You are asked to identify possible areas for assessment and prepare some preliminary assessment information. Please share the following information here:
In Week 1, your assignment is to start anticipating the possible hazards found in your workplace. You are asked to identify possible areas for assessment and prepare some preliminary assessment information. Please share the following information here:
Name of the business or work center,
Number of employees
A brief overview of the business to include the type of industry (i.e. retail, manufacturing, military, etc).
Description of your state’s OSH program as it relates to your work center, if applicable
Preliminary list of expected hazards
DQ2 Anticipation of Hazards
When in the preliminary stage of “Anticipation”, there are many sources of information at your fingertips. One of these resources online is the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This governmental agency conducts the Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities (IIF) program which produces a wide range of information about workplace injuries and illnesses. This data are collected and reported annually through the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) and the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI).
Visit the BLS website to research the Case and Demographic Characteristics for Work-related Injuries and Illnesses Involving Days Away From Work (https://stats.bls.gov/iif/oshcdnew.htm). Choose the “Resource Table for 2018, then download the “R1. Detailed industry by selected natures (Number) (XLSX)”. Using the data found, post your industry’s information as outlined below:
Industry Name/Type (be as specific as possible)
NAICS
Total number of cases for that year
Top Three categories for nature of injury or illness (i.e. fractures, burns, etc)
DQ3 OSHA Standards in Your Workplace
Using the OSHA Website at www.osha.gov, research the standard for your workplace (hint: It will most likely be either general industry or construction). If you are not currently employed, you can use previous employment or the employment location for a family member. Look for your type of industry or a hazard in your industry. Start a new thread titled “Last Name_Workplace” and describe what you found in 1-2 paragraphs. The goal of this exercise is just to get familiar with the standards, not to become an expert!
There are multiple ways to research a standard or resource. You can search by Standards (General Industry, Construction, Maritime or Agriculture) or by the “Safety & Health Topics A-Z Index”. Please note that General Industry standards (29 CFR 1910) cannot be enforced in construction work and Construction Standards (29 CFE 1926) cannot be enforced in general industry.
ENMT322 Occupational Health and Safety
Week 2 Discussion
DQ1 Chemical Hazard Recognition
In Week 2, you were given the assignment to look at the chemicals used in the workplace. In Part B, you should have summarized relevant information on one chemical product and researched the ingredients to start the recognition of the hazards process.
Provide the following information on your chemical of choice:
How the chemical product is used in the workplace (including application method, amounts used, personal protective equipment used, any other existing controls in place)
Describe the exposure routes. Does the chemical have the potential to become airborne or is it a contact hazard?
What are the symptoms of exposure?
What is the type of systemic toxin (i.e is it a central nervous system depressant)?
Is there a specific toxic effect the chemical has (i.e. irritant, asphyxiant, carcinogen)?
DQ2 Biological Agent Risks
Various industries present unique biological hazards during the normal course of work. There are over 190 important biological agents that may be infectious, allergenic, toxic, or carcinogenic in the workplace. Many occupational groups are exposed to these biohazards, but risk may be greatest among:
health care and laboratory workers, and
agricultural, forestry, and fishing industry workers.
I have provided a list of industries below that typically experience exposure to biohazards. Select one industry and summarize types of hazards within each industry and the recommended preventive measures.
Food
Health Care
Laboratories
Agriculture
Metal and Wood Processing
Textile, print, and paper production
Archives, Museums, and Libraries
Construction and Demolition
DQ3 Indoor Air Quality
Visit the website for the EPA’s Regional Office and State Indoor Air Quality Information, select your state, and select a topic from the state or region program website that addresses an indoor air pollutant. Examples of topics that you might find include “Air Quality in Hotels”, “Carbon Monoxide information”, or “Indoor Mold and Health”.
https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/epa-regional-office-and-state-indoor-air-quality-information
Summarize the information found to share with your classmates. Provide 1-2 paragraphs on the objectives or goals of the program and highlight any information that you found useful.
ENMT322 Occupational Health and Safety
Week 3 Discussion
DQ1 Radiation Sources
Radiation is one of the physical hazards that we can encounter either in our daily lives or occupations. For some, it involves working in medical or dental facilities where radiation is used to diagnose or treat certain medical conditions. For others in the industry, radioactive materials may be used to test for metal fractures, welds, etc. In the military or weapons production, handling radioactive devices or materials is an occupational hazard. The type of protection needed to prevent injury varies with the nature of the material and how it is used. How many of you work around some form of radiation? Has anyone ever been involved in a significant radiation event?
Sources of radiation are all around us all the time. Some are natural and some are man-made. Use the calculator below to estimate your yearly dose from the most significant sources of ionizing radiation. Radiation dose is expressed in a unit called millirem (mrem). In the United States, the average person is exposed to an effective dose equivalent of approximately 620 mrem (whole-body exposure) per year from all sources. How did your yearly dose measure up to the average person in the U.S.? What was the highest contributor to your exposure? https://www.epa.gov/radiation/calculate-your-radiation-dose
DQ2 Noise and Vibration
Noise-induced hearing loss is widely prevalent but under-appreciated for the epidemic that it is. What are some of the challenges in hearing loss prevention in the workplace? What can be done? The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Sound Level Meter App is one tool available to the public to download on mobile iOS devices that measures sound levels in the workplace and provides noise exposure parameters to help reduce occupational noise-induced hearing loss. Build a chart showing your measurements of five different noise sources found in your home or workplace. By definition, are those sources considered to be hazardous or not?
Do you have any vibration issues in your work? Does anyone work with power tools on a regular basis?
DQ3 Thermal Stress
One of the occupational hazards for anyone who works outside is the threat of temperature extremes. Anyone that has worked in construction in the South can tell you that thermal stress is real! Similarly, someone who works in the frozen foods section of the local grocery store can tell you how hard it is all year round. If you were an occupational safety and health professional, describe some of the specific hazards that you would find in your geographical location. What type of controls would you recommend to protect workers? What type of situations have you personally experienced?
OSHA has an ongoing campaign for heat: Water – Rest – Shade. They’ve even created a Heat Safety Tool App for mobile phones, see http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/heat_index/heat_app.html and a web page on occupational heat exposure at: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatstress/index.html
ENMT322 Occupational Health and Safety
Week 4 Discussion
DQ1 COVID-19 and protecting workersContains unread posts
Many of the occupational safety and health professionals are experiencing how COVID-19 (and pandemics) can have a serious impact on the economy and affect worker safety. Using your knowledge of government agencies, what resources or policies are available for employers? From an employee standpoint, what has been your experience? Have employers followed established guidelines? What recommendations would you make as an occupational safety and health professional? Are there different guidelines for occupational exposure for health care professionals versus non-occupational workers (i.e. retail or food industry). Should there be?
Bear in mind, that the General Duty Clause requires employers to furnish to each worker “employment and a place of employment, which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm.”
DQ2 Heat Stress Evaluation – Case Studies
Here are three cases where workers suffered irreversible damage or death due to heat stress. Select one of the following case studies and explain what steps you would have taken taken to avoid the casualty. Remember, you are the safety professional on the job and so your explanation should be from a first person standpoint. Cite your references and be as thorough as possible.
Case #1: Roofing worker
In July, a 42-year-old man started a new job as a roofer. His employer did not have a formal plan to protect new workers from heat-related illness although there was plentiful water, ice, and Gatorade available at the site. The worker felt fine during his first two days of work. His third day on the job was slightly warmer, with a high temperature of about 86°F and relative humidity of 57%, for a heat index of 90°F. In the afternoon, the worker told his co-workers he felt hot and sick. He climbed down from the roof and went to sit by himself in the sun. When his co-workers checked on him a few minutes later, he had symptoms of heat stroke. He was taken to a hospital where he died. Scattered clouds may have reduced the radiant temperature somewhat but reconstruction showed a wet-bulb globe temperature of 82°F based on data from a nearby airport.
Case #2: Delivery worker
A 50-year-old man had been working at a delivery company for six years. His job involved driving a vehicle and walking in residential neighborhoods to deliver mail and packages. In late May, the weather suddenly became hotter. On the second day of hot weather, this worker developed heat cramps and heat exhaustion. He was hospitalized for two days with acute kidney failure due to dehydration. His condition improved after intravenous fluid replacement.
Case #3: Foundry worker A 35-year-old employee had worked at a foundry for six years. The indoor workplace had high levels of environmental heat from ovens and molten metal. His normal job tasks were in a cooler area of the building. On the day of the incident, he was asked to perform a job in a hotter environment near an oven. He wore heavy protective clothing to prevent skin burns. After several hours of work, the man collapsed and died of heat stroke.
ENMT322 Occupational Health and Safety
Week 5 Discussion
Credibility and Success
As many organizations rethink their approaches to safety, they are increasingly relying on the ability of their managers to lead change at every level. Credibility in particular is essential to success in this new environment. As an Occupational Safety and Health professional, what does credibility mean to you? Why is credibility important? How do you demonstrate credibility in the OSH field?
ENMT322 Occupational Health and Safety
Week 6 Discussion
DQ1 Trauma and OSH
In a recent article in Safety and Health Magazine, researchers say that nurses and other medical professionals are facing a new type of trauma. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses and other health care professionals across the country have reported a lack of masks, gloves, gowns and other protective gear to keep them safe while caring for patients with the coronavirus.
Staffing issues were reported by nurses who had to work shifts longer than 12 hours and who were exposed to unsafe situations that jeopardized patient safety. These were described as hurrying through tasks to complete them, falsifying patient care documents, and going without food and hydration during their shifts. The nurses said they experience a range of negative emotions, such as stress, anxiety, grief, guilt, anger, burnout, and flashbacks. Physically, nurses reported nightmares, unhealthy diets, and substance use.
This brings up the question.. should mental health in the workplace be part of the health and safety pro’s responsibility?
https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/20075-researchers-say-nurses-face-new-type-of-trauma-insufficient-resources
DQ2 Good Communication in OSH
To be effective, it is critical that your company’s safety and health policy be communicated to all employees. As a new OSH professional, what are some ways that you would ensure that all employees understood the policies and procedures for a safe working environment?
ENMT322 Occupational Health and Safety
Week 7 Discussion
DQ1 No. 1 Killer of Firefighters
The International Association of Firefighters says cancer is now the leading cause of death among firefighters. A CDC/National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health study tracked nearly 30,000 firefighters across the country in 2010 and found higher rates of cancer than the general population. This is a relatively new development and one that hasn’t been addressed much in industry literature.
As OSH professionals, what steps should we be taking to protect our firefighters? Are we providing the right protective gear? Are we providing the right amount of HAZCOM training? What is the latest research telling us? Has OSHA issued any citations for violations?
DQ2 Risks of being a Firefighter
Firefighters work long hours within unstructured schedules, making it a challenge to create a viable work-life balance. Conventional family life may be skewed, which can lead to familial discontent and disconnection. The need to work long hours is an especially critical factor in firefighters who are regionally deployed to combat wildfires or to assist in large natural disaster zones. The long hours further contribute to the overall stress of the position. While firefighters are trained and educated about the potential physical and mental stress the job can take, not all realize the full impact until they are on the job, and some not until years after the fact.
What are some work-life balance initiatives and why should workplaces consider these programs? What steps would you take to set up a program in your workplace?
ENMT322 Occupational Health and Safety
Week 8 Discussion
DQ1 Careers in Occupational Safety and Health
Rarely a day goes past without a reference in the newspapers, on the television or on the internet to illnesses or disabilities caused at work. In some cases, the effects may be reversible. In many others, detrimental effects on health cannot be overcome and can even shorten life expectancy. Occupational safety and health use science and engineering to prevent ill health caused by the environment in which people work. It helps employers and employees to understand the risks and improve working conditions and working practices.
Reflect on our course and answer the following questions:
Which topic(s) covered in this course did you find the most interesting? Why?
Which topic(s) did you find most challenging? Why was it challenging?
Has your personal viewpoint on occupational safety and health changed? If so, how?
If you could change one thing about the course, what would it be?
Thank you for your input in advance!!
DQ2 Final Exam Review
This review discussion forum provides you a chance to help each other review and prepare for the final exam. To receive full credit, answers must be posted no later than August 8th @ 11:59 ET.
1. Ask two questions about the content covered in this course. Avoid simple yes/no or define questions. Then answer two questions, either both questions from one classmate or one question each from two classmates. Each answer should be at least three sentences. Answers must be written in your own words, with no direct quotes.
2. Write one paragraph about one concept that you learned in this class that you found difficult to understand. Do not forget to document your sources, including our course materials. Then, respond to at least one of your classmates’ posts, for example by adding an explanation, providing an example, relating the concept to other topics discussed in class, or making gentle corrections to help each other learn. Also, please answer any questions classmates might have about your post and provide additional feedback as necessary.
Collepals.com Plagiarism Free Papers
Are you looking for custom essay writing service or even dissertation writing services? Just request for our write my paper service, and we'll match you with the best essay writer in your subject! With an exceptional team of professional academic experts in a wide range of subjects, we can guarantee you an unrivaled quality of custom-written papers.
Get ZERO PLAGIARISM, HUMAN WRITTEN ESSAYS
Why Hire Collepals.com writers to do your paper?
Quality- We are experienced and have access to ample research materials.
We write plagiarism Free Content
Confidential- We never share or sell your personal information to third parties.
Support-Chat with us today! We are always waiting to answer all your questions.
