32 Nonconventional Technologies Review 2012 Romanian Association of Nonconventional Technologies Romania, September, 2012 PRINCIPLES OF SAFETY AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH IN MANUFACTURING PROCESSES BASED ON NON-CONVENTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Cătălin Crişan 1 , Dumitru Mnerie 1 , Dumitru Ţucu 1 and Dorina Ruşeţ 1 1. „POLITEHNICA” University of Timişoara, Romania, cata_crisan2003@yahoo.com , dumitru_mnerie@yahoo.com , d_tucu@yahoo.com , dorina_ruset@rectorat.upt.ro ABSTRACT: The safety principles integrated in manufacturing processes based on nonconventional technologies must be adapted to the innovative, modern and still dangerous character of these technologies. This paper aims to present some particularities and challenges for worker safety brought by high-frequency plastic welding machine operation, and for another nonconventional technologies. KEY WORDS: OHS_1, safety_2, nonconventional technologies_3, principles_4, HF welding_5. 1. INTRODUCTION The using of nonconventional technologies in manufacturing processes brings particular challenges to workers health and safety. Being avant-garde technologies, they entail ultramodern, high performance and mostly computer controlled equipments. These circumstances imply slightly different approach to ensuring workers safety for processes based on nonconventional technologies than for those based on conventional technologies. The main difference is the emphasis on ensuring safety trough equipment’s complex build-in safety systems (safety through design), rather than implementation of additional technical preventive measures during equipment’s operation. Multidisciplinary approach and work safety issues can now be achieved through the integration of artificial intelligence elements in technical automation systems.[1] 2. MANAGING OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY (OHS) In order to ensure an efficient safety risk management and obtain a permanent improvement of workplace safety, it is recommended for production companies to implement OHS management standards. The majority of OHSMS’s are based on PDCA system model (Fig.1). This cycle model consists of five phases: OHS policy, planning, implementation and operation, checking and corrective actions and management review. Organization’s top management shall define an appropriate OHS policy. The policy must provide a framework for setting and reviewing OHS objectives, must be communicated to all personnel and be available to interested parties. The OHS policy should be reviewed periodically to ensure that it remains relevant and appropriate to the organization. Change is inevitable, as legislation and societal expectations evolve; consequently, the organization’s OHS policy and OHS management system need to be reviewed regularly to ensure their continuing suitability and effectiveness. [OHSAS18002:2008] Figure 1. - OHSAS 18001: 2007 PDCA model The planning phase of the management system cycle starts with hazard identification, risk assessment, then continues with determining risk mitigation measures. The mitigation or control measures must comply with prevention principles presented in the third paragraph of this paper. Implementation and operation include: • resources allocation; • establishing and implementing of roles, responsibilities and internal procedures; • implementing procedures for workers training, competence and awareness; • control of documents; • documentation; • operational control; • emergency preparedness and response; OHS performance monitoring and measurement, evaluation of compliance (including incident investigations) and control of records are done in the forth phase, the checking phase. All the required information is obtained commonly by internal OHS system audits. In the last cycle phase, management review, top management shall examine the OHS management system, at planned intervals, to ensure its continuing suitability, adequacy and