Hazard/Incident report about the defective X-ray machine - Essay Example

Hazard/Incident Report and Assignment Assignment part HAZARD/INCIDENT REPORT FORM Who reported the hazard/incident? Sarah Andesine Time: 7.00 am Date: Friday 1st April 2011 2. What is the Hazard/Incident? A defective X-ray machine that produced excess x-ray rays that led to the death of a patient during an x-ray examination. The machine had not been used for a while and had not been checked before the operation. 3. What has been done to rectify the hazard/ incident? The x-ray equipment was replaced immediately by a new one.

The x-ray machine technician was suspended for failing to ensure that the machine is in good working condition before using. New policies have been set up to ensure all equipment is checked before being used. Time: 11:00 am. Date: Monday 3rd March 2011 4. What further Action needs to be taken? I. The management needs to ensure that machines used for patient examination are in good working condition before they can be used. II. The doctors need to be trained to identify faulty machines before they can use them to examine patients. III. More technicians need to be employed to help in maintenance of the machines as the present one is being overworked. 5. Referred to the Manager for information/action Date: Monday 8th March 2011 Signed: Wilson Anderson Date: 8th February 2011 6.

Action taken by Administration I. The hospital administration will ensure strict compliance to procedures that are expected of all doctors before using a machine. II. The hospital administration will bring in more staff by the end of the month to help in checking and maintaining all machines and replacing the faulty ones. III. The hospital has decided to compensate the family members of the deceased. Assignment Part Two Categories of Hazard Controls Hazard controls are procedures that to protect people from being exposed to substances or systems as well as the processes instituted to monitor individuals’ exposure and their health to hazards.

Three categories of hazard controls exist and these include elimination/substitution controls, administrative and engineering controls. An example of elimination/substitution control is where a hazard is an object that can be removed or replaced such as a chemical spills. Examples of administrative controls comprise of work policies and practices e.g. wearing of protective equipment such as helmets, providing proper ventilation of buildings, timing of work and machinery etc. Forms of engineering controls consist of design of machinery and buildings etc.

(Goetsch 120-250). The IH Tetrahedron The four sides of the IH tetrahedron consist of; Fuel, heat, oxygen, and a chemical chain reaction, that are essential for a fire to begin. Modes of contaminants entry into the Body Modes of contaminants entry into a body include: ingestion where an individual eats or drinks a chemical by accident for example through water or food. Inhalation where airborne contaminant e.g. fumes and gases are inhaled directly into the lungs. Absorption where a contaminant E.g. a salt, penetrates the skin and lastly injection where a person may accidentally prick themselves with a contaminated object thus injecting themselves with a contaminant, e.g. cuts by metals and moving parts of machines (Goetsch, 120-250).

Descriptions of TLV-TWA, TLV-STEL, TLV-C, PEL Threshold Limit value-Time-Weighted Average (TLV-TWA) is the average concentration of a chemical that is allowed to expose a worker to over a certain period usually approximately eight hours. Threshold Limit Value-Short Term Exposure Limit (TLV-STEL) is the highest concentration that is permitted for a continuous fifteen minute exposure. Threshold Limit Value-Ceiling exposure value (TLV-C) is the highest exposure that must not be exceeded at any time.

Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) is an absolute value approved by law that depicts the maximum exposure time allowed to a hazardous chemical (Oxford University). Categories of industrial stressors Four major categories of environmental stressors exist and these comprise of physical hazards caused by loud noise, excessive heat and machine vibrations, chemical hazards caused by chemical burns, vapors and fumes, biological hazards caused by viruses, fungi, bacteria, etc. and ergonomic hazards resulting from tools, conditions such lighting, ventilation etc.

(Reese, 150-175). Four HAZCOM requirements First, all employers are obligated to train and inform employees of the possible classes of chemicals that they may be exposed to at work and their potential effects on them. Secondly, it is also required for importers, distributers and manufacturers to label containers of hazardous chemicals especially when on transit outside and within a company unless otherwise. Thirdly, importers and manufacturers of pharmaceutical products are expected to assess chemical hazards and their potential effects on people before they are released for use and lastly Hazard information should be transmitted on MSDS, Material Safety Data Sheets and should be produced to the customer when the products are shipped especially for the first time (OSHA).

Definitions and descriptions of aerosols, vapor, dust, mists, fumes, gases Aerosols refer to any liquid droplets or solid particles that are dispersed in the air e.g. aerosol from sprays. Dusts are airborne solid particles in the range of 0.1- 25 micron that result from crushing and blasting solids. Fumes are airborne solid particles that are less than 1 micron resulting from volatilized that condenses in the air e.g. fumes welding. Mists are liquid droplets suspended in the air resulting from stirring liquids for example mist from insecticides sprays.

Gases are fluids that do not have a specific form and occupy space, for example carbon dioxide gas, propane in cylinders. Vapors are volatile forms of liquids or solids that are generated by evaporation for example water vapor (Reese, 150-175). Works Cited Goetsch, David L. Occupational safety and health for technologists, engineers and managers. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008, pp 120-250 OSHA. Occupational Safety and Health administration: Hazard Communication. 2010. 7 October 2011 .

Oxford University. The Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Oxford University, England: chemical Safety Information. April 2008. 8 October 2011 . Reese, Charles D. Occupational safety and health management- A practical approach. New york: CRC press, 2009, pp 150-175