Introduction
Identifying potential health threats in the workplace is one of the main concerns. This is because the organization must provide the most comfortable and safe conditions for employees, who are the most critical human resource. In the CSU Widget Factory, the main areas for study regarding health hazards are confined space entry and noise. Consideration of these hazards is necessary to determine how to identify them and take measures to reduce the risk of exposure to them.
Identification of Health Hazards
First of all, it is necessary to gain knowledge of threats to health in the workplace, such as confined space entry and noise. The United States Department of Labor defines this problem as areas that “are not necessarily designed for people and are large enough for workers to enter and perform certain jobs” (“Confined Spaces,” n.d., para. 1). Moreover, these territories often do not have a specialized exit or entrance, that is, they were not initially intended for long-term work activities (Goetsch, 2018).
Research stated that “from 2011 to 2018, 1,030 workers died from occupational injuries involving a confined space, and the annual figures ranged from a low of 88 in 2012 to a high of 166 in 2017” (“Injuries, illnesses, and fatalities” 2020, para. 1). These serious statistics show a high level of risk of employees working in the confined space entry. This can lead to cases when, in the event of a life-threatening situation, individuals have difficulties or cannot leave the space, which can lead to severe consequences.
Occupational noise exposure poses a danger to the well-being of individuals in the workplace. The increased noise level in the CSU Widget Factory can seriously affect the staff. Hence, this health hazard can lead to hearing loss that cannot be cured by medication or surgery (“Occupational noise exposure,” n.d.). This kind of harm to health can occur from both long-term and short-term exposure, which shows the need to implement measures to limit this problem.
Evaluation of the Level of Risk
To understand the danger that noise or confined space can have for individuals, it is necessary to define measures for their assessment. Therefore, when evaluating the hazard in confined spaces, it is necessary to examine the territory in several categories. Among them are a “hazardous atmosphere, potential for engulfment or suffocation, a layout that might trap a worker through converging walls, and serious safety or health hazard” (“Looking for hidden dangers,” n.d.).
These aspects can harm the well-being of workers through low oxygen levels and a high risk of drowning or beingburied. In addition, confined spaces may contain many toxic secretions, flammable gas, vapor, mist, and airborne combustible dust. Specially trained professionals should be involved in assessing the potential danger.
A specialized procedure must be conducted to assess the occupational noise exposure level and determine possible health hazards. This is due to the measurement of units of sound pressure levels called decibels, in which “possible exposure limit (PEL) is 90 dBA for all workers for an 8-hour day” (“Occupational noise exposure,” n.d., para. 6). Thus, if the working day of workers in CSU Widget Factory is eight hours, then the occupational noise exposure level should not exceed the allocated one, since in this case, it will pose a danger to personnel.
Control Measures
Several measures need to be implemented to eliminate the possibility of identified hazards harming employees or reduce the risk of exposure. First, organizations must follow several legislative acts before activating their production (Goetsch, 2018). This aspect concerns both confined space entry and occupational noise exposure.
Regarding the second, the organization should use low-noise tools and machinery and a barrier between the source of harmful sound for people and employees, such as sound walls or curtains (“Exposure & controls,” n.d.). On the part of company managers, limiting the problem can be done by changing staff work schedules. This should be done so that people spend as little time as possible around loud cars and are provided with quiet places to relax.
Implementing control measures to minimize individual risk in confined spaces is also necessary. CSU Widget Factory recommends assessing these kinds of places to determine their potential harm. Moreover, it is critical to ensure the work of a group of workers in confined spaces and to prohibit working alone. In this case, other team members will be able to pull out or provide assistance. Another controlling measure is acquiring specialized equipment for personnel performing activities in confined spaces.
Conclusion
To summarize the previously mentioned information, it is necessary to emphasize that CSU Widget Factory’s first concern should be ensuring the safety of its employees. To do this, studying, evaluating, and implementing measures to limit health hazards such as confined spaces and occupational noise exposure is necessary. These measures will ensure the most favorable and safe workplace, contributing to the preservation of staff welfare.
References
Confined spaces. (n.d.). United States Department of Labor. Web.
Exposure & controls. (n.d.). United States Department of Labor. Web.
Goetsch, D. (2018). Basics of occupational safety (3rd ed). Pearson.
Injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. (n.d.). U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Web.
Looking for hidden dangers before confined space entry. (n.d.). Weekly safety. Web.
Occupational noise exposure. (n.d.). United States Department of Labor. Web.