Business: Occupational Safety and Health and Personal Protective Equipment Essay

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Hazard Prevention and Control
From this link: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/safetyhealth/comp3.html
Regularly and thoroughly maintain equipment
Ensure that hazard correction procedures are in place
Ensure that everyone knows how to use and maintain personal protective equipment
Make sure that everyone understands and follows safe work procedures
Ensure that, when needed, there is a medical program tailored to your facility to help prevent workplace hazards and exposures
Engineering Controls
If feasible, design the facility, equipment, or process to remove the hazard or substitute something that is not hazardous.
If removal is not feasible, enclose the hazard to prevent exposure in normal operations.
Where complete enclosure is not feasible, establish barriers or local ventilation to reduce exposure to the hazard in normal operations.
Safe Work Practices
Respiratory Protection [29 CFR 1910.134].
Lockout/Tagout [29 CFR 1910.147].
Confined Space Entry [29 CFR 1910.146].
Hazard Communication [29 CFR 1910.1200, 29 CFR 1926.59].
Blood borne Pathogens [29 CFR 1910.1030].
Hearing Conservation [29 CFR 1910.95].
Laboratory Chemical Hygiene [29 CFR 1910.1450].
Administrative Controls
While safe work practices can be considered forms of administrative controls, OSHA uses the term administrative controls to mean other measures aimed at reducing employee exposure to hazards. These measures include additional relief workers, exercise breaks and rotation of workers. These types of controls are normally used in conjunction with other controls that more directly prevent or control exposure to the hazard.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
When exposure to hazards cannot be engineered completely out of normal operations or maintenance work, and when safe work practices and other forms of administrative controls cannot provide sufficient additional protection, a supplementary method of control is the use of protective clothing or equipment. OSHA requirements on personal protective equipment, see OSHA’s standard, 1910 Subpart I.
PPE Hazard Assessment and Training
Using PPE requires hazard awareness and training on the part of the user. Employees must be aware that the equipment does not eliminate the hazard. If the equipment fails, exposure will occur. To reduce the possibility of failure, equipment must be properly fitted and maintained in a clean and serviceable condition.
Systems to Track Hazard Correction
Many companies use the form that documents the original discovery of a hazard to track its correction. Hazard correction information can be noted on an inspection report next to the hazard description. Employee reports of hazards and reports of accident investigation should provide space for notations about hazard correction. Frequently, companies will computerize their hazard tracking system which can be as simple as adding a few items to an existing database, such as work order tracking. Preventive Maintenance Systems
Reliable scheduling and documentation of maintenance activity is necessary. The scheduling depends on knowledge of what needs maintenance and how often. The point of preventive maintenance is to get the work done before repairs or replacement is needed. Documentation is not only a good idea, but is a necessity in larger companies. Certain OSHA standards also require that preventive maintenance be done. For example, a preventive maintenance program is required for overhead and gantry cranes, [29 CFR 1910.179].
Emergency Preparation
Survey of possible emergencies;
Planning actions to reduce impact on the workplace;
Employee information and training; Emergency drills as needed.
Medical Programs
Type of processes and materials and the related hazards,
Type of facilities,
Number of workers,
Characteristics of the workforce, and
Location of each operation and its proximity to a health care facility.
Medical programs consist of everything from a basic first aid and CPR response