For assignment Module 1.4, I have chosen the chemical substance of Asbestos. I have decided to select Asbestos, since I have been exposed to asbestos as young man. My father owned a construction company and during the summers, more often than not, I came into direct contact with many Asbestos products. During my time in the Air Force, I also encountered old military buildings which contained Asbestos (paint, insulation, etc.). I had a great uncle that died from mesothelioma which he caught from working as builder, before there was regulation on the use of asbestos. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established simple straight forward instructions on how to handle Asbestos, for the purpose of protecting the general public’s …show more content…
Once the suspected area is deemed to be safe under the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL), the property owner(s) must set up safe work practice procedures and rules for working in potential hazardous area(s). 5. Property owner(s) should have the correct protective gear if the area is deemed unsafe to work in. Contaminated areas should be well marked to identify the existence of Asbestos. 6. If someone was/is exposed to Asbestos, employer should monitor the employee for health issues (breathing issues, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, bleeding, etc.). 7. Property owner and/or employer must set up yearly training programs and/or refresher courses for employees that will work Asbestos affected areas. With so many products that contain Asbestos, and the hazards associated with this substance, I understand why we have so many rules and regulations concerning Asbestos products. Interestingly enough, the United States has an existing ban that does not allow the mining of asbestos in the United States (U.S.). However, in-spite of said ban, we are still allowed to import Asbestos products from overseas suppliers. The United States will continue to need a steady supply of OSHA certified inspectors to handle overseas products made with Asbestos and to monitor what is already in our existing
Throughout the risk assessment process, ideas for action were identified and documented. The documentation of these ideas led to the development of potential action item worksheets which were then selected, prioritized, and refined. Detailed risk assessment information for each hazard is included and located through this document.
Countermeasures have been implemented to address site specific safety issues by making each employee complete 10-hour or 30-hour OSHA training, depending on their position in the company.
Schwarze, S. (2003). Corporate – State Irresponsibility, Critical Publicity, and Asbestos Exposure in Libby, Montana. Management Communication Quarterly, 16(4), 625.
Employee training can reduce or eliminate unsafe behaviors by teaching the employees how to perform their job safely. The training needs to be specific on what the employee is expected to do (Bernardin & Russell, 2013). For instance; if an employee was lifting heavy boxes all day, they need to be taught to bend at the knees and always use both hands to prevent back injuries.
The James Hardie Industries is a an industrial building materials company, head office in Ireland, manufactory and developing materials, technologies and processes for the production of building materials. For a great deal of the twentieth century, James Hardie was the leading producer of asbestos cement sheet and other building products, which used asbestos as a support material in Australia. However working with James Hardies’ products containing asbestos caused people to develop asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma. As James Hardie was one of the companies involved in the mining of asb...
McGuire, C. (2011, April). Workplace Safety 100 Years Ago. Safety Compliance Letter(2524), 1-6. Retrieved April 22, 2014, from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bth&AN=60166397&site=ehost-live&scope=site
EPA. (2009, December 29). Retrieved January 15, 2011, from Toxicity and Exposure Assessment for Children's Health: http://www.epa.gov/teach/
This paper is about the health hazards of nuclear material as depicted by the Fukishima nuclear power plant meltdown and the role of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in safeguarding the American public against nuclear disaster or exposure to nuclear material and the agency’s commitment to the nonproliferation of nuclear material through their association with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
In some cases when working in worse areas a face mask maybe more suitable for the job. When working in areas with possible asbestos sightings wearing a face mask will decrease the chances of ‘asbestosis’. Asbestosis can cause pleural disease, mesothelioma and in some serious cases, lung cancer. When using a face mask make sure it is properly fitted to the size of your face and make sure there is no gaps in between as the dust can find its way through, and also make sure the face mask isn’t worn out and is safe to use.
Masks and personal protective equipment were not worn by the factory workers. With no preventative measures taken, workers respiratory tracts were exposed to cotton, flax, and hemp dust. This exposer caused side effects such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, long term respiratory diseases (COPD), and permeant loss of lung functions. These symptoms were later classified as a syndrome called byssinosis before disease were diagnoses. According to the online article, “Long term respiratory health effects in textile workers,” there were two obstructive lung diseases textile workers exhibited, Asthma and COPD. The article states that two hundred and twenty-five newly hired textile workers were studies and found to have increased in asthma like symptoms at a one year follow up. The article continues to explain that there was an increase in incidence of chronic and progressive dyspnea, cough, and sputum production characteristic of COPD seen textile workers on year follow up as well. Another lung problem seen in some textile workers per Dr. Edward Holmes interview in 1818 was Scrofula, known today as
A worker's lungs may react more severely to silica sand that has been freshly fractured (sawed, hammered, or treated in a way that produces airborne dust) [Vallyathan et al. 1988]. This factor may contribute to the development of acute and accelerated forms of silicosis.
Technological and accidental hazards can be occur without warning and can be both hazardous material incidents and failures at nuclear power plant. In some cases, victims that have been exposed to harmful chemicals or radiation show little to no symptoms until several years later. There are an increasing number of new substances and chemicals being manufactured which has increased the likelihood of a hazardous material spill or release. This also increases the risk to the environment and to the health and safety of a community.
Regulation compliance, employee safety, fire safety, ergonomics, industrial hygiene, hazardous waste removal, training procedures, and management relations are samples of features taken into consideration during a Safety Major’s day. Though there are numerous specializations safety professions can choose, a base knowledge in all fields is essential for a successful career. Therefore, I intend to pursue a continuation of safety certifications that will demonstrate a persistent ability to learn about my career. For the initial duration of my profession, I hope to obtain an Environmental Health and Safety specialist entry level position for an established organization. If the opportunity arises, I will promote within the same organization until
Chemical and fire hazards in the workplace cause serious injuries that in most cases are fatal.
A hazard is defined as an activity or object that has the potential to cause harm if contact is made with the person, object or activity (MHS, 1996; Harmse, 2007; HSE, 2006). These hazards in a work place need to be identified and dealt with accordingly to prevent any harm to employees or any individual acquainted to a certain activity or establishment. The key roles and principles of occupational hygiene are Anticipation, Identification, Evaluation and Control (Schoeman and van den Heever, 2014; Harmse, 2008; SAMTRAC, 2012). To practise in accordance to the above principle; a hazard identification and risk assessment needs to be conducted. Anticipation is the foreseeing of the activity