upgrading the whole departments in the premise, training and education
programs should be held twice a year. It has to be a formal training program whereby the trainers
and instructors are well-versed safety engineering and materials handling and storing. The
training should be conducted in aims to reduce workplace hazards by emphasizing certain key
factors in having a safe and secure environment at the workplace. The training or course should
include the following factors:
The dangers of lifting materials without proper training.
How to avoid unnecessary physical stress and strain.
To raise awareness among operators that they can comfortably have a decent workplace
without feeling stress. .
The importance of proper and correct equipments for working and handling any
materials.
How to recognize potential hazards, how to prevent and correct them
3. Finally, there should be a stress free environment at the workplace. It is suggested that
monthly assembly should be conducted by the administration and managers and they should
mingle with all the operators regardless of ranks by asking their charity and troubles. Exploring
the grassroots and probing into their world would give a better insight on a better working
environment and obviously happy workers would boost the productivity and yearly growth
income.
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13. 7.0 CONCLUSION
To conclude, this report is made to provide an in-depth explanation of the current situation, so
that appropriate and immediate actions can be taken to fix the situation for the benefits of our
company. It is hoped that all the suggested recommendations will be applied and considered
especially on how to have a safe workplace and a safe and happy environment. The objectives
are to gain our customers’ confidence and trust as well as to increase and maintain our profit. In
a nutshell, it is a win-win situation where customers get the best products and we would get the
good name in return.
References
Occupational safety and health in Malaysia: Retrieved on 17 th October 2012 from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupational_safety_and_health#Malaysia
Workplace safety: Retrieved on 21st October 2012 from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workplace_safety
Safety: Workplace Safety and Employee Safety: Retrieved on 21st October 2012 from
http://humanresources.about.com/od/safetyworkplacesafety/Safety_Workplace_Safety_and_Emp
loyee_Safety.htm
Potential hazards: Retrieved on 17th October 2012 from
http://www.osha.gov/doc/outreachtraining/htmlfiles/mathan.html
Elaine L. Chao: Materials Handling and Storage: U.S. Department of Labor: Retrieved on 21st
October 2012 from http://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA2236/osha2236.html
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