Running head: UNIT I ASSESSMENT QUESTION 1 1

Unit I Assessment

Charles E. Gilbert

Columbia Southern University

UNIT I ASSESSMENT QUESTION 1 2

Safety and Health Managers Concerns

There are several categories of problems that safety and health managers are anticipated to

encounter in trying to implement a safety management system. As implied by Goetsch, the

variety of facets along with the many intricacies of the job in and of itself could surmise the

difficulties facing the safety and health managers (Goetsch, 2011). Every OSH manager

understands the importance of having total safety strategy implementation, as well as the impact

of a company’s lack of commitment. Company-wide commitment to safety and health that

ensures the goals of all is best interested through a seamless safety system. Likewise, the never

ending contrasting belief that there is a production verses safety mentality within the company’s

protocol. Coupled with a lack of resources that safety must compete with, the bottom line is the

bottom line. Productivity is always a priority, and whether or not there will be an interference

with quality or quantity is also a concern. Lastly, we must always be mindful of the cost that

does not affect profitability profile of the company. As intricate to efficiency, there should never

or marginally be an odd emphasis placed on safety operating procedures while increasing

response time. Generating the most output with the least input cannot be compromised by the

safety culture or its strategies (Goetsch, 2011). The challenge to accomplish minimizing the

pressure and strain of being a safety and health manager relies on the assurance that the

behavioral analysis has been thoroughly explored and measures to maximize safety standards

while minimizing company objectives always relinquishes undo anxiety.

 Comparing System and Combination Theories of Accident Causation

There is a conative association between the systems theory of accident causation and the

combination theory of accident causation. Goetsch describes the basis of the Systems Theory of

Accident Causation as involving the interacting components of person, machine, and an

environment processed through collected information of operation via risk and decisions therein

(Goetsch, 2011). The likelihood of an accident occurring is determined by how these

components interact. Changes in the patterns of interaction can increase or decrease the

probability of an accident occurring. This is comprised without contradiction as Combination

Theory of Accident Causation on the other hand, prescribes more so to the reality that the actual

cause may combine parts of several different models. Applying a single model to all accidents is

obviously short sightedness in analytical resolution, because other factors and sub-factors can

easily determine the various directions leading to the root cause of an accident. Some theories

address particular problems better than other theories. Nevertheless, I comprehensively am of

the viewpoint that whether the domino, human factor, accidental/incidental, epidemiological,

systematic, or behavioral in consideration, they are all theories. That being said, the statements or

principles devised to explain degrees of facts I many cases cannot be considered conclusive and

therefore must learn towards the combination theory of accident causation.

Accidental Work Deaths Comparison Then and Now

In comparing and contrasting how the present day rate of accidental work deaths compares with

the rate in the early 1900s, it is evident that there has been a large decline in fatal occupational

injuries. Workers in the United States faced remarkably high health and safety risks on the job,
and the degree of census workers to job fatalities is becoming inversely proportional. Goetsch

gives specific data outlining how between 1912 and 1998, the accidental work deaths per

100,000 populations were reduced 81 percent, from 21 to 4. More specifically, in 1912, an

estimated 18,000 to 21,000 workers’ lives were documented lost. On the contrary, in 1998, with

a tripling in workforce, there were 10,000 work related deaths (Goetsch, 2011). These statistics

are also comparative to the data accumulated from 2009-2012 information from research

provided by the business insider’s investigational results (businessinsider.com, 2012). This

divergence from the aggregate amount of deaths on the job has conclusively decreased markedly.

Lastly, some of the most important considerations when assessing the effect of accidents on the

safety and health industry are their global impact, the hidden cost of accidents, and the damages

incurred from and to the decline of morale.

Workplace Accidental Deaths Root Causes

Whether mining, agriculture, construction, utilities, or manufacturing, the three leading

workplace accidental fatalities are motor vehicle, falls, and electrical contact deaths. The

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reports how motor vehicle-

related incidents are consistently the leading cause of work-related fatalities in the United States.

36 percent of occupational fatalities reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics are associated

with motor vehicles (cdc.gov, 2012). Likewise, deaths from slips, trips & falls also make up the

majority of general industry accidents statistically with 15% of all accidental deaths. This is the

second leading cause of workplace fatality only behind motor vehicles. Reinforcing this statistic

is the fact that it is also one of most frequently-reported injuries having 25 percent of reported

claims/year. Over 17 percent of all disabling occupational injuries result from falls (cdc.gov,

2012). Lastly is a statistic I personally know regrettably too well. The impact of electrical related
deaths reported also stated that 29 percent of victims of workplace fatalities between 2003 and

2012 were electrical tradespeople (cdc.gov, 2012). These three causes of fatal accidents

accounted for 77 percent of all fatal accidents varying by type of industry and location.

According to the Board of Labor and Statistics (BLS), a troubling trend survey shows this marks

the third year that the job fatality rate has basically been unaffected, after years of decline

(aflcio.org, 2013).

Organized Labor’s Impact on Safety

Goetsch describes systematically how organized labor has played a vital role in the growth of the

safety movement in the United States. Beginning as far back as the Industrial Revolution period,

a systematized industry has struggled for safer working environments and suitable

reimbursement for workers injured on the job (Goetsch, 2011). Many of the earliest

developments in the safety movement were the result of long and hard-fought battles by

organized labor. Key arbitration points dealt with the fellow servant rule, contributory

negligence, and assumption of risk statues. The Fellow Servant Rule held that employers were

not liable for workplace injuries that resulted from the negligence of other employees. In other

words, the company wasn’t liable when another employee was proven negligent in a workplace

accident. Contributory Negligence inferred that if the actions of employees contributed to their

own injuries, the employer was not held liable. This made it a proved to cause the self-absorbed

injury. Lastly, assumption of risk concluded that people who accept a job assume the risks that

go with it. These employer biased laws were fought and overturned in most states solely due to

the persistence of organized labor efforts (Goetsch, 2011).

UNIT II ASSESSMENT QUESTION 1 2

Conducting an Accident Investigation

The steps for conducting an accident investigation as described by Goetsch include isolation of

scene, recording evidence, snapshots of scene, witness reports, and furthered accident

information (Goetsch, 2011). The accident scene must be isolated to maintain integrity and

conditions so that there can be an accurate recording of all evidence by any and all mediums that

apply, which includes photographing and/or videotape the scene in a manner that conveys proper

perspective of evidence. Also, identify witnesses that are primary and saw the incident,

secondary as being there but did not actually view the issue being interviewed, and tertiary

witnesses with subject or individuals involved input, interview witnesses in order of PST:

Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary. Follow the when, where, and how techniques. The information

sought during interview and observation consist of who, what, when, where, why, and how

(Goetsch, 2011). Lastly, all these should be executed as quickly as possible. The safety and

health manager at a minimum should be consulted and study the accident report and make

recommendations for corrective actions. Depending on the community profile of the case and its

mitigating involvements, the safety and health manager should serve as the lead whether via the

team concept or independently.

Cost Reduction Strategies to Minimize Workers Compensation Rate

As a safety and health manager, the types of cost reduction strategies I would implement in order

to minimize our companies workers’ compensation costs primarily would be establishing an

effective safety and health program with documentation. Also, performing a thorough risk

analysis for all departmental task and structures along with a comprehensive prevention strategy

being adopted in place would be an effective tactic. Lastly, it will certainly solidify efforts to
communicate this accumulated data to risk management and follow-up on actions concerning

coverage and deductibility (Goetsch, 2011).

General strategies in accident avoidance include averting future accidents as much as possible by

determining the root cause of these coincidences and also observing close calls. Eradication of

the root cause of any accident or potential incident is the most practical method of quenching

high cost and incident rates. Specifically, having a return to work program in place gives both the

employer and the team member customized goals to pursue and developing of strategies the meet

those goals creates a motivated idea that serves as a win-win for the all involved (Goetsch,

2011). These easily become beneficial to both the company and the culture of collaboration

works.

The Safety and Health Professionals

The safety and health professionals should be an intricate part of evaluating the company’s

product safety program. Likewise, the functions mentioned by Goetsch such as recommending

and maintaining training, conducting and observing job survey analysis and investigations

associated with accident prevention, and a level of consultation would be beneficial to any

organization (Goetsch, 2011).

Quality Management (QM) interacts with product safety programs by conjointly working

together for the outstanding rating of the company’s profile. Together, the functioning QM and

PSP are the established coordination’s that ensures a company’s product consistently meet or

exceed customer satisfaction.

Likewise, both are at the helm of the design and manufacturing of consumer products to ensure

they do not represent harm or hazards to consumers.

Lastly, Goetsch’s five key strategies of Quality Management are involvement, empowerment,

communication, reinforcement, and respect (Goetsch, 2011). The objective of this approach is to

ensure that all task and employees maintain a working attitude with the importance of

connectivity and team work in mind. In other words, the chain is only as strong as its weakest

link. Being an active part of decisions, accountability of necessary activity, maintaining the

vertical and horizontal messages, conduct that strengthens the process, and acting in the fashion

that everyone is important in the process guarantees QM success.

The OSH Act of 1970

The body of law that governs safety and health litigation is the OSH Act of 1970. The Act was

passed to assure so far as possible every working man and woman in the nation safe and

healthful working conditions and to preserve our human resources (osha.gov, 2009). This

comprehensive and uniform law was required to support decreasing the occurrence of

work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths. The law includes all types of employers from

manufacturing and construction to retail and service organizations.

The legal terms that are included in summarizing the legal principles as related to safety

and health are negligence, liability, care, damages, proximate cause, willful or reckless conduct,

tort, and foreseeability (Goetsch, 2011). Negligence describes the failure to exercise the care

toward others which a reasonable or prudent person would do in the circumstances, or taking
action which such a reasonable person would not. Liability means legal responsibility for one's

acts or omissions. Care means that a person does everything he/she is supposed to do to prevent

an accident. Ability to pay is pretty much self-explanatory. Damages are defined as the amount

of money which a plaintiff may be awarded in a lawsuit. Willful/Reckless Conduct is careless

behavior to the point of being heedless of the consequences. Tort is a civil wrong or wrongful

act, whether intentional or accidental, from which injury occurs to another. Lastly, foreseeability

is the practical expectation of an action or what may happen resulting from breach of a contract.

Competitiveness In The Global Economy

Goetsch explains competitiveness as the ability to consistently succeed and prosper in any

marketplace. For the expanding business model today, continual improvement in the key areas of

quality, productivity, response time, service, cost, and corporate image is both the challenge and

the objective. Peak performance with an ever expanding level of reliably towards tomorrow is

the influencing factors for global competitiveness (Goetsch, 2011). The ability of a country to

achieve sustained high rates of growth in gross domestic product per capita. Therefore only

nations with high levels of productivity will become domestically and globally competitive and

have the capacity to exploit existing market opportunities to sustain and expand employment and

real income growth in the long term. The American Economic Review reports how imperative it

is for global competitiveness involve addressing the following issues: macroeconomic policies;

government practices and regulations; the cost of doing business; education and skills upgrading;

R&D and innovation; sustainable environmental management; conformity with international

standards aeaweb.org, 2012).

 The perspective of competitiveness and profitability are comprised of a functioning level

that maximizes productivity cost, quality, response time, service, and image protection. Safety

and health are not only functional, but foundational in each of these key elements. The better

skilled and highly trained workforce is always one that supports and attracts safety as a priority.

Likewise, the same forces that enhance quality also support safety. Any person with a career

based outlook on occupational potential realizes that there first has to be a safety conscious

environment that further seeks to develop that potential within.

UNIT III ASSESSMENT QUESTION 1 2

The Differences Between Workplace Stress and General Stress

In analyze the differences between workplace stress and general stress, stress is defined by

Goetsch as the human bodies reaction to social, occupational, environmental, and psychological

factors perceived as threats (Goetsch, 2011). Things such as bereavement, family problems,

financial matters, illness, time constraints, and relationships could be considered causes of

common stress for some. Workplace stress, which is considered to be the leading cause for

stress, is the resulting response from a perceived difference between the level of occupational

demand and the ability to handle this duty. General stress involves many contributing factors that

range from the chemical to many physiological imbalances. Yet the workplace stress issue,

although not to be taken likely, primarily is a matter of person to workload suitability. This

involves the marriage of acceptance and performance management.

The five categories of human reaction to workplace stress are subjective, behavioral, cognitive,

physiological, and organizational.

Lastly, some illustrations of approaches that can be taken to reduce workplace stress include

providing employees mental health insurance benefits, improving employee-management

communications, providing workers with information about how to deal with stress, providing

job descriptions, talking with employees regularly, recognizing and rewarding contributions, and

having published work rules (Goetsch, 2011).

Safety Training in The Workplace

The rationale for providing safety training is that it provides the workforce the awareness needed

to perform the task and execute it regularly and safely every time. Another added value of safety

training is that it increases confidence needed to work without the anxiety of endangering the

health and wellness of the practitioner. The consistent element of being informed and

uninformed clearly provides us with the resounding fact that safety doesn’t cost, it pays.

The overall attitude towards safety education is that it cannot afford not to be done (Goetsch,

2011). In other words, knowledge is the key. The national Safety Council reports the accidental

likelihood of untrained workers is higher than those who are educated (nsc.org, 2011).

Justification can also be made knowing that people do not practice safety due to non-specific,

misunderstood, or disregarded directives about safety training.

Some of the legal and ethical reasons for safety and health training include Occupational Safety

and Health Administration (OSHA) specific mandates for employee maintained and documented

training requirements, and employer responsibility for provisional communications of exposures

and right-to-know material. Ethically, a well-informed workplace promotes effectiveness and

efficiency which in turn endorses an increase in moral and lower risk rates. Training that

communicates the hazards and their potential exposures along with details made available
specifying levels and term must also be implemented. It is a win-win when the company

maintains a degree of moral accountability and the employee practices honest safety principles

within the structure.

OSHA’s Recommended Worksite Analysis Program

Goetsch describes the four main parts of OSHA’s recommended worksite analysis program for

ergonomics as being divided into gathering information from available sources; conducting

baseline screening surveys to determine which jobs need closer analysis; performing ergonomic

job hazard analyses of those workstations with identified risk factors; and after implementing

control measures, conducting periodic surveys and follow-up studies to evaluate changes

(Goetsch, 2011). The first step in a workplace analysis which is vital to the investigation is

chronicling and tracing the information necessary to identify ergonomic hazards in the

workplace. This can include medical, safety, and insurance records as well as OSHA 300 logs.

Likewise, in preparing surveys and analysis for outside and inside task specifically, each

departmental function and objective requires surveys that specify an operational procedure

checklist, along with analysis in specific job hazards, workstation, and accumulative data trends

are good instances. Lastly, a periodic review in the form of feedback and follow-up to identify

previously unnoticed or deficient factors and failures is the completing process of the analysis

program. To formally examine the reaction of these specific analyses can detect, reinforce, and

help improve change to guide performance and productivity.

Safety and Health Managers

Safety and health managers can do a better job of facilitating learning on the jobsite if they

understand certain principles of learning. Goetrsch specifies that according to the National Safety

Council (NSC), those conducting training should have characteristics that understand and have a

thorough knowledge of the topics to be taught, a desire to teach, a positive and cooperative

attitude, strong leadership abilities, a professional attitude, and exemplary behavior that sets a

positive example (Goetsch, 2011). These successful particular individualities can only help

trainers understand and enhance the principles of participative learning. The safety and health

professional with this supportive personality type will be prepared in their teaching

methodology, effective in the presentation and the tools encompassing it, relevant in the

assessment and implicational phase, and evaluates with good measures. Also, the OSH expert

will seek to maximize the training experience by not deviating from the tried and true learning

principles. Safety and health managers prepare a student to be ready to learn partially by

presenting what is relevant to what they do or need to know. Peaking interest in vocational

skilled workers along with adding the required risk management information is beneficial as well

as useful. A major aspect of this includes taking a step-by-step practice, allowing practical

application, with positive reinforced feedback.

The Exclusivity Provision

The exclusivity provision as it pertains to workers’ compensation laws is defined by Goetsch to

provide employers with some protection from liability in cases of workplace violence, provided

that the incident is work-related (Goetsch, 2011). The outcome of these standards being in place,

when this is the case, workers’ compensation is the injured employee’s exclusive remedy. This

provision relates to workplace violence because a violent act can be considered an on-the-job
incident, even if it is committed away from the workplace. Specific guidelines have been

established by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) for determining

whether a violent act can be classified as an on-the-job incident (Goetsch, 2011). Also, in

identifying some individual and environmental factors that contribute to workplace violence, the

lesson recognizes examples in both categories. Individual factors include but are not exclusively

limited to record of violence, wrong or aggressive group affiliations, psychotic behavior,

romantic obsession, depression, finger pointing, high frustration level, and weapons obsession.

Likewise, the environmental factors include dictatorial management, role ambiguity, poor

supervision, unattended hostility, disrespectful privacy issues, and lack of training. Workplace

violence can possibly be prevented with implementation of natural surveillance, control of

access, establishment of territoriality, activity support, and administrative controls (Goetsch,

2011). This is part of the concept of crime reduction through environmental design.

Life Safety in a Fire Safety Programs

Goetsch describes the life safety program as it relates to fire safety programs as the involvement

of guarding all means of transportation, entities, and lives of individuals in structures and

facilities from the threat of fire. This also includes the construction, protection, and occupancy

features necessary to minimize hazards of smoke, fire, fumes, egress, and panic (Goetsch, 2011).

The life and safety programs should provide relevant and up to date information about fire

safety, and how to take action with regular instructions on fire safety awareness, surroundings

and proactive emergency preparedness. Both the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) 101
and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration subpart E subscribe to life safety code

and fire safety compliance should be a principal section in the strategy and structure all

buildings. Likewise, assessments and upkeep of all primary and secondary levels of alarm,

sprinkler, and emergency detection systems are important (nrpa.org, 2010).

As the safety and health manager for Mitchell Electric Membership Corporation, there

are several procedures and practices I would form and use to qualify a cross-functional fire and

safety committee in order to train employees to respond to fire dangers. The preliminary

structure would ensure that there is an accurate and organized fire safety plan that includes

detailed information regarding identification, obligation, and exercises that practice the routine

of personnel to mitigate fire hazards and the spread of fire. The qualifying committee will consist

of occupancies that represent all departmental facets in which the individuals can also serve as

emergency response sectional leaders and liaisons for information communication and feedback

response.

UNIT IV ASSESSMENT QUESTION 1 3

Also, the life, fire, response, and emergency system plans would accurately demonstrate

the measures for reporting a fire or any other type of emergency. The components that I would

include in our safety strategy and measures are those that control informing, displacing, or

evacuating personnel (Goetsch, 2011). All positional placards blocking the facility diagram will

show well define alternative evacuation routes and assembly points, the location of fire

extinguishers and fire hydrants, along with normal routes for fire department vehicles to easily

traverse to potential scene. Likewise, all facility floor plans should show distinguished exits

along with primary and secondary evacuation routes, easily accessible egress routes, definite
areas of assembly by departments, manual fire alarm boxes, and isolation valves/switches for all

vital services. The last protocols involve cataloging all the major fire hazards connected with the

normal use and habitation of the premises which include upkeep and housekeeping procedures. It

is important that the plan have identified and assigned positions responsible for the conservation

of the working structure of the plan as well as the equipment installed to prevent or control fires

and their fueling hazards source.

Finally, to ensure commitment to employee safety through our training, I would recommend that

certain outlined trainings and qualifications be maintained mandatorily each year incorporated in

the established safety and wellness training already in place. Likewise, for the qualified

emergency response team members, there should be a two year time of service commitment

statement outlining their expectations and conditional terms.

Life Safety in a Fire Safety Programs

The most important components of conducting a job hazard analysis all begin with observing the

complete environment of the processed task critically as it is happening. Goetsch considers this

as the most common and crucial method in recognizing possible exposures and it also has an

additional value of field observation allowing appraisal of the employees' work process

(Goetsch, 2011). To begin the assessment, consideration must be given to whether you are

dealing with activities less than four feet, greater than four feet but less than six feet, and greater

than six feet or higher, or whenever other fall hazard exists. Once we have specified the height,

consideration must be annotated of what the method of access is for the task. This might involve

the use of steps and ladders that are either portable or fixed in each case have their own protocols

to address. Finally, the type, condition, and state of the actual working surface and its
characteristics are identified. Particulars such as level of light, is there slippery surfaces, are

there floor openings, moving vertical parts, trip hazards, protruding objects, sloping surfaces,

wind or other high forces, hidden drop-offs, unstable surfaces, weather related, unstable footage,

and even open floor holes qualify the use of guard rails, toe boards, boundary lines, minimum

distance approach, anchoring, harness and line, safety nets, stair railings and handrails. All these

potential hazards and points should be taken into account and analyzed. The object of the

analyses is to systematically discover practicability and efficiency at the lowest risk possible for

the worker performing the task.

To identify uncontrolled hazards, there must be a complete investigation derived from a detailed

hazard analysis complemented by an exhaustive work strategy that is protocoled within OSHA

regulations and also necessitates the application of some fall protection plan.

UNIT IV ASSESSMENT QUESTION 2 3

Likewise, performing a high level of due diligence in observing the work in progress, analyzing

past accident statistics, and other indicators are important in uncontrolled or unidentified hazards

inquiries.

Impact and acceleration are important in analyzing the potential hazards involving fall

protection equipment Goetsch explains in detail how impact considers the force that will be

applied on an employee during the fall arrest process, while the amount of acceleration

determines the amount of impact/force that will be placed on the employee (Goetsch, 2011).

Likewise, acceleration and impact are major factors in the speed and force of falling objects that

may strike employees working at lower levels. This is why obvious care must be given in

considering, identifying and mitigating these potential causes. The use and effectiveness of
personal protective equipment such as hard hats, toe-boards and overheard protection of workers

at lower levels also should play a role in impact and acceleration analysis.

Chemical Burns

Goetsch categorizes the causes that determine the severity of a chemical burn as including

corrosive capability, temperature, concentration, and duration of contact with the chemical

(Goetsch, 2011). The primary hazards of chemical burns are infection, loss of body fluids, and

shock. An infection from a chemical burn is high risk simply because the defense which is the

skin is infiltrated. Also, whether internal or external fluid loss, both of these can cause

hemorrhage or even fatality. Lastly, physical and/or psychological shock can be the result of the

intense pain. The levels of shock can easily lead to other critical symptoms (Goetsch, 2011).

Finally, as a supervisor, the protocol for rendering aid to an employee who has splashed caustic

chemicals on themselves begins with protecting yourself. You can’t do the individual any good

until you are safe yourself. I would put on gloves and avoid exposing myself to the chemicals.

Next, apply an abundance of cool water to the area until help arrives. This by far is the most

critical aspect in limiting the extent of dermal burns from exposure to destructors of body tissue.

I would isolate that area and not use a strong stream of water. By this time information from the

label of the chemical product should be followed.

Electrical Safety Programs

Five strategies I consider significant in instituting an effective electrical safety program, as

outlined by Goetsch, require developing and implementation of a comprehensive safety program,

compliance assurance, training, operational controls, and inspections (Goetsch, 2011). A safety

management system must emerge out of both the existing practices in place and a goal orientated

objective to blanket the company in all facets of safety and health. This requires that all relevant

OSHA, NESC, NEC, NFPA, ANSI, ASTW, and other local and state regulations be considered

how the impact the workforce and compliance maintained. Likewise, adequate training general,

professional, and skill, in the identification and control of hazards along with safe work practices

must be implemented. This training also includes the repetition of hazard awareness, use of PPE,

and lockout/tagout, and first aid/CPR. Standardized operating procedures for how task are

performed are outlined by conducting job survey analysis and task assessments to either engineer

or administratively minimize hazards for risk control. These also couple with field observations

and inspections that identify potential electrical hazards and appropriate safety interventions.

It is important for safety personnel to help employees and supervisors conducting self-

assessments with regards to their own safety practices primarily because it is a good strategy to

enlist team leaders. When foreman and supervisors direct their individual departmental

observations, they are in tune with the practices of the subordinates and their process.

Pressure Hazards

Dalton’s law of partial pressure is the total pressure of a mixture of gases equal to the sum of the

partial pressures of the component gases. Goetsch explains as we descend the pressure of the

water increases so we need a higher pressure of gas to breathe and that we can break down each

individual constituent of the gas, we are breathing into partial pressures of the gas (Goetsch,

2011). This can be expressed in the formula Ptotal = Pgas a + Pgas b + Pgas c + etc. Although each gas
occupies the entire volume of the container, the gases will mix homogeneously. Also, the type of

gas has no bearing on the partial pressure of the gas. Goetsch also explains that although water

vapor is a gas, it does not conform to Dalton’s law.

The sources of pressure hazards can be both natural and manmade. The most significant sources

of pressure hazards can be attributed to vacuum systems, high pressure systems, compressed

gases systems, or some type of out of control reactions in a pressure vessel. A vacuum occurs

when the pressure inside equipment is less than the air pressure outside of the equipment. If the

equipment is not designed for use with a vacuum, it could implode, such as what happens during

a tornado. Also, high pressure can occur due to thermal expansion of a fluid inside its container.

Mechanical Injury Hazards

Some examples of the most common types of mechanical injury hazards outlined by Goetsch

include cutting and tearing, shearing, crushing, breaking, straining and spraining, and puncturing.

Cuts and tears by a harsh edge can cause damages to the skin, veins, arteries, muscles, and even

bones. Shearing machines used to cut large quantities of paper, plastic, or even metal can easily

amputate body parts. Damages from crushing happen when a person gets caught between two

hard surfaces that progressively move together. Apparatuses used to bend things in a variety of

ways can also cause broken bones. Strains can result from overloaded muscles via weight or

length. Lastly, punching type machines use piercing utensils that can cause damage to internal

organs if safety safeguards are not practiced (Goetsch, 2011).

That being said, safeguarding can assist in preventing these mechanical injury hazards by first

and foremost preventing contact with any potentially harmful machine part. Also, they can

protect and shield the operator and the moving part of machines from falling objects. Safeguards

deter the making or any new hazard, along with limiting interference. Finally, they allow safe

maintenance and operational standards without the removal of any practical or production

hindrances whether physical or operational.

Hearing Loss Prevention Program

As a safety training instructor, to build a hearing loss prevention program for their jobsite, I

would first reiterate to the leaders the importance of executing the planned hearing loss

prevention policy and what their role is in maintaining its compliance. As stated by Goetsch, the

commitment must come from the initial practice by the supervisor in order to thoroughly convey

the message (Goetsch, 2011). Also, identifying and assessing hazardous noise in the workplace

involves conducting periodic noise surveys and audiometric tests, record keeping of these

surveys and employee past positional work, and corrective actions on all findings.

The administrative controls I would use in order to ensure the prevention program is kept

running is founded in removing the worker as the objective when employing this type of control.

Reducing the amount of exposure an employee has to a certain noise factor can be controlled by

implementing specific standard operation procedures. These SOP’s define the tool, the task, and

the time allowances defined by OSHA and NIOSH standards. Shifting the workload also means

structuring the standard threshold average. Also, quiet break areas can give a degree of relief for

workers whose primary obligation involves noise hazards regularly (Goetsch, 2011).

Lastly, to sure those employees are trained to use hearing protection devices, documented and

repetitive training is the critical element for a good hearing protection program. This would
involve practical application during the session where team members demonstrate the use of

their PPE. Also, quarterly field observations and documented job operational analysis could

enforce due diligence by all.

UNIT VI ASSESSMENT QUESTION 1 2

Evaluating Hazards in the Workplace

When evaluating hazards in the workplace, some important considerations involve assessing all

processes for chemical, physical, biological and ergonomic exposures. Goetsch describes some

key factors to consider as being how much exposure is required to produce injury or illness, the

likelihood that enough exposure to produce injury or illness will take place, the rate of generation

of airborne contaminants, the total duration of the exposure, and the prevention and control

measures used (Goetsch, 2011). Also, the nature of the material or substance involved, the

intensity of the exposure, and the duration of the exposure.

Goetsch outlines how most prevention and control strategies can be placed in one of the

following 4 categories of engineering controls, ventilation, personal protective equipment, and

administrative controls (Goetsch, 2011). Engineering controls involve swapping toxic items with

one that are less hazardous or remodeling a procedure to reduce exposure to hazardous

conditions. Exhaust ventilation involves trapping and removing contaminated air. Personal

protective equipment (PPE) imposes a barrier between the worker and the specific defined

hazard. This includes typical gear such as safety goggles, face shields, gloves, boots, earmuffs,

ear plugs, full body clothing, and respirators. Lastly, administrative controls limit workers'

exposures by scheduling shorter work times in contaminant areas or by implementing other work
practices. Although the hazard itself is not actually removed or reduced, the concentration is on

the process and control of task performance.

Evaluating Hazards in the Workplace

Occupational Safety and Health Administration defines industrial hygiene as the science of

anticipating, recognizing, evaluating, and controlling workplace conditions that may cause

workers' injury or illness (osha.gov, 2008). It is a safety and health profession that is concerned

with calculating, distinguishing, evaluating, monitoring, and precluding environmental stressors

in the workplace that can cause sickness or serious discomfort to workers. The Industrial

hygienists likewise, uses environmental monitoring and analytical methods to detect the extent of

worker exposure and employ engineering, work practice controls, and other methods to control

potential health hazards (Goetsch, 2011).

The responsibilities of the modern industrial hygienist, primarily involve ensuring the health of

employees, maintaining an objective approach in recognizing, assessing, controlling and

preventing health hazards regardless of outside pressure and influence. The IH also is charged

with helping employees understand the precautions that they should take to avoid health

problems. They also respect employees’ honesty in matters relating to industrial hygiene in order

to make the health of employees a higher priority than obligations to the employer (Goetsch,

2011).

AIDS Impact in the Workplace

The federal legislation that has been enacted with regards to employers and the AIDS epidemic

include the federal laws and regulations that protect an individual’s right to privacy and due

process apply to AIDS testing. At the state level, the control of communicable diseases is

typically considered to be the province of the individual state. Some states prohibit the use of

pre-employment AIDS tests to deny employment to infected individuals. An employer cannot

discriminate against an employee who has a communicable disease (Goetsch, 2011).

Employers are feeling the impact of AIDS in increased insurance premiums and health care

costs, time on the job losses, and decreased productivity, AIDS related lawsuits, increased stress,

and related problems that result from misconceptions about AIDS. This has negatively impacted

employers and their ability to function.

Reasonable accommodation in determining if a worker with a disability can perform the essential

functions of a job, employers are required to make reasonable accommodations to help the

worker. Otherwise qualified is a person with a handicap that is otherwise qualified when he or

she can perform what the courts have described as essential functions of the job.

The AIDS impact on corporate America has positively impacted employee rights, testing, and

education. HIV-positive employees are to be treated compassionately and allowed to work as

long as they perform their jobs. In testing for the presence of HIV antibodies means that a person

has been infected with the virus. There is a growing body of support for mandatory testing.

Lastly, it is important to have an ongoing education program to keep employees up to date and

knowledgeable.

Confined Spaces Policy

A comprehensive confined space management policy is important in any organization, because

OSHA confined space standard (29 CFR 1910.146) mandates that entry permits be required

before employees are allowed to enter a potentially hazardous confined space. A confined space

management policy should cover the administration processes and data acquisition, controls

procedures, required training, and work team necessities.

There are several styles of administrative controls and training that should be designated in a

confined space policy. Specifically, employees shall not enter a permit required confined space

until appropriate safety measures have been taken to ensure a safe environment. Before the

permit is issued a supervisor, safety or health professional, should perform a shutdown of

equipment/power (locked/tagged), test the atmosphere (19.5 to 23.5% oxygen), ventilate the

space, have rescue personnel stand by, maintain communication, and use a lifeline process that

can ensure pulling an unconscious employee out of a confined space. Likewise, the annual

training of designated employees should include preparation, issuance, use, and cancellation of

entry permits, conclusion of confined space entries and debriefing, Attendant and the Authorized

Entrants communication with rescue and emergency personnel, prevention of unauthorized entry

into permit-required confined spaces, and coordination of confined space entries with contractors

(Goetsch, 2011).

Robot Hazards

The principal hazards associated with the use of robots essentially are related to what also makes

robots potentially more dangerous than other machines. They are complex electro-mechanical,

hydraulic, and pneumatically powered process devices. Because of their ability to acquire

intelligence through programming, and its free programmability in terms of direction and speed,
being struck by a moving robot while inside the work envelope becomes a primary danger. This

can occur because the work envelope of a robot is the total area within which the moving parts of

the robot actually move. Also, because of their flexibility and range of motion, being struck by a

work piece, tool or other object dropped or ejected by a robot is a considered risk. Robots also

possess a rapid speed of movement as well as abundant power. Being trapped between a moving

part of a robot and another machine, object or surface must be addresses and provisions put in

place to minimize exposure. Although they may not be considered as “principal” problems,

Goetsch also list eye fatigue, seeing double images and complementary colors, headache, yawny

feelings, unwillingness to talk, shoulder fatigue, neck fatigue, dryness in the throat, sleepy

feelings and whole body tiredness (Goetsch, 2011). Some would also add the human factor as a

principle hazard.

UNIT VII ASSESSMENT QUESTION 1 2

Safety and Health Professional Persuasion

A safety and health professional’s job is to encourage workers to take safety seriously. To gain

and maintain the commitment of the personnel is always the objective. The methodology used to

influence, motivate, and/or assure an attitude of compliance towards safety and health varies

depending on the skillset and training of the control professional, yet all will employ some

degree of persuasive communication. It does not insist on an either /or usage, but rather a

strategic combination of communicative techniques. There are several differences between

projective communication and receptive communication. Goetsch describes projective

communication as an emphatic method in which the communicator attempts to alter an

individual’s mind towards the common goal, gain a devoted assertiveness, and transfer them to
accomplishment. There is a time and season for being a strong leader, showing charismatic

initiatives, and to be an influencing agent. The receptive approach, on the other hand, is a more

passive approach in which listening, more so than talking, is the method used to remove barriers,

recover information, and compel interest while identifying potentially hidden issues (Goetsch,

2011). When involved in stimulating objections, gathering information, helping people get

concerns off their chest, consensus, defusing anger and other strong emotions, and getting

feedback, then receptive is the approach. These approaches are both impactful and effective once

implemented properly.

Ethics in the Workplace

Ethics is defined by Goetsch as the study of morality. Ethical Behavior means doing the right

thing within a moral framework. An ethical environment is created by the company as it

establishes policies and practices that ensure treatment and enforcement of ethical principles.

This will be evaluated on the safety and health measures, fair promotional practices, as well as

protection from a variety of harassments and provocations (Goetsch, 2011). Some institutions

have adopted a code of ethics and standards of conduct. These type endorsements set the tone for

behavior and conduct expected by all associates.

Along with this ethical environment, the company must establish an ethical standard by example.

Conducting both internal and external business practices in the arenas such as paying invoiced

services, pollution, priority of safety, quality standards, guaranteed support, and being a good

neighbor in the community. Some guidelines for determining ethical behavior described by

Goetsch include morning after test, the front page test, the mirror test, the role reversal test, and

the common sense test. In the morning after test, if you make this choice, how will you feel
about it and yourself tomorrow morning? For the front page test, you make a decision that would

not embarrass you if printed as a story on the front page of your local newspaper. Likewise, the

mirror test examines if you make this decision, how you will feel about yourself when you look

in the mirror. The role reversal test asks you to trade places with the people affected by your

decision and view the decision through their eyes. Lastly, the common sense test says listen to

what your instincts and common sense are telling you. If it feels wrong, it probably is (Goetsch,

2011). Of these guidelines, the front page test is important to me as a professional in ethics.

Environmental Impact on the Safety and Health Professional

Environmental concerns are changing the role of the safety and health professional. Safety and

health professionals no longer have the luxury of passing off environmental issues to other

members of the organization. As explained by Goetsch, because legislation overlaps the safety,

health, and environmental areas, the safety and health professional has to be aware of

environmental regulations, even if they do not have responsibility for them (Goetsch, 2011).

Some examples of environmental factors that are changing the safety and health profession

include IEQ problems caused by ventilation systems deficiencies, overcrowding, off-gassing

from materials in the office and mechanical equipment, tobacco smoke, microbiological

contamination, and outside air pollutants. There are also comfort problems due to improper

temperature and humidity levels, poor lighting, unacceptable noise levels, adverse ergonomic

conditions, and job related psychological stressors. Also, high humidity conditions, low relative

humidity, sunlight, high temperature conditions, low temperature conditions, airborne salts, dust,

sand, dirt, lightning, high and low pressure, radiation, vibration and sound. Safety and health
managers have responded to these issues by studying, identification, establishing, training, and

incorporating strategic operational procedures in environmental compliance (Goetsch, 2011).

Quality and Safety Management

The critical characteristics of quality management by Goetsch are customer focus, obsession

with quality, scientific approach, long-term commitment, teamwork, continual process, education

and training, freedom through control, unity of purpose, and empowerment. QM organizations

tap the enormous wealth of knowledge, experience, and potential of all their employees by

involving them in decisions that affect their work and by empowering them to do what is

necessary to ensure and improve quality continually (Goetsch, 2011).

Quality management relates to safety in many aspects. An unsafe product is not a quality

product. Likewise, the obsession with quality and safety by an organization should be

inseparable concepts. The same tools used to identify root causes of quality problems can be

used to identify root causes of safety and health problems. Also, the long term commitment by

executive level managers should show their commitment to safety and health in the same way

that they show to quality and by making safety an organizational priority. Teamwork as a cross

functional teams are assigned specific quality improvement projects, similar teams should be

formed to tackle specific safety and health issues. The continual improvement of safety can be

achieved in the same way as the continual improvement of quality. The same is documented for

training, controls, and unity of purpose (Goetsch, 2011).

TSM is a performance and process oriented approach to safety and health management that gives

organizations a sustainable competitive advantage in the global marketplace by establishing a

safe and healthy work environment that is conducive to consistent peak performance and that is

improved continually forever. It involves applying the principles of QM to the management of

safety and health.

Methods of Hazard Analysis

The hazard analysis methodologies used today include Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA),

Hazard and Operability Review (HAZOP), Human Error Analysis (HEA), Fault tree analysis

(FTA) and Technic of Operation Review (TOR) all explained by Goetsch. FMEA critically

examine the system in question by dividing the system into its various components, examines

each individual component, and record all of the various ways in which the components may fail.

HAZOP consists of forming a team of experienced, knowledgeable people from a variety of

backgrounds relating to the process or system and having team members brainstorm about

potential hazards. HEA is used to predict human error. Two approaches to HEA can be effective:

Observing employees at work and noting hazards (the task analysis approach) and actually

performing job tasks to get a firsthand feel for hazards. FTA displays the analysis process

visually. Lastly, TOR is an analysis method that allows supervisors and employees to work

together to analyze workplace accidents, failures and incidents. It seeks to identify systemic

causes, not to assign blame (Goetsch, 2011). The most fundamental weaknesses of each of these

methodologies include not accounting for human error, (FMEA and HAZWOP), while HEA is

codependent conjunctively with FMEA and HAZOP analysis. TOR’s weakness is that it is

designed as an after the fact technique triggered by some accident or incident (Goetsch, 2011).