Unidad 1. Vídeo 2. Flipped FOL. Medidas de prevención

Prevention and Protection Measures in Workplace Safety

Understanding Prevention vs. Protection

• Prevention measures aim to eliminate or reduce risks at their source, such as replacing hazardous machines or substances with safer alternatives. This includes maintaining equipment to prevent risks from arising.

• Protection measures are implemented when risks cannot be eliminated, focusing on minimizing damage. These can be collective (for groups) or individual (for single workers). Collective protection acts between the risk source and the worker, while individual protection directly safeguards the worker.

Sequence of Actions in Risk Management

• The first step is always to attempt risk elimination through prevention; if not possible, reducing it at its origin is essential. Next, evaluate any remaining risks before implementing collective protection measures, followed by individual protections if necessary.

• An example illustrates this process: for a noisy machine causing vibrations, one could use rubber pads to minimize noise and secure it to the ground to prevent vibrations before evaluating further actions based on results.

Case Studies in Risk Evaluation

• In a painting workshop where toxic chemicals are used, prevention might involve substituting harmful paints with safer options. If substitution isn't feasible, assess remaining risks and implement collective protections like spray booths that filter air contaminants away from workers during painting tasks.

• After applying collective protections and still identifying intoxication risks, individual protective gear such as respiratory masks should be provided for workers entering hazardous areas like paint booths.

Techniques for Effective Prevention

• Various techniques exist for preventing workplace hazards:

• Safety focuses on accident prevention by analyzing safety conditions of machinery and workspaces.

• Industrial Hygiene aims to prevent occupational diseases by studying physical (noise), chemical (toxins), and biological (viruses) contaminants present in workplaces.

Ergonomics and Psychological Considerations

• Ergonomics adapts work environments to fit worker needs—ensuring proper chair height for office workers or fitting helmets correctly for construction workers enhances comfort and effectiveness while reducing fatigue-related issues.