Western Australian Consolidated Regulations

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH REGULATIONS 1996 - REG 4.29

4.29 .         Means of reducing risks in relation to plant

                The means referred to in regulations 4.23(3)(a), 4.24(5)(a), 4.26(2)(c), 4.27(6)(a), 4.28(6) and 4.37(1)(f) are —

            (a)         one or a combination of the following means —

                  (i)         substitution of the plant by less hazardous plant;

                  (ii)         modification of the design of the plant;

                  (iii)         isolation of the plant;

                  (iv)         using engineering methods to change physical characteristics of the plant;

                  (v)         implementing, maintaining and supervising control measures and systems of work so as to reduce the risk as far as is practicable;

                and

            (b)         to the extent that it is not practicable to reduce the risk by the means referred to in paragraph (a), the means of administrative controls and personal protective clothing and equipment; and

            (c)         ensuring that the plant is manufactured, inspected and, where required, tested —

                  (i)         according to each Standard set out in Schedule 4.3 that is relevant to that kind of plant; and

                  (ii)         having regard to the designer’s specifications;

                and

            (d)         ensuring that if, after supply to a workplace, any plant is found to have a fault that may affect safety or health, then as far as is practicable, the person to whom the plant was supplied is advised of the fault and what is required to rectify it; and

            (e)         ensuring that there is an optimum relationship between the functioning of the plant and the physical capacities and requirements of persons who may use the plant; and

            (f)         ensuring that there is sufficient access to and egress from —

                  (i)         the parts of the plant that require cleaning, maintenance, adjustment or repair; and

                  (ii)         the operator’s work station for normal and emergency situations,

                so as to reduce the risk as far as is practicable; and

            (g)         the provision of emergency lighting, safety doors and alarm systems where access to the plant is required as part of its normal operation and persons could become entrapped and at risk because of heat, cold or lack of air suitable for breathing; and

            (h)         the reduction, as far as is practicable, of exposure to dangerous parts during operation, lubrication, adjustment or maintenance of the plant; and

                  (i)         ensuring, in the case where guarding should be provided for the plant, that the guarding comprises —

                  (i)         a permanently fixed physical barrier for cases in which, during normal operation, maintenance or cleaning of the plant, no person would need either complete or partial access to the dangerous area; or

                  (ii)         an interlocked physical barrier for cases in which during normal operation, maintenance or cleaning of the plant, a person may require complete or partial access to the dangerous area; or

                  (iii)         a physical barrier securely fixed in position by means of fasteners or other suitable devices sufficient to ensure that the guard cannot be altered or removed without the aid of a tool or key for cases where neither a permanently fixed physical barrier nor an interlocked physical barrier is practicable,

                but, if none of the guards described in subparagraphs (i), (ii) or (iii) is practicable, the provision of a presence sensing safeguard system; and

            (j)         ensuring, in the cases where guarding of any moving part of the plant does not eliminate the risk of entanglement or where it is not practicable to guard a moving part of the plant, that persons do not operate, or pass in close proximity to, the moving part unless a safe system of work is in place to reduce the risk as far as is practicable; and

            (k)         ensuring that the plant’s operating controls are —

                  (i)         suitably identified so as to indicate their nature and function; and

                  (ii)         located so as to be readily and conveniently operated by each person using the plant; and

                  (iii)         located, guarded or of a double action type to prevent unintentional activation; and

                  (iv)         able to be locked into the “off” position to enable the disconnection of all motive power and forces;

                and

            (l)         ensuring that plant —

                  (i)         designed to be operated or attended by more than one person; and

                  (ii)         having more than one control fitted,

                has multiple controls of the “stop and lock‑off” type so that the plant cannot be restarted after a stop control has been used unless each stop control has been reset; and

            (m)         ensuring that each of the plant’s emergency stop devices —

                  (i)         is prominent, clearly and durably marked and immediately accessible to each operator of the plant; and

                  (ii)         has handles, bars or push buttons that are coloured red; and

                  (iii)         will not be affected by electrical or electronic circuit malfunction,

                as may be appropriate to the particular case.

        [Regulation 4.29 amended in Gazette 8 Mar 2002 p. 972.]