Analysis of Royale Comfort Seating - Article Example

Analysis of Royale Comfort Seating The article starts with a description of How Ms. Farley’s health got damaged while working in the toxic air at her workplace, Royale Comfort Seating. OSHA does not care about the slow killing chemicals being used at the workplaces that are threatening the lives of the workers. Royale also does not take responsibility for what happened to Ms. Farley. Damages caused by toxic chemicals, like glue fumes, cost American economy a lot every year. A great number of workers catch diseases like black lung, stonecutter’s disease, asbestosis, grinder’s rot, and pneumoconiosis, by inhaling toxic chemicals.

Many of them die. Lives of many workers get disturbed, like Ms. Farley is not able to resume a normal life after her occupational injury. The next section of the article, Foam Country, takes the discussion further by describing how work is being done in Royale Comfort Seating, which is located in North Carolina. A polyutherane called slabstock becomes the filling of mattresses, chairs, and cushions. This material arrives in the form of loaves. Cushions are attached to seats with glue. The whole environment gets fogged with glue.

The work is tiring, and the workers feel dizziness after they have completed their shifts in the glue filled air at the workplace. They feel quite lightheaded when they leave for homes. This section also talks about the industrialization of North Carolina. The next section, The Chemical’s Use Grows, talks about how the use of nPB glues has become widespread in some past years. It is inexpensive, strong, and reliable. Water-based glues are safer but expensive, and can cost millions of dollars to the companies.

Initially, companies would use a chemical called 1,1,1-trichloroethane as glue, but since it was thought of as damaging the ozone layer, the companies switched to methylene chloride. That also proved to be very damaging, killing many workers every year. OSHA took action, and companies started using nPB glues, which were as dangerous as the previous brand. So, some companies adopted it while some banned it. Many damages to health due to this glue were reported in the next years. It was found that Royale was not taking safety measures while making use of this glue.

There were no fans to eliminate the fumes, and the workers were not provided masks. OSHA has also not regulated the strictness about safety measures. The section, Improvised Remedies, talks about the interviews of Royale’s employees regarding the health damages they faced while working. Employees had damaged feet and hands, and suffered from numbness. Employees were exposed to dangerous levels of nPB. Royale was listed as a dangerous industry. Mr. Isenhour, Royale’s safety director says that the company did not mean to harm the employees.

They could not use alternative glues since they were ineffective and dangerous. They could also not use expensive glues for budget’s sake. The section, Complain Inspect Repeat, talks about a report written by Beverly Stone, an OSHA inspector, after she visited Royale. She stated that there was no ventilation. Pedestal fans were used for fumes, which were also malfunctioning. The company continued using dangerous levels of glue even after the agency warned it. The agency was unable to impose fines, and proved to be inefficient in making Royale leave using the glue or take protective measures.

The last section, Hard Calculus, again mentions the health condition of Ms. Farley. Works CitedUrbina, Ian. As OSHA Emphasizes Safety, Long-Term Health Risks Fester. The New York Times, 2013. Web. 3 Apr 2013. .