Workplace Safety and Risk Management

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Questions and Answers

What factor is critical when assessing risks related to lifting tasks?

Both A and C (correct)

Frequency of lifting

Weight of the box only

Duration of task

Which of the following methods can be used to shorten the frequency of lifting?

Extending the duration of the task

Adding more workers to the task (correct)

Reducing the lifting frequency (correct)

Increasing the number of incoming boxes

What is the new weight limit calculated for the redesigned task?

15.35 kg

10 kg

20 kg

12.125 kg (correct)

What must a Fire Prevention Plan include?

Proper handling and storage of hazardous materials Signup and view all the answers

What is required for fire to occur in the workplace?

Oxygen, Fuel, and an ignition source Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a common ignition source?

Air pollutants Signup and view all the answers

What is a key responsibility of the employer in relation to the Fire Prevention Plan?

Inform employees of fire hazards Signup and view all the answers

When designing a safer lifting task, which aspect should be compared against the newly calculated weight limit?

Weight of the box Signup and view all the answers

Which term describes the negative consequence that might be experienced such as death, injury, or illness?

Danger Signup and view all the answers

What is the probability of incurring harm at a certain level of severity called?

Risk Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of an indirect cost of an accident?

Lost time by supervisor Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes an accident from an incident?

Accidents are uncontrolled events causing harm. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT considered a human factors engineering concern?

Assessing environmental impacts Signup and view all the answers

Which term best describes a source or cause of danger, such as water causing drowning?

Hazard Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'innovation' primarily refer to in the engineering process?

Improvement of existing solutions Signup and view all the answers

What is a common outcome of an accident related to customer relations?

Negative publicity Signup and view all the answers

What is the sound level in decibels at which immediate damage to ear nerves can occur?

140 decibels Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following equipment operates at a noise level of 110 decibels?

Chain Saw Signup and view all the answers

What is the 'let-go current' primarily associated with?

The current at which a person can safely release their grip Signup and view all the answers

At what decibel level is the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) set for an 8-hour Time Weighted Average (TWA)?

90 dBA Signup and view all the answers

What is the required action level (AL) for noise exposure over 8 hours?

85 dBA Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a method to reduce electrical hazards?

Ignoring hazards on work sites Signup and view all the answers

Which is a key component of an electrical safety program?

Conducting safety meetings regularly Signup and view all the answers

What must be performed within the first 6 months of work exposure to monitor hearing loss?

Baseline audiogram Signup and view all the answers

What defines 'freeze current'?

Current that results in muscular contractions preventing movement Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a step in risk management for workplace noise?

Implementation of policy changes Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the primary goals of audiometric testing in the workplace?

To detect any hearing loss over time Signup and view all the answers

Who is authorized to work on electrical equipment?

Only those who have received special training Signup and view all the answers

Which hazard category is specifically focused on power-driven machines?

Mechanical hazards Signup and view all the answers

Which method is recommended for controlling noise in the workplace?

Erect isolation enclosures for noisy machines Signup and view all the answers

What must be done after identifying potential electrical hazards?

Conduct a hazard analysis for safety interventions Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential consequence of inadequate training in electrical safety?

Higher likelihood of electrical workplace accidents Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of general purpose gloves?

To help reduce hand injuries due to snags, punctures, and cuts Signup and view all the answers

Which type of gloves is specifically designed for electricity protection?

Lineman’s gloves Signup and view all the answers

What type of respirator should be used in an atmosphere that is immediately dangerous to life or health?

Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Signup and view all the answers

When should mechanical filter elements in respirators be changed?

When breathing becomes difficult Signup and view all the answers

What is the risk associated with not using the correct type of gloves when handling chemicals?

Increased likelihood of chemical burns Signup and view all the answers

At what minimum oxygen concentration should air-purifying respirators be used?

19.5% Signup and view all the answers

What type of protective equipment provides body coverage against heat, splashes, and radiation?

Torso protection like vests and aprons Signup and view all the answers

What should be done if a chemical cartridge element in a respirator has a detectable taste?

Replace it immediately Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of noise barriers in a workplace?

To reduce noise reaching staff Signup and view all the answers

Which type of personal protective equipment (PPE) is specifically designed to protect against noise hazards?

Ear plugs or ear muffs Signup and view all the answers

What is a limitation of using personal protective equipment (PPE)?

PPE indicates that hazards still exist in the workplace Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT an administrative control to manage exposure to noise?

Installing silencer devices Signup and view all the answers

What does damping involve in the context of workplace noise reduction?

Adding vibration absorbing materials Signup and view all the answers

What should be assessed by employers before selecting appropriate PPE?

The hazards present in the workplace Signup and view all the answers

What is the recommended action if a noise source cannot be isolated?

Isolate the workers from the noise source Signup and view all the answers

Why is PPE considered a last resort in hazard control?

It signifies that hazards were controlled by other methods Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

General Introduction

Engineers create products and processes to meet basic needs and enhance daily life.
Innovation involves applying better solutions through improved products, processes, and technologies.
Human factors and safety engineering are important disciplines.
Danger refers to the possible harm that can be experienced.
Hazard is the source of danger (e.g., water can cause drowning).
Risk is the probability of experiencing harm.
Severity is a measure of the harm (e.g., number of deaths or cost).
An accident is an unplanned, unanticipated, and uncontrollable event sequence.
Accidents can result in immediate or delayed negative effects.
Direct costs of accidents include medical expenses.
Indirect costs of accidents include reduced productivity and administrative costs.
An incident is an unplanned event that affects a task but does not result in damage.

Safety, Definitions

Danger is the negative outcome or injury that can be experienced
A hazard is a source or cause of danger
Risk is the probability of encountering harm at a specific level of severity
Severity is a measure of the harm or negative consequences, including the number of lives lost or the amount of money spent on insurance

Major Injury Accident

Accident analysis reports should address the "who, what, where, when and why" of an accident
Minor injury accidents, such as a forklift that hits a stack of products, are documented using accident reports.
Reports concerning any injuries, must include the "who, what, where, and when"
No injury incidents (near misses) are documented to focus on improvement and prevent injuries

How to control safety

Identify hazards.
Maintain an acceptable level of safety through hazard elimination and reduction.
Evaluate and assess the safety program

Why "Safety"

Social obligations
Moral and ethical reasons
Worker morale
Fiscal obligations (direct and indirect costs)
Outlays
Legal obligations
Government agencies and authorities
Legislation and regulations

Chapter 1&2

Dealing with applicable safety standards is important.
Safety and health managers should focus on the 10% of standards that are most critical to safety.
Hazards can be physically infeasible to correct, physically feasible but not economically feasible, or both physically and economically feasible to correct.

SHM responsibilities

Legal compliance: Ensure compliance with relevant laws and standards.
Inspection and reporting: Record and investigate accidents and near misses.
Risk assessments: Conduct risk assessments and review them regularly to develop safe systems of work.
Staff training and awareness: Ensure staff are trained on safe systems of work and safety information.
Inspections and reporting: Ensure reporting of any serious workplace accidents, occupational illnesses, and dangerous occurrences.
Promoting safety culture: Lead by example and address any unsafe behavior.
Improvement proposals: Propose opportunities for improvement to the board and provide the ethical, legal, and financial arguments to support decisions.

Safety: Fundamental Concepts and Standards

OSHA aims to reduce workplace fatalities
Accidents have direct costs (e.g., medical expenses) and indirect costs (e.g., lost productivity).

A Typical Safety Management Program

Management Commitment (TMC) involves the employer's dedication to safety.
Effective Accountability emphasizes company standards to achieve safety via consequences.
Employee Involvement includes individual motivation, skills, and communication.
Hazards minimization requires effective hazard recognition, preventive action assignment, and comprehensive action evaluation.
Four Ms Model (Man, Machine, Method, and Material) outlines the potential factors in industrial accidents.
Human errors (omissions and commissions) can lead to accidents.
Age and time on the job can influence accident rates

Machine Job Factors

Methods, including manual, mechanized, or automated methods, influence accident rates.
Machines may cause injuries due to their electrical, mechanical, and temperature hazards.
Materials with qualities such as corrosiveness, toxicity, and flammability pose risks.
Media encompasses the factors like noise, temperature, and presence of radiation.
Social aspects involve workplace policies, norms, and training.
Management ensures that safety is important with authority, accountability and responsible implementation.

Domino Theory

The theory compares the causes of accidents to cascading dominoes.

Fishbone Diagram

The 6Ms (Factors) of cause and effect.

Swiss Cheese Diagram

Layers of defense against potential hazards.

Accident Analysis/Investigation

Proactive approach is doing everything to anticipate and prevent accidents.
Reactive approach focuses on limiting losses after an accident occurs.

Education and Training

Importance of safety training for employees to prevent hazards.
Incidence Rate: frequency and severity data to assess the incidence rate of injuries and accidents

Program Evaluation

Plan, do, study, and act approach for evaluating safety programs to improve and reduce risks.

Electrical Hazards

Insufficient insulation
Wetting of workplace and machinery
Electrocution, shock, and burns
Current flow (greatest danger)
Detection methods are needed to identify electrical hazards.
Steps to reduce risks, including utilizing double insulation, fuses, and circuit breakers.

Mechanical Hazards and Machine Safeguarding

Mechanical hazards are associated with power-driven machinery:
Point of operation, power transmission, in-running nip points, rotating/reciprocating parts, and flying components.
The use of guards and safety measures help to prevent injuries.

Safeguarding

Any machine part or process capable of causing injury must be guarded to prevent injuries in the workplace.
Methods of safeguarding include presence sensing devices, electricity protections, and radio frequency devices.

Types of Guards

Fixed, interlocked, and adjustable guards

Zero Mechanical State

Importance of proper safeguarding and use of locks and tags during maintenance or repair.
Energy sources need to be isolated and maintained in a safe state for maintenance or inspections

Extreme Temperatures (Heat and Cold Stress)

High/low temperatures are hazards as high temperatures and humidity pose risks to personnel; conversely, low temperatures also pose a hazard.
Conduction, convection, and metabolic heat are related to temperature and heat stress.
Recognizing heat stress involves assessing heart rate, core body temperature, and fatigue level
PPEs and other preventive measures can mitigate heat/cold stress.

Manual Material Handling Issues

Materials handling is important for every job and is a common cause of workplace back injuries
Materials handling activities involve lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, twisting, holding, and carrying.
Work factors contributing to back injuries during material handling include weight, range of lift, and location of load.
Ergonomics seeks to match the design of machines to the capabilities of humans.
NIOSH equation for the design and evaluation of manual lifting tasks is used to determine if a task is safe for humans.

Workplace Noise

Noise exposure can cause hearing loss; use appropriate hearing protection measures

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

PPE protects employees from hazards and must be assessed and selected accordingly.
Types of PPE cover eyes, face, head, ears, feet, and hands, and are important for different tasks, like working with heavy equipment or hazardous materials.

Hazardous Materials Transportation

DOT and UN standards regulate the transport of hazardous materials.
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) provide information on hazardous materials.

Special Signs, Tags and Labels

These are essential for safety (Danger, Warning, Caution etc).
Information displayed on tags should be clear and concise.

Fire Hazards

Fire prevention plans (FPPs) are important for protecting workers and facilities from fires.
Includes identification of potential hazards, procedures, and training of personnel.
Fire safety procedures for flammables and combustibles are crucial for preventing fires.

Emergency Action Plan (EAP)

The EAP outlines steps to take in case of an emergency.
The plan should include clear paths for worker safety in different emergencies including fire evacuation.

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Description

Test your knowledge on critical aspects of workplace safety, focusing on lifting tasks, fire prevention plans, and accident analysis. This quiz covers essential responsibilities of employers and the methods to minimize risks associated with workplace hazards. Assess your understanding of safety protocols and human factors in risk management.