Usage and Adoption Measures for Enhanced Worker Health - Essay Example

Personal Protective Equipment – Usage and adoption measures for enhanced worker health and safety work conditions Executive summary In any organization, people safety is the most crucial and important element management has to care for. Individuals working in different industries and factories are now using the personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect themselves from any possible hazards at the workplace. In the manufacturing units, the possibility of meeting with an accident is very high. It is imperative for the workers and the people to ensure that their safety is given utmost importance. People who work at the construction site wear helmets to protect themselves from any physical injury. In the ancient times the warriors too used a protective device like armors. Work safety standards are implemented in the workplace In order to protect the workers from any kind of accidents onsite; PPE holds a significant place in an organization. PPE in a broad sense can be any kind of protective device used by the workers at the workplace to prevent any anticipated accident. This includes any clothing or gear such as gloves, boots, helmets, face masks that can be used to safeguard against possible infection or accident. The kind of hazards may vary from one place to another or from one occupation to another. However, evidence suggests that the proper usage of PPE at workplace faces distinct challenges and limitations. This exposes the workers to health and safety impacts from potential hazards. The report provides an in-depth analysis of what are the types of hazards faced by the workforce and how PPE can help in ensuring the safety of the workers. This is followed by an assessment of the challenges faced by organizations in ensuring the proper use of PPE and the perspectives attached to the use of PPE. The report concludes with the measures that an organization can take to educate the employees in the proper use of PPE. Contents Executive summary 2 Introduction 4 PPE Standards and Regulations 4 Challenges faced by organizations in the proper usage of PPE 6 Risk mitigation with effective use of PPE 7 Observations and conclusion 11 References: 14 Introduction The workplace presents different kinds of hazards that can compromise the worker’s health and safety. Such hazards exist in the form of chemical hazards, emission of toxic gases, bacterial infection, hazards at a cracker factory, wrongly placed machines, improper use of electrical devices, radiation of light and work done in mines. While controlling these hazards may be the best solution to safeguard employee health and safety, it is not always possible to eliminate such hazards (OSHA, 2003). The workplace provides its employees with protective equipment that can help in minimizing the health or safety risks to which the employees are exposed. Personal Protective Equipment or PPE are the protective devices used by the professionals or the workers to prevent any damage but they cannot prevent any accident at workplace. For example, doctors are supposed to use the gloves and face masks to prevent any contamination of infections. These protective devices cannot remove the infection from spreading in the hospitals. Usage of these protective devices has now become a mandate in almost all the organizations. PPE Standards and Regulations The element of work safety standard is widely used across all the organizations. Organizational Safety and Health Administration department in United States (OSHA) has ruled out some basic safety measured to be followed at any workplace. They have identified many aspects of standard to minimize any risk or hazards. This will help in regulating the exposure of worker to any possible accident or risk. It is imperative for the management to implement these PPE programs to ensure that a worker understands the importance of the same. Training is provided to teach and guide the workers regarding the using of these protective devices. The effectiveness of these programs can be understood and felt if and only if the workers are trained to use them properly. The standard and the guidelines set by OSHA includes the instructions which covers the any possible but it is not “limited to assessment of hazards, in and around the workplace, identification of any proper safety equipment, and how to properly fit and use safety equipment” (INDSPL, 2009). The PPE standards were formed in the year 1994. According to the OSHA regulations, the management has to take responsibility to assess any possible hazards at the workplace. They have to outline all the anticipated risks and identify any potential hazards which might result in personal damage. After a thorough study and assessment of these hazards the management has to choose the relevant protective device to prevent the workforce from any potential hazards happening at the workplace. There should be provision of providing free protective devices to all the workers. This should be used by the workforce while executing their work. It is necessary that all the protective devices are in good condition. It should fit the employee correctly. Approval is required by the management for using any personal protective device at the work place. Proper training should be provided to each and every employee for correct usage of PPE. The trainings should be able to encourage and guide the worker to use the protective equipment. Training programs should describe the time, how, when and why to use a PPE. The workers need to be trained as to how to store the PPE when not in use. The OSHA standards has outlined the importance of these trainings and declared as mandatory to all the workers. Regular audits should be done to check if the PPE equipments are in order or if they need to be replaced. Proper records of these trainings and a constant assessment of work environment is needed to ensure that all possible risk and dangers are analyzed. Challenges faced by organizations in the proper usage of PPE A survey by the Occupational Safety and Health Council (2000) on the usage of PPE in Hong Kong revealed that most of the employers used cheap PPE gear to save costs and these gears did not conform to the standards of health and safety requirements. The survey also revealed that 70 percent of the workers did not recognize the significance of the use of PPE and most of them treated it as an additional burden that can be avoided. Another study by Singh and Gupta (2009) highlights the poor and inadequate measures taken by workers in the form of using proper PPE during pesticide application in rural areas of India. This increased the health risk to which the farmers are exposed due to inhaling pesticides. Another report by Willis, Castle, Sloss and Bartis (2006) claim that while PPE are supplied to workers at construction sites or other industrial sectors, there is limited training offered to these workers on the proper use and selection of PPE to minimize health and safety hazards. The NCDMPH report (2007) on the usage of PPE identified the key limitations facing the adoption and proper usage of PPE at workplace. These limitations are identified as the restricted movement of workers due to the heavy weight of some protective gears, discomfort, and difficulty in communicating due to face covered by the gears, feeling of confinement, increased heat, risk of dehydration, ill fitting equipment, and inability to wear these gears for long time (NCDMPH, 2007). It is observed that merely telling the workers to wear helmet will not be effective enough to get the work done. This has to be added with examples and explaining the consequences one may encounter for not using helmet. The communication wherein the management merely tells the workers to use the PPE will not be sufficient to make them understand the criticality of the situation. They are not much respected and heeded by the workers. A training session is needed and is essential to demonstrate, elaborate the needs and consequences of using a PPE. The training program ensures that the safety and the health practices are followed by the workers at the workplace (NJDHSS, 2003). The health hazards worker are exposed to at every stage needs to be properly and effectively communicated to the workers. Initiative should be taken to focus on attaining the goal or the aim of the company, keeping everyone safe and sound. The need and importance of PPE in controlling or the prevention of the hazards should be clearly chalked out. “No program can be complete without training to ensure the optimum use of PPE” (CCOHS, 2009). Industry survey reports and research observations have indicated that a simple verbal message regarding the use of PPE is not sufficient to make the workers understand about the seriousness of the issue (HKICNA, 2011). Such efforts have to be supported by videos taken from the work place helps the worker to correlate the potential risk of damage or health hazard. Along with need of using the PPE, the workers need training on how to use the PPE. Moreover, the size of the PPE given to them by the management should be proper. They should know the ways o adjust the fitting of the PPE, if they need to do so. The visual aids and the presentation in the form of a movie can also be shown to the workers. The movies made on PPE create interests among the workers to understand the situation and the importance of PPE by going through the entire session. Risk mitigation with effective use of PPE There are three basic criteria or elements to ensure that the training program is effective. These three elements are the protection of the worker, working in accordance with the set rules and regulations by OSHO and the ease of using the technical methods. (CCOHS, 2009).There is an immense role of the management towards the protection of the workers, controlling the work environment towards minimizing any potential hazards. The potential risk or the hazard should be understood and analyzed at the inception. If the organization misses any problem area the entire training program and the PPE usage goes in vain.” This safe place approach may require substitution of a material with non hazardous ones, isolation of hazards, addition of safety features to existing equipment, redesign of the work processes, or purchase of new equipment” (CCOHS, 2009). The management and the training program should be able to create awareness and promote health consciousness at the workplace. Each and every person visiting the workplace or the floor should use the safety measures or the PPE. There should be an active participation among the workers towards adhering to the rules of OSHO. The senior management, the line manger or any supervisor and other staff who enter the work premises should strictly follow the guidelines of the PPE program. The selection of PPE is based on the anticipated risk or the hazard a person is exposed to. This also includes the technical feasibility which decides if a specific gear or equipment is appropriate for that area of risk. Another factor which decides the type of PPE is the cost. The trainer would explain the need and importance of any PPE training program per se, the time of using the PPE, how and when to use the PPE. It also underlines the theory as to when a PPE needs to be replaced or cannot be used. The training programs needs to be supplemented with the strict disciplinary action and strict policies in place. Many a time a worker may neglect any protective measures thinking nothing will happen even if they don’t use it. Here the attitude of the worker has to be changed and disciplinary actions should be taken, if the worker refuses to use any safety device. This will cultivate the habit of using the PPE among the workers. The regulations or the standard set by the OSHO should be implemented at the workplace. There are numerous guidelines and rules formed by the government towards protection of the workers at the workplace. The utility of the set of rules proves useless unless and until they are strictly adhered to. Management should ensure that all the workers are using the PPE .They should regularly check to see that everyone is following the same. Any lapse on the management’s part proves detrimental. In some organizations there is a communication lapse between the management and the employees which results in accidents. It is imperative for the organizations to ensure that their company is abiding by the rules and the regulations set up by OSHO. The company and the workers will be able to work in a safe and healthy workplace if the safety protocols are properly followed. The primary requisite or the basic necessity in ensuring and promoting the practice of using PPE is an effective training. The management should see that the trainers are quite mature and knowledgeable in that area. They should be able to convince the employees on the benefits of using the PPE. The potential problems or the damages should also be shown to the workers. In a nutshell it can be ascertained that a proper training as well as the proper equipment both are essential. The correct method of using the PPE should be known to all the employees. On the onset the risk areas or the zones should be identified. The management should take an active participation in listing those fields or places which can cause accident. For the formulation of the training plan first and foremost assessment of occupational hazards should be ruled out. The chart below shows a detailed structure about the source of hazards, the type of hazards, its consequences, which type of PPE to be used. This chart shows the potential health or physical hazard which a worker is exposed in the organization. After having collected all the relevant information about the risk zones the training module is prepared. The management has to fill up the chart after a detailed study and analysis of the work environment. Date of assessment Source of hazard Activities posing hazard Type of hazard Impact or consequences PPE that can be used Date of review The above information will help the organization get all the relevant information about the possible health hazards in the company and its impact on the workers. The dataset thus obtained can help the management and the organization understand the seriousness of using the PPE. This in turn will help the organization be a better work place. All these information thus obtained will help to create awareness among the workers also. The managers can create an effective and more reliable strategy for the prevention of accidents and injury at the work place. The effectiveness of the training module can be tested by the progress it shows towards attaining goal. Training and the development plans and the aim of the company should go in tandem with each other. The objectives should be well integrated with the goal of the organization .At the end of each training session as assessment should be done to check the effectiveness of the session. The intensity and the method adopted for the training purposes should be in accordance with the organization goal or aim. The training plan should be made according to the expected outcomes and the company’s needs and demands. The training plan consists of the learning, evaluation and understanding by the worker. The training need and the objectives should also be clearly communicated to the workers and the management .Their learning, scope, aim or the target of the company should be properly communicated. In the training session first and foremost an overview of the accidents or the hazards should be communicated. Then there is an evaluation criterion which helps the management to understand the knowledge of the worker towards that area. This is further followed by the detailed training classes wherein the use of PPE is told to each and every worker. This requires some demonstration also. The kit relating to the use of the PPE is provided to each and every worker. The training session is usually followed by a mock drill which shows how to use the PPE and its consequent advantages. Observations and conclusion The organizations should implement the safety and safety policies to ensure that the workplace turns out to be better place to work. These safety and health practices work as guide to the management and the workers for a safe operational practice. The training department will provide the necessary knowledge to the workers about the use and the importance of PPE. Their work is to communicate these policies to the employees. The training is of course done in a rational way so that the workers feel positive about using the PPE. The trainer’s work is to deliver the message of OSHO and the policies of their organization to the workers. They work as a platform wherein the workers can clear any doubt if they have towards using the PPE. All the employees, be it at any level, department or location has to adhere to the policies. The main function of the trainers is to communicate properly to the workers regarding the PPE. The basic and prime requisite of an effective training program that ensures effective usage of PPE at workplace is to ensure that there is an effective and smooth communication among the trainers and the learners. The trainings should be highly interactive and should be able to encourage both the learner and the trainer. It is required that the student or the learner is open to new ideas, encouraged to learn something new and motivated. The trainer should be able to gauge and understand the strength and weaknesses of the learner. The training module should be based on the learning capacity of the learner. The trainer should have an immense understanding of the course and should believe in the objective of the training. A positive attitude of the trainers is required for an effective delivery of information and knowledge to the learners. New and advanced technology is being devised and used for the effective delivery of information to the participants. It is imperative that the communication or the information is exchanged from both sides. Many companies are practicing the modern technology of internet and intranet to share information related to various health and safety measures. There are many forums which are used to deliver the message of using and practicing the PPE program. Web enabled trainings, video conferencing, web conferencing are also widely used as a training process to train the workers across organization. This can be highly effective and helpful for the employees situated at a remote place. Many organizations are still using the classroom settings to provide training to their workers. Here the interaction should be a two - way traffic. The management and the workers should understand the situation they are in and the way to execute the plan effectively. The positive interaction will help both the parties to draw a chart about all possible hazards and risk existing at the workplace. The workers also feel enthusiastic about the training program and it makes them feel valuable. According to the OSHA standard the organization must conduct a workplace survey and make a detailed chart enlisting all the possible risk zones and area. This helps to find out the nature of risk also. Base on these observations the managers decide upon the type of PPE to be used by the worker. The training module is then prepared. The training program and schedule is then communicated to all the workers. Their attendance is made mandatory. Management should make all the necessary changes to the PPE program if there is any operational change in the organization. In a nutshell, it is the duty of both the workers and the management to develop a culture of using PPE at the workplace. This will help the organization to grow and develop positively and effectively. References: CCOHS 2009, Designing an effective training program, [online] available from http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/prevention/ppe/designin.html (accessed 8 Dec 2012). FDA 2009, Personal protective equipment, [online] available from http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/MedicalToolsandSupplies/PersonalProtectiveEquipment/default.htm (accessed 8 Dec 2012). HKICNA 2011, Misconceptions on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), Hong Kong Infection Control Nurses Association, Issue 19. INDSPI 2009, Environmental, health and safety training programs, [online] available from http://www.indspi.com/programs1.htm (accessed 8 Dec 2012). NCDMPH 2007, Personal protective equipment, [online] available from http://ncdmph.usuhs.edu/Documents/Personal%20Protective%20Equipment,%20Decontamination.pdf (accessed 8 Dec 2012). NJDHSS 2003, Personal protective equipment, [online] available from http://www.state.nj.us/health/eoh/peoshweb/ppe.pdf (accessed 8 Dec 2012). OSHA 2009, Personal Protection Equipment, [online] available from http://www.free-training.com/osha/ppe/ppemenu.htm (accessed 8 Dec 2012). OSHA 2000, Assessing the need for personal protective equipment: a guide for small business employers, US Department of Labor, [online] available from http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3151.pdf (accessed 8 Dec 2012). OSHA 2003, Personal protective equipment, [online] available from http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3151.pdf (accessed 8 Dec 2012). Occupational Safety and Health Council 2000, A survey on usage of personal protective equipment in Hong Kong, [online] available from http://www.bre.polyu.edu.hk/research/ConstrSafetyAtHeight/archive/Fall_from_Height_Sol_%20HK/HKReport/OSHC_SurveyUsageProtectiveEquip.pdf (accessed 8 Dec 2012). Singh, B. and Gupta, M.K. 2009, Pattern of use of protective equipments and measures during application of pesticides by agricultural workers in a rural area of Ahmednagar district, India, Indian Journal of Occupational and environmental Medicine, 13(3), pp 127-130. Willis, H.H., Castle, N.G., Sloss, E.M., and Bartis, J.T. 2006, Protecting emergency responders – Personal protective equipment guidelines for structural collapse events, Volume 4, RAND publication. Read More