The Statutory Responsibility Placed on Acme Hydrocarbons Ltd and the Contractor Flow Systems Ltd - Assignment Example

FV2102 ASSIGNMENT Name: Course: Tutor: Institution Name: Date: FV2102 2014/15 Assignment Question One The statutory responsibility placed on Acme Hydrocarbons Ltd and the Contractor Flow Systems Ltd Regulation of occupational safety and health is a relatively a phenomenon that was developed during labor movements in industrial revolution to address worker’s concerns, specifically health and safety. Health and safety legislation in the U.K is drawn up and imposed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in cooperation with the local authorities under Health and Safety at Work Act (HASAWA) of 1974. In 1883, Otto von Bismarck inaugurated what came to be the first social insurance legislation law in the western world. Section 2 of the act provides a general responsibility for employers to ensure that their employees work under safe and healthful conditions, including their welfare. HSE continue to make regulations that give absolute duties of reasonable practicability based on risk assessments. OSHA has been able to change the work area through research and implementation of labor and business approved standards, and setting the required ergonomic standards[Joh99]. During the United Kingdom financial year 2011-12, 171 cases of fatal workplace injuries were reported, compared to 651 cases in 1974. This was a decline from 2.9% to 0.6% per 10,000 workers. In 1970, the U.S president, Richard M. Nixon, put down his signature on the Occupational Safety and Health Act. This act led to formation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) agency in the United States labor department whose strategic operational activities form the duties and responsibilities of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of U.S Labor Department. Signing of the act was as a result of an alarming rate of occupational health and safety statistics at workplaces; 300,000 emerging cases of illnesses related to workplaces, 2.5 million disabilities and 14,000 cases of health and safety fatalities. These figures were morally unacceptable both domestically and international levels, a situation that painted a bad reflection for the administration[Uni03]. OSHA, as a federal agency in the U.S, it is responsible for setting safety standards at work place, conducting inspections and wherever deemed fit, impose employer fines. Many people still do not understand the responsibilities and range of activities that the agency carries out. Acme Hydrocarbons Ltd and Flow Systems Ltd should adopt all the rules and regulations provided to safeguard safety and health issues. The employers bear the responsibility of providing a workplace that is safe and healthful. They have to comply with all standards that are applicable with OSHA. This include complying with the OSHA General Duty Clause that reqiures all employers to free their work place of any seious recognized hazards. Occupational safety and health (OSH) is important for legal, moral and even financial reasons. Under common law jurisdictions, Acme Hydrocarbons Ltd and Flow Systems Ltd have a law duty that reflects a moral obligation to make sure that their employees work under reasonable care. The statute law is built upon this to effect other additional duties, introduce other specific duties and form government bodies with mandate to regulate issues related to workplace health and safety[Mar10]. Question Two Critical analysis of the data From Water Plant Chemical Treatment Log, and the risk of exposure to legonnela bacteria. OSHA has been recognized as the main resource for handling safety and health issues within the working places. The mission for the agency is to ensure that all employees work under healthy and safe environments, taking care of their welfare by issue of enforcing standards as per the specifications set in various codes. The agency also participates in the provision of information on safety and health, education, assistance, recognition through outreach programs and training workshops for employees. HSE has provided a guideline to good practice standards that help in controlling of risks from substances that are hazardous to public health, with information sources for assessment process. The cooling water temperatures observed from 7/4/11 to 26/5/ 11 are beyond the recommended operation range of 15-20 OC for the return water. Furthermore, the temperatures of returning water from the cooling system of 20oC and above that were recorded from 21/4/11 to 26/4/11 provide a suitable ground for the multiplication proliferation of legionella bacteria and their source of nutrient organisms such as algae, bacteria, fungi and other organic matter. This range of temperatures can also elevate formation of rusts and scales. The growth and flourish of these micro-organisms leads to formation of biofilms on the surfaces of the system. Biocides are added to water to control the activity of micro-organisms by preventing their proliferation. As noted, the chemical is unavailable in the treatment plant from 5/5/11, a problem that resulted to the growth of green algae as was reported on 19/5/11by the facility operator. Application of biocides in the water treatment programme is effective in controlling the proliferation of legionella and adherence to the recommend doses at all times will ensure its success. There was a foreseen breakdown of the plant drift eliminator and the pump whose repair or replacement has been delayed, causing unusual operating conditions. The cooling system is designed and constructed in a way that it can effectively control release of draft to make plant operations safer, clean and disinfected. The drift eliminators are meant to reduce aerosol drift and have to be fitted. To avoid breakdowns, the drift eliminators have to be regularly maintained so that the release of aerosol is continually controlled. They have to be inspected regularly to ensure that they are clean and maintained so that they are not affected by bio fouling, scale, corrosion and other deposits. Water softeners are administered according to the recommendations of the specific manufacturer. Their function is to disinfect and clean the resin and brine tank. The records indicate that the last laboratory test samples were taken on 24/2/11. Since then, no samples were taken for laboratory analysis. The water quality, chemical use and water use should be assessed at one month intervals to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the water treatment regime. This includes major microbial and chemical parameters, and internal conditions of water, such as temperature, hardness, dissolved and suspended substances, and alkalinity. Monitoring these parameters at the specified frequency will enable identification of any changes; hence, appropriate measures can be taken. In conclusion of the current risk of exposure to legonnela bacteria: A number of factors exist in the water treatment plant that creates a risk of acquiring legionellosis. Such factors include: favorable temperatures >20oC which provide suitable conditions for growth of microorganisms such as the legonnela bacteria. The supply of biocide chemical that assists in killing of micro-organisms is delayed, posing a risk of growth of the bacteria and other microorganisms that provide nutrients. Water sample tests are not regularly carried out at the recommended interval of one month. Lack of regular monitoring of parameters of interest poses danger to human health as the levels of infection of legonnela bacteria may be at sufficiently high levels to cause legionellosis. Break down of drift eliminator and tripping of the pump. Question Three A reply to the HSE Inspector’s letter To: HSE Inspector From: Mr Plant 10th June 2011 Re: Inspections of Premises Acme Hydrocarbons Ltd I refer to your inspection that you carried at Acme Hydrocarbons Ltd on 28th May 2011. Through your inspection, we have found out that our water treatment system has experienced changes in operating conditions that require necessary corrective measures. The returning water temperatures of the cooling system have risen above the reccomended ranges of 15-18 degrees centigrade, a condition that favours the growth and development of microbial activity, specifically the bacterium Legionella pneumophila. This bacteria causes legionnaires’ disease which is a serous form of pneumonia and exposes the plant operator to potential infection risks. The damaged drift eliminator has increased the risk of spreading the legionnaires’ disease as more aerosol is released into the atmosphere. We light of the above problems, I intend to take approprite measures to control this risk of exposure to the bacteria, as far as it can be reasonably practicable, by taking the following actions: Purchasing and installing a new drift eliminator from a certiffied supplier to reduce aerosol drift and hire a contractor to regularly maintain the drift eliminator for continued control of aerosols. Inform the management of Flow Systems Ltd about the cooling system failure and follow for an immediate action. This will ensure that the recommended temperatures are restored to reduce the proliferation of the bacteria and other microorganisms. Carefully follow the COSHH framework of actions that are designed and laid down to control the risk of hazardous biological substances, specifically the legonnela bacteria. Take water samples for laboratory testing and analysis, and thereof, do routine monthly tests as recommended by the COSHH regulations for monotoring microbial activity and see if the control is being achieved. We shall seek an experienced microbiologist to carry out the test and interprete the results. Immediately provide a supply of biocide Repair the tripped pump To diagonize our employees for the legionellosis disease, and take the necessary actions for those found infected. As the site manager, I will make a full and proper implementation of these control measures. In addition, I will also arrange for a team from management of health and safety to provide health and safety advice to our employees. This will enable them have suitable training, instruction and sufficient information. References Joh99: , (John R. Ridley, 1999), Uni03: , (United States, Office of Technology Assessment, Congress, 2003), Mar10: , (Mark A. Friend, 2010), Read More