WK 6 Hazard Analysis Report

Background

Worker Demographics (Age and Sex)

Worker demographics is an essential factor in understanding the composition of a workforce and to a greater extent helps in understanding the behavior of various employees in an organization. The full time employees are 40% male and 60% female, they range in age from 22 to 50 years old, and highest educational level achieved is 45% college and 55% graduate. In respect to gender, the percentages suggest that the firm is observing effective gender representation in the workforce. The company should also ensure that more women are also included in top ranks so that it can effectively meet inclusivity and balance that is required by regulators such as EEOC and OSHA. There is a need for the organization to put in a place demographically balanced leadership. Female leaders will play a cardinal role in influencing adherence to OSHA safety rules among their female counterparts. This is because there will be increased participation of female employees with regards to matters safety.

Safety Committee

The company does not have a safety committee. However, it recently expressed its interests to launch a safety program in its effort to ensure that the organization expresses responsibility to workers’ family members and coworkers that they are safe. The safety program will be multifaceted and charged with the responsibility of constantly improving the whole safety program. The committee will be composed of a mixture of operational workers, supervisors, managers, and company shareholders. This collaborative effort and full commitment from every single worker at the organization ensures that the committee’s safety standard and goals are met. The safety committee also seeks to establish standards, policies, procedures, and guidelines of responding to incidents and adverse events that may affect workers. It also enlightens employees on how they would respond to negative events that expose them to risks. This program is attained through provision of training services and equipment that enable them to effectively deal with adverse events.

OSHA Citations

The company’s safety program is mainly built based on the standards made by the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA). The organization seeks to ensure that its safety standards comply with OSHA regulations and identifies training needs based on these regulations. Recently, the safety coordinator revised the company’s Hazard Communication Standards (HCS) in order to align them with the United Nation’s Globally Harmonized Systems of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. These were the same changes that were introduced by OSHA in order to have a standardized format for safety data sheets, also referred to as material safety data sheets. The company’s safety coordinator believes that aligning the organization’s safety standards in accordance with the regular updates that are often made by OSHA. For instance, the company recently introduced new labels and SDS formats in accordance with the recommendations that were made by OSHA. The organization’s employees are often trained to observe safety standards. The training manuals and contents are highly borrowed from OSHA and other regulatory bodies. Employees who have issues regarding the standards and how they affect them are often required to report to the Safety Coordinator or the safety supervisor.

Records and Incident Rates

The office incident rates for every 200000 hours worked is approximately 4.7 in the state of Maine. The MOD rate at UNE was found to be more than 1. However, in the last five years, it has significantly reduced to 0.75. At the same time, in the last decade, there have been three reported cases of carpal tunnel that have led to more than five days of lost working time.

The organization rarely releases records regarding its incident rates. Recently, two employees have reported being involved in work-related accidents in which they fell from a building while trying to install a CCTV surveillance camera. However, they only sustained minor injuries and were rushed to the hospital for further medical assistance. The organization has established a platform through which workers can speedily report any incident. This is because its employees are often busy every day executing projects of varied complexities that often expose them to risks and hazards. Consequently, the firm has put in place a safety tool that is aimed at reporting incidents and effectively ensuring that those who are affected are assisted in a timely fashion. Incidents are reported through sending and receiving data either verbally or in written formats. The company also has a complex system of understanding nonverbal signals of those who are exposed to risks but cannot communicate verbally or in written formats.

Site Analysis

Summary of datasheet information

When one walks into the office, it is observable that everyone is busy. There are many employees who are standing while others are sited working using their computers. However, it is notable that many of the employees are seated while working using their computers. Once one walks into the office, the temperature of the room is 25.5 degrees Celsius while the humidity is 52.2%. The noise level within the office environment is 40db while the light is 400 lumens.  The height of the desks varies as per the individuals, which makes it more comfortable for each employee.5

Even though most of the employees are seated, there are certain awkward positions that have been noted. One of the awkward positions that have been noted is the highly repetitive motion of the fingers when typing. Most of the employees are continuously moving their fingers over their computer keyboard for more than even six hours. This increases their risk of contracting muscle strains. The continued repetitive motion of the fingers over the keyboard could also affect the employees by causing injuries to include tendonitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome. The other awkward position that has been noted is the sitting position of the employees. If an employee stays seated for more than six hours, there are chances that they could develop back problems. It is also important to note that some of the employees might be affected if they look their computers for a long time. The light from the computer screens could cause strain to their eyes if viewed for long periods. It is important that management creates a favorable environment for its employees in maintaining safety and health.6

Completed Datasheet- Please refer to Appendix A Page 12

Calculations- Please refer to Appendix B Page 21

Identified Hazards from Site Analysis

List of all hazards identified

There are various hazards that were identified based on the hazard analysis that was performed.

It is noted that the desks and seats had incorrect heights that result in tiredness and tilting of the heads for long periods. If not properly adjusted, the monitors could cause neck pain, shoulder pain, and eye strain. Another hazardous issue was frequent use of a mouse for more than three hours per day. This has the potential to cause straining of specific muscles, thereby causing carpal tunnel syndrome. This is especially true when the employees remain still in the same positions while typing and operating their computers.

Also related to working posture is long hours of typing that result in typing constraints, particularly when the position of the hands are required to type for longer hours without taking beaks. The thumbs, first, and second fingers are often adversely affected and may grow numb. Some of the most hazardous issues that were identified were the indoor air quality issues. In this respect, the temperature of the workplace was found to be moderately cold, especially when the HVAAC is turned on. While no breathing difficulties were identified, molds were identified. The vent that allows air into the rooms made employees feel a bit cold and experience a feeling of dryness in their throats.

Prioritization of the Hazards

From this list of hazards, there are three major problems that need to be addressed. The first case includes the indoor air quality, mold in the bathroom areas, and cold temperatures of the environment. Secondly, the organization should look into proper lighting in the workplace. Poor lighting results in the eye strain, thereby interfering with their ability to focus and concentrate on their work. Further, the company should look into issues related to straining brought by mouse and keyboard operations. This is especially true when employees work in the same positions for long hours. Seats are also poorly designed in a way that makes the employees tired due to bending of their necks by over 45 degrees.

Recommendations

Potential Interventions

In order to address the identified problems, there are several interventions that need to be put in place. First, indoor air quality standards should be improved to ensure that they reach the required OSHA standards. For instance, the campus should provide filtration systems. Filtration systems help to capture possible pollutants in an appropriate medium. Most pollutants are often hard to capture using a filter medium.1 However, for common pollutants such as pollens and particles, filtration should be improved by incorporating an air-based conditioning system with an improved filter. This will deter unwanted particles from getting into the workplace rooms and causing respiratory infections and other air quality health issues. In addition, indoor air quality can be improved by proper ventilation. Although much of the campus’ ventilation system is above average, it still needs improvements in a way that dilutes the concentration of air pollutants. This can be done by introducing clearer outdoor air. The working assumption is that outdoor air is of higher quality than indoor air, is usually but not always true in many parts of industrial America. Ventilation can be enhanced incidentally, manually, or mechanically. Mechanical ventilation can be improved through exhaust fans.

Source control and filtration control can be made effective by ensuring that there is sufficient ventilation. Consequently, manual and mechanical ventilation are often recommended.1 This must also be accompanied by processes of humidification, cooling, and dehumidification, depending on the climatic conditions and seasons. In order to reduce energy burdens brought by the use of air conditioners that incurs costs to the organization. Therefore, air to air heat exchangers are often recommended during cold climatic conditions in order to reduce the energy costs associated with ventilation.

Molds must also be controlled and kept out of the organization’s premises, particularly in bathroom areas. The facility should undergo regular inspections for evidences of water damage and visible molds. These conditions that cause molds such as water leaks, condensation, infiltration or flooding, need to be rectified in order to avert molds from growing. Molds are some of the leading causes of health symptoms that are often nonspecific.1 People who have persistent symptoms should be attended to by their campus physicians. Nonetheless, if stachybotrys chartarum and other types of molds are found within building, prudent practices recommend that they should be removed. The utilization of the simplest and most expedient methodology that effectively and safely removes molds should be employed.

In light of these concerns, there are specific sets of actions that can remove molds from the company’s premises. The first step is to keep the humidity level below 50 percent. Higher levels of humidity are often associated with increased growth of molds. In addition, air conditioners and dehumidifiers should be used to reduce moisture during humid months. This measure must be accompanied by establishment of sufficient ventilations, including exhaust fans in bathrooms.2 Mold inhibitors can also be effective tools of controlling molds. Mold inhibitors should be added to paints during times when the organization is renovating bathrooms and toilets. The bathrooms and toilets should also be cleaned with the utilization of mold-killing products. Bathrooms and other moist sections of the company should not be carpeted as this would support the growth of molds. Instead flooded carpets must be removed and replaced with tile or another hard floor type of material.

Air duct developers are now creating a coating for the inside of air ducts that are meant to deter microbial growth. Ductwork should be pre-coated at the factory with antimicrobials to offer a second-line of defense in the fight against the growth and development of bacteria, molds, mildews, as well as fungus in HVAC duct systems.2 The antimicrobial coating can be important for the institution, but may also be relevant for the campus hospital. Not only can mold spores attack employees through the ventilation systems, but the campus’s buildings should remain safe, healthy, and comfortable. The organization’s top managers should also be cautioned against any attempts to close building air intakes in an effort to deter the introduction of hazardous materials into the ventilating systems.2 Usually, if such measures are taken, they often lead to a dramatic reduction of outdoor air ventilation rates or changes in the ways of offering and treating the ventilation air can adversely change the engineered balance in the interior environment.

Any step taken that leads to the minimization of outdoor air ventilation rates or an alteration in the manner of offering and treating the ventilation can adversely change the engineered balance of interior environments.2 These changes may lead to many manifestations of sick buildings syndromes that cause such maladies as discomfort eyes, nose, as well as throat irritations. Other problems that may arise due to poor indoor air quality include headaches, tiredness, lethargy, reduced employee productivity, upper respiratory illnesses, as well as skin irritation.

Finally, the organization should purchase ergonomically appropriate chairs and equipment to reduce physical discomfort and maximize correct posture. Proper seating supports the correct utilization of the body at work place. Seating and other furniture should ensure that the employees’ feet can rest solidly and comfortably on the floor while sitting. The use of adjustable work surface systems and chairs that give room for the feet to rest firmly on the floor, are recommended.3 This includes the utilization of a footrest. In addition, the knees should have sufficient space under the work surface. It is important to avert concentrated pressure points that are found along the underside of the thighs next to the knees and the backside of the lower legs. Furniture used should allow employees to stretch their legs and vary their postures throughout the day. These ergonomic changes should be followed by recommended behaviors such as education on standing up from their work desks and taking brief walks or stretching. Employees should be educated that their sitting postures such as remaining still for long working periods can result in discomforts and muscular fatigue.3 Within an employee’s comfort zone, changes in postures during the work day can be helpful. This includes putting paying specific attention on adjustments of posture in the afternoons especially when they tend to become tired.

The organization should give b employees regular short breaks that encourage standing up, carefully stretching, and walking around. Frequent switching to brief tasks that require standing up, such as retrieving outputs form a printer or filing paperwork are recommended.3 The seats should be tilted forward slightly so that the edges of the seats do not dig into the back of the thighs. If possible, a wedge shaped cushion should be placed on the chair, with the pelvis correctly aligned. The feet should also be placed flatly on the floor, directly underneath the knees. Tucking the legs under the seats often results in congestion at the back of the knees and in some situations may result in discomfort in the knees.

Types of Controls

In order to improve safety, the organization should introduce two types of controls: administrative and engineering controls. Engineering controls are meant to design systems that are aimed at eliminating or reducing safety problems to acceptable levels. These include exposure to harmful agents in the workplace.4 Engineering controls seek to design the hazards out by initial design specifications or by employing the substitution methodologies, isolation, enclosure, as well as ventilation. In the hierarchy of control mechanisms, engineering control methods need to be taken into account first.

Administrative controls aim at reducing employees’ level of vulnerabilities or exposures through the introduction of methods such as education and training, work education, as well as job rotations.4 Part of administrative controls should include efforts that are geared towards establishment of the safety committee that looks into and improves issues related to safety practices. Other tasks that these control measures include are maintenance and repairs, housekeeping, personal hygiene, as well as appropriate work practices. Administrative controls are often reliant upon the constant employee implementation or interventions.4 Introducing organizational policies, procedures and guidelines that promote safety practices should be taken into account by the company.

References

1. Burroughs HE, Hansen SJ. Managing indoor air quality. Boca Raton, FL: The Farimont Press/Taylor & Francis; 2011.

2. Hess-Kosa K. Indoor air quality: the latest sampling and analytical methods. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 2011.

3. Shafer DA. Hazardous materials characterization: evaluation methods, procedures, and considerations. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons; 2006.

4. Sharma, F. C. Human Resource Management: Latest Edition. New York: SBPD

Publications; 2016.

5. Dejoy DM. Managing safety in the workplace: An attribution theory analysis and model. Journal of Safety Research. 2014;25(1):3-17. doi:10.1016/0022-4375(94)90003-5.

6. Hayes, B. E., Perander, J., Smecko, T., & Trask, J. Measuring perceptions of workplace safety: Development and validation of the work safety scale. Journal of Safety research. 2015:29(3), 145-161.

Carissa Lee Appendix A Hazard Zone Checklist