1. Cindy is the plant manager from Gemstone, and she has asked you to perform a sound level survey and noise dosimetry in the fabrication shop, which can get pretty noisy when all three mechanical power presses and the 12-foot shear are running at the same time for several hours a day. She also asked that you identify noise level exposures in the adjacent welding department. Your results indicate that the noise levels in the area are just above the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) permissible exposure level for an average day in the fabrication department. Case Study: Environmental Health and Safety Assessment.

The welding department is adjacent to the fabrication department, and there is no separating wall. The welding operations are not quite as noisy, although the crackle of a well-adjusted MIG welder can be rather loud when welding mild steel. Noise monitoring and dosimetry of the welders indicated an exposure of just over OSHA’s Action Level of 85 Dba. In addition, you remember taking the survey readings and watching the noise level jump in the welding shop every time the power presses or shear cycled in the fabrication area.

After consulting with fellow industrial hygienists, it was determined that setting up a 12′ X 30′ noise barrier wall between the fabrication area and the welding area and adding noise absorption panels to both sides of the barrier wall and to the white-painted concrete walls in the fabrication department would decrease the sound levels in the welding area to several decibels below OSHA’s Action Level.
Of course, these engineering controls will cost $33,000 dollars. This is compared to a continuing hearing conservation program to include annual audiograms, or hearing tests, annual training, and providing noise protection for the welding department which is estimated to cost $9,000 per year. This amount would be saved each year if the engineering controls are installed.

If the company takes out a loan for $33,000 at 5% interest, what will the payback period be for the loan? Please consult your unit lesson for the necessary formulas. What would be your recommendation to the employer with respect to the options available? Please show your work. Make sure you justify your reasoning and that you consider the hierarchy of controls in your discussion.
Your response must be at least 200 words in length in addition to your financial analysis.

2. In the not-too-distant past, it was common for Occupational Safety and Health professionals to consider the hierarchy of controls according to the following priority order:

1. Engineering controls,
2. Administrative controls
3. Personal Protective Equipment

However, eliminating the hazard and substitution have usurped engineering control’s position at the top of the hierarchy although they have always been obvious best options, just not always included in discussions of the hierarchy of controls. Identify two examples where elimination of the hazard or substitution was, or might be, applied as a means of hazard control. Discuss some of the pros and cons of this option as compared to the other options in the hierarchy. You may also select examples from places you have worked or for which you have some familiarity.
Your response must be at least 200 words in length.

3. Your organization, a company that manufactures fitness equipment such as treadmills and elliptical machines, is about to introduce lean concepts into its operations in order to be more competitive with foreign manufacturers. The foreman from the assembly department, however, does not think that his employees have the time to be involved with the lean initiative. Provide a convincing argument about why it is important for the assembly line workers to play a part.

Your response must be at least 75 words in length.

4. A manufacturing facility that makes steel materials handling devices such as hand carts and an assortment of roller carts for moving heavy materials around in manufacturing facilities has decided to start making cantilever storage racking systems. This will require the purchase and installation of a 12-foot hydraulic press brake and a 12-foot shear in the fabrication department along with the necessary tools and dies to bend and punch holes in the rack components that will largely be manufactured from formed sheet metal. Employees have experience working smaller versions of this type of equipment, but room will need to be made and larger pieces of sheet metal will need to be cut and handled. The department will also need to continue to produce existing orders while the new equipment is installed. How can a management of change program be used to reduce risks in such a scenario?
Your response must be at least 75 words in length. Case Study: Environmental Health and Safety Assessment.

5. Your purchasing department does not want to buy adjustable hydraulic pallet stands for the filter assembly line at a company that makes oil filters for cars and trucks. They state that the current process works just fine and that expensive, adjustable stands are not required in the Occupational Health and Safety Administration standards. The production employees in the facility are largely female and many have worked at the facility for decades. The current process for accessing filter parts entails having assemblers bend over to pick up arm loads of the various filter components from a pallet or bin and placing them on a table beside their respective workstations. The parts are assembled and pressed into place, and the completed product placed in a separate bin. Please provide a risk-based argument as to why the adjustable pallet stands would be the better choice.
Your response must be at least 200 words in length.

6. What benefits can be achieved through benchmarking of safety and health training?
Your response must be at least 75 words.

7. What are some obstacles to successful benchmarking of safety training? Suggest some ways to overcome these obstacles.
Your response must be at least 200 words.

8. Describe how you would conduct formative and summative assessments of Environmental Health and Safety training. Who should conduct each of these assessments?
Your response must be at least 200 words. Case Study: Environmental Health and Safety Assessment.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION;

Environmental Health and Safety

Introduction

The environment is an important factor in the performance of your business. It can affect the health and safety of employees, customers and the public at large. There are many ways you can improve your environmental management practices to ensure that your company meets legal requirements.

Environmental Safety

Environmental safety is the responsibility of everyone. It’s about reducing the risk of accidents and incidents that can cause harm to people, property and the environment. Environmental safety management is about managing these risks so they don’t become a problem in the first place.

Environmental safety includes considerations related to:

• Hazard identification;

• Risk assessment;

• Risk management;

• Training on how to avoid hazards or deal with them if they occur (e.g., training on what constitutes safe working practices).

COSHH

COSHH is an abbreviation for the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. COSHH is a UK regulation that aims to protect the health of workers from the risks associated with hazardous substances. The law covers all types of equipment, materials and processes that could cause injury or illness if they are not handled correctly.

The main aim of COSHH is to ensure that workplaces are kept safe by managing risks associated with handling hazardous chemicals and biological agents (such as bacteria). It also covers other hazards such as electrical hazards, noise levels and radiation exposure in order for staff members not only work safely but also have access to proper training so they know what steps should be taken before entering a particular area where there may be potential dangers lurking around every corner!

CLP Regulation

The CLP Regulation is the European Union regulation on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures. It covers a wide range of substances from chemicals to biological products, but also includes waste materials from industry.

The CLP Regulation was adopted in 2007 to replace the Dangerous Substances Directive (2002/95/EC) which was based on the Globally Harmonized System for classification and labelling of chemicals (GHS).

The CLP Regulation is currently being revised to align it more closely with the GHS. The new regulation will be adopted in 2016 and come into force in 2017.

Waste Management

Waste management is the process of managing waste to minimise its impact on the environment, human health and social well-being. It involves collecting, separating, transporting and recycling materials that would otherwise be harmful or dangerous to humans.

Waste management includes:

• Reducing the amount of waste generated;

• Reusing materials (for example reusing cardboard boxes);

• Recycling materials that can be recycled without harm to humans or the environment; and/or reprocessing them into other forms so they are no longer harmful themselves (e.g., using energy from coal power stations).

Environmental Management

Environmental Management

Environmental management is the process of planning, controlling and monitoring the environmental impact of an organization. It includes strategies to reduce waste and pollution, improve energy efficiency and minimize the release of harmful substances into air, water or soil. Environmental management systems (EMS) are designed to guide how an organization manages its resources in order to achieve its goals while protecting human health and safety. A typical EMS includes policies that address:

• The identification of hazards affecting people’s health or property;

• The identification of controls that can be applied to prevent/reduce those risks;

• Implementation procedures (e.g., training programs);

• Documentation requirements for compliance with existing laws/regulations such as Occupational Safety & Health Administration standards

GHS

You may have heard of GHS, but what is it?

GHS is a set of internationally agreed-upon pictograms and hazard statements. The idea behind this system is to make it easier for people to understand the hazards of chemicals.

It replaced the old system of labels on products that were used in schools and universities so that students and staff would know what they needed to be careful about when using chemicals around them.

Transport Packaging

Transport packaging is the packaging used for transport of hazardous materials. The requirements for design and construction of transport packaging are covered in the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, while test methods are specified in ASTM Standards.

Transport packaging must be designed, constructed and tested to ensure that it is suitable for its intended use. Additionally, all labels must be legible at a minimum distance of 150 mm (6 inches). Labels should contain information about contents and hazards associated with this particular type of product or material; their quantity ;their physical properties ; their chemical composition ;their reactivity with other substances in contact with them ,etc., as well as any other necessary safety precautions needed during handling such goods either inside or outside container or package .

Sustainable Development Goals.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 goals and 169 targets that help us to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all as part of a new sustainable development agenda.

The SDGs were developed by UN member countries in order to give effect to Agenda 2030: A Strategy for Sustainable Development at local level within their own countries. They will be reviewed every 5 years after 2035

in order to ensure they remain relevant. The SDGs were adopted by all UN member countries in 2015 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City.

Conclusion

All in all, it is important to be aware of the various aspects of environmental health and safety. This will help you understand how your company can contribute to a sustainable future.