Particularly hazardous work - health and safety basics
In today's mechanised and technicalised world, we rarely encounter difficulties, during our work or daily routine, that would require us to carry out activities that pose great risks to our health or even our lives. However, this does not mean that there is still no need for people who are capable of working in difficult conditions that are extremely hazardous to their safety. Work that involves a great deal of adrenaline and responsibility is called, particularly hazardous work.
Which jobs are particularly hazardous?
Particularly hazardous work refers to occupations where the risk of an accident is caused by the workplace or the handling of dangerous equipment/installations or materials. Due to their specific nature, these jobs are distinguished from others on the basis of complex and more demanding safety rules. Any employee taking up employment in an occupation belonging to this group should meet all the requirements - have the relevant qualifications - to perform the occupation. The Regulation of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy on general rules of safety and hygiene of work (Journal of Laws of 2003, No 169, item 1650, as amended) distinguished professions that belong to particularly hazardous.
Using this document, we can distinguish the following crafts: construction, demolition, renovation and assembly work carried out without stopping the operation of the workplace or a part of it, work in tanks, ducts, inside technical equipment and in enclosed spaces, work at height or work with hazardous materials - various substances or preparations.
Employment and employer responsibilities
The carrying out of an occupation on the list of particularly hazardous work also obliges the employer to take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of workers in his company. It is the employer's responsibility to detail the health and safety requirements. It is also his responsibility to provide direct supervision of the work being carried out by designated persons, with the supervisor carrying out supervision at all times until the work is completed - a worker carrying out a hazardous task may not proceed without the presence of a supervisor. Moreover, the employer undertakes to provide both organisational and technical means of protection - appropriate to the work to be performed - these are: collective protection measures, i.e. guardrails, automatic ventilation or dust extraction, belaying of workers, individual protection measures, i.e. self-restraining devices to protect against falls from height, items for marking dangerous zones, oxygen apparatuses, etc.
In addition to appropriate equipment, the employer should provide his employees with adequate instruction covering both specific parts of the tasks and general rules during their performance:
- personal division of labour
- organisation of work - determining the order in which tasks are to be performed
- recording of health and safety requirements during the performance of certain activities
- a list of persons - with the appropriate authorisations and skills - who have access to the site where the particularly dangerous work is carried out
The aforementioned obligations are fulfilled by a protocol determination, to be carried out by the employer and the person in charge of the employees, of the detailed health and safety conditions of the works carried out.
Occupational health and safety training
They are performed compulsorily in order to familiarise the employee with his/her profession and to provide him/her with the necessary knowledge of the principles of occupational health and safety. A proper and comprehensive training in accordance with § 2(1) of the Regulation of the Minister of Economy and Labour of 27 July 2004 on training in the field of occupational safety and health (Journal of Laws No. 180, item 1860, as amended) should include:
(1) Familiarise themselves with the factors in the working environment that may cause risks to the safety and health of workers at work and with appropriate preventive measures and actions;
2) to familiarise participants with the health and safety regulations and rules applicable to the work in question in the company or in a particular position, as well as with the associated duties and responsibilities subject to health and safety at work.
3) acquiring skills in performing duties in a manner that is safe for themselves and those around them, dealing with dangerous situations and providing first aid to a person who has suffered an accident.
We can divide training into initial and periodic training, the latter being intended to update, remind and consolidate the knowledge and skills relating to safety and health of the participants, in addition to material on new technological developments and work organisation. Periodic training held:
1) persons in an employer's or manager's position - supervising the work - in particular managers, foremen or masters.
2) employees working in a labour position.
3) Employees performing engineering-technical functions, including designers, constructors of machinery and other technical equipment, production organisers, and technologists.
4) occupational hygiene and safety officers and other persons performing tasks with similar functions.
5) administrative and clerical employees and others not listed in points 1-4 whose nature of work involves exposure to factors that are harmful to health, arduous or dangerous, or responsibility for health and safety at work.
ERGON
Centre for Staff Training ERGON is a company that has been providing training services for the past fifteen years. We provide our clients with a professional service and complete training that meets the above-mentioned requirements for the training of employees performing particularly hazardous work. We have highly qualified staff with a wealth of professional experience, who provide their trainees with reliable and informative knowledge, as well as health and safety skills for specific activities. Our prices, as well as the full range of services we provide, can be found on our official website training-udt.pl, what's more, we provide attractive discounts for organised groups.
Our requirements are only that you are at least 18 years of age, have at least an elementary school education and have been certified by an occupational physician that there are no health contraindications.
Our curriculum consists of online lectures - in the form of webinars, i.e. real-time audio-video transmissions - on theory and practical exercises carried out on purpose-built facilities that meet all safety requirements.
We would like to invite you to get to know ERGON and take part in our training courses. Should you have any questions, our consultants are on call to answer them.