SayPro HEALTH SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS (SO1, AC 6; SO2, AC 5; SO, 3, AC 4; SO4, AC 5)

OH&S requirementsBefore operating labelling equipment, operators need to know about the safety hazards in the process and the ways the workplace controls these hazards.Examples of safety hazards include:

• getting caught in conveyors or in moving parts of the equipment
• burns from hot-melt glue equipment
• being hit by moving equipment
• cuts from broken glass
• breathing fumes from ink and ink solvent

Your workplace will have ways of protecting you from safety hazards, such as:

• Light beams, electronic eyes or safety curtains, which stop the equipment if anyone comes too close. You need to know whether these devices work when the machine is in manual mode rather than automatic. If not, you need to be especially careful about leaning or moving too close to moving equipment parts.
• Safety guards or shields around moving parts (which must be in place for the equipment to operate). If a safety guard is not in place, you need to replace it immediately so production is not interrupted and can go on safely.
• Emergency stop buttons or cables that can be operated in an emergency, e.g., if someone gets caught in the equipment, or if the equipment jams.
• Wearing appropriate safety clothing, such as safety shoes, hard hats, ear plugs or gloves.
• What to do in an emergency, for example, if hot-melt glue is spilt on someone. There should be instructions for dealing with the problem, e.g. covering the affected area with cold water rather than trying to remove the glue, as it will make the problem worse.

There will also be occupational health and safety (OH&S) guidelines for:

• Operating the equipment. This might include avoiding excess noise by using earplugs and being aware of noise limits, using emergency stop buttons or other safety mechanisms when adjusting the equipment.
• Keeping work areas clear to avoid accidents caused by people tripping on or bumping into obstructions.
• The use of lock-out tags to stop anyone starting equipment while someone is working on it, or while it’s faulty.

Inspecting the labelling equipment for cleaning and sanitation (SO 1, AC 4)Operators need to make sure all parts of the equipment are clean before, during and at the end of operation. Otherwise:

• The equipment might jam because of glue, dirt or labels on moving parts.
• Bottles could become dirty, making them unacceptable to the consumer and out of specification, causing wastage of product.
• Examples of things to check include checking bottle conveyors, and areas around glue dispensers, which could build up deposits of glue and cause sticking. Your workplace will have rules or policies for personal hygiene and sanitation. You’ll need to discuss them to make sure learners understand them, and know where these policies are kept.

The purpose is to clean and sanitize the labelling machine to reduce microbial contaminants in the packaging room and keep machine in good working condition.Frequency: Daily for routine cleaningWeekly for complete breakdown of machine for cleaning inside partsWho: Packaging line supervisor or his/her designeeProcedure:For daily cleaning:1. Remove all debris and physical matter using a squeegee.2. Wipe with a clean cloth dipped in a mild soapy detergent.3. Mist lightly with a 200 ppm quaternary ammonium compounds (QUATS) solution.4. Let air dry.5. Inspect machine to make sure it is clean.For weekly breakdown:1. Call maintenance to lock out all electrical sources and remove all access panels.2. Remove all particulate matter from inside and outside panels and all exposed machine parts.3. Spray with alkaline soapy detergent solution. Let it work for 15 minutes.4. Rinse with clean water.5. Let air dry.6. Mist lightly with a 200 ppm QUATS solution.7. Let air dry.8. Inspect machine to make sure all parts are clean.9. Call maintenance to put machine back together.Corrective Action:

• If particulate matter is found on any area of the machine upon inspection, repeat clean-up procedure as detailed above for that particular area.
• If machine fails to start after weekly breakdown, call maintenance. Do not attempt to fix machine!

Corrective Action:

• If particulate matter is found on any area of the machine upon inspection, repeat clean-up procedure as detailed above for that particular area.
• If machine fails to start after weekly breakdown, call maintenance. Do not attempt to fix machine!

Quality requirements Before operators start the labelling process, they need to know what the product should look like when it comes into their work area, what is expected at each stage of labelling, and what the product should look like when it leaves the labelling equipment.For example, when bottles arrive at the labeller, operators should check they are:

• formed correctly (if bottles are deformed they could jam the labelling equipment)
• filled to the right height
• filled with what looks like the right product
• sealed correctly and not leaking
• upright (tipped over bottles will jam the equipment)

Operators also need to know what quality aspects to look for in consumables. For example, labels should:

• be correctly printed, with the right colour, darkness, information and graphics, e.g. for a special promotion, special packs
• be clearly printed (no smudging)
• have the correct bar code, clearly printed
• have correctly printed registration marks of the correct size and repeat length if they are on a continuous roll
• curl in the right direction by the right amount (to ensure there’s no problems with them during the labelling operation)

Examples of other quality checks to be made during the labelling process:

• labels are facing the right way up
• label rolls are being cut at the correct place
• glue is applied correctly (not too much, not too little, in the right place)
• labels are not crooked
• labels are not sticking to rollers or scrapers
• date, batch and product coding is correct, the code is legible and in the right place

Operators also need to know what quality assurance tests are done during production, how often and by whom. For example there could be regular checks (hourly) on quality of labels, labelling and date coding.Information on the quality standards of product before, during and after the labelling process should be found in the packaging or packaging process specifications and the quality manual. You’ll need to discuss the quality specifications with learners, and where they can find the relevant information.Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 (Act No. 85 of 1993)The aim of this regulation is to provide for the health and safety of persons at work and for the health and safety of persons in connection with the use of plant and machinery; the protection of persons other than persons at work against hazards to health and safety arising out of or in connection with the activities of persons at work; to establish an advisory council for occupational health and safety; and to provide for matters connected therewith.National environmental management act, 1998 (act no. 107 of 1998)The NEMA defines the environment as the surroundings in which humans exist and includes the land, water and atmosphere. In addition, it includes the interrelationships, combinations, properties and conditions of all organisms that exist within the surroundings. This extremely broad definition of the environment ties into the concept of integrated environmental management, which the NEMA promotes. The NEMA is not able to specify how each component of the environment is legislated, as such, a significant amount of environmental legislation stems from the NEMA, including the Air Quality Act and Waste ActCompany Standards such as NOSA, ISO 9002 and ISO 14000ISO 9000 refers to a generic series of standards published by the ISO that provide quality assurance requirements and quality management guidance. ISO 9000 is a quality system standard, not a technical product standard. ISO 14000 refers to a series of standards on environmental management tools and systems. ISO 14000 deals with a company’s system for managing its day-to-day operations and how they impact the environment. The Environmental Management System and Environmental Auditing address a wide range of issues to include the following:

1. Top management commitment to continuous improvement, compliance, and pollution prevention.
2. Creating and implementing environmental policies, including setting and meeting appropriate targets.
3. Integrating environmental considerations in operating procedures.
4. Training employees in regard to their environmental obligations.
5. Conducting audits of the environmental management system.

ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 are tools to assist business and government to insure the quality of their products and services, and to manage the impact of their activities on the environment. Like all ISO standards, their use is voluntary unless a business sector makes them a market requirement or a government issues regulations making their use obligatory. Organizations that implement ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 voluntarily do so to improve operations and provide real benefits.NOSA is a South African initiative setting global standards in occupational risk management solutions that enhance clients’ business performance. Services and products are tailor‐made according to clients’ needs and risk profiles and include areas such as occupational health, safety, hygiene, working at heights, environmental management, mine safety, quality management, behaviour‐based safety, HIV/Aids in the workplace, social responsibility and sustainability.

Tsakani Stella Rikhotso | Monitoring & Evaluation OfficerSayProWebsite: www.saypro.onlineCell: 27 (0) 713 221 522Email: tsakaniStudy and Qualifications www.saypro.onlineOur Company www.saypro.online

SayPro is a group of brands leading in Africa’s development, building innovative online solutions and a strategic institution on child growth, youth empowerment and adult support programmes, applications in Africa.SayPro Core Skills and Expertise:

• SayPro Artificial Intelligence, Graphics, Online Design and Web Development
• SayPro Higher Education, Certification, eLearning Development, Qualification Design and Online Training.
• SayPro Community Development in Youth Unemployment, HIV/AIDS, Human Rights and Gender-Based Violence
• SayPro Company Registrations, Tax, VAT and Website Designs.
• SayPro Research, Opportunity Sharing in Tenders, Funding and Contact Directories.
• SayPro Monitoring, Evaluation, Knowledge Management, Learning and Sharing.

SayPro is providing international and global opportunities for African youth. Partner with SayPro now by sending an email to info or give us a call at + 27 11 071 1903Please visit our website at www.saypro.online Email: info@saypro.online Email: info@saypro.online Call: + 27 11 071 1903 WhatsApp: + 27 84 313 7407. Comment below for any questions and feedback. For SayPro Courses, SayPro Jobs, SayPro Community Development, SayPro Products, SayPro Services, SayPro Consulting, and SayPro Advisory visit our website to www.saypro.online