Christel Fouche

About Health & Safety Specifications

  • July 14th, 2009

A reader of my blog has requested an article about Safety Specifications, so here it is.

First, I want to explain the concept “Safety specification” to prevent any misunderstanding of what is meant by this concept in industry and mining. To start off, let us define the term “specification”.

Two common explanations include:

  1. A specification is an explicit set of requirements to be satisfied by a material, product, or service.
  2. A specification is a type of a standard which is often referenced by a contract or procurement document. It provides the necessary details about the specific requirements.

So when do we use a specification? A specification is to be used in industry and mining (engineering, manufacturing and business) to ensure that suppliers, purchasers and users of materials, products or services understand and agree upon all requirements for product and service delivery.

Specifications can be compiled by bodies such as standard organizations, your own company, government or other specialists.

A product specification does not necessarily prove the product to be correct. Just because an item is stamped with a specification number does not, by itself, indicate that the item is fit for any particular use.

The people who use the item (engineers, trade unions, etc) or specify the item (building codes, government, industry, etc) have the responsibility to consider the available specifications, specify the correct one, enforce compliance, and use the item correctly. Validation of suitability is necessary.

Next we must concider what information should be included in a specification. A specification might include:

  • Descriptive title, number, identifier, etc. of the specification,
  • Date of last effective revision and revision designation,
  • A logo (trademark recommended) to declare the document copyright, ownership and origin,
  • Table of Contents (TOC), if the document is too long, i.e. more than five pages,
  • Person, office, or agency responsible for questions on the specification, updates, and deviations,
  • The significance, scope or importance of the specification and its intended use,
  • Terminology, definitions and abbreviations to clarify the meanings of the specification,
  • Test methods for measuring all specified characteristics,
  • Material requirements: physical, mechanical, electrical, chemical, etc. Targets and tolerances.
  • Performance testing requirements. Targets and tolerances.
  • Drawings, photographs, or technical illustrations,
  • Workmanship,
  • Certifications required,
  • Safety considerations and requirements,
  • Environmental considerations and requirements,
  • Quality requirements, sampling (statistics), inspections, acceptance criteria,
  • Person, office, or agency responsible for enforcement of the specification,
  • Completion and delivery,
  • Provisions for rejection, re-inspection, re-hearing, corrective measures.
  • References for which any instructions in the content maybe required to fulfill the traceability and clarity of the document.
  • Signatures to specify the authors, or writers and reviewers if the document is to be circulated internally and stored electronically.

Finally, a good engineering specification by itself, does not necessarily imply that all products sold to that specification actually meet the listed targets and tolerances.

Actual production of any material, product, or service involves inherent variation of output. With a normal distribution, the tails of production may extend well beyond plus and minus three standard deviations from the process average.

The process capability of materials and products needs to be compatible with the specified engineering tolerances. Process controls must be in place and an effective Quality management system, such as Total Quality Management, needs to keep actual production within the desired tolerances.

Effective enforcement of a specification is necessary for it to be useful.

20 Responses to “About Health & Safety Specifications”

  1. Neil Enslin Says:
    July 14th, 2009 at 12:10 pm

    Hi Christel,

    I’m a health and safety professional in construction industry. My employer is KwaZulu-Natal Master Builders, and we recently launched and forum that covers all aspects of construction health and safety. Feel free to check it out at http://forum.masterbuilders.co.za.

    Regards,

    Neil

  2. christel Says:
    July 14th, 2009 at 2:15 pm

    Hi Neil

    Thank you for keeping us informed.

    Regards

  3. Basjan Basson Says:
    July 14th, 2009 at 2:34 pm

    Hi Christel,

    As operations manager for the company I’m working with, having to carry the responsibility of all busniness unit’s OHS&E, it is indeed a highlight in some very busy days to find something from your pen in my mail box.

    Thank you for objectively pulling aspects apart and making complex terms and definitions into something all of us find easy to understand.

    Please continue with the good work, and welcome on board at FSP. Equilly enjoying your respected inputs from another level.

    Kind regards.

    Basjan

  4. Jurgen Irle Says:
    July 14th, 2009 at 11:03 pm

    Your heading “About H&S specifications” seems to refer to “H&S Specification” as per Construction Regulation, yet you make no mentioned thereof. It would be most helpful to have an article on exactly what is to be included in a H&S Specification as per Construction Regulation.

    thanks for sharing with us your health and safety knowledge.

    Regards..Jurgen

  5. christel Says:
    July 16th, 2009 at 2:51 pm

    Hallo Basjan
    I really appreciate this feedback and sometimes wonder if I am pitching at the right level or just wasting time - thank you for keeping me on track and telling me it is valued by some.
    Regards Christel

  6. johan labuschagne Says:
    August 5th, 2009 at 3:50 pm

    H&S Specifications as required by the Construction Regulations is a doument in which the client specifies any H&S control measures, document templates or has specific H&S rules that applies to a specific project or site that is not specifically mentioned in the Act or Regulations. If the client wants the contractor to conduct HIRAs in a specific way or the contractor is required to obtain a work permit from the client before he exsecutes a certain job or something similar. It is not necessary to re-write the Construction Regulations in the Spec as long as it is mentioned in the Spec that all the requirements of the Act and Regulations will be adhered too by the contractor.

  7. christel Says:
    August 11th, 2009 at 10:11 am

    Hi Johan
    Thank you for the valuable insight.
    Regards Christel

  8. kenneth Says:
    September 21st, 2009 at 6:32 pm

    Hi christel
    many organisation has policies regarding safety of their workers but it has become evident that they are not always implemeted successfully
    how in such situation can put correct measures in place.

  9. Christel Fouche Says:
    September 22nd, 2009 at 4:16 pm

    HI Kenneth
    In my opinion there are normally two concerns to address in this case:
    1. management committment & 2. training and awareness. When management do not walk the talk it could lead to shortcuts and other non-policy methods that are being followed or policies not being considered as being important to follow - management needs to set the example. Employees do not follow or implement procedures correctly because of a lack of know-how. It is important then to do a refresher or an actual training session to strenghten the correct methods of implementing and maintaining policies. Regards Christel.

  10. Oloya Johnson Nyeko Says:
    September 27th, 2009 at 1:03 pm

    Am a Physiotherapist and interested in Occupational Health and Safety program, iwould like to become a specialist in OHS could any help me meet my interest, i always meet many cases related to Occupational Hazzards.

    thanks for peoples contribution towards risk reduction

    Johnson Uganda

  11. Christel Fouche Says:
    September 29th, 2009 at 9:23 pm

    Hi Oloya
    This is my passion. Have a look at the many career-path development suggestions that I am sending to you in your e-mail inbox, please.
    Regards Christel

  12. ZHIVAAN PIKE Says:
    October 13th, 2009 at 9:03 am

    AS A CONTRACTOR I NEED TO GIVE A COPY OF OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY PLAN TO ONE OF OUR CUSTOMERS. HOW DOES THIS DIFFER FROM MY SAFETY FILE? DO I OPEN UP A NEW PLAN FOR EACH JOB AND WHAT DO I PUT IN IT? IS IT A DUPLICATE OF THE FILE THE CUSTOMER KEEPS AND DO WE KEEP IT WITH US ON SITE?

    LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR RESPONSE

  13. Christel Fouche Says:
    October 13th, 2009 at 2:43 pm

    Hi Zhivaan
    There is a difference between the two. I amsending the content of the SHE File as well as the content of the SHE Plan to you.
    Regards Christel

  14. Steven Says:
    November 3rd, 2009 at 8:09 am

    Hi Christel
    I work in the aviation industry & would like to know where I can get info on the protective clothing required for this field.

  15. Christel Fouche Says:
    November 9th, 2009 at 12:12 pm

    Hi Steven
    I am busy getting your information in order - please keep your eyes on your personal e-mail box.
    Regards Christel

  16. Christel Fouche Says:
    November 11th, 2009 at 12:11 pm

    Hi Steven
    The required PPE will depend on the task required to be done by the maintenance personnel, but considering that most likely maintenance that will be conducted is line maintenance, I will make the following recommendations-

    The personnel should at least be issued with the following:-

    Hi visibility jackets- available from most suppliers such as Rob Wylie Trading, 3M etc.

    Hearing protection in the form of ear muffs/ ear plugs- available from most suppliers such as 3M, MSA Africa, etc

    Hand Protection- for mechanical use- a decent leather glove
    - for hazardous chemicals, a suitable rubber glove
    with a high breakthrough time, dependant on the chemical
    being handled. Available from most suppliers.

    Protection from the elements- rain wear and sun screen, baseball cap, sunglasses.

    Disposable coveralls for instance when conducting maintenance in confined spaces or on toilets and associated plumbing- kits can include disposable overalls, gloves, eye protection, masks, overshoes, and waste disposal bags.

    Gumboots for the rainy season, and safety shoes for general work.
    Overalls should also be supplied in the event of maintenance to protect the worker.

    Protective eyewear such as suitable safety glasses for maintenance purposes.

    Hand cleaners and barrier creams- which should form part of an approved hygiene program.

    Safety harnesses and lanyards- and a proper fall protection plan should ideally be put in place.

    The necessary training in the use of all of these products is a must, and should ideally be carried out by the supplier.Hope this helps - Christel.

  17. KAREN KUWAZA Says:
    December 22nd, 2009 at 1:10 pm

    Can you please help me with the classification of Hazards

  18. Christel Fouche Says:
    December 23rd, 2009 at 8:08 am

    Hi Karen
    I am sending a separate e-mail regarding your request to you. Regards Christel.

  19. Geoff Truter Says:
    January 21st, 2010 at 11:16 am

    Hi, Christel, As yourself, I am also passionate about SHEQ.
    BUT, I sometimes wander who, in authority, cares about this subject.
    Legislation is in place but is it policed? Certianly no visibility.
    If one points out unsafe acts or conditions, people “turn a blind eye” and ignore you.
    Is SA ready for committing to a SAFER workplace?

  20. Christel Fouche Says:
    January 21st, 2010 at 2:40 pm

    Hi Geoff
    It is only policed at our large enterprizes (which normally are not the culprits) - the small medium companies are overlooked. Is SA ready? Is the world ready? It is always a balancing act between profit and safety. We are seeing a change towards CEO’s being more responsible and setting the example that safety is not negotiable - but they are still in the minority in numbers. I personally think the biggest problem is the communication, knowledge and skills gap between the safety specialists and top management - which in turn leads to frustration amongs the parties because they do not understand one another and what is important in terms of safey but also in terms of bottom line. Safety DOES SAFE MONEY AND INCREASES PROFITS!! Regards Christel.

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