1. ENVIRONMENT HEALTH AND SAFETY IN DAMRO
An assignment
By
Shadow
Level 2, Semester 5
February 2010
Course: HRM 2102 Employee Health and Safety
Mrs.Arosha S.Adikaram
Faculty of Management and Finance
University of Colombo

2. Contents
1. Sri Lankan furniture Industry
2. Health and Safety Issues
• Wood dust
• Machinery
• Manual handling
• Vehicle safety
• Noise
• Slips and trips
• Electricity
3. OHS Program
• Key controls for wood dust
• Key controls for machinery
• Key controls for manual handling
• Key controls for vehicle safety
• Key controls for noise
• Key controls for slips and trips
• Electrical Safety
• Suggestions

3. 1. Sri Lankan furniture Industry
The Sri Lankan furniture manufacturing industry includes about many companies with about
billions in combined annual revenue. Large companies include Damro, Singer (Modern Homes)
and Arpico Furniture. Some sectors, such as mattress manufacturing and office furniture, are
highly concentrated, but the industry as a whole is fragmented: the largest companies generate
less than 40 percent of revenue.
The volume of home furniture sold depends heavily on the level of home sales, while office
furniture sales depend on the health of the Sri Lankan economy. The profitability of individual
companies is closely linked to volume, since many costs are fixed. Small companies can compete
effectively if they produce specialty items or high-quality workmanship that can sell for a
premium price.
Manufacturers generally specialize in either household furniture or office furniture. Within the
household segment, bedroom furniture accounts for about 32 percent of sales; upholstered
furniture another 32 percent; and home office, casual dining, and other furniture the rest.
Products include "case goods" (bedroom, living room, and dining room furniture); upholstered
items like sofas and recliners, kitchen cabinets, mattresses and box springs; and other items such
as occasional furniture, home entertainment centers, and grandfather clocks. Products may be
factory-finished or ready-to-assemble (RTA). Within the office segment, partitions, showcases,
and shelving account for 44 percent of sales, furniture accounts for about 40 percent, and wood
furniture about 15 percent.
Large companies operate distribution centers and warehouses as well as retail outlets. Because of
the vast number of items, styles, coverings, and finishes, much furniture is made-to-order, with
delivery times varying between two weeks and several months.
Raw materials are the biggest cost item, usually around 40 percent, and include steel, hardwoods,
plywood and chip wood, textiles, polyurethane foam, springs, and various glues, paints and
finishes. Factories may be highly automated with computer-aided manufacturing and robotics.

4. Damro
Damro is among the world's largest furniture manufacturers offering a diverse range of modern
and traditional furniture. Since Damro was established in 1987 it has achieved rapid success and
has expanded to over 90 Showrooms globally, which is now having 46 showrooms island wide.
Damro's success has grown from its ability to produce High quality furniture at affordable prices
with outstanding customer service. Damro is able to do this by selling directly to customers
therefore cutting out the middle man.

5. 2. Health and Safety Issues
The one aspect of furniture production that can't be ignored is health and safety. When designers
determine the form of each product's component, they are responsible for specifying production
processes and materials. Management must then minimize the negative impacts of these
technologies on workers' lungs, fingers, ears, eyes, etc., by providing adequate training,
supervision and safety equipment.
Health hazards are a complex subject involving exposure to wood dust, toxic chemicals/finishes,
noise and vibration (health); unguarded machinery, non-ergonomic handling/procedures, poor
waste management and fire/explosion (safety).
Through our observations we found the main factors that influence occupational safety and
health in Damro. They are:
• Dust
• Machinery
• Manual handling
• Vehicles
Injuries may also be caused by:
• Noise
• Slips and trips
• Electricity
I. Wood dust
• Wood dust causes asthma. Carpenters are 4 times more likely to get asthma compared
with the working population.
• Hardwood dust can cause cancer – particularly of the nose.
• Both hardwood and softwood dusts have a Workplace Exposure Limit (WEL) of
5mg/m3 which must not be exceeded. WELs is limits on concentrations of dust in the

6. air, averaged over 8 hours. But because wood dust is an asthmagen, exposure must
be reduced as low as is reasonably practicable.
II. Machinery
• In 2008/9 there were more injuries in the woodworking industry, of which most were
caused by machinery. Plus there were other major injuries caused by kickbacks of
timber and ejected cutters. For comparison, in the manufacturing industry, only
around 10% of major injuries are caused by machinery.
• Although overall numbers of major injuries caused by machinery have come down,
the trend has slowed down in recent years.
• Less serious injuries from contact with machinery resulting in absences of over-3-
days have fallen from 2001/02 to 2008/9, a drop of nearly 35%. It is too early to tell
whether this is due to the new requirements on braking and tooling.
• Over two thirds of accidents occur at just 3 classes of machine: a circular saw,
vertical spindle moulders, and surface planers.
III. Manual handling
Manual handling accidents occur across a wide range of activities. The potential for
injury is present during:
• handling of timber and board material
• machining and assembly
• handling and storage of the finished product
IV. Vehicle safety
Activities may include,
• arrival and departure
• travel within the workplace
• loading, unloading and securing loads

7. • sheeting
• coupling and
• Vehicle maintenance work.
V. Noise
Some of the noisiest working environments are found in woodworking industries. People
who are exposed to high noise levels, even for a short time, may experience temporary
hearing loss. If they continue to be exposed, serious permanent hearing loss can occur
but sufferers often do not realize their hearing is being damaged. Exposure to noise can
also cause a permanent ringing or whooshing sound in the ears which can be very
distressing, particularly when it’s quiet, such as when you are trying to go to sleep.
VI. Slips and trips
Staff could suffer injuries such as bruising or fractures if they trip over objects, or slip,
example on spillages, and fall.
VII. Electricity
Electrical safety issues were cited many times at Damro. The need to guard live parts of
electrical equipment operating at 50 volts or more against accidental activation was the
most commonly cited deficiency. This includes doors of electrical panels left open and
unused openings in electrical panels not covered. The second most frequently cited
electrical issue was the need to assure that unused openings in cabinets, boxes and fittings
are effectively closed.
Those are the main factors influence the employee health and safety. There are some other
factors also cause injuries such as, work at height and fire. But the possibility of occurrence is
very low in comparing with other factors.
Falls from any height can cause bruising and fractures. If fire trapped staff could, suffer fatal
injuries from smoke inhalation or burns.

8. Measuring the hidden cost of injury
It's easy to assume that the cost of an injury is merely the worker's compensation premiums you
pay. Every organization paying compensation insurance premiums recognizes such expense as
part of the cost of injury. In some cases, medical expenses also can be covered by insurance.
These costs are definite and known.
But injuries can result in hidden costs you may not have taken into account. These costs can
include the following:
• Uninsured medical costs covered
• Lost efficiency due to interrupted schedule
• Failure to fulfill customer commitments
• Reduced competitiveness
• Additional overhead costs while work is disrupted
• Cost of overtime
• Cost of temporary employees
• Cost of training new or temporary employees
• Cost of wages paid to supervisors for time spent on investigations
• Time lost from work by injured employees
• Lost time by workers other than those injured but who were directly or indirectly
involved in injuries
• Lowered employee morale
• Employees' loss of earning power
• Economic loss to injured employees' families
• Cost of additional wages caused by decreased output by injured workers after returning to
work
Other hidden costs
Looking beyond the cost of the actual injury, other costs must be considered such as the cost of
failing to meet standards governed by law such as Legal fines and Financial Penalties

9. 3. OHS Program
Through our observations and conversations with the employees we understood that Damro is
implementing and practicing an appropriate OHS program. But there are some aspects need
improvement. We can check Damro’s key controls over main factors influencing occupational
safety and health and our recommendations to improve the particular aspects.
I. Damro is practicin Key controls for wood dust such as
• Local exhaust ventilation (LEV) provided at machines and staff are trained in using it
properly.
• LEV maintained to keep it in good condition and working effectively.
• LEV inspected every 14 months by a competent person.
• Wood dust cleared up using a suitable vacuum cleaner, fitted with an appropriate filter.
• Suitable respiratory protective equipment (RPE) as well as LEV for very dusty jobs, and
staff trained in how to use it.
• Staff do health surveillance questionnaire before starting, then annually.
• Any affected staff referred to a medical professional.
We Suggeste damro to
 Remind staff of the risks of wood dust, and why these controls are necessary.
 Remind staff never to dry sweep wood dust, which just spreads the dust around
II. Key Controls for machinery
• All machines guarded according to manufacturers’ instructions
• Guards inspected regularly and maintained as necessary to ensure their good condition.
• Staff has sufficient space at machines to work safely.
• Staff monitored by manager to ensure guards always used.
• All staff trained in safe use of machines by a competent person.
• All machines braked and fitted with necessary safety feature

10. Suggestion
 Download information sheets on the safe use of the machines used in the workshop from
website and pin them up in mess room.
III. Key controls for Manual Handling
• Staff trained in manual handling.
• Workbenches and machine tables set at a comfortable height.
• Strong, thick gloves provided for handling tooling and pallets.
• Panel trolley and lifting hooks available for moving boards.
• Systems of work in place for the safe and careful handling of assembled furniture
Suggestion
 Where possible, store tooling next to the machine to reduce carrying distance.
IV. Key controls for Vehicle safety
• Fork-lift truck maintained and inspected as per lease contract.
• Lift truck operated only by staff that has been trained to use it.
• Pedestrian walkways marked.
• Only authorized people allowed in yard for deliveries/dispatch.
Suggestion
 Ensure drivers get out of their vehicle and stand in a safe area while it is being
loaded/unloaded.
V. Key controls for Noise
• Noise enclosures used where practicable, and maintained in good condition.
• Low-noise tooling used where possible.
• Planned maintenance program for machinery and LEV systems.
• Suitable hearing protectors provided for staff and staff trained how to use them. Check
and maintain them according to advice given by supplier.
• Staff trained in risks of noise exposure.

11. • Staff trained in systems of work to reduce noise exposure (e.g. suitable feed rates for
certain jobs, timber control etc).
Suggestions
 Consider if certain machines could be safely mounted on anti-vibration mountings.
 Include noise emission in specification for new vertical spindle moulder, to be purchased
next year.
VI. Key controls for slip and trip
• Generally good housekeeping – off-cuts cleared away promptly, dust cleared regularly
etc.
• Staffs wear strong safety shoes that have a good grip.
• Good lighting in all areas.
Suggestion
 Remind staff to clear up spillages of wax or polish immediately, even very minor
spillages.
VII. Key controls for electricity
• Residual current device (RCD) built into main switchboard.
• Staff trained to spot and report any defective plugs, discolored sockets or damaged cable/
equipment to manager.
• No personal electrical appliances, e.g. toasters or fans, allowed.
Suggestion
 Ask landlord when the next safety check of the electrical installation will be done.
 Confirm with landlord the system for making safe any damage to building installation
electrics, e.g. broken light switches or sockets.
If they practice our suggestions they can improve occupational safety and health. In general in
addition to the above suggestions they should consider the following steps as well.

12. 1. To identify the hazards, the manager:
 Looked at web pages for woodworking and for small businesses for free advice and to
learn where hazards can occur
 walked around the premises, inside and out, noting what might pose a risk, taking into
consideration what was learnt from guidance
 Talked to staff to learn from their knowledge and experience of areas and activities,
and listen to their concerns and opinions about health and safety issues in the
workplace; and looked at the accident book, to understand what had previously
resulted in incidents.
2. The manager then wrote down who could be harmed by the hazards and how.
3. For each hazard, the manager wrote down what controls, if any, were in place to manage
these hazards. These controls were then compared to the good practice guidance on
HSE’s website. Where existing controls were not considered good enough, the manager
wrote down what else needed to be done to control risk.
4. Putting the risk assessment into practice, the manager decided and recorded who was
responsible for implementing the further actions and when they should be done. When
each action was completed, it was ticked off and the date recorded. The risk assessment
was displayed in the mess room for all staff to see.
5. The manager discussed the findings with the staff. A decision was made to review and
update the risk assessment every year or straightaway if any major changes in the
workplace happened.

13. Group Members
 2007/MS/3223 J.D.M.Harshani
 2007/MS/3274 N.P.V.Kaumadi
 2007/MS/3289 W.G.I.S.Kumari
 2007/MS/3380 W.M.S.U.Perera
 2007/MS/3403 A.P.Ranasinghe
 2007/MS/3419 M.R.M.Rifas

14. References
 www.damro.lk
 Accidents at wood working machine WIS7 (rev 1) HSE books
 Management of health and safety at work(Approved Code of Practice L21 HSE books)
 Safe use of wood working machinery. Provision and use of work equipment regulations
1998 as applied to wood working machinery.