July 2008
Respirable crystalline silica
Control of respirable crystalline silica in quarries
This guidance is primarily aimed at employers responsible for managing and running quarries, and other employers (contractors) who are involved with quarrying activities. It also applies to managers, supervisors, health and safety specialists, workers and their representatives.
Noise
Control of noise at work in music and entertainment
This publication provides guidance on the control of noise at work in music and entertainment, including concert halls and theatres, amplified live music venues, pubs/clubs and studios.
Structural integrity
Assessing and modelling the uncertainty in fatigue crack growth in structural steels
The prediction of the fatigue life of steel structures can be carried out in a number of different ways. A common method at the design stage is to use the so-called S-N approach using design data from a standard such as BS 7910. However, for existing structures containing defects of a known or postulated size, a fatigue life assessment is generally carried out using fracture mechanics. In keeping with normal engineering practice, it is usual to calculate conservative (safe) estimates of fatigue life, although occasionally best estimates may also be of interest. For more advanced structural assessments, reliability-based methods can be used to calculate the remaining life corresponding to a number of different probabilities of failure (eg 10-4, 10-6).
The motivation for the research reported here was the need to improve the current methods of reliability assessment for structures, and in particular steel offshore structures approaching the end of their design lives. As part of this research, work was carried out to investigate the variability in the fatigue crack growth of steels and the way in which the corresponding uncertainties could best be incorporated into the assessment process. This included the fatigue testing of specimens of BS 4360: 1990 Grade 50DD steel with the explicit aim of studying the variability in crack growth under different conditions. The results of these tests are presented in this research report.
The relatively large uncertainties associated with fatigue crack growth behaviour, even within relatively homogenous sets of specimens, means that the variance in the predicted fatigue life is relatively large. It has been shown, however, that the use of fatigue crack growth rate data from relatively early in the life of a particular structure can significantly reduce this uncertainty and improve the reliability predictions through the process of reliability updating.
- Image:
Assessing and modelling the uncertainty in fatigue crack growth in structural steels- Published:
- 02/07/2008
- Author:
- Aberdeen University and Genesis Oil and Gas Consultants Limited and Health and Safety Executive
- Ref#:
- RR643
- Download:
- PDF [1.45MB]
Electromagnetic fields
Assessment uncertainties relating to electromagnetic fields (EMF) measurement and computation
Guidelines for limiting occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF) have been produced by international organisations, and have been recommended for use in the UK by the Health Protection Agency (HPA). There is also an EU Directive (the EMF Directive) which sets restrictions on occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields and which is expected to be implemented in UK legislation by April 2012.
Technical standardisation bodies have produced assessment methods that can be used with these guidelines and with the EMF Directive. Neither the exposure restrictions nor the technical assessment standards specify how measurement and computation uncertainty should be considered as part of an over-all EMF assessment in the workplace.
This report describes possible uncertainty management regimes, and discusses the likely implications of these regimes for UK industry. Although it does not describe in detail how to make an assessment of uncertainty, its appendices contain examples of uncertainty assessment from three CENELEC EMF assessment standards.
- Image:
Assessment uncertainties relating to electromagnetic fields (EMF) measurement and computation- Published:
- 01/07/2008
- Author:
- EMFields Limited and Health and Safety Executive
- Ref#:
- RR649
- Download:
- PDF [345KB]
Noise emissions
Noise emissions and exposure from mobile woodchippers
Mobile wood chipping equipment used in forestry and arboriculture generates high levels of noise. Sustained excessive noise exposure leads to gradual hearing damage. This damage results in deafness and tinnitus. Under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 there is a requirement to control noise exposure by technical and managerial means with hearing protection only used as a last resort.
An important noise control measure is the selection of quieter machines. Noise emission data provided by the machine manufacturers and suppliers should enable this selection. Manufacturers are obliged to ensure low noise designs and to provide values for the noise emission under stated operating conditions. It is also recognised that the real world operating conditions will also influence the noise emission and the noise exposure of the operator.
The Health and Safety Laboratory performed measurements of the noise emission and operator noise exposure of a range of mobile, hand fed, wood chippers under simulated standard and real world operating conditions. These measurements were made on behalf of the Forestry Commission and Jason Liggins of the Health and Safety Executive’s Policy Group - Agriculture and Food Section.
- Image:
Noise emissions and exposure from mobile woodchippers- Published:
- 03/07/2008
- Author:
- L. Brueck of Health and Safety Laboratory and Health and Safety Executive
- Ref#:
- RR618
- Download:
- PDF [1.48MB]
Health and safety law
Attendance management in the fire and rescue service
This study was commissioned by the Health and Safety Executive and the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), and carried out by the National Centre for Social Research. It examined policy and practice in managing sickness absence within the Fire and Rescue Service. The aim of the study was to understand:
- the nature of current policies and practices; and views and experiences of policies and practices among different types of staff;
- the degree to which policies and practices reflect recent recommendations;
- barriers and facilitators to adopting recommended practices; and
- practices that are considered useful and how policy and practice in attendance management might be improved.
- Image:
Attendance management in the fire and rescue service- Published:
- 08/07/2008
- Author:
- National Centre for Social Research (NAT CEN) and Health and Safety Executive
- Ref#:
- RR632
- Download:
- PDF [651KB]
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