Steps Taken to Solve the Hazard Communication - Essay Example

Task: Hazard Communication The United s Department of Labor consists of different sub-departmental categories run under the rules and regulation of the wider department. One of these sub-department is occupational safety and health standards (OSHA). Further division breaks OSHA into other categories with distinct and defined roles. Hazard communication is one of the concerns succinctly described by the US labor department. According to the labor department in the United States, hazard communication is defined as a way through which the government or the sellers in certain products or goods inform their clients about their disadvantages. Disadvantages, in this case, refer to the problems that may be caused when the goods are consumed. The main purpose of Hazard communication is to ensure that the existing dangers or hazards of all the chemicals produced locally or imported are evaluated properly, and thus any information concerning their dangers are revealed or transmitted to the employees and the employers, as well. The transmittal is always accomplished by means of effective and comprehensive hazard programs. The programs include container labeling, material safety data sheets, as well as, employee training. Problem Definition Safety dangers or hazards related to physical features and characteristics can be easily and objectively defined with the use of testing requirements such as flammability. The definition of health hazards is more subjective and less precise. Health hazards, as understood and explained by health specialists, can result into measurable changes in the human body, for instance, reduced pulmonary function. The changes are indicated by the occurrences and the presences of symptoms and signs among the employees exposed to them. Such symptoms include a non measurable subjective feeling, as well as, shortness of breath. Determination of occupational health hazards always prove a great challenge, complicated by the fact that many of the common effects or signs occur mainly in non-occupationally exposed populations, in such away that the exposure effects are difficult or challenging to separate from the common and recurring illnesses. There are occasional situations whereby a substance may cause an effect hardly seen or visible in the population, at large. An example is angiosarcomas, which results from the exposure to vinyl chloride. This makes it easier for the establishment of the certainties that the occupational was the actual and the primary causative agent. Nevertheless, the effects are common, for instance, lung cancer. Normally, the situation becomes worse and complicated due to the fact that most chemicals have not been well adequately tested in order to determine the potential of their health hazards, and the data does not exist for the substantiation of the effects. Efforts by many scientists have come up with results and basis of categorizing effects, as well as, their definition in many ways. The general or the overall accepted terms “chronic” and “acute” used or applied in this area to come to the delineation between the effects on fundamental basis of duration or severity. “Acute” effects normally happen rapidly due to exposures that are considered short terms, and are always of short duration. “Chronic” effects occur due to long term exposures of an individual to the hazards. Unlike the Acute ones, they are of long term durations. The acute effects, that are most frequently referred, in this case, are those that defined by the US major body, the American National Standards of Institute (ANSI) standard for the Precautionary Labeling of Hazardous Industrial Chemicals (osha.cov). Such hazards include corrosivity, lethal dose and sensitization. Despite these being obvious health effects, they never cover adequately the chronic effect areas, excluding, for instance, the blood dyscrasias such as anemia, liver atrophy and bronchitis. The same is applicable with the term chronic effect, which is often used in the reference to only teratogenicity, mutagenicity, as well as, carcinogenicity. It is obvious that the mentioned effects are great concerns to workers in the workplaces. They, too, do not cover adequately the chronic effect areas. Attaining the goal of giving precise definition, in measurable terms, each possible health hazard occurring in the workplace due to the exposure to chemicals cannot be realistically achieved. This, however, does not, in anyway, negates the need for employees to get information pertaining to the effects, and protected from them. For the purpose of giving more information in this part of the paper, any chemical that meet the any of the listed definitions, as defined by the criteria of the OSHA, are health hazards. The first is “carcinogen.” For a chemical to be considered carcinogen, it must have receive evaluation from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and the result found to be a potential carcinogen or carcinogen. The second condition or qualification that makes chemical carcinogen is when it is in the list of Annual Report on Carcinogens, which is normally published by the US National Toxicology Program. Lastly, a chemical is categorized as carcinogen when it is regulated by the OSHA as a carcinogen. Corrosive is a chemical, which has an effect of causing visible destruction of irreversible alterations kin certain or all living tissues through chemical action at the contact sites after four hour period of exposure. To note , when analyzing the word, is that corrosive does not have any close reference to action on the inanimate surfaces. A chemical is categorized or considered highly toxic when it depicts certain features. One of such features is the existence of Lethal Dose in a chemical (LD) (50)), that is lethal dose of 50 or less milligrams per liter or less of fume, mist , or dust when administered using the continuous inhalation method for about 24 hours using albino rabbit’s bare skin weighing 0.2-0.3 kilograms each. Lastly, a chemical is considered highly toxic when it has medium lethal concentration, that is, (LC (50)) in 200 parts per million air by volume. Another feature of hazard chemicals is the existence or the presence of irritants. A chemical is always categorized sensitizer when it causes a reasonable or substantial proportion of animals or people exposed develop allergic reaction in the normal tissue after given several and repeated exposure to the chemical itself. The sixth category is “toxic.” A chemical falls under the category of toxic due to certain reasons. First, the chemical contains medium lethal dose of (LD (50)). The lethal dose is more than 50 milligrams per Kilograms. It should not be more than 500 milligrams per kilogram of the body weight in case of an oral administration to albino rats, each weighing between 200-300 grams. Finally, a chemical is considered toxic if it has a MLC (Median Lethal Concentration) of (LC (50)) in the air more than 200 parts per million air. The air limit should be less than 2000 parts per million by gas vapor or volume. The seventh category of hazards is a group of “target organ effects.” This categorization is based on the effects that may occur, for instance, the examples that of the symptoms or signs and chemicals, which cause such effects. The examples are presented, with an aim of illustrating the diversity and range of hazards and effects found in the workplace. The broad scope employers have responsibility of considering this in the area. There several examples of signs and symptoms. The first example is hapatotoxins, which are chemicals that produce liver symptoms and damage, for instance, liver enlargement and jaundice. The sign and symptoms of hepatotoxins are carbon tetrachloride. The second one is Nephrototoxins, which are chemicals have characteristics of producing their primary toxic effects on the nervous system. Its signs and symptoms are proteinuria and edema. The symptoms of neurotoxins are signs and symptoms are behavioral changes, narcosis, and a reduction in motor functions. There are also agents that act on the blood, also referred to as hematopoietic system. Its symptoms and signs are loss of consciousness and cyanosis. There are also reproductive toxins. They are the chemicals that normally affect the reproductive capabilities such as chromosomal damage, also known as mutations and the effects on the fetus. There are also eye hazards, which are chemicals affecting visual or eye capacity. Its signs and symbols are corneal damage and conjunctivitis. The chemical contents are acids and organic solvents. Solutions to the problems To solve problems caused by hazardous conditions in work places, several measures have to be undertaken by the employers, the employees, the society and even the government as a whole. Employers must provide a safe working environment for their employees in terms of health and their general safety. This can be achieved by enforcing certain work standards, by training and educating employees. Employers must maintain a hazard free working environment and comply with acts of safety regulation bodies. These solutions are discussed in details below. The work place must contain approved and up to date equipment and facilities to reduce accident occurrences. (Occupational Safety and Health Administration). All practical and tests carried out in laboratories must have well written test procedures so that employees do not perform unauthorized experiments. This reduces accidents in the work place thus reducing exposure to health hazards. The employees must be properly trained and qualified for the professions they are applying for. Employing unqualified and poorly trained staff increases risk of accident occurrences. Employers must allow for regular inspection of the work place to check if they conform to the safety and regulation policies. This will ensure that flaws in the factory are pin pointed early and dealt with appropriately to avoid hazardous conditions. Examples of bodies regulating standards of work places include American Society for Testing and Materials, ASTM, and American National Standards Institute, ANSI. Quality assurance personals can be summoned to examine equipment and even perform experimental testing to investigate the efficiency of factories. Employers must be fair and reasonable in solving disputes that arise at the work place. This avoids grudges within the environment thus creating peaceful coexistence among the workmates. Otherwise, angry workers may deliberately cause accidents or conditions that pre dispose workers to hazardous conditions. Employers are expected to provide protective equipment to their employees. Such equipments include respirators, closed shoes or boots, overalls or laboratory coats, gloves, face masks among other materials. Respirators must be constructed in such a way that it will cover the head, neck and shoulders of the wearer. Such protective wear must be approved by the national regulators for safety of employees. These are necessary to provide protection from hazards that result from spillage, handling or stepping on chemicals that are hazardous. Failure to provide this is violation of employee rights and is punishable by law (United States Department of Labor). All chemicals must be stored well to minimize exposure and health risks. Hazardous chemicals include asbestos, cadmium, arsenic, vinyl chloride, lead, ethylene, ammonia and formaldehyde among many others. These chemicals must be labeled as hazardous, carcinogenic, flammable or radioactive depending on the category they fall under. They must be sealed and their store rooms locked. These chemicals must be handled only by qualified persons who must have appropriate protective wear. Other chemicals like ammonia must be stored in special facilities like refrigerators. Labeling is a mandatory operation in the work placed especially for hazardous chemicals that can be mistaken for less risky ones. The work place must be kept clean and in good condition. The floors must be free of holes, lose boards and sharp objects like nails and glasses. Otherwise, accidents may be caused by slipping or getting cut or pierced by these sharp objects. Where many tools are used, safe passageways must be created to prevent accidents. Storage rooms or any other holding material must hold only the recommended weight and amount of load. Exceeding the appropriate load weight may cause accidents by falling on staff or other buildings. For open pits, ditches and tanks that are located around the work place, they should be covered to avoid accidents. Workers may fall into these pits and ditches, breaking their legs or injuring themselves somehow. The work place must have a plan of strategies that can be employed during emergencies. Disasters like fire, tornadoes, toxic chemical release, hurricanes and floods among others must be carefully planned for in case they occur. Failure to do this may lead to catastrophes at work places. Work places must be equipped with numerous emergency escapes so that employees are not trapped in case emergencies occur. Apart from the escape, employers must also avail rescue teams and first aid agencies to cater for those injured during emergency occurrences. Safe areas for evacuation must be established far from the emergency occurrence site but in the same building where employees report and are counted to confirm their number. This helps in identification of missing persons and subsequent search for them. Fire equipment must be maintained and serviced regularly so that they can be used during fire emergencies, like fire extinguishers. Flammable waste should not be accumulated in the workplace as this may lead to explosions when a fire starts. Employees must also be warned against lighting or igniting matches near combustible chemicals as this may cause unnecessary fires. Designated smoking zones that are situated far from the flammable materials should be created for smokers. Waste material from the work place must be properly disposed of to avoid accidents. Various ways can be used to get rid of waste materials. An example is an incinerator. This should be constructed according to the standard requirements so that fumes and emissions from the waste do not affect employees and the general public. Dumping of waste near residential houses should be discouraged as this may cause environmental hazards and disease to the public. Special environmental watchdogs should supervise work places and ensure that employers conform to the requirements of the environmental policies. Blast cleaning room must be established for blasting operations. Here, a blasting nozzle is used by an operator in an enclosure to avoid contaminating others. After blasting, the blast is turned off and the exhaust system run to get rid of dusty air in the enclosed blasting room (United States Department of Labor). Training of employees is an essential process aimed at minimizing occurrence of accidents and other hazards. This may be achieved through the use of outreach training programs that offer classes on health and occupational safety of workers. Such programs may include daily classes, short courses and seminars. The workers are also enlightened on the company’s policies and emergency issues such as what to do when what happens. Materials like booklets and guides on essential procedures like first aid can also be availed to the workers. Practical experiments to demonstrate such procedures in order to enhance learning are also mandatory. Employers must ensure that their work places are safe for employees in terms of noise pollution and its effect on hearing. This is especially mandatory in industries and factories producing a lot of noise. Such loud noises can cause hearing defects and must, therefore, be controlled. An example of such regulation method is the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR), which has been introduced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This method requires that the NRR is displayed on the package of the hearing protector. Most of these safety measures are employed by the employer. However, it is crucial for one to take personal care and also care for others’ safety in the work place. Simple rules like ‘avoid eating or drinking in the laboratory or work area’ may seem pointless to one but are critical in ensuring one’s safety at the work place. Discipline is a must do in places of work. Employers may have established a safe working place al right, but if one does not adhere to such guidelines, then the results cannot be avoided. Neglecting the rules and viewing them as normal operations is a big mistake. Steps Taken to Solve the Problem Before making any decisions on how to look for solution to hazard communication, the first and immediate step that the affected individual should be aware of is the type of chemical that they are exposed to at their workplaces. The identities of the chemicals should be based on the fact that employees rights and needs to know and be well informed on the identities and hazards of the chemicals that they are exposed to at the workplaces. After their awareness of the hazard identities, the employees need to be aware of the necessary and appropriate protective measures that they should take to prevent or curb the adverse effects caused by the hazards from occurring. Making the employees aware of the hazards and their effects is done through the Hazard Communication Standard. The acquired knowledge will be used to help the employers in the provision of safer work places for their employees. When the employees have the necessary information concerning the type of chemical being used in the workplace, they can take crucial step and reduce their exposures to these chemicals, establish proper and appropriate work practices, as well as, substitute less hazardous materials. Such efforts are necessary and will undoubtedly help in the prevention of the occurrences of any work related, as well as, the injuries caused by the chemicals used. Hazard Communication Standard is charged with two core roles, that is, they do the evaluation of chemical hazards and communicate the information to the workers in workplaces. The evaluation of chemical hazards involves several technical concepts and procedural follow-ups. Therefore, it requires proper professional judgment and decision making of experienced experts in the field. This is the reason why the HCS was formed so that the employers who use chemicals, but do not import or produce them, are not under the requirement of evaluating the chemical hazards. They cannot evaluate the chemical hazards of what they did not produce or import. This is because they know little concerning the chemical content of the chemicals. Determination of chemical hazards is always under the docket of the importers and manufactures of the chemicals. Manufacturers and importers are charged with responsibility of providing hazard information to the buyers or employers purchasing their goods. Besides, employers who do not import or produce their goods are required to lay their focus only on the parts of the goods that deals with workplace communication and program information to the workers. As explained in the first section of this paper, hazard communication is one of the major challenges that affect several corporations and other organizations, that are business oriented. Through convincing and distinct research done in this area of study, conclusion has been arrived at that, there many people whom this issue has seriously affected. This bring s up and clarifies on the necessity on the need and importance of coming up with a clear and cogent reason why it is a necessity to find a way on how to handle this issue. Coming up with a way implies initiating a driving force towards the achievement of the set goals. For instance, in this case, the first step that should be taken into consideration is proper evaluation of the solutions used as explained, their reliability as well as the outcome of their actions. After the creation of awareness to the employees, employers are charged with responsibility to familiarize themselves with the rules documented in the HCS Pamphlet. They should obtain their own copies from the existing local OSHA office within their localities. Employers should be aware that the standard is a long one and some of its parts are technical. However, the basic concepts hare simple and easy to comprehend. The requirements generally contain what many employers have been constantly doing for years. Employers must also be concerned with the requirement of the state concerning OSHA. This happens in case a state is OSHA –approved (United States Department of Labor). The requirements of the state concerning OSAHA may be different from the ones existing in the federal rules. In case of any problem related to hazard communication, employers should ensure that they contact their respective State OSHA offices in order to get more information concerning the applicable requirements. In the HCS, chemical importers and manufacturers ensure evaluation of the hazards in the chemicals that they import and produce respectively. Employers should note that HCS covers both health hazards and physical hazards. Health hazards include lung damage, cancer, and irritation. An example of physical hazards is flammability whereby an employee may be burnt when working. Research has proven that most of the chemicals that are used in industries have different forms and kinds of hazards. They are, therefore, covered in the program. Employers that are involved in the use of hazardous chemicals must ensure that the information related to the chemicals is provided to their employees at the appropriate time to avoid unnecessary injuries, and other hazardous effects (United States Department of Labor). In order to curb and reduce problems related to preparation and implementation of hazard communication program is necessary. Workplaces where employees are exposed to chemicals should have clear and defined plan that outlines and describes how the standard will be implemented to avoid the dangers. This is important to ensure that employers do not simply start up industries or establish work places and stations without taking into consideration the effects that the industry or works station may cause to their employees. The plan should not be lengthy and cumbersome. It should have an assurance that all the aspects of these requirements have been appropriately addressed. Trade associations and other several professional groups should ensure that they come up with sample programs and other assistant materials to ensure that the business or work is not interfered with due to minor and major accidents caused by the hazard chemicals. The general guidance may be helpful, but employers must bear in mind that the written program must reflect what the employees do in their workplaces. When a generic program is used, employers must ensure that they adapt it so that it directly addresses the facilities that it covers. This has been made possible, especially in states where OSHA, is regarded as the sole and main organization that handles chemical hazard related issues. For instance, in Ireland ChemHaz Solutions is the core organization that takes care of issues related to hazard communication. Another example is in Indiana State. Hazard communication issues are handled by the Indiana Department of Labor. Other measures, as outlined and elaborated in the previous section of the paper, should be taken into serious considerations. Besides, OSHA assists employers who seek its consultancy services through their experienced consultants (United States Department of Labor). From the above elaborations and illustrations, it is lucidly and undoubtedly true that most workers in several work places experience many problems that are directly or indirectly related to hazard communication. The above essay has discussed, in detailed and illustrative manner, the causes, effects as well as the remedies that should be taken into consideration to curb the problem professionally. Work Cited United States Department of Labor .Occupation Safety & Health Administration. 200 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20210. http://www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/whatishazcom.html Read More