(Click to enlarge)
Thank
you for query. In Malaysia, I know many construction companies do not
mix Method Statement and Job Safety Analysis. Strange it might seems,
but there is always a rationale behind it.
From what I gather, it is commonly due to the foll...owing scenario :
Element : Preventive Action - (prevention of occurence) - not corrective action or correction.
The company is heading towards certifications of OHSAS 18000 and ISO
9000. The funny thing about Malaysia is that despite some construction
companies attempt to integrate (even with EMS ISO 14000) some
certification bodies still consider them as two or three separate
system.
If there is a certification audit being
conducted..say if the company is going for ISO 9000, the certification
auditors will only focus on the ISO 9000. I seldom heard that they do
an integrated audit (perhaps if coincidentally they want both systems
to be audited)
(I do not wish to touch on why OHSAS is not
being given the title ISO in front of the numbers - let the
certification and accreditation bodies figure them out - although I do
know the reason)
If you ask me, logically speaking BOTH JSA and Method Statement should be integrated. Quality and Safety are brothers.
If there is a quality issue, say major defects which deserve a major
non-conformance, then major defects is a safety issue as well...e.g.
structural integrity.
If the defect product is not being
labelled properly and not been separated from the good ones, then, not
only it becomes a quality issue but it is also a safety issue.
(external quality costs - is about failure of the product being
accidentally delivered to the client - and definitely if the product is
defective and cause great trouble to the client, it becomes a safety
issue and the manufacturer or the contractor are still liable)
Now back to the JSA, here's how :
1. A Method Statement is a construction methodology which entails
resources, area concerned and method of construction (some refer back
to a certain trades of codes of practice) - in the manufacturing
industry, it is known as Standard Operating Procedures or the closest
one is Work Instruction (how to do things)
2. A JSA will determine the risk associated with such construction activity.
Thus, JSA should make reference to the Method Statement.
For example :
Method Statement for the construction of Box Culvert (just quoting an example)
It definitely will entail at least the following methods :
How to Backfill around culverts, How to do proper backfill excavations,
equipment delivery, form covers/walls, formwork - footings & bottom
etc. etc.
Let's take Backfill around culverts from the same Method Statement - what are the risks associated with this activity?
Employee Injury ( Falling Loads, Excavation Hazards, Equipment Operations, Etc.)
So what would be the likely preventive action?
Employee training in backfill safety procedures, Qualified equipment
operators, No employees allowed under the loads, Good supervision of
employees in excavation, Excavation protection as required by the depth
of the excavation.
So now based on my explanation here, you tell me, should JSA be integrated with Method Statement?
My answer would be YES!
From what I gather, it is commonly due to the foll...owing scenario :
Element : Preventive Action - (prevention of occurence) - not corrective action or correction.
The company is heading towards certifications of OHSAS 18000 and ISO 9000. The funny thing about Malaysia is that despite some construction companies attempt to integrate (even with EMS ISO 14000) some certification bodies still consider them as two or three separate system.
If there is a certification audit being conducted..say if the company is going for ISO 9000, the certification auditors will only focus on the ISO 9000. I seldom heard that they do an integrated audit (perhaps if coincidentally they want both systems to be audited)
(I do not wish to touch on why OHSAS is not being given the title ISO in front of the numbers - let the certification and accreditation bodies figure them out - although I do know the reason)
If you ask me, logically speaking BOTH JSA and Method Statement should be integrated. Quality and Safety are brothers.
If there is a quality issue, say major defects which deserve a major non-conformance, then major defects is a safety issue as well...e.g. structural integrity.
If the defect product is not being labelled properly and not been separated from the good ones, then, not only it becomes a quality issue but it is also a safety issue.
(external quality costs - is about failure of the product being accidentally delivered to the client - and definitely if the product is defective and cause great trouble to the client, it becomes a safety issue and the manufacturer or the contractor are still liable)
Now back to the JSA, here's how :
1. A Method Statement is a construction methodology which entails resources, area concerned and method of construction (some refer back to a certain trades of codes of practice) - in the manufacturing industry, it is known as Standard Operating Procedures or the closest one is Work Instruction (how to do things)
2. A JSA will determine the risk associated with such construction activity.
Thus, JSA should make reference to the Method Statement.
For example :
Method Statement for the construction of Box Culvert (just quoting an example)
It definitely will entail at least the following methods :
How to Backfill around culverts, How to do proper backfill excavations, equipment delivery, form covers/walls, formwork - footings & bottom etc. etc.
Let's take Backfill around culverts from the same Method Statement - what are the risks associated with this activity?
Employee Injury ( Falling Loads, Excavation Hazards, Equipment Operations, Etc.)
So what would be the likely preventive action?
Employee training in backfill safety procedures, Qualified equipment operators, No employees allowed under the loads, Good supervision of employees in excavation, Excavation protection as required by the depth of the excavation.
So now based on my explanation here, you tell me, should JSA be integrated with Method Statement?
My answer would be YES!
