OSH VIII Journal

Choose an operation for a workplace where you once worked or with which you are familiar where either chemical hazards or noise exposures were present. If you have never worked in a location where chemical hazards or noise are present, read about some examples on OSHA’s website, and choose one that interests you. Then, write an essay completing the following tasks:

1. Summarize how the passage of the OSHAct of 1970 changed the way health hazards were evaluated and controlled in such an environment.

2. Summarize the steps you would take to perform a hazard assessment of your chosen operation. Make sure you list the chemical hazards or noise hazards that are present using the example hazard assessment from OSHA’s website or one with which you are already familiar.

3. Discuss how OSHA PELs and ACGIH TLVs are used in evaluating risks in the environment. Include a statement about which exposure limits are legally binding and why you might choose to use one type of occupational exposure limit over another type (i.e., PEL, TLV, REL).

4. Discuss the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for controlling occupational hazards versus the use of other control methods in relation to the operation you chose.

5. Choose one hazard that you identified. The hazard can be a chemical or noise hazard. Summarize how you would evaluate employee exposures to the hazard. Include information about any sampling method you would use, how many samples you would collect, the types of samples you would collect (e.g., personal or area, TWA or short-term), and to which standards you would apply the results.

6. Evaluate industrial hygiene management practices to implement in this case.

Your essay must be a minimum of one page in length. You must format it using APA Style and include at least two sources, at least one of which must be from the CSU Online Library.