PUBH 461 MIDTERM1
flammable liquid
Any liquid having a flash point below 100F (class I)
who determines fire prevention requirements?
OSHA, fire codes (NFPA), and building codes (construction )
what is BE SAFE? (electricity)
Burns (most common) Electrocution (die) Shock Arc flash/arc blast Fire Explosions (when electricity ignites explosive mixture in the air)
What type of extinguisher would be which for a computer fire?
Class C (electrical equipment)
section 6(2)
for first 2 years after act was passed, secretary of labor could adopt any national consensus as occupational safety and health standard that would be enforceable
section 5(a) - general duties of employers
furnish employment/place of employment to be free of hazards that can cause death or serious physical harm
arc blast
high voltage arcs that produce considerable PRESSURE waves by rapidly heating the air and creating a blast
AOE
injuries arising out of employment (AOE)
What is grounding electricity and and why is it important?
it is the primary method of reducing electrical hazards by making a conductive path to the earth for excess currents as a protective measure (the earth can absorb any amount of electricity). This prevents people from becoming severely shocked when touching equipment.
insulators
materials that do not allow electrons to move from atom to atom i.e. rubber, glass (contains few free electrons)
Workers Compensation
no-fault system where employees who are injured from work receive benefits as set by law, regardless of whose fault it is i.e. payment for appropriate medical bills, assistance with return to work, payment of temporary or permanent disability, vocational rehabilitation, supplemental job displacement benefit voucher, death benefits.
resistance
opposition to current flow
Lower Explosive Limit (LEL)
the lowest concentration of vapor in air that is capable of producing a flash of fire with an ignition source
what is the lock out tag out standard
when people are servicing/maintenancing/repairing a machine, you need to shut it down by locking and tagging it out so that accidental activation does not occur → should be disconnected from their energy source authorized
How does a person receive an electric shock?
when they come into contact with an electrical energy source and become part of the electrical current
What is the formula for incidence rate?
(# injuries x 200,000) / (# of employees x 2000)
What is the formula for revenue to offset loss?
(total cost) / (profit margin % / 100)
what are the basic steps for lock out tag out?
1 detailed procedures for equipment 2 notify affected employees 3 shut down equipment properly 4 disconnect all primary energy sources 5 address all secondary sources 6 verify the lockout 7 keep it in force during shift changes 8 bring equipment back on line
What are the different priorities for inspections under OSHA?
1 imminent danger → condition where there is reasonable certainty that a danger exists that can cause death or serious physical harm immediately 2 catastrophes and fatal accidents → 1 death, any hospitalization, amputation, disfigurement 3 employee complaints 4 programmed high-hazard inspections 5 follow-up inspections
What are the different types of fire extinguishers?
1. A (combustibles) 2. B (liquids) 3. C (Electrical equipment) 4. D (combustible metals) 5. K (kitchen)
What is the hierarchy of controls?
1. Elimination (most effective) - physically removing the hazard 2. Substitution - replacing the hazard 3. Engineering Controls - isolating people from the hazard 4. Administrative Controls - changing the way people work 5. PPE (least effective) - protect worker with protective equipment
What is the P.A.S.S. technique?
1. Pull the pin 2. Aim at the BASE of the fire 3. Squeeze 4. Sweep side-to-side at the base until fire appears out
What are the type of fire extinguishers and how do they remove fires?
1. Water - removes heat 2. carbon dioxide - removes oxygen 3. dry chemical - isolates the fuel 4. wet chemical - isolates the fuel
What must the fire prevention plan include?
1. a list of fire hazards and handling/storage/control procedures 2. names of people responsible for systems that prevent/control ignition or fires and fuel source hazards 3. training for all employees who have responsibilities in the plan (portable fire extinguishers and emergency action plan) MUST BE IN WRITING AND AVAILABLE FOR EMPLOYEES TO VIEW (unless <10 employees, then it can be oral)
Heinrich Domino Theory
1. belief that ancestry and social environment 2. fault of the person 3. unsafe act/safety hazard 4. accident and 5. injury are the factors that lead to an accident → main points is that it is caused solely by the person and is unavoidable
What are the 5 agents of health hazards?
1. chemical - gas, vapor, solid, fiber, liquid, dust, mist, fumes i.e. bleach or air pollutants 2. physical - noise, heat, cold, vibration, electromagnetic field, lightning 3. biological - bacteria, fungi, infectious agents, HIV, hepatitis 4. biochemical (ergonomic) - repetitive motion, heavy lifting, incorrect posture 5. psychosocial- stress, workload, work organization
What are the top three industries with the most injuries/fatalities?
1. construction 2. transportation and warehousing 3. agriculture/fishing/forestry/hunting
What are the 4 types of injuries associated with electricity?
1. electrocution (death) 2. electrical shock (shocked but didn't die) 3. burn (body fries because of atoms resisting energy) 4. falls (body seizes and you fall)
OSHA classification of injuries
1. first aid - (least severe) where no medical treatment is required i.e. OTC medicine, bandaid 2. OSHA recordable - medical treatment beyond first-aid 3. restricted/modified duty - not able to return to work under "full" duty, work restrictions 4. lost work time - not able to return to work in injured employees condition
What are the elements of a safety health program?
1. management leadership and employee involvement 2. worksite analysis - identify hazards and conditions that may create hazards 3. safety and health training - employee/supervisor training 4. hazard prevention and control - engineering, PPE, administrative controls
What are requirements for fire doors?
1. separated by fire-resistant materials (fire corridor ratings) 2. openings into an exit must be limited to those necessary to allow access to exit or exit discharge 3. opening into an exit must be protected by approved self-closing fire door that automatically closes in emergencies
What is the public health approach?
1. surveillance through data collection and problem profiling 2. hazard identification by identifying risks 3. interventions 4. follow-up
what does the severity of an electric shock depend on?
1. the path of current through the body 2. the amount of current flowing through the body 3. the length of time the body is in the circuit
What is Mallory's story?
She was a teenager that got her arm stuck in a machine and cut her entire arm on the job. This could have been prevented if there was proper training and lack of safety features on the equipment.
what is fire?
A rapid chemical reaction and self-sustaining process of rapid oxidation of fuel that produces heat and light
Source of Ignition
A source of energy sufficient to ignite a flammable atmosphere and i.e. smoking, static spark, electrical equipment, heaters, tools and equipment, arson
injury
damage to the body produced by energy exchanges that have relatively sudden discernible effects
fuses and circuit breakers
devices that shut off electricity flow in an event of an overload (overcurrent devices) to protect EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES. Used for when there is too much current (could melt fuses and trip open).
1910.303 (b) employer obligation (examination, installation, and use)
electrical equipments shall be free from recognized hazards that are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees
requirements of portable fire extinguishers in the workplace
employers shall provide portable fire extinguishers, mount, locate and identify them so that they are readily accessible to employees. They are required to have annual maintenance checks to ensure they are fully charged and are in operable condition.
What are OSHA enforcement abilities with inspections?
every establishment covered by the act can be inspected by compliance officers that are trained in OSHA standards (this is done without advance notice). It starts with an opening conference, a walkthrough, and then closing conference with the employer
What are requirements for fire sprinkler clearance?
has to be UNOBSTRUCTED with an 18 inch vertical clearance. It has to have an inspection every 5 years with a certification
How can a company reduce costs of worker's compensation?
having a safe work environment aka adding a workers compensation program to prevent injuries (least expensive claim is one that never occurs). Building a safety program into a business creates a safety culture.
What do the values of experience modifications mean?
if a company's experience modification is 100% then their loss is neutral. If it is over 100% then the premiums will increase. If it is less than 100% then the premium will decrease.
How do you calculate indirect costs?
indirect cost = direct cost x 4
What are OSHA citations?
informs the employer of their OSHA violation
COE
injury occurs in the course of employment (COE)
requirements of emergency action plan
it must be in writing, kept in the workplace, and available for employees to view (if there are <10 employees then it can be given orally). It describes the procedure for reporting emergencies, evacuation (floor plans/maps that show emergency exit routes), and reasonable expected emergencies (fires, explosions, toxic chemical releases, natural disasters)
What does a low flashpoint mean? High?
low flashpoint means that its easier to ignite while a high flashpoint is harder to ignite
What are examples of management commitment and employee involvement in a health program?
management can take control over the organization, communicate goals/objectives, set an example by getting involved, and give incentives for those who improve safety. Employees can be committed by training new hirees, analyzing hazards themselves, and developing safety work rules
conductors
materials that have electrons that easily jump out of their atomic orbits from atom to atom i.e. copper, aluminum, gold (contains many free electrons)
voltage
measurement of electrical force
What are examples of safety hazards?
mechanical, thermal, chemical, radiation, pneumatic, electrical, hydraulic that result in acute traumatic injuries
current
movement of electrical charge
electricity
movement of free electrons between atoms (free electrons)
what are requirements for exit routes?
must be well-lit, unobstructed, free of explosives, placed where employees do not need to travel through high-hazard areas, safeguards properly working, permanent part of the workplace, identified in building plans, rated fire corridors, doors that aren't an exit need to be marked, must meet min height/width requirements, support max occupant load, swing in direction of exit travel
What affects worker's compensation insurance?
number of employees, the type of work performed (level of risk), accident experience of employer, potential future loss, quality of employer's safety program, estimates by actuaries, overhead and profits of employer.
spontaneous combustion
occurrence of fire without an ignition source due to chemical, biological, or physical processes that cause materials to self-heat. i.e. titanium powder, coal, sodium mythalate
lockout device
padlock or energy isolating device to prevent accidental energizing of a machine
What are examples of direct costs?
pain/suffering from the illness, loss of income, loss of your job, increased stress/anxiety, health-care costs, medical visits, lost in time, loss in wages
Sources of fuel
paper, boxes, polystyrene beads, plastics, carpets, furniture, waste materials, solvents, compressed gas, combustible metals
Fire prevention action plan
procedures to control accumulations of flammable and combustible waste materials. procedures include maintenance of safeguards installed on heat-producing equipment to prevent accidental ignition.
Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)
protects PEOPLE from electric shock by detecting ground faults (difference in current between black and white curcuit wires), interrupting electric current, and limiting duration of electric shock. If ground faults are detected, the GFCI can shut electricity flow down. (Required in wet locations)
what are the 3 types of ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCI)
receptacle, temporary/portable, and circuit breaker
What are examples of indirect costs?
reduced productivity, administrative costs, lost time by the supervisor, cost of training new workers/replacing the new worker, overtime for current workers, legal fees, damage to equipment (most costs are indirect), unwanted media attention, loss of reputation
section 11(c) - whistleblower
right of workers to seek safety and health on job without fear of punishment; prohibits discrimination against employees that file complaints against OSHA or disclose safety/health issues concerning work
What are different professional roles in the occupation health industry?
risk consultants, safety risk management, insurance loss control inspector, risk engineering consultant, etc.
What is an employee?
someone on payroll, receiving benefits, and has a supervisor
What are state plans under OSHA?
states have to set job safety/health standards that are at least as effective/comparable to federal standards (typically adopt identical ones to the federal plans).
Arc Flash
sudden release of electrical energy through air when a high voltage gap exists and there is a breakdown between conductors. it gives thermal radiation and bright light (up to 35,000 F)
working space about electric equipment 1910.303 (g)
sufficient access and working space around all electrical equipment, provided and maintained to provide ready and safe operation and maintenance
Upper Explosive Limit (UEL)
the highest concentration of vapor in air that is capable of producing a flash of fire with an ignition source
What is lockout/tagout?
the purpose of it is to prevent energy from accidentally being released while a machine or equipment is being serviced/maintenance to protect the safety and health of employees.
accident/incident theory
theory of accident causation in which overload, ergonomic traps, or a decision to err lead to human error. It is an expansion of human factor theory, but also includes system failure (policy, training, inspection)
What are experience modifications?
they are comparisons of a company's loss experience compared to other businesses.
Consensus standards
they are national and developed by industry-wide standards developing organizations (NFPA, ANSI). It is developed by committees of experts in particular field/industrial organizations and agreed upon by 100% of members
What is the most frequent cause of accidents?
transportation incidents
Young workers are twice as likely to get injured on the job. T or F?
true
safety hazard
uncontrolled transfer of energy from the source to a vulnerable individual that results in traumatic injuries or death, usually immediate effects i.e. falling
Affected employee (lockout/tagout)
Worker who operates the equipment being serviced or maintained or works in an area where the servicing or maintenance takes place
health hazard
5 agents that can be hazardous to a person's health and cause chronic illness or disease that leads to death. i.e. arthritis
What are OSHA enforcement abilities with penalties?
They are able to give fines (penalties) assessed because of citations
what is the purpose of the bureau of labor statistics?
collects/estimates/publishes statistics on injuries, illness, and fatalities in work and are categorized by severity and work being performed so that we can identify industries with high rates of injuries
combustible liquid
Liquid having a closed cup flash point at or above 100°F (class II or III)
what is the overall goal of Occupational Health and Safety Profession?
Maintain and promote physical, social, mental well-being in workers by identifying and controlling risks caused by working conditions. You control risks by developing interventions that prevent adverse health outcomes.
how do different professional disciplines play in occupational health and safety?
Occupational health and safety have a broad scope with MANY specialized fields that work together to prevent harm, design safe workplaces, test air quality, inspect machines, etc. i.e. industrial hygienist, risk manager, safety engineers
Proprietary standards
Prepared by professionals within specific industries/professional societies/fields and don't require consensus (determined by straight membership).
exit
That portion of the means-of-egress system that is generally separated from other areas to provide a protect way to travel to the exit discharge i.e. stairway
Exit Access
That portion of the means-of-egress system that leads from any occupied portion in a building or structure to an exit. i.e. office door
Exit discharge
That portion of the means-of-egress system that must lead directly outside to a street/walkway/refuge area/public way/open space with access to outside that is large enough to accommodate all building occupants likely to use the exit
Flashpoint
The lowest temperature at which a liquid will produce an ignitable mixture in air near the SURFACE of a liquid.
how do injuries impact company's profitability?
company's have to pay for their employee's hospital bills, replacements, rehabilitation, etc. This causes a reduction in productivity and thus decreases their profits.
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
The law passed by Congress in 1970 "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."
section 5(b) - general duties of the employee
comply with standards/rules/orders pursuant to the OSH act
What is an exit route?
a continuous and unobstructed path of exit travel from any point within a workplace to a place of safety
Fire Triangle
a three dimensional representation of requirements for fire to occur: fuel, heat, and oxygen
What are the types of citations?
a) other-than-serious violation - violation with direct relationship to job safety and health, but probably wouldn't cause death/serious physical harm b) serious violation - violation with high probably of death/injury and employer know or should have known about the hazard c) willful violation - violation employer intentionally/knowingly commits without making effort to eliminate it d) failure to abate prior violation - failure to correct prior violation e) de minimis violation - violations of standards that have no direct bearing on safety/health f) repeated - violation where upon re-inspection, a similar violation is found
authorized (qualified) employee
an individual who uses lock-out/tag-out/verify procedure on a machine or piece of equipment that THEY will be servicing or maintaining and use lockout/tag-out procedures for their own protection
29 CFR 1910.106 (flammable liquid)
applies to handing, storage, and use of flammable and combustible liquids with flashpoint under 200F. This standard addresses design, construction, ignition sources, and storage of flammable/combustible liquids
Human Factors Theory
attributes accidents to a chain of events ultimately caused by human error. The three factors leading to human error are: 1. overload 2. inappropriate responses 3. inappropriate activities
