Health & Safety Policy
"A safe workplace is a happy workplace."
The Health and Safety Policy of Geltech Metal highlights the company’s commitment to the health and safety of its employees as the most important consideration in how Geltech conducts business. This policy applies to all Geltech employees and workers, including trainees, temporary, contractual, and other types of workers.
Geltech Metal is committed to enhancing and promoting a safe, comfortable, and hazard-free work environment and pledges to conduct the following actions.
- We will adhere to all applicable occupational health and safety requirements, rules, and laws in order to maintain health and safety standards.
- We will strive to reach the goal of zero accidents and injuries.
- Train all employees in safe work practices and procedures.
- Provide employees with the necessary personal protective equipment and train them on how to use and maintain it.
- Conduct routine safety and health inspections to identify and eliminate hazardous working conditions, as well as to control health hazards.
In full compliance with the aforementioned policy statements, Geltech Metal strives to maintain the following health and safety standards:
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
"At Geltech, every employee has the right to feel safe at work."
A. HAZARD IDENTIFICATION, RISK ASSESSMENT AND CONTROL PROCEDURE
Purpose: To ensure that Geltech Metal & Engineering Services has a formal process in place for hazard identification, risk assessment, and control in order to effectively manage a healthy and safe workplace as well as safety hazards.
Process Flow:
1. HAZARD IDENTIFICATION
Categories of Hazards
Safety/Physical Hazards: Common hazards that cause immediate injuries and illnesses, and may lead to death.
Safety/Physical Hazards include:
- Slip or Tripping Hazards - spills on floors, blocked aisles or cords running across the floor
- Fall Hazards or Working from Heights - ladders or staircase, or any other elevated work area
- Electrical Hazards - frayed cords, missing ground pins, and incorrect wiring
- Faulty Equipment or Unguarded Machinery and Moving Machinery Part - guards that have been removed or moving parts that a worker may accidentally
touch
Biological Hazards: Other living organisms that can cause harm or illness to humans, other animals, plants, or the environment.
Biological Hazards include:
- Bacteria and Viruses or Communicable Diseases
- Fungi/Mold
- Animal/Insect Bites
- Toxic Plants
- Blood and other bodily fluids
Chemical and other Exposure Hazards: A hazard involving any element, compound, or other chemical structure that may cause harm when inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through the skin, injection, or eye, skin, nose, or mouth contact.
Beware of:
Cleaning products, paints, acids, and solvents, especially if the chemicals are in an unlabeled container.
Welding vapors and fumes, as well as solvent exposure.
Gases like acetylene, propane, carbon monoxide and helium.
Flammable materials like gasoline, solvents, and explosive chemicals
Radiation and temperature (high or low).
Ergonomic Hazards: Body strains and stresses caused by workplace motions and body positions.
Ergonomic Hazards include: Poorly designed work areas, repeated motions, and lifting heavy weights.
Psychosocial Hazards: Risks associated with interacting with others, as well as social conditions at work.
Psychosocial Hazards include:
- Workplace Violence
- Sexual Harassment
- Workload Demands or Stress
- Depression
- Alcohol and Drug Addiction
Guidelines and Procedures to Perform a Hazard Identification
Hazards are most likely to be found in areas such as the physical working environment, the equipment, materials, or substances that were used, work tasks and how they are carried out, and work design and management.
To perform hazard identification effectively, management must follow these four steps:
Look: Conduct regular hazard inspections. Look for out-of-place items as you walk around the facility then identify any existing or potential hazards.
Think: Determine the root causes of identified hazards and then apply proper controls to reduce the likelihood of recurrence.
Act: Implement corrective actions.
Monitor and Review: Monitor and review to ensure that standard operating procedures and safety control measures are followed and working effectively.2. RISK ASSESSMENT
Risk assessment involves considering the possible results of someone being exposed to a hazard and the likelihood of this occurring. A risk assessment assists in determining:
- How severe a risk is.
- Whether existing control measures are effective.
- What action should be taken to control a risk.
- How urgently action needs to be taken.
A risk assessment should include:
1. Risk Identification
a. Nominate a control id number to enable for the traceability of workplace risks.
b. Identify the risk category using hazard identification.
c. Describe the factors that may be contributing to the risk
2. Risk Rating Matrix
a. Risk Rating Descriptions (Actions Required)
High: “Immediate Action Needed”. . Access to the hazard should be restricted until the risk can be lowered to an acceptable level. Short term action may be
required to lower the risk level and then medium and long term plans to control the risk to as low as reasonably practicable using the Hierarchy of Controls.
Medium High: Action needed quickly (within 1-2 days) based on the Hierarchy of Controls.
Medium Low: Action required within a reasonable timeframe (2-4 weeks) to eliminate or minimise the risk using the Hierarchy of Controls.
Low: Risk to be eliminated or lowered when possible using the Hierarchy of Controls.
b. Impact (How Severely Could Someone be Hurt?)
Catastrophic: Death or permanent disability
Critical: Serious injury, hospital treatment required
Moderate: Injury requiring medical treatment and some lost time
Minor: Minor injury, first aid only is required.
Negligible: Injuries that do not require treatment or first aid.
c. Risk Calculator
d. Frequency (How Likely are the Consequences
Frequent: Expected to occur in most circumstances.
Likely: Will probably occur in most circumstances.
Occasional: Might occur occasionally.
Seldom: Could happen some time.
Improbable: May happen only in exceptional circumstances.
3. RISK CONTROL PROCEDURE
The objective of this procedure is to provide systematic measures to manage occupational hazards exposures. Here are the actions to follow in order to eliminate or reduce risks and prevent incidents.
THE HIERARCHY OF CONTROLS: Hazard and Exposure
1. Hazard Control (First Strategy)
Step 1. Eliminate the hazards and risks physically or completely stop the practice in order to remove the hazard. (no hazard = no risk)
Step 2. If the hazard cannot be eliminated at its source, find or replace the hazardous thing or activity with a safer or less hazardous substitute. (the new product or way must not produce another hazard)
Step 3. Engineer a solution to the problem by creating a physical barrier between personnel and hazards, such as using remotely controlled equipment. (enclosure and isolation)
2. Exposure Control (Second Strategy)
Step 4. Change the way employees work and perform specific processes to keep people safe through administrative means. (training, rules, policies or signages)
Step 5. Provide workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) and make sure they wear it properly for the period of their hazard exposure.
Examples of PPE:
Head - welding helmet
Foot - safety shoes
Hand - safety gloves
Whole Body - aprons
Eyes - safety goggles
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) GUIDELINES
The commitment of Geltech Metal & Engineering Services emphasizes the provision of a safe and healthy environment for our employees. Caretaking, sanitation, groundskeeping, and operational services are given for the whole premises of the company.
SAFE WORK PROCEDURE
In order for a health and safety program to be effective, it is vital that it be understood and implemented at all levels from management to all employees.
LOCKOUT/TAGOUT PROGRAM
Before any work or maintenance is performed on any machine, equipment, tool, or electrical system, they will be made totally safe before work starts by removing any source of energy or power to them, such as electrical, air/hydraulic pressure, spring/stored energy, or thermal (heat/cold).
The Lockout/Tagout Program provides for a safe method of working on, near, or in machinery or equipment that can cause serious injury. This program will be used by all employees to ensure that the machine or equipment is stopped, isolated from all potentially hazardous energy sources, and locked out before employees perform any servicing or maintenance where the unexpected energization or start-up of the machine or equipment, or release of stored energy, could cause injury.
Electrical
- Live electrical parts shall be guarded against accidental contact by cabinets, enclosures, location, or guarding. Open circuit breaker openings or knock out holes, broken receptacles/switches, missing covering plates, etc., will be reported to supervisors for repair or replacement.
- All extension cords and electric powered tools (except double insulated) will be grounded.
- Circuit breakers, switch boxes, etc. will be legibly marked to indicate its purpose.
*Listed below are the sample reminders to be posted around the company premises:
1. Safety Tips
2. If you are not sure…..ask.
3. Follow instructions and don’t take chances.
4. Wear your personal safety equipment.
5. Never operate equipment you have not been trained for.
6. Keep your work area clean.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OF GELTECH METAL
This refers to our plan for dealing with unexpected disasters such as fire, flood, earthquake, or explosion. These are determined by human error or natural forces. Our emergency planning includes the following provisions:
1. Functional fire alarms that are inspected on a regular basis.
2. Fire extinguishers and other fire-fighting equipment are easily accessible.
3. For fire emergency management, the "Fire Safety Program" of Geltech Metal will be used as a reference.
4. Technicians (external or internal) are available to quickly repair leaks, damages, and blackouts.
a. Emergency lights are functional and regularly inspected.
5. An evacuation plan is posted on the walls of each floor and is also available online (group chat).
6. Fire exits and safety exits that are clearly marked and secure.
7. Fully-stocked first-aid kits at convenient locations.
8. Fire drills and emergency evacuations should be scheduled on a regular basis.
9. Health and safety procedures will be monitored and reviewed to ensure a higher level of protection.
OCCUPATIONAL INJURY AND ILLNESS
ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION POLICY OF GELTECH METAL
Geltech Metal is committed to implementing this policy to thoroughly investigate and identify actual causes and contributing factors of injury and illness in order to prevent recurrences. All Geltech employees and/or visitors are required to report all incidents and accidents, including hazardous conditions or incidents that pose an immediate or ongoing threat to the Geltech employees' health and safety.
INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE
Through our OSH Risk Register, Geltech Metal & Engineering Services will place emphasis on the identification, evaluation, and control of workplace hazards.
Our goal is to keep worker exposures below permissible levels and, whenever possible, to reduce or eliminate exposures.
Once chemical or biological exposure of workers has been identified, we will seek assistance from DOLE-accredited industrial hygienists to investigate by providing technical expertise, regulatory consultation, and industrial hygiene sampling/baseline monitoring.
PHYSICALLY DEMANDING WORK
Through our OSH Risk Register, Geltech Metal & Engineering Services will place emphasis on the identification, evaluation, and control of physically demanding tasks (lifting, carrying, reaching, pushing, pulling, sitting and walking).
Our goal is to assess the physical demands of our employees' jobs and to ensure corrective actions if their physical job is identified as a workplace hazard.
MACHINE SAFEGUARDING PROGRAM
PURPOSE: The purpose of this system is to reduce the hazards associated with operating industrial machinery by establishing rules for machine operators and designated individuals from management responsible for this program. Another goal is also to guarantee that machining equipment is maintained on a regular basis, therefore to build a secure and efficient machine guarding program to avoid injuries associated with any unsafe machine part, operation, or process.
Responsibilities of Supervisors and Employees
Supervisors: The accountability of supervisors revolves around giving the appropriate guidance and assistance to assure that the Machine Guarding Program is conducted efficiently in their respective work areas. Supervisors are responsible for:
- Any dangerous work procedure or incident must be immediately stopped and addressed.
- When modifications in processes enhance the risk of harm or implement a new hazard, inform the Production Manager.
- Assessments of machines to check that necessary precautions are in place.
- Ensuring that employees follow all of the provided program's safe work guidelines.
Employees:
- Before utilizing any machine, make sure all protecting measures are in place and functioning.
- Before handling any equipment, inform supervisors of any lacking or worn protection.
- All protocols and safe work practices stated in this program must be followed.
Types of Guards: Guards are physical barriers that prevent contact. Moreover, they are obstacles that keep people out of unsafe situations. Guards can be:
1. Fixed Guard: is a portion of the machine that is unable to be uninstalled. It acts as a barrier between the operator and the controller design or moving parts.
2. Interlocked Guard: The skipping function and/or automatic shutdown activate when this guard is opened or removed, and the machine's moving parts are stopped. The machine will not be able to cycle or start till the guard is replaced.
3. Adjustable Guard: offers a movable boundary that may be changed to suit a range of industrial processes.
4. Self-adjusting Guard: Creates a moving barrier based on the size of the substance entering the danger zone. When no material passes through, the guard stays in place.
General Rules: Such machine guards must keep the worker's hands, arms, or any other portion of his or her body or garments away from risky moving parts. The guards must prevent things from falling into moving elements of equipment and must not be readily removed or interfered with. Due to their structure, all guards must not generate any emerging threats, cause any conflict with the manual operation or the operator, and enable for safe maintenance.
1. Guards should not pose a threat and should be affixed to the machine if at all reasonably possible.
2. Attach guards somewhere else if they can't be fixed to the machine.
3. Machines that may involve an employee to any harm must be protected within the operating point.
Machinery Maintenance and Repair: The maintenance employees must never fail to replace the guards before the job is considered finished and the machine is released from Lockout/Tag-out. The following safeguarding measures should be taken in order to prevent hazards while servicing machines:
- Notify all affected employees (usually machine or equipment operators or users) that the machine or equipment must be shut down to service the machine or perform maintenance.
- Stop the machine.
- Isolate the machine or piece of equipment from its energy source.
- Lockout/Tag-out the energy source.
- Verify that the machine or equipment is isolated from the energy source.
SANITATION, FOOD, AND HOUSING
Geltech Metal is committed to providing a clean, safe, and healthy environment for our employees by ensuring that clean toilet facilities, drinking water stations, and a sanitized workplace are readily available.
1. Toilet facilities will have adequate water resources as well as garbage bins. This should be checked on a regular basis by utility maintenance personnel. It should be cleaned with clean water and a mild detergent soap.
2. Drinking water stations should be sanitized on a regular basis and made available to all employees at no cost.
3. Encourage employees to make healthy eating choices through discussion at our monthly meetings.
HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMUNICATION
Geltech Metal ensures that all employees are provided with appropriate workplace health and safety information and training about identified hazards in the workplace, including but not limited to mechanical, electrical, chemical, fire, and physical hazards.
HAZARD WARNING SIGNS
- Warning signs will be displayed where a potential hazard may cause injury.
- Warning signs must be strictly followed.
- Health and safety information must be clearly posted in the facility or placed in an easily identifiable and accessible location for workers.
- Warning signs must be posted where hazards exist and must not be removed unless hazard has been controlled.
TRAINING
- This is given to all employees prior to the start of work and on a regular basis after that.
- The Safety Officer will be assigned as the resource speaker for internal training.
Workers must be encouraged to raise any health and safety concerns they have without fear of retaliation, in accordance with Geltech's open communication policy.