What is the main function of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration?
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Whether you are working in a corporation or a small business enterprise, your safety is an utmost priority. As a matter of fact, companies take safety laws especially Cal OSHA compliance seriously to avoid any future complications. In reality, prevention is better than cure! It saves time, money, and effort than spending thousands of dollars due to negligence. Regardless of what industry you are in, your health and welfare are significant to the company’s growth and development.
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The Importance of Health and SafetyBased on statistics, 4,585 employees died from occupational incidents, and there were a staggering 3.0 million total recordable cases of workplace injury and illness in 2013 alone. How much more in the recent years. These 3 million recorded cases caused US employers millions of dollars of lost work time. For it requires employees to stay away from work for eight days. Experts estimate that workplace injuries and illnesses cost U.S. businesses more than $125 billion annually. Thus, resulting in employers developing their own safety and health programs. Building a cost-effective job safety and health programs will not just help lower worker injuries and illnesses, it also helps employers save more in the long run. OSHA Goal and ScopeOSHA plays a key role in making your facility a safe, healthy place to work. In 1970, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, was established. OSHA’s aim is to encourage employees and employers to maintain workplace safety through effective programs while decreasing office hazards. As such, OSHA recommends that both parties cooperatively establish workplace-specific safety standards. They set safety and health standards for many work environments and ensures that employers comply with those standards. The agency also establishes training programs for occupational safety and health personnel. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s primary objective is to bring out the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). Moreover, the organization, OSHA, contributes to job safety and health by implementing regulations that forward this ideal. Also, OSHA mandates employers to start, enact, or build occupational safety and health laws of their own under federally-approved plans which are found under the Code of Federal Regulations (CF)Title 29, Parts 1902 – 1990. If you are an organization covered by the OSHA, you must provide your employees with jobs and a place of employment free from recognized hazards that would cause injury, illness, or even death. You must also comply with the OSHA statutory requirements, standards and regulations. Failure to comply would result in penalties amounting to $100,000 more or less. Hand It to the ExpertsSome businesses would find it too tiring to comply especially that there are updates in the laws. Making sure your company meet all federally-mandated requirements is not easy in today’s ever-changing regulatory compliance. But it is important to identify issues, complete incomplete requirements, and come prepared to avoid citation when OSHA knocks on your office door. Does this sound like a lot of tedious, labor-intensive work for your company? Fortunately, there are several experienced California management consulting firms who got your back by providing you with tools and guidance that you urgently need. They have a team of safety compliance professionals who have direct industry expertise and can effectively work with you to execute the program you need to ensure a working environment that is safe and secure for your employees. All you just need to do is call and let the experts handle it for you! Accident frequency rates are calculated on the basis of number of accidents per 100,000 working hours. The typical LTA rate is 0.3. An LTA value of 0.3 means 0.3 injuries per 100,000 h. The average time at work in refineries is 2000 h per year (50 work weeks/year × 40 h/week). For example, if a refinery has 1000 employees, the working hours will be 2 million (1000 employee × 2000 h), and with a LTA rate of 0.3, this gives 6 accidents per year in this refinery based on OSHA's LTA. OSHA's incidence rate (2004) is based on the number of incidents per 100 workers years (2000 h/year). Therefore, OSHA incidence rate is based on 200,000 h of all workers exposed to hazards, either based on injuries (equation 14.1) or based on lost workdays (equation 14.2): (14.1)OSHA incidence ratebased on injuries=number of injuries×200000total hours worked by all employees (14.2)OSHA incidence ratebased on lost workdays=number of lost workdays×200000total hours worked by all employees The OSHA incidence rate provides information on all types of work related accidents. Example E14.1 A refinery has 1500 full-time employees. In a particular year, this plant had 28 reportable lost-time injuries that resulted in 175 lost workdays. Compute the OSHA incidence rate based on injuries and lost workdays. Solution: Since total working hours for all employees is 1500 × 2000, OSHA incidence ratebased on injuries=28×2000001500×2000=1.87 OSHA incidence ratebased lost workdays=175×2000001500×2000=11.67 View chapterPurchase book Read full chapter URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780444527851000140 Forensic Aspects of Airborne Constituents Following Releases of Crude Oil Into the EnvironmentShawn M. Wnek, ... John A. Kind, in Oil Spill Environmental Forensics Case Studies, 2018 5.4.1 Occupational Exposure LevelsOSHA and the ACGIH have established workplace exposure standards and guidelines, respectively, to protect the health and safety of workers from overexposure to many of the individual constituents of crude oil. In addition, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has derived Recommended Exposure Limits (RELs) for the same purpose. These values are expressed as 8-hour (OSHA PELs and ACGIH TLVs) or 10-hour (NIOSH RELs) Time-Weighted Averages (TWA) and are intended to address daily worker exposures occurring over a working lifetime. Others may be expressed as Short-Term Exposure Limits (STEL; 15-minute average exposures) or Ceilings (maximum values allowed during a work period). The STEL and Ceiling values are applicable to exposures of shorter duration that can occur during chemical release emergencies. The 8-hour TWA values may also be relevant to emergency settings if intended to protect against short-term health effects such as irritation, central nervous system depression, etc. Together, the worker exposure guidelines and standards provide useful information for the development of action levels and in the interpretation of the results of air monitoring and sampling performed during crude oil releases. Table 5.4 summarizes the OSHA worker exposure standards and the NIOSH and ACGIH guidelines for target analytes associated with crude oil. Table 5.4. Occupational Exposure Standards and Guidelines AnalyteOSHAACGIHNIOSHPEL-TWAaPEL-STELbTLV-TWAcTLV-STELdREL-TWAeREL-STELfVolatilesBenzene1 ppm5 ppm0.5 ppm2.5 ppm0.1 ppm1 ppmCyclohexane300 ppmNE100 ppmNE300 ppmNEEthylbenzene100 ppmNE20 ppmNE100 ppm125 ppmHexane500 ppmNE50 ppmNE50 ppmNEH2SNE20 ppm (C); 50 ppmg1 ppm5 ppmNE10 ppm (C)Naphthalene10 ppmNE10 ppmNE10 ppm15 ppmToluene200 ppm300 ppm (C); 500 ppmg20 ppmNE100 ppm150 ppmXylene100 ppmNE100 ppm150 ppm100 ppm150 ppmCombustion productsPM2.5/PM10NENENENENENEPAHsh200 µg/m3NE200 µg/m3NE100 µg/m3NECO25000 ppmNE5000 ppm30,000 ppm5000 ppm30,000 ppmSO25 ppmNENE0.25 ppm2 ppm5 ppmNO2NE5 ppm (C)0.2 ppmNENE1 ppmCO50 ppmNE25 ppmNE35 ppm200 ppm (C) (ACGIH, 2014a), NE, Not Established; (C), Ceiling. aOSHA PEL-TWA=Permissible Exposure Limit − Time Weighted Average=The employee’s average airborne exposure in any 8-h work shift of a 40-h work week which shall not be exceeded. It is intended to be the highest level of exposure an employee may be exposed to without incurring the risk of adverse health effects (OSHA 29 CFR: 1910.1000).bOSHA PEL-STEL=Permissible Exposure Limit − Short-Term Exposure Limit (PEL-STEL). A 15-min TWA exposure that should not be exceeded at any time during a workday. (OSHA 29 CFR: 1910.1000).cACGIH TLV-TWA=Threshold Limit Value − Time Weighted Average (TLV-TWA). The TWA concentration for a conventional 8-h workday and a 40-h workweek, to which it is believed that nearly all workers may be repeatedly exposed, day after day, without adverse effect (ACGIH, 2014b).dACGIH TLV-STEL=Threshold Limit Value − Short-Term Exposure Limit (TLV-STEL). A 15-min TWA exposure that should not be exceeded at any time during a workday, even if the 8-h TWA is within the TLV-TWA. The TLV-STEL is the concentration to which it is believed that workers can be exposed continuously for a short period of time without suffering from (1) irritation, (2) chronic or irreversible tissue damage, (3) dose-rate dependent toxic effects, or (4) narcosis of sufficient degree to increase the likelihood of accidental injury, impaired self-rescue, or materially reduced work efficiency. Exposures above the TLV-TWA up to the TLV-STEL should be less than 15 minutes, should occur not more than 4 times per day, and there should be at least 60 minutes between successive exposures in this range. (ACGIH, 2014b).eNIOSH REL-TWA=Recommended Exposure Limit − Time Weighted Average (REL-TWA). The TWA concentration for up to a 10-h workday during a 40-h workweek.fNIOSH REL-STEL=Recommended Exposure Limit − Short-Term Exposure Limit (REL-STEL). A 15-min TWA exposure that should not be exceeded at any time during a workday.g10-min peak; once per 8-h shift.hAlthough OSHA, ACGIH, and NIOSH have not established an occupational exposure limits for PAHs, there are exposure limits for volatiles from coal tar pitch that cover the PAHs anthracene, benzo(a)pyrene, phenanthrene, acridine, chrysene, and pyrene.View chapterPurchase book Read full chapter URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128044346000057 Fatigue-related regulations and guidelinesSusan L. Murray PhD, PE, Matthew S. Thimgan PhD, in Human Fatigue Risk Management, 2016 8.1 OSHA and fatigue riskThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is an agency of the US Department of Labor. It was founded in 1970 by an act of Congress. OSHA’s mission is to assure safe working conditions in the United States by enforcing numerous safety regulations. There are some exceptions such as those for the self-employed or family farms, but most private sector employers are bound by OSHA regulations. OSHA has jurisdiction unless preempted by another federal agency such as the Department of Transportation or Federal Aviation Administration, but these agencies can only preempt OSHA in a specified activity or task. OSHA has the ultimate responsibility for the safety and health of American employees. OSHA does not have standards currently that address fatigue risk management. It has taken a position on extended work shifts which includes the definition of an extended shift as:
OSHA does not have specific regulations about extended shift work. The agency’s website does provide information on fatigue risk management as a guide. There is potential that OSHA could adopt standards in this area. They issued a statement in 2010 (see Fig. 8.1) supporting the report of US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) on the BP Texas City accident. The statement clearly shows OSHA’s belief that long work hours can be hazardous. Over the years the agency has written citations of safety infractions that are not specifically covered by regulations using the general duty clause which states “Each employer shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.” It is plausible that in the future when OSHA is investigating a serious accident that excessive work hours could be cited as causing an unsafe workplace and the agency could levy fines for this.  Figure 8.1. OSHA’s statement on hours of service. (Source: https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=18285).View chapterPurchase book Read full chapter URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B978012802412600008X Hospital facility safety standardsGerald R. Goodman, in Clinical Engineering Handbook (Second Edition), 2020 Occupational Safety and Health AdministrationThe OSHA is responsible for establishing and enforcing workplace safety rules. In an era of increased focus on patient safety, it is important to remember that OSHA deals with employee safety only. OSHA safety regulations do not deal with facility safety per se. Rather, OSHA regulations specify safety practices that are to be enforced while maintaining the facility. These regulations are typically identified for a specific hazard, such as respiratory protection when using aerosolized paint. OSHA does have a “general duty clause,” which is a catch-all regulation requiring employers to provide employee safety programs for hazards that the employer should have been aware exist, even if no specific safety program is identified. Safety programs under OSHA particularly relevant to clinical engineering include those for employee protection from blood-borne pathogens, rules related to worker protection from energized equipment, ladder safety, and hearing and eye protection when using tools such as grinders and drills. Rules on blood-borne pathogens include those applicable to all hospital personnel with potential exposure to blood and body fluids from direct patient contact. They also include requirements for clinical engineering departments to develop and enforce rules for the decontamination of patient equipment prior to repair. Rules for blood-borne pathogens can be found in 29 CFR 1910. OSHA requires that worker protection be provided when repairs being made to “energized” devoices. These can be powered from an electrical, pneumatic, or other power source. The rules are classified as “lockout/tagout” rules. A typical example of the application of the lockout/tagout rule is the repair of any permanently wired electrical equipment such as x-ray systems. The rule does not apply to those devices that can be disconnected from their power source prior to repair. In the case of permanently wired equipment, department policy must be clear that such devices cannot be repaired while connected to their power source unless specifically approved on a case-by-case basis. View chapterPurchase book Read full chapter URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128134672001036 Legislation and LawIn Lees' Loss Prevention in the Process Industries (Third Edition), 2005 3.2 US Regulatory AgenciesThe OSHA was created by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and has responsibility for enforcing that Act. OSHA comes under the Secretary of Labor and is headed by an Assistant Secretary of Labor. Its activities include the adoption of standards and making of rules, the inspection of workplaces and the investigation of accidents. The EPA, created by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 1969, is responsible for environmental legislation, including that on air pollution, water pollution and hazardous wastes. The areas of responsibility between the OSHA and the EPA are not clearcut. Although the OSHA is concerned with the workplace and the EPA with the environment, there are some areas where both agencies are involved. One of these is accidental releases and another is toxic substances, as described below. The relation between the two agencies is discussed by Spiegelman (1987) and Burk (1990). Mining and mineral processing (such as Alumina refineries and lime processing) are the responsibility of the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). Offshore production safety is the responsibility of the Mineral Management Service (MMS), which took over from the original US Coast Guard duties in the mid-1980s. However, the Coast Guard now has responsibility for deep water facilities, in addition to its traditional role of marine safety. Pharmaceutical safety comes under the watchful eye of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Pipeline safety, rail transport safety, and motor carrier safety issues are the responsibility of the Department of Transportation. View chapterPurchase book Read full chapter URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780750675550500918 Emergency SystemsP.E. John Muratore, in Safety Design for Space Systems, 2009 Respiratory ProtectionOccupational Safety and Health Administration publication 3079 defines a respirator as a device designed to protect the wearer from inhaling harmful dusts, fumes, vapors, or gases (OSHA 2002). Respirators have been developed by the military and private industry and therefore come in a wide range of types and sizes. They can be loose or tight fitting. Tight fitting respirators adhere closely to the skin and can cover just the mouth and nose or the entire face from the hairline to below the chin. Loose fitting respirators are typically hoods and helmets that cover the head completely and are often worn as a complement to a full body protection device. Respirators can be categorized as either air purifying or air supplied (OSHA 2002): ▪Air purifying respirators use filters to remove harmful contaminants from inhaled air, and they range from simple dust masks to complex masks that filter a wide variety of harmful chemical contaminants. These respirators do not provide supplemental oxygen, and they are not recommended for use in oxygen deficient atmospheres or other atmospheres that are immediately dangerous to life or health. Examples of air purifying respirators are gas masks, chemical canister masks, and chemical cartridge masks. ▪Air supplied respirators use an alternate source of breathable air to supplant the contaminated air. These range from supplied air respirators, that is, masks connected to flexible hoses that provide positive pressure breathable air, to self contained breathing apparatuses, that is, masks connected to a portable storage tank that provides positive pressure breathable air. The selection of a respirator depends heavily on the environment in which the respirator is to be used, and the length of time for which the respirator is to be needed. Like all other forms of personal protective equipment, respirators often have targeted environments, where they operate most effectively. Particulate size, particulate concentration, and specific chemical compounds and vapors are just a few of the environmental characteristics that dictate the choice of respirator. Usage time also dictates respirator selection. For example, supplied air respirators with their bigger breathable gas sources can provide relatively long periods of breathable air, while self contained breathing apparatuses and cartridge respirators provide shorter periods of respiratory protection, because they are limited by breathable air source capacity and cartridge life, respectively (OSHA 2002). Table 7.14 provides a simplified version of the characteristics and factors used to select a respirator. Table 7.14. Respirator Selection Criteria HazardRespiratory OptionsImmediately Dangerous to Life or HealthOxygen deficiencyFull face piece, self-contained breathing apparatus certified for a minimum service life of 30 minCombination full face piece supplied air respirator with auxiliary self-contained air supplyHarmful gas or vapor contaminants or other highly toxic air contaminantsFull face piece, self-contained breathing apparatus certified for a minimum service life of 30 minCombination full face piece supplied air respirator with auxiliary self-contained air supplyGas maskNot Immediately Dangerous to Life or HealthGas and vapor contaminantsSelf-contained breathing apparatusSupplied air respiratorGas maskChemical cartridge or canister respiratorParticulate contaminantsAny air purifying respirator with a suitable particulate filter for size and type particulatesSmoke and other fire related contaminantsSelf-contained breathing apparatus What is the function of the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration?The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) assures safe and healthful working conditions by setting and enforcing standards, and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance.
What is the main purpose of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration quizlet?Occupational Safety and Health Administration. It was created in 1970 to protect the rights and safety of the workers. Its responsibilities are to encourage employees and employers to reduce workplace hazards, improve existing safety, and monitor job related injuries and illnesses.
What is the main goal of occupational safety management?The main goal of safety and health programs is to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths, as well as the suffering and financial hardship these events can cause for workers, their families, and employers.
What is importance of occupational health and safety?Reduced risk or accidents or injuries by identifying and mitigating hazards. Improved efficiency and productivity due to fewer employees missing work from illness or injury. Improved employee relations and morale (a safer work environment is a less stressful work environment)
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