Hazard Reporting and Control - Assignment Example

Hazard controls refer to those procedures that are laid down to protect people from being exposed to substances or systems and the processes required to monitor individuals’ exposure and their health to hazards such as chemicals, materials, noise, vibrations, etc. There are three categories of hazard controls and these include elimination or substitution, administrative controls, and engineering controls. An example of elimination/substitution control is when a hazard is something that can be removed or replaced such as replacing a faulty machine.

Examples of administrative controls include work policies and practices such as wearing of protective equipment e.g. helmets, ensuring ventilation, the timing of work and machinery, etc. forms of engineering controls include design and modification of machinery, providing ventilation systems, etc. (Goetsch 120-250). Tetrahedron The following are the four sides of the IH tetrahedron; Fuel, heat, oxygen, and a chemical chain reaction that are necessary for a fire to begin. Modes of contaminants entry There are majorly four modes of contaminants entry into a body: the first is ingestion where an individual ingests (eats or drinks) a chemical by accident.

The second is inhalation where airborne contaminant e.g. fumes and vapors can be inhaled directly into the lungs. The third mode is absorption where a contaminant E.g. chemical powder, enters the body through skin openings and lastly injection where an individual may accidentally cut or step directly onto contaminated object thus injecting himself with a contaminant, for example, a knife cut (Goetsch, 120-250). Definitions and descriptions of TLV-TWA, TLV-STEL, TLV-C, PEL Threshold Limit value-Time-Weighted Average (TLV-TWA) means the average concentration of a chemical to which it is acceptable to expose a worker over a certain period of time usually 8 hours.

Threshold Limit Value-Short Term Exposure Limit (TLV-STEL) means the maximum concentration that is recommended for a continuous 15-minute exposure time. Threshold Limit Value-Ceiling exposure value (TLV-C) means the limit exposure that should not be exceeded under any circumstances. Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) is a value approved by law that spells out the maximum time exposure allowed to a hazardous chemical (Oxford University). Categories of industrial stressors There are four classifications of environmental stressors and these include physical hazards caused by loud noise and vibrations, chemical hazards resulting from chemical burns and sprays, fumes and explosions, biological hazards caused by viruses, bacteria, vermin, etc.

and ergonomic hazards caused by tools and work conditions such lighting, ventilation, etc. (Reese, 150-175). HAZCOM requirements First, Employers are expected to train and provide information to employees of the classes of chemicals that they may be exposed to at work. Secondly, it is also compulsory for importers, distributors, and manufacturers to label containers of hazardous chemicals. Thirdly, Pharmaceutical manufacturers and importers are expected to evaluate chemical hazards and their effects on individuals before releasing them for use and lastly Hazard information should be transmitted on Material Safety Data Sheets and must be given to the customer when the products are shipped (OSHA).

Definitions and descriptions of aerosols, vapor, dust, mists, fumes, gases Aerosols are liquid droplets or solid particles which are dispersed or spread in the air e.g. aerosol from paint sprays. Dusts are airborne solid particles between 0.1- 25 micron that result from crushing solids. Fumes refer to airborne solid particles less than 1 micron produced when volatilized materials condense in the air e.g. fumes from chlorine gas. Mists are liquid droplets suspended in the air resulting from agitating liquids for example mist from herbicide sprays.

Gases are formless fluids that occupy space, for example cooking gas. Vapors are unstable forms of liquids or solids that occur in the air from evaporation, for example, water vapor (Reese, 150-175).