Question

Injury/Illness Prevention Case Study As the new Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) manager for the Widget Factory, you recently completed a study of the injuries entered on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 300 form over the past 12 months. Your findings revealed the following: Eight employees were treated for various levels of heat strain during the summer months. Six were working indoors in the warehouse, and two were working outdoors doing grounds maintenance. All were first aid injuries. There were six forklift accidents that resulted in injuries: Three dropped loads struck nearby workers. All received first aid. One forklift flipped over going around a corner, ejecting the operator. The operator lost 10 days of work and was on restricted duty for 30 days. Two employees working in the warehouse aisles were struck by forklifts. Both were medical treatment injuries. Five electrical shocks were reported in the machine shop. All occurred during routine equipment maintenance. All were medical treatment injuries, but none resulted in days away from work. There were nine eye injuries in the machine shop. Five were foreign particles in the eye and four were machine oil splashes. All were reported as first aid injuries. Six employees in the plating shop were treated for inhalation of solvent vapors. Two resulted in lost workdays, and the others were medical treatment injuries. To reduce workplace injuries, select three program areas from the analysis above that should receive immediate attention. Select three OSH programs from the following: Heat Stress, Powered Industrial Vehicles, Material Handling and Storage, Hazardous Energy Control (Lockout / Tagout), Personal Protect Equipment (PPE), Respiratory Protection Program Discuss why the specific OSH program area was selected.

Explain how you would identify and assess the hazards related to this program area.

Answer 1

The three OSH programs to prioritize are Heat Stress, Powered Industrial Vehicles, and Hazardous Energy Control (Lockout/Tagout), due to the high incidence rates and potential severity of injuries associated with these areas.

Step-by-step explanation:

As a new Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) manager aiming to reduce injury/illness rates, three program areas that should receive immediate attention are Heat Stress, Powered Industrial Vehicles, and Hazardous Energy Control (Lockout/Tagout).

Heat Stress Program

The Heat Stress program was selected due to the eight cases of heat strain found in the analysis. Hazards can be assessed through environmental temperature monitoring, and employee feedback. To mitigate heat stress, providing training, adequate hydration, and rest periods in cooler environments are essential.

Powered Industrial Vehicles Program

The Powered Industrial Vehicles program is crucial because of the six forklift-related injuries. Hazards would be identified through observations of working practices and equipment conditions. Improving training for operators, implementing strict speed limits, and enforcing load limits can enhance safety.

Hazardous Energy Control (Lockout/Tagout) Program

Given the five electrical shocks reported, the Hazardous Energy Control program needs prioritization. Risk assessment is performed by reviewing maintenance procedures and equipment. Introducing comprehensive lockout/tagout procedures and frequent training could prevent such incidents.

Performing regular safety audits, enforcing the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and adhering to OSHA standards are all necessary steps to improve worker safety in the described areas.