: Cleaning up After Hurricane Katrina - Case Study Example

The recovery process required a wide range of efforts and processes that required various competencies in various fields. The disastrous effects of the hurricane did not leave out the New Orleans Hospital, and after six weeks from the event, the services of an Industrial Hygienist are required. The responsibilities of this industrial hygienist will be to supervise a team that will return to the hospital, evaluate the situation and participate in a plan to re-establish basic medical needs for the workers involved in the recovery effort.

This paper seeks to provide a highlight of the activities and responsibilities that the industrial hygienist will address and provide suggestions as to how they should go about the whole exercise. An industrial hygienist (IH) applies scientific knowledge and skills to anticipate, recognize, evaluate and control workplace environments that may have the potential to cause workers’ injury or illness (Rose & Cohrssen, 2011). Industrial Hygienist applies analytical and environmental monitoring techniques to detect the extent of employee exposure to risk factors.

They employ work practice controls, engineering and other methods to control potential health hazards (Rose & Cohrssen, 2011). . The determination of these factors will enable the IH recommend appropriate action to mitigate against these risks. IH recognize the importance of work practice, engineering and administrative controls as the primary means of reducing workers’ exposure to occupational hazards (Lee & Weinstock, 2011). Characteristics of engineering controls include minimizing workers exposure by reducing and eliminating hazards at the source or isolating employees from the contaminant or hazard.

The also involve controls entail eliminating toxic chemicals and replacing toxic and harmful substances, installing local and general ventilation systems and enclosing work operations (Moe, 2010). Work practice controls entail altering the manner in which tasks are performed, and they include inspecting and maintaining processes and controlling equipment on a regular basis (Morawetz, 2013). According to Morawetz (2013), it requires adhering to procedures that minimize exposures while operating equipment and controlling production.

Administrative controls include controlling worker’s by scheduling worker’s tasks and production in ways that minimize levels of risks and exposure. Some common hazards that might be encountered in the hospital include air contaminants, chemical, biological, physical and ergonomic hazards. The above-mentioned hazards can manifest themselves in a hospital under different conditions and due to various factors. There will also be additional hazards and risk factors introduced by the effects of the hurricane.

These might include polluted water containing contaminants like sewerage, mud and other materials that could have been collected by the floodwaters.