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Noise Control By Engineering Methods

The OSHA Noise Standard (29CFR1910.95) states when the 8-hour noise exposure exceeds 90 dB-A, an effort to control noise through engineering methods must be attempted. Hearing protection alone is not an acceptable means of OSHA compliance to the noise standard. The reason is simple, the poorest means of protection, whether to noise or other health hazard, is to utilize personal protection (in this case, hearing plugs or muff). The best protection is to eliminate the excessive noise or isolate the individual from the noise source. That means some form of engineering control—design changes to the source or separation of a worker from the machine. There are a vast assortment of possibilities depending upon the noise source and the amount of energy (in the form of noise) that is produced. Remember that noise is energy and multiple sources compound the energy produced. For example: two (2) machines side-by-side each producing noise of 88 decibels each when combined that is
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Hazards of Worker Exposure to Paints

There are a vast number of chemicals that can be contained in paints— solvents, pigments, metals , resins, plasticizers —anyone or all of these may cause adverse health effects especially to workers who are exposed to them on a daily basis. The best way to characterize the hazards to workers who are regularly exposed to paints is to identify the different type of paints—their ingredients—and their hazards. The various types of paints include: Water based paints. Oil/solvent based paints. Resin-type paints. Dry powder coating paints. The following is a breakdown of the ingredients of each type and the nature of the ingredients that may pose potential health problems to the worker/applicator. Water Based Paints: These paints were developed over the last two (2) decades to reduce the solvent emissions from paint application. Generally they are latex paints (either natural rubber latex or synthetic latex) and are water soluble. They may have some low level of solvent
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Carbon Dioxide Hazards in Food Processing

All living things need Carbon Dioxide for their life processes. At the same time, Carbon Dioxide can be hazardous to the health of us humans. Carbon Dioxide is also known as the “Greenhouse Gas” since it is the main element of life and growth for plants. Carbon Dioxide is also essential for human existence. Our natural breathing reflex is not triggered by a lack of oxygen in our system; it is caused by a build-up of Carbon Dioxide. However, too much carbon dioxide in the air we breathe (I’ll talk about sources later) can trigger excess breathing rates causing us to hyperventilate. Further, if CO 2 gets very high, it can replace the oxygen in the air and cause asphyxiation. How can the CO 2 levels get so high they replace the oxygen or cause us to hyperventilate? Hyperventilation can result from a build-up of CO 2 in a building that is closed up and/or too many people (exhaling CO 2 ) without adequate make-up air. This can possibly result in hyperventilating but it is un
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Welding Fume Exposure Health Effects – Acute and Chronic

Focus on the health problems attributable to welding, rather than the safety injuries such as cataracts, back problems, and burns is my objective in this article. Even if employers comply with the appropriate OSHA Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs), welding fume exposure can damage worker health, including both short term (acute) effects and long term (chronic) effects.  OSHA admits that compliance does not guarantee welding work will be totally safe. It’s true that you don’t see many welders who make it to retirement age as a welder. They either change professions before they reach retirement age, or they end up on disability due to cataracts, back problems or respiratory complications. Welding Fume Exposure-Acute Effects The most common acute effect of exposure to intense welding fume is called Metal Fume Fever with symptoms similar to the common flu: chills, low level fever, fatigue, nausea, sore throat, body aches and pains usually lasting 24 hours. Zinc, the c
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Fire Hydrant System

A fire hydrant, (also known as fire pumps, hydrant boosters, fire water pumps)is a connection point by which firefighters can tap into a water supply. These are high pressure water pumps designed to increase the fire fighting capacity of a building by boosting the pressure in the hydrant service when mains is not enough, or when tank fed. A Fire Hydrant with fully-on valve , releasing pressure water. Safe Operating Procedure- Fire Hydrant The user attaches a hose to the fire hydrant, then opens a valve on the hydrant to provide a powerful flow of water.  Most fire hydrant valves are not designed to throttle the water flow; they are designed to be operated either full-on or full-off. Attaching Hose with Fire Hydrant When a firefighter is operating a hydrant, he or she typically wears appropriate personal protective equipment, such as gloves and a helmet with face shield worn. High-pressure water coursing through a potentially aging and corroding hydrant could ca
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Electricity Hazards and Control

Electricity is an integral part of our life and modern day cannot be imagined without it. But with all the benefit it brings in our life it has it also carries certain hazards which we are going to look at. How the Electricity Works? For electricity to work we need a source and a conductor. The source can be a power generator and wires can be conductors which can carry current. What are Electrical Hazards? Electrical Hazards can be as: >Electric Shock Electric Shock-contact with live conductor Main type of harm from electricity is electric shock. An electric shock occurs when a person comes into contact with an electrical energy source. The electrical energy flows through a portion of the body causing a shock  (you become part of the circuit). The effects of electric shock may include Heart failure, respiratory failure and burns. Also, The passage of electric current through body causes muscles to contract violently. As a result you can become unba
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Electrosmog & Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity Syndrome (EHS)

Electrosmog is the invisible electromagnetic radiation resulting from the use of both wireless technology and mains electricity. The most common sources of wireless electrosmog are: Cordless phones Cordless baby alarms Mobile/cellular phone masts/towers/transmitters Mobile/cellular phones Wireless networks Electrosmog is responsible for a condition known as Electrosensitivity (ES) or Electro hyper sensitivity (EHS). Many people are getting Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity Syndrome (EHS). It is a condition in which people are highly sensitive to electromagnetic fields  in the environment: power lines, motors, computers,  or in n an area such as a wireless hotspot or near celluar Towers, they experience pain or other symptoms. Such symptoms include: Headaches Disruptive sleep patterns Chronic fatigue Depression Hypersensitivity and erratic blood pressure Skin complaints Behavioural patterns in children Children, the elderly and anyone with a lowered immune s
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