Abstract
Aim: To assess work safety levels at an industrial plant engaged with the production of plastics and explosives.
Introduction: Accidents at work are unexpected incidents occasioned by external causes, giving rise to injury or loss of life. From a global viewpoint, they create a serious health and economic problem. Worldwide, hundreds of thousands people lose their life each year and many millions become disabled as a result of accidents at work. In Poland, every year, there are tens of thousands accidents at work where about a thousand people die (Data GUS – 2014). One of the most hazardous industries, associated with an inherent risk of much danger, involves the production of explosives. Production, storage and transportation of explosives was always a hazardous occupation. Accidents associated with these activities culminated in thousands of deaths, but material losses are simply impossible to estimate. Tragedies, which occurred during production and use of explosives gave rise, eventually, to an emergence of many laws and other regulations aimed at minimising dangers associated with such materials. Regulatory documents contain a range of requirements, which must be complied with, during production, distribution and use of explosive substances.
Methodology: Analysis of severity and nature of accidents, and evaluation of accident indicators at work.
Conclusions: Survey and recording of accidents at work, analysis of causes and circumstances, as well as analysis of accident frequency at individual plants, industry, region and across the entire country, are all important elements of monitoring in the work domain and are essential for prevention of accidents. In order to improve industrial health and safety at work it is necessary to introduce organisational improvements such as improvements to the quality of training, dissemination of information about dangers and need for application of protective measures, expanding the range of protective measures, display of safety posters across the plant and making employees aware of the necessity for compliance with health and safety regulations as well as personal protection measures.
Keywords: safety at work, severity of accident, nature of accident, health and safety at wor