As the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) professional for a manufacturing company, you have been asked to conduct a risk assessment of potential issues within your facility. Specifically, you have been asked to identify whether these issues present a hazard by conducting a risk assessment using the quantitative risk assessment form, which you can access by clicking (SeeAttached). Once the risk assessments have been identified, your assignment is to provide control measures based on the hierarchy of controls identified in the Unit IV and Unit V Lessons. Each of the scenarios below have been identified as potential issues.Review each of the potential hazards identified in the scenarios, and provide a technical report of your findings and recommendations. The project should be a technical report with a minimum of three pages detailing your findings and recommendations. The project should be written in full APA format and include the elements listed below.
- Perform a quantitative risk assessment before and after the recommended controls. (You may include these as appendices in the technical report, but the findings should be discussed in the body of the report.)
- Include a priority ranking of controls based on the risk assessment findings.
- Explain the control measures for each of the identified hazards, and explain why you chose those specific control measures.
Scenario 1: Proposed Catwalk (Fall Hazards)There is an elevated area within the plant that requires two maintenance personnel to access it at least once every 2 weeks to perform preventive maintenance by lubricating gears and pulleys. They are currently using a 20-foot extension ladder to reach the locations that require maintenance. This requires that the ladder be moved six times per event, along with the employee climbing up and down the ladder. The maintenance supervisor for the plant has provided a drawing of a catwalk that he would like to install and has asked you to review them for compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards and to identify any potential problems with the design.
(SEE PHOTO1 ATTACHED)
Scenario 2: Hunter Molding Machine (Machine Guarding)
While operating a Hunter molding machine, it is necessary for a single operator to reach inside the machine to adjust the pattern or blow it off to ensure that it is free of particles or other debris that will create deformed parts. This function is conducted once every 75 minutes, 8.5 hours per day. The molding pattern is placed on the holder by the machine, which then automatically rotates the pattern 180 degrees before the molding sand is compressed on the pattern, and then this process is repeated to ensure a two-sided mold is created. When the molds are compressed and then separated, the operator must reach inside the machine to clean the pattern by blowing compressed air onto the mold. The foundry supervisor is concerned that there is a potential for the operator to be caught in the rotating pattern holder, causing an amputation. He has asked for your help to provide a control measure to prevent any possible injuries to the operators. Note: A physical barrier between the operator and the pattern holder is not possible or feasible due to production activities. Please see the photographs below as a reference.
(SEE PHOTO2 and PHOTO3 ATTACHED)
Scenario 3: Quality Control Testing Facility (Airborne Chemicals)
The quality control manager has implemented a new testing procedure to ensure high quality products are being produced by the company. As a part of the testing operation, the quality control technician applies a chemical mixture with a paintbrush onto specific points of the parts, which have previously been identified as weak points by customer complaints. This operation takes place over an open sink, similar to a parts washing tank. The quality control manager has requested your assessment based on the following data, along with any recommendations for any controls that need to be implemented. This operation takes place throughout the day and involves three employees (quality technicians) per 8-hour shift. An outside consultant has sampled the employee exposure over an 8-hour period with the results shown below
.(SEE PHOTO4 attached)
Scenario 4: Mobile Crane Operations (Materials Handling)
While observing a lift of materials onto a flatbed trailer through the use of a mobile hydraulic crane, which had the tires fully inflated and on level and firm ground, the materials manager stopped the operation because it did not look correct to her. She has now requested your assessment and your recommendations on controls to reduce any potential incidents or injuries. Based on your observations, you find the information shown below.
Weight of the load: 28,000 pounds
Boom length: 60 feet
Boom radius: 20 feet
