Question

Assess the improvements you believe the passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 provided to industrial hygienists to control exposures to health hazards for workers in a plant like AAP.

Answer 1

The iOccupational iSafety iand iHealth iAct iof i1970 iwas ipassed ito ipromote isafer iworkplace iconditions iin ithe iUS. iThe ilaw iestablished ithe ifederal iOccupational iSafety iand iHealth iAdministration i(OSHA), iwhich isets iand ienforces iworkplace ihealth iand isafety istandards, iand ithe iNational iInstitute ifor iOccupational iSafety iand iHealth i(NOSH), ithe ifederal iagency ithat iconducts iresearch iand irecommends isolutions ifor ithe iprevention iof iwork-related iillnesses iand iinjuries. iIn isome iparts iof ithe icountry, ian iOSHA-approved istate iagency ihelps ienforce ijob isafety istandards, iwhich imust ibe iat ileast ias istringent ias ifederal iguidelines.

1. The iOccupational iSafety iand iHealth iAct iof i1970 iis ia iUS ilaw ithat ienforces iworkplace istandards ithat iensure ithat iemployees iare iprotected ifrom ihazards ithat icompromise itheir isafety iand ihealth.

2. The iact iestablished ithe iOccupational iSafety iand iHealth iAdministration i(OSHA) iand ithe iNational iInstitute ifor iOccupational iSafety iand iHealth i(NOSH).

3. OSHA iis icharged iwith ienforcing ithe iact's igeneral iclause iand iother iregulations.

4. Most istates iexercise ilimited ior ifull icontrol iover ithe ioccupational iand ihealth istandards ifor itheir iresidents.

As ia isecurity idirector iand ifollowing iOSHA iguidelines ithere iare imore iresponsibilities ito itake iguard iof iall ithe isecurity irelated iissues iin ia icompany.

According ito iOSHA ithese iguidelines iare ionly iapplicable ito ithose icompanies iworking iin ithe iUnited iStates ionly. iHazardous ipreventive iand icontrol iis ithe imain ifunction iof ithe isecurity idirector. iThe ihazard icausing ienvironment ishould ibe ifigured iout iand ithe ipossible iactions ishould ibe itaken icare iof ito iavoid ia ibig itragedy. iThe iworkers iworking iand iall ithe iequipment’s ishould ibe iinsured. iThe iworkers ishould ihave ia imedical iattention iaccording ithe iworking isite.

The iaccident iinvestigation iis ithe iresponsibility. iThe iaccidents iare ito ibe iavoided ibut iif iany ihappens iit's ithe iprimary iduty iof ithe idirector ito itake icare iof ithis. iInitially ia ipolice icomplaint ishould ibe iregistered iand ithe iaffected iemployees ishould ibe itreated iproperly. iAnd ithen ifigure iout ithe ireason ifor ithe iaccident iband itake iimmediate imeasures ito imake isure ithat isuch ia isituation iwon't ihappen iagain.

Management iof ipersonal iprotective iequipment. iThe iemployees imust ime imade isure ito iuse ithese ikind iof iequipment iso ithat imake ithem isafe. iIn icase iof ipeople iworking iwith iradiation ithey ishould ibe itrained ito iuse ithe ilead ishields iand iteach ithem ithe imaintenance itoo.

Injury iand iillness irecords ishould ibe imaintained. iIt’s ithe ione iof ithe iimportant ithing ito ibe itaken iinto iaccount. iThe irecords ishould ibe imust iand ithe imedical iattention iprovided ishould ibe ispecially inoted. iIf isame ikind iof iillness iis ispeeding iin ithe iwork isite iit iis ito ibe inoted iand ireported ito ithe ihigher iteam.

Exposure irecords iare ito ibe ikept. iThe iexposure iof ithe iemployees ito itoxins iis ito ibe irecorded. iThese iare ithe imain iprocedures ito ibe ifollowed iby ithe isecurity idirector. i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i

i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i iWork iis iessential ifor ilife, idevelopment iand ipersonal ifulfillment. iUnfortunately, iindispensable i iactivities isuch ias ifood iproduction, iextraction iof iraw imaterials, imanufacturing iof igoods, ienergy iproduction iand iservices iinvolve iprocesses, ioperations iand imaterials iwhich ican, ito ia igreater ior ilesser iextent, icreate ihazards ito ithe ihealth iof iworkers iand ithose iin inearby icommunities, ias iwell ias ito ithe igeneral ienvironment.

However, ithe igeneration iand irelease iof iharmful iagents iin ithe iwork ienvironment ican ibe iprevented, ithrough iadequate ihazard icontrol iinterventions, iwhich inot ionly iprotect iworkers’ ihealth ibut ialso ilimit ithe idamage ito ithe ienvironment ioften iassociated iwith iindustrialization. iIf ia iharmful ichemical iis ieliminated ifrom ia iwork iprocess, iit iwill ineither iaffect ithe iworkers inor igo ibeyond, ito ipollute ithe ienvironment.

The iprofession ithat iaims ispecifically iat ithe iprevention iand icontrol iof ihazards iarising ifrom iwork iprocesses iis ioccupational ihygiene. iThe igoals iof ioccupational ihygiene iinclude ithe iprotection iand ipromotion iof iworkers’ ihealth, ithe iprotection iof ithe ienvironment iand icontribution ito ia isafe iand isustainable idevelopment.

However, ipreventive iaction ishould istart imuch iearlier, inot ionly ibefore ithe imanifestation iof iany ihealth iimpairment ibut ieven ibefore iexposure iactually ioccurs. iThe iwork ienvironment ishould ibe iunder icontinuous isurveillance iso ithat ihazardous iagents iand ifactors ican ibe idetected iand iremoved, ior icontrolled, ibefore ithey icause iany iill ieffects; ithis iis ithe irole iof ioccupational ihygiene.

Furthermore, ioccupational ihygiene imay ialso icontribute ito ia isafe iand isustainable idevelopment ithat iis i“to iensure ithat i(development) imeets ithe ineeds iof ithe ipresent iwithout icompromising ithe iability iof ithe ifuture igenerations ito imeet itheir iown ineeds i(World iCommission ion iEnvironment iand iDevelopment i1987). iMeeting ithe ineeds iof ithe ipresent iworld ipopulation iwithout idepleting ior idamaging ithe iglobal iresource ibase, iand iwithout icausing iadverse ihealth iand ienvironmental iconsequences, irequires iknowledge iand imeans ito iinfluence iaction i(WHO i1992a); iwhen irelated ito iwork iprocesses ithis iis iclosely irelated ito ioccupational ihygiene ipractice.

i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i iOccupational ihygiene iis ithe iscience iof ithe ianticipation, irecognition, ievaluation iand icontrol iof ihazards iarising iin ior ifrom ithe iworkplace, iand iwhich icould iimpair ithe ihealth iand iwell-being iof iworkers, ialso itaking iinto iaccount ithe ipossible iimpact ion ithe isurrounding icommunities iand ithe igeneral ienvironment.

iThe iclassical isteps iin ioccupational ihygiene ipractice iare:

1. ithe irecognition iof ithe ipossible ihealth ihazards iin ithe iwork ienvironment

2. the ievaluation iof ihazards, iwhich iis ithe iprocess iof iassessing iexposure iand ireaching iconclusions ias ito ithe ilevel iof irisk ito ihuman ihealth

3. iprevention iand icontrol iof ihazards, iwhich iis ithe iprocess iof ideveloping iand iimplementing istrategies ito ieliminate, ior ireduce ito iacceptable ilevels, ithe ioccurrence iof iharmful iagents iand ifactors iin ithe iworkplace, iwhile ialso iaccounting ifor ienvironmental iprotection.

The iideal iapproach ito ihazard iprevention iis i“anticipated iand iintegrated ipreventive iaction”, iwhich ishould iinclude:

1. ioccupational ihealth iand ienvironmental iimpact iassessments, iprior ito ithe idesign iand iinstallation iof iany inew iworkplace

2. selection iof ithe isafest, ileast ihazardous iand ileast ipolluting itechnology i(“cleaner iproduction”) i i i i ienvironmentally iappropriate ilocation

3. i iproper idesign, iwith iadequate ilayout iand iappropriate icontrol itechnology, iincluding ifor ithe isafe ihandling iand idisposal iof ithe iresulting ieffluents iand iwaste

4. i i i i iElaboration iof iguidelines iand iregulations ifor itraining ion ithe icorrect ioperation iof iprocesses, iincluding ion isafe iwork ipractices, imaintenance iand iemergency iprocedures.

The iimportance iof ianticipating iand ipreventing iall itypes iof ienvironmental ipollution icannot ibe ioveremphasized. iThere iis, ifortunately, ian iincreasing itendency ito iconsider inew itechnologies ifrom ithe ipoint iof iview iof ithe ipossible inegative iimpacts iand itheir iprevention, ifrom ithe idesign iand iinstallation iof ithe iprocess ito ithe ihandling iof ithe iresulting ieffluents iand iwaste, iin ithe iso-called icradle-to-grave iapproach. iEnvironmental idisasters, iwhich ihave ioccurred iin iboth ideveloped iand ideveloping icountries, icould ihave ibeen iavoided iby ithe iapplication iof iappropriate icontrol istrategies iand iemergency iprocedures iin ithe iworkplace.

Economic iaspects ishould ibe iviewed iin ibroader iterms ithan ithe iusual iinitial icost iconsideration; imore iexpensive ioptions ithat ioffer igood ihealth iand ienvironmental iprotection imay iprove ito ibe imore ieconomical iin ithe ilong irun. iThe iprotection iof iworkers’ ihealth iand iof ithe ienvironment imust istart imuch iearlier ithan iit iusually idoes. iTechnical iinformation iand iadvice ion ioccupational iand ienvironmental ihygiene ishould ialways ibe iavailable ito ithose idesigning inew iprocesses, imachinery, iequipment iand iworkplaces. iUnfortunately isuch iinformation iis ioften imade iavailable imuch itoo ilate, iwhen ithe ionly isolution iis icostly iand idifficult iretrofitting, ior iworse, iwhen iconsequences ihave ialready ibeen idisastrous.

iHazard iprevention iand icontrol i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i

i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i iThe iprimary igoal iof ioccupational ihygiene iis ithe iimplementation iof iappropriate ihazard iprevention iand icontrol imeasures iin ithe iwork ienvironment. iStandards iand iregulations, iif inot ienforced, iare imeaningless ifor ithe iprotection iof iworkers’ ihealth, iand ienforcement iusually irequires iboth imonitoring iand icontrol istrategies. iThe iabsence iof ilegally iestablished istandards ishould inot ibe ian iobstacle ito ithe iimplementation iof ithe inecessary imeasures ito iprevent iharmful iexposures ior icontrol ithem ito ithe ilowest ilevel ifeasible. iWhen iserious ihazards iare iobvious, icontrol ishould ibe irecommended, ieven ibefore iquantitative ievaluations iare icarried iout. iIt imay isometimes ibe inecessary ito ichange ithe iclassical iconcept iof i“recognition-evaluation-control” ito i“recognition-control-evaluation”, ior ieven ito i“recognition-control”, iif icapabilities ifor ievaluation iof ihazards ido inot iexist. iSome iexamples iof ihazards iin iobvious ineed iof iaction iwithout ithe inecessity iof iprior ienvironmental isampling iare ielectroplating icarried iout iin ian iunventilated, ismall iroom, ior iusing ijackhammer ior isand-blasting iequipment iwith ino ienvironmental icontrols ior iprotective iequipment. iFor isuch irecognized ihealth ihazards, ithe iimmediate ineed iis icontrol, inot iquantitative ievaluation.

Preventive iaction ishould iin isome iway iinterrupt ithe ichain iby iwhich ithe ihazardous iagent—a ichemical, idust, ia isource iof ienergy—is itransmitted ifrom ithe isource ito ithe iworker. iThere iare ithree imajor igroups iof icontrol imeasures: iengineering icontrols, iwork ipractices iand ipersonal imeasures.

The imost iefficient ihazard iprevention iapproach iis ithe iapplication iof iengineering icontrol imeasures iwhich iprevent ioccupational iexposures iby imanaging ithe iwork ienvironment, ithus idecreasing ithe ineed ifor iinitiatives ion ithe ipart iof iworkers ior ipotentially iexposed ipersons. iEngineering imeasures iusually irequire isome iprocess imodifications ior imechanical istructures, iand iinvolve itechnical imeasures ithat ieliminate ior ireduce ithe iuse, igeneration ior irelease iof ihazardous iagents iat itheir isource, ior, iwhen isource ielimination iis inot ipossible, iengineering imeasures ishould ibe idesigned ito iprevent ior ireduce ithe ispread iof ihazardous iagents iinto ithe iwork ienvironment iby:

1. containing ithem

2. removing ithem iimmediately ibeyond ithe isource

3. i i i i iinterfering iwith itheir ipropagation

4. i i i i iReducing itheir iconcentration ior