Assignment Example on Workplace Safety

This assignment involves reading two scenarios and then answering each question that follows the scenarios. Insert your responses just below each question, save all of your work, and then submit it in Blackboard for grading.

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Scenario #1

Scenario one allows you to focus on thinking about the area near the immediate work space. Expanding upon the truck driver's scenario from Unit I, Ben is delivering pipe to an oil field in North Dakota. The pipe comes from a yard in Texas where the driver picked up the load. During the trip, up to the delivery site, Ben notices a large red mark on his upper arm. As the trip progresses, the red mark appears to look infected and ulcerated. Ben delivers the load and then seeks medical attention. The diagnosis is a bite from a Brown Recluse Spider, which requires overnight hospitalization, surgical debridement, and then additional treatments of intravenous antibiotics.

Question 1. As you visualize the employee's environment, how might this driver have been bitten by the spider? Explain the normal habitat for the Brown Recluse Spider and what might be done to prevent such a bite from occurring again. Your response should be at least 150 words.

The employee is having his truck loaded in a pipe lay-down yard, which provides habitat for a brown recluse spider. The piping offers a dry and warm place for the spider to spin its web. The employee could have been bitten by a spider that had spun its web in one of the pipes. The typical habitat for a brown recluse spider is in a place that is usually dry, and undisturbed. They also prefer a warmer climate or being close to a heat source. As mentioned on the information above, and knowing now the habitat and the places where these spiders can be found the first thing Mr. Ben should do to prevent been bitten again is cleaning and organizing the inside of his truck, good housekeeping will prevent these spiders from hiding in places. Also, because he already knows why he can be exposed to this kind of spiders, at any time he has trip heading to that route he needs to have extra precaution and double check on his driving cabin for any signs of spiders.

Question 2. The truck trailer is a flatbed type of trailer and the pipe is loaded on the trailer and then secured. The pipe is loaded from a pile on the ground. As the pipe is loaded, the driver has to secure the load. The pipe is loaded in Texas in July. Describe what temperature and humidity issues the driver might have to face and mitigate while loading and securing the pipe on the trailer. Your response should be at least 150 words.

Texas in July can be miserably hot. Especially when working outside in a pipe yard, where there is no shade. After the pipe is placed on the flatbed, the driver is responsible for securing the load. This can cause the driver to have to deal with temperature and humidity issues. In the Texas sun, one has to take the proper precautions to avoid sunburn. Also, working in the extreme heat can put you at risk for heat exhaustion, or heat stroke. When one is working in extreme heat or humidity your ability to concentrate can be significantly diminished. You should be sure to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. The intense heat can cause you to become dizzy, your safety glasses can become fogged, and your palms can become sweaty, which can make access and egress difficult (Ma, 2007). One last thing to look out for when working out in the Texas sun is allowing your bare skin to come into contact with the piping that has been set in the sun, which can allow your skin to receive a burn.

Question 3. Explain the hazards associated with working around the loading and unloading of material as it relates to line of fire, pinch point, and falls. How would each of these issues be addressed by the driver prior to beginning the evolution of loading and unloading? Your response should be at least 150 words.

There are many different hazards that people who lift heavy material are exposed to. The driver, in this case, can suffer from back injuries by not raising the material correctly. Also, improper twisting and turning can cause different back injuries as well. Other hazards include the material falling while loading or being stacked. Having the proper holders is essential to making sure that the material can be loaded without injury. The employee must also have the correct personal protection equipment including gloves, safety glasses, and safety boots will help with pinch points and reduce falls. Also, using metal guards and blocking material so that the material being loaded is not released prematurely. The ideal situation would be to have more than one person to help with the loading and unloading so that the material can correctly be lifted and reduce the risk of falls or slips. Before the driver starts the process of unloading or loading the material, all necessary holders and blocking material must be available, and the driver must have the correct personal protection equipment on. Finally, before the unloading or offloading starts, people involved in the process should have a safety briefing, and make sure all the personnel in the surroundings know specifics details of the whole process.

Scenario #2

Beth, the office worker from Unit I, is working in a new office setting. The building construction has just been completed and the workers are now completing their tasks inside the new office building. As the workers are new to the building, several issues start to appear before they are communicated to the building manager.

Question 1. Several employees begin complaining of headaches and eye strain while at work. Individually, the employees seem to take the complaints in stride, but during one particular meeting the complaints come to light. Describe several items that might cause this type of complaint in multiple workers in a new building. Your response should be at least 150 words.

The complaint of eye strain and headaches by multiple employees in a newly renovated office setting could be caused by several different things and can be directly related because eye strain can be a cause of a headache ("Safety at the Workplace," 2013). Direct glare involves a light source shining directly into your eyes which can cause eye strain and headache. Reflective glare, such as on computer screens can also contribute to these problems. The lack of adequate lighting or having too much lighting can cause someone to strain the eyes while working. Doing this for 8 hours a day can cause a headache as well. So, therefore it is important to take adequate breaks in order to rest your eyes and help prevent headaches. Proper placement of one's computer monitor and set up an employee's work area is something that needs to be looked at when trying to promote appropriate ergonomics in an office setting.

Question 2. Beth has now taken possession of her new work area. All new furniture has been installed with new tools for the desk and surrounding areas. Give examples of measurements that could be taken from the employee (anthropometry) and apply them to making adjustments to the work space area. Your response should be at least 150 words.

Anthropometric measurements of Beth can be taken to help her set up her work area to be ergonomically friendly. The length of arm measurement can help determine the placement of her computer keyboard and other commonly used items to make them easy to reach. Wrist deviation can help determine the height of the desk to the chair. Sitting eye height will help determine at what height her computer screen needs to be ("Safety at the Workplace," 2013). Beth's body size and shape should be taken into account when determining the size, style, and height of her desk. Finger size and shape can be taken into account when determining the proper keyboard. Shoulder rotation can be looked at when determining the height of her shelves, to reduce extended reaches. To decide which elevation to hang a dry erase board, you can measure her standing eye height. Variability of the length of lower leg will help determine the height of a seat and work surface for the employee.

Question 3. Discuss the OSHA regulation General Duty Clause 5(a)(1) as it relates to this scenario. Also, explain the OSHA General Duty Clause 5(b) as it might relate as well. Your response should be at least 150 words.

Under the General Duty Clause 5 (a) (1) the employer has the responsibility to maintain the work environment where any recognized hazards are eliminated (Wan, 2014). The employees are responsible for ensuring there is compliance with all safety protocols or rules that are implemented within the organization to keep themselves from harm. In this scenario, different hazards have been brought to the employer's attention. The desk and chair positioning for Beth, the lighting, glare, and or the positioning of equipment for the headaches have all been addressed. Under 5(b) it is the employee's responsibility to use the new design and maintain the posture that is made possible by the measurements to ensure that no further hazards arise. Keeping and utilizing the latest design given by employers is the employees' responsibility. Also, to report any misuse or abuse of the new equipment that is given to them, to prevent future injuries.

References

Bodyspace: Anthropometry, Ergonomics And The Design Of Work. (2014). doi:10.1201/9781482272420

Ma, R. (2007). A Guide to Human Factors and Ergonomics (2nd ed.); by Martin Helander; 2006, 408 pages, $79.95 (hardcover); Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; ISBN 0-415-28248-9. Ergonomics in Design: The Quarterly of Human Factors Applications, 15(3), 33-33. doi:10.1177/106480460701500308

Safety at the Workplace. (2013). Changing the Workplace Safety Culture, 21-30. doi:10.1201/b15265-4

Wan, C. (2014). Duty of Explanation about the Clauses under General Standard Clause Act. Kyung Hee Law Journal, 49(4), 33-54. doi:10.15539/khlj.49.4.2