Occupational Health and Safety
Questions
1. (15 marks) The TLV for carbon monoxide is 35ppm. Define the terms TLV and ppm and calculate them for the following example:
Answer:
TVL = Term for airborne concentration of a substance, below which all workers are believed to be protected while exposed to it day after day for 8-hour periods.
PPM = Concentration by volume of one part of a gas, or by weight of a liquid or solid, per million parts of air or liquid.
A mechanic in an automotive repair shop is exposed to the following carbon monoxide levels over an 8 hour shift.
1. 2 hours @ 34 ppm
2. 5 hours @ 40 ppm
3. 1 hour @ 20 ppm
Is the worker over-exposed during the duration of the work-shift?
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- Have employees rotate half days exposed to the carbon monoxide and half days on non-exposure duties.
- Increase monitoring equipment in the facility.
3. Personal Protective Equipment:
- Should only be used in the event that engineering and/or administrative controls are not feasible or practical.
- Use of respiratory assist equipment during peak TVL periods.
2. Referring to question 1, how could you use the elements of the hazard control hierarchy to help clarify the concept of safety controls for an employee? How might an employee participate in ensuring their own safety? What other worker rights might you include in this type of orientation to health and safety training regarding psycho-social factors and emerging workplace stressors? (10 marks)
Answer:
We could use the elements of the hazard control hierarchy to help clarify the concepts of safety controls for employees by reviewing the primary concepts of each of the controls and how they will related to their roles:
Engineering Controls – the modification of work processes, equipment, and materials in order to reduce exposure to hazards.
Administrative Controls – management involvement, training of employees, rotation of employees, environmental sampling, and medical surveillance to protect individuals.
Personal Protective Equipment – should only be used when there is no feasible or practical way to enclose a process, provide local
1.2 Identify the lines of responsibility and reporting for health and safety in the work setting
State why and when health & safety control equipment identified by the principles of protection, should be used relating to 1st & 2nd fixing components,
State why and when health and safety control equipment, identified by the principles of protection, should be used relating to types, purpose and limitations of each type, the work situation, occupational use and the general work environment, in relation to:
Criteria 1.4: State why and when health and safety control equipment, identified by the principles of protection, should be used relating to types, purpose and limitations of each type, the work situation, occupational use and the general work environment, in relation to:
– collective protective measures– personal protective equipment (PPE)– respiratory protective equipment (RPE)– local exhaust ventilation (LEV).
1.2 Identify the lines of responsibility and reporting for health and safety in the work setting.
and they should be used when doing personal care, handling waste, a change of activity to protect the carer and the individual.
• Provide and maintain a safe working environment by the use of safe systems of work
Explain the roles and responsibilities for Health and Safety of key personnel in a selected workplace (P3)
Describe how current health and safety legislation, policies and procedures are implemented in the setting.
Outcome 1 – Understand own responsibilities, and the responsibilities of others, relating to health and safety in the work setting
This responsibility motivates the HR department and managers to implement stringent policies to prevent work-related injuries to avoid paying for higher workers’ compensation insurance. Moreover, it inspires the company to promote safety by organizing a safety committee to address hazards in the workplace to prevent injuries or deaths. The committee solicits employee suggestions and participation to increase compliance to company policies. It also develops various safety programs to promote employee wellness to improve their quality of life (Gomez-Mejia, et al, 2010).
State why and when health and safety control equipment, identified by the principles of protection, should be used relating to types, purpose and limitations of each type, the work situation, occupational use and the general work
making sure employees are aware of the health and safety aspects of their work (e.g. posting information on notice boards, keeping an information file such as COSHH, training, and providing
An Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS) is a planned, documented and verifiable method of managing workplace hazards and their associated risks (Pillay, 2016). An OHSMS provides a structure that allows an organisation to identify and control health and safety risks within the organisation. The implementation of such structures promotes a safe and healthy working environment which, in turn, will reduce the potential for accidents in the workplace whilst aiding legislative compliance and improving the overall performance of the organisation. Comparing and contrasting OHSMSs through the analysis of available literature allows one to determine the most appropriate management system for their organisation.