Document e54zv2J7nEvY1RvxL89y9xzYy

INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS AND PLANT LAYOUT Even less serious injuries resulting from poor housekeeping facilities and congestion of woik places can be reduced substantially by preplanning for safety. Layout of equip ment and buildings so that production lines do not cross and so that operators have enough working space saves time, increases production, and helps prevent accidents Personnel facilities, such as lunch rooms and medical, safety, and disaster services, are essential for reasons of health and treat ment of injuries They can be planned and located for maximum effectiveness Codes and standards The policy of modem companies is to have their safety, health, and fire depart ments review and check plans and specifica tions for new or remodeled plants. This saves costly alterations and installations that must be made after a plant is m opera tion m the event of failure to meet local and state requirements covering fire, accident, and health hazards Most ordinances and state laws require that authorized persons approve the means of both normal and emergency egress from buildings In some states, plans for the in stallation of emergency lighting and fire alarm systems must be satisfactory to the authorities Also, in certain states, exhaust and ventilating installations must be ap proved. The voluntary safety codes developed by various organizations establish standards for certain structures and equipment Speci fications for the construction of floor and wall openings and railings, for example, are given in a code0 developed and published by the American Standards Association Prop er electric wiring and electrical installations are covered in the National Electrical Code, issued by the National Fire Protection As sociation Requirements for fire extinguishing equipment and jure protection standards and codes for flammable liquids and gases, com bustible solids, dusts, chemicals, and explo sives are provided in the Notional Fire Codes, Volumes I through X, developed by National Fire Protection Association It must be remembered that 'design by the code" is no substitute for intelligent en gineering, and that codes only establish a minimum requirement which in many situ ations must be exceeded Planning checklist The following important features should be investigated, checked, and approved in planning a new plant Site planning Transportation facilities docks and wharves railroad, and roadways Exits and other wall openings Floors, walkways, stairs, ramps, plat forms Storage facilities, including those for ex plosives and flammable materials, for harmful substances, for finished prod ucts, and yard storage Electnc winng and installation Illumination Mechanical handling equipment cranes, conveyors, industrial trucks Elevators Boilers and other pressure equipment Ventilation, heating, and air conditioning Fire control Health and safety water, waste disposal, first aid, personal protective equipment distribution and repair facilities, isola tion of excessively noisy operations Personal service facilities parking, res taurants, rest rooms, employment, and training Site Planning Selection of a site mvolves consideration of a number of factors possible hazards to the community and their relationship to cli mate and terrain, space requirements, type and size of buddings, necessary facilities, transportation, market, and labor supply Of the factors listed, those of direct con cern to the safety man are discussed below Whde the safety man is not directly respon sible for specialized plant and process engi neering and design, still it is his duty to keep the engineers and architects as safety conscious as possible, and to anticipate po tential safety hazards and try to have them "designed out" of the system before the construction stage begins. American Standards Association, 10 East 40th St., New York City Safety Code for Floor and Wall Openings, Railings, and Toe Boards. A12 14-2