Advanced Studies in Occupational Safety and Health - Assignment Example

Advanced Studies in Occupational Safety & Health By 09, May a) Define hypoxia and hyperoxia. (b) Discuss altitude sickness. Hypoxia is defined as Clinical manifestation of respiratory distress consisting of a relatively complete absence of oxygen.1 It is a pathological state in which the body lacks adequate oxygen supply.2 It could be the whole body (generalised hypoxia) or a part of the body, which is referred to as tissue hypoxia. It could be a variation as a result of normal psychology, for example, arising from strenuous physical exercises. Resulting difference between demand and supply of oxygen at the cellular level can result in hypoxia. On the other hand, hyperoxia is defined as ‘increased amount of oxygen in tissues and organs’.3 It is ‘conditions of the body exemplified by greater oxygen content of the tissues and organs than normally exists at sea level’.4 It can result from breathing oxygen at pressures greater than normal atmospheric pressure. Altitude sickness is a general term encompassing a spectrum of disorders that occur at higher altitudes.5 It results when one cannot get sufficient oxygen at the air in the high altitude. It is the body’s reaction to a lack of available oxygen in the atmosphere. Oxygen concentration reduces with increasing altitude. Naturally, altitude sickness occurs from around 8000 Feet’s although, in some instances, it does occur at a lower altitude. When ones go up too fast, the body is deprived off the oxygen it needs. The situation is characterised by several symptoms that include nausea, headache, shortness of breath and extreme fatigue. The best solution is to descending a few thousand feet until the person begins to feel better.6 To add, the odds of getting altitude sickness are significantly reduced by drinking water, eating well and gaining altitude gradually. 2. List at least five lightning hazard control measures. They include the following; Placing lightning rods in such a manner that, the upper end is higher than nearby structures. Desist from standing near tall objects or in high places. This is because trees in an open place could be the tallest objects. Avoid working with gases or flammable liquids during electric storms. Making sure that all electrical equipment is grounded properly.7 If inside an automobile, stay inside the automobile. Wearing rubber clothing if outdoors. If in a metal building, stay in the building and do not touch the walls of the building. 3. Explain the best ways to prevent an office fire. Offices are predisposed to fire from a horde of sources. The impacts can be disastrous, for example, since a variety of things are kept in the office ranging from personal property to tremendously valuable work related material. Therefore, it is essential to develop ways to prevent office fire. It can be prevented through some strategies. First, electrical equipment should be well maintained. Most office fires result from faulty electrical appliances. Therefore, a well maintained electrical system provides the surest way to prevent fire from arising from electrical faults. This can be done by avoiding overloading electrical, outlets though, certifying that there are a satisfactory number of outlets to reduce the need for extension cords, therefore, reducing fire hazards. However, if it is necessary to use a fire cord, it ought to be placed in such a way to prevent it running across a walk away, and if it has to run across the walkaway, it should be taped to the floor so as to prevent potential tripping hazard. Moreover, it can be done by ensuring that poor quality; non-approved office appliances such as coffeemakers are not used as they tend to have a greater chance of developing electrical shorts resulting to shock and fires. Secondly, combustible material such as paper should be stored properly. The store should be located in areas that are far away from heat sources. They should be well stored and not stacked up. To add, sprinklers and fire detectors should be installed around the store. Thirdly, it is essential to install smoke detectors and maintain them frequently. Smoke detectors are the first line of defence, and they should be supplemented by sprinklers to fight fire immediately it erupts. To add, it is crucial to install and maintain well, fire extinguishers. They should be sufficient in number, and all employees should be taught to how use them. Finally, all employees should be trained how to activate the fire alarm. Moreover, they should be shown the escape routes and location of the staircases and frequent fire drills conducted to keep the employees ready to tackle any fire disaster. Other measure includes; a) Keeping equipment that generates heat such as printers, away from combustibles. b) Proper storage of combustible materials. c) Promoting maximum electrical safety. d) Calling gas company officials to investigate any gas leak. 4. Define the term industrial hygiene. (b) List five OSHA requirements relating to industrial hygiene. (c) What is the role of the safety and health professional regarding industrial hygiene? Industrial hygiene is defined to mean as the art of anticipating, evaluating, recognizing, and controlling workplace conditions that may lead to workers injury or illness.8 OSHA requirements for industrial hygiene include the following; 9 Recognizing, anticipating, and evaluating latent workplace hazards before they exist.10 Executing administrative controls when it is not practicable to implement engineering controls. Implementing recommended engineering controls where feasible.11 Choosing the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Surveying work areas to detect hazards, for example toxic agents, ventilation and noise and taking appropriate measures to reduce them Teaching employees to recognize hazards and to take corrective measures that guarantee their safety, whenever working under potentially hazardous conditions.12 Safety and health professionals play several roles to ensure industrial hygiene. First they develop and administer procedures to ensure compliance with health and safety in areas of their specialism. Secondly, they ensure a close liaison with scientific, engineering, technical and maintenance staff to ensure implementation of the regulations pertaining to health and safety. Third, they should organise and deliver diverse training courses to both the managers and staff within the organization, in core safety subjects. Lastly, they should participate and lead as necessary in an emergency in emergency and unplanned emergencies. 5. (a) What does the acronym AIDS mean? (b) List five symptoms of AIDS. (c) What are the three known ways AIDS is transmitted? The acronym AIDS stands for Acquired immunodeficiency Syndrome. The persons infected with aids exhibit the following symptoms.13 a) Unexpected weight loss which occurs over a short period of time. b) Unexplained fever, shaking chills or drenching night sweats, lasting longer than several weeks. c) Persistent diarrhoea. d) Shortness of breath, gradually getting worse over several weeks, accompanied by a dry, irritating cough. e) Persistent skin rashes. The 3 major ways in which Aids is transmitted includes the following; a) Through having unprotected sex with an infected person. Semen and virginal secretions contain HIV virus, which may infect, mucous membrane directly or enter through cuts and sores caused during intercourse. b) Through infected blood, for example during blood transfusion or during transplant from an infected donor. c) Passing HIV from mother to child during childbirth or through breastfeeding. 6. Question 16. (a) What elements should a disaster recovery plan contain? (b)Explain the precautions that should be taken before resuming business after a disaster The 3 key elements of a disaster recovery plan: a) There should be emergency response procedures which should be well documented to address the appropriate response to a fire, natural disaster or any activity in order to protect lives and check damages. b) There should be back up operations procedures to ensure that essential data processing operational tasks can be conducted after the disruption. c) Recovery Action procedures to facilitate rapid restoration of data processing systems following a disaster. Following a disaster, the following precautions are necessary before resuming the business; first, the building should be secured well and inspected before any person re-enters it. A qualified professional should be used to authenticate the integrity of the building afore employee’s returns to the facility. Then, the electrical system and computers should be inspected to ensure that no one is exposed to the dangers of electricity. The wiring should be inspected to ensure that naked wires are not predisposed to water. To add, waters within the facility should be tested for contamination. Moreover, the atmosphere should be checked to ensure that there is no asbestos or other toxic chemical substance. Finally, the fire and smoke alarms should be cleaned and tested to certify that they are functioning well. 7. Question 6: Fire is a chemical reaction. Explain this chemical reaction Fire is the swift oxidation of materials in an exothermic chemical process called combustion to release heat, light and various other reaction products. The flame consist the visible part of the fire, and it comprises of glowing hot gases, which if hot enough, they become ionized to produce plasma. It starts when a combustible object, mixed with an oxidiser, for example, oxygen from the air, is exposed to heat beyond the ignition temperature of the material. The combustible object undergoes a chemical reaction during which it is reduced into a gaseous state. These gaseous materials rise and combine with oxygen from the air. If the gases are hot enough, they ignite, and the visible flame arises. Fire reacts with oxygen to produce a variety of produce example co2 and CO and various other compounds hence oxidation of various substances. The heat produced sustains the combustion, meaning that it results to a chain reaction. 8. Question 5 Explain five strategies for establishing an effective electrical safety Program. Electrocution accounts to an unusually high number of workplace deaths. Consequently, an electrical safety program is essential and should incorporate the following. First, all employees should be trained to identify and control all the hazards associated with electrical energy in the work place. Secondly, additional specialized electrical safety training should be provided to those working with or around exposed components of electrical circuits so that they can learn how to take care when around such areas. Thirdly, testing or detecting equipment should be provided for those who work directly with electrical energy that ensures their safety during performance of their assigned tasks. To add, one should ensure compliance with the National Electrical Code and the National Electrical Safety Code. Finally, safety meetings and drills should be conducted regularly so as to keep the employees ready for any eventuality. 9. Question 14 Emergency is defined as sudden, urgent, usually unexpected occurrence or occasion requiring immediate action.14 Rationale for emergency preparation includes the desire to reduce economic damage and economic losses from natural disasters. Consequently, it helps to ameliorate the impact of the disaster. Secondly, emergency preparations help to save lives when the disaster strikes. Finally, it helps to reduce structural damage as structures that can withstand and sustain natural disasters. Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act is a statute designed to improve the community’s access to information about chemical hazards and also to facilitate the development of emergency response plans. Its main provisions include section 302 that requires facilities to notify both SERC and LEPC of the presence of extremely hazardous substance. Further, agricultural establishments storing any amount of ‘extremely hazardous’, above specified threshold must notify the state and the local emergency planning committee. Secondly, section 313 requires manufacturing facilities specified in SIC code to submit an annual toxic chemical report, if they have more than 10 employees and if they manufacture, process, or use specified chemicals in an amount greater than the threshold quantities. Thirdly, section 304 obligates a facility to notify SERC and LEPC in the event of a release exceeding the reportable quantity of hazardous substance. Finally, section 311and 312 applies to facilities at which hazardous chemicals are present in an amount exceeding the specified threshold and obligates them to submit to SERC, LEPC and local fire department material safety data sheets(MSDS) to help the local government to respond in case of a spill.15 Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) title III requires facilities to coordinate their activities with external response and emergency response organizations16. Therefore, the emergency response plan (ERP) should address coordination with outside emergency response organizations. ERPs should also define by naming individuals and their roles in emergency response. It should also identify safe places of refuge in case of a disaster. 10. Question 15 An employee assistance program (EAP) is comprised of several indispensable components which regulate the efficiency of the support offered. They include the following; drug/alcohol rehabilitation, household abuse, legal assistance, retirement planning, loss of loved ones and workplace stress management. To take care of the needs of persons with disability various things should inform the development of an EAP. First, persons with disabilities must have the right to partake in all aspects of the employers including social, political, economic and cultural life. Secondly, there should be participation of persons with a disability on an equal basis in all decision making processes that affect their live. Third, they should have access to information in the appropriate format about the programs and services that they use. Lastly, they should be included in all services and facilities within the organization. Sources Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act (EPCRA) available at http://www.epa.gov/oecaagct/lcra.html. Jems Emergency Medical services http://www.jems.com/behind-the-mask. Accessed 9 May 2012. Online medilexicon medical dictionary available at http://www.medilexicon.com/medicaldictionary.php?t=43138 accessed 9 May 2012. Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act (EPCRA) available at http://www.epa.gov/oecaagct/lcra.html U.S. Department of Labour Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Available at http://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3143/OSHA3143.htm Read More