Common Traumatic Injuries in the Construction Industry - Essay Example

Module Construction Industry Construction Industry: The construction industry has the highest number of fatalities. According to Health and SafetyExecutive, there were 72 fatal injuries in 2007-2008, approximately 31 percent of all fatal injuries. 1.0 and 1.7 million working days were lost to workplace injuries and work-related illnesses respectively. Traumatic Injury: Traumatic injuries are distinguished by their acute adverse effects on the health and safety of a worker. Occupational Hazards: Occupational hazards, on the other hand, have the potential to adversely affect the health and safety of a worker by their presence in the working environment. The risk posed by occupational health hazards can be minimized by safe practices or the use controls or personal protective equipment. Common Traumatic Injuries in the Construction Industry: 1) Falls and Trips: Falls and trips could occur while working on ladders, scaffolding, roofs, mobile elevating work platforms, or any other form of working at heights. 23 worker deaths in construction resulted from falls from heights in 2006-2007. Use of fall protection equipment such as work restraint systems, work positioning systems, rope access systems, or fall arrest systems can minimize falls and trips. 2) Workplace Transport Accidents: Accidents involving workplace vehicles cause fatalities every year. Accidents could include being struck by a moving vehicle, falling from a vehicle, materials falling from a vehicle, collapse/overturn of a vehicle, or hit against a vehicle. There were 66 workplace transport fatalities in 2006-2007. Planning, training, awareness, and appropriate use of vehicles can reduce accidents. 3) Electric Shocks: Electric shocks cause fatalities in the construction industry every year. Electricity at Work Regulations addresses requirements for working with/near electric installations. Occupational Hazards Present in the Construction Industry: 1) Asbestos: Inhaling asbestos fibres can cause mesothelioma, lung cancer, asbestosis, and/or pleural thickening. 1000 people who worked in building or maintenance die every year from lung cancer. Training and personal protective equipment is required for working with asbestos containing material. 2) Noise: Exposure to high levels of noise (over 85dBA) for over long periods of time can cause noise induced hearing loss. Use of hearing protective devices is necessary to keep noise exposure to acceptable levels. Exposure to noise can also be reduced by use of engineering or administrative controls. 3) Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs): Repetitive manual handling of heavy weights create excessive stress and strain on the body, and may lead to musculoskeletal disorders. Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 have been developed to reduce MSDs in construction work. References: Health and Safety Executive. (2008). Work-related injuries and ill health in construction - Summary. Retrieved March 2, 2009, from Health and Safety Executive Web site: http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/construction/index.htm Module 2: Musculoskeletal Disorders and Ergonomics Back Pain: Back pain can be caused by tasks that involve heavy manual work, awkward postures, repetitive tasks, lack of fit between the workstation and the worker, driving long distances or driving over rough ground, and/or operating heavy equipment. Physical activities that can aggravate back pain include stooping, bending over or crouching, work at PCs, lifting bulky or heavy objects, awkward postures, pushing, pulling or dragging excessive loads, working beyond normal abilities and limits, working when physically exhausted, using poor lifting techniques, stretching, twisting and reaching, prolonged periods in same position, vibration, jolting, and/or jarring. Manual Handling Assessment Tools: Health and Safety Executive has outlined five steps to assess risks at the workplace. They are identification of hazards, determination of at risk workers, evaluation of risks and decision on precautions, recording findings and implementing them, and review of assessment and update. In addition to general risk assessment requirements, the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 requires risk assessment of manual handling tasks. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), USA has developed the Lifting Equation to evaluate lifting tasks. Manual Handling Assessment Charts (MAC) have been made available by Health and Safety Executive, UK to evaluate manual handling tasks. MAC is a tool to help in the identification of common risk factors in lifting, carrying and handling operations. A guidance booklet has been prepared by Health and Safety Executive, UK to aid to risk assessment of upper limbs disorders. Workplace Assessment: Back pain can be caused by several conditions discussed above. Also, a condition that developed at the workplace could be aggravated by other factors outside the working environment. In the present case, the warehouse worker, who complained of back pain, lifts heavy boxes regularly. Although he routinely performs tasks involving heavy physical labour, his level of physical activity at home and outside of work is unknown. In order to make a determination whether the musculoskeletal disorder is work related, a thorough examination of the worker’s tasks would be conducted using the NIOSH lifting equation, and a determination would be made whether the weight of the boxes is within the recommended weight limit. When within the recommended weight limit, the task would not cause musculoskeletal disorder to the average worker. Often there are other contributing factors such as lack of proper training to use proper posture while executing the task. A detailed study of the worker’s posture would enable make a determination whether the correct posture for doing the task has been adopted. Also, the manual handling assessment charts would be utilized to assess the workers tasks. The assessment of posture, weight limit and repeatability of the task would enable make a determination whether prolonged working in similar conditions could cause musculoskeletal disorders, and the worker’s case justified. Also, a medical examination would be conducted to determine the nature of back pain to establish causal factors. References: Health and Safety Executive, (2008). What can lead to back pain in the workplace? Retrieved March 2, 2009, from Health and Safety Executive Web site: http://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/backpain/wkp.htm Health and Safety Executive. (2008). Backpain in the workplace. Retrieved March 2, 2009, from Health and Safety Executive Web site: http://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/backpain/index.htm Module 3: Noise and Hearing Loss in the Workplace Noise Hazard: Noise is defined as sound that is not desirable. Noise is measured on a logarithmic scale, and is characterized by loudness and frequency. Several scales, such as A, B, C and D have been developed to measure noise levels. The A scale resembles human hearing and is typically used for noise exposures. Prolonged exposure (8 hour workday) to noise over 85 dBA can cause noise induced hearing loss. The limits of exposure to noise vary with noise levels, and its determination is subject to an understanding of logarithmic scales and the concept of time weighted averages. Since, noise levels fluctuate throughout the working period, the time weighted average must be measured or estimated. This could be achieved by the use of sound level measuring instruments such as sound level meters or noise dosimeters. Some signs of hearing loss include having trouble understanding what people say, having to turn the sound louder, having to ask people to repeat, or unable to hear high-pitched sounds. Exposures to high levels of noise destroy the hairlike cells in the inner ear causing permanent hearing loss. A condition called tinnitus, a feeling ringing in the ears may also result from exposure to loud noise. Current Case: Noise at Work Regulations 2005 requires employers to provide noise surveillance for workers who are regularly exposed to noise above 85 dBA. An assessment of noise at the worker’s workplace would be conducted using sound level meters to determine areas with high levels of noise. This would be followed by noise dosimetry to determine the individual’s exposure to noise at work. Also, audiometry results from previous jobs, medical history, a history of exposure to noise above 85 dBA, or a family history of hearing problems would be considered. The results would enable make a determination, whether the hearing loss resulted from the workplace. Noise Control: In order to let the worker continue, several measures would be considered. These include engineering controls for noise sources or the use of administrative controls such as job rotation to minimize prolonged exposure to noise, the use of hearing protective devices such as ear muffs or ear plugs, and worker training in awareness of hazards from noise and the use of hearing protective devices. The use of control measures would depend on the levels of noise present at the workplace. If hearing loss is a trend among the workers, a hearing conservation program would be instituted. This includes regular assessment of noise levels at the workplace, control measures to reduce noise exposure, worker audiometric testing, and training in the use of hearing protective devices. The program would not only be beneficial to the worker, but also to all workers present at the workplace. References: Health and Safety Executive, (2009). Noise. Retrieved March 3, 2009, from Health and Safety Executive Web site: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/noisindx.htm Ward, T (2003). Noise Assessments – Getting what you need. Retrieved March 3, 2009, from Noiseasssessments Web site: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/noiseassessments.pdf Module 4: Workers Compensation Workers Compensation: Workers compensation is a system where an employer must pay, or provide insurance to pay, the lost wages and medical expenses of an employee who is injured on the job. A worker whose injury is covered by the workers compensation statute loses the legal right to sue the employer for that injury, but injured workers may still sue third parties whose negligence contributed to the work injury. In a case reported by the Claims Connection, Mr G, a fitter developed Mesothelioma 30 years after inhaling asbestos while doing maintenance work on machinery in a factory being shut down, and subsequently died. Mr G’s widow pursued a compensation claim under the Law Reform Act 1934 and the Fatal Accidents Act 1976. The factory owners had not warned Mr G of asbestos related health risks or provide him with protective breathing equipment. Consequently, Mr G’s widow was paid a compensation of £120,000. In another case reported by the Claims Connection, Mr Y worked as a joiner for a company that constructed new homes, and worked with materials that contained asbestos throughout the 1950s and 1960s. 40 years later, he was diagnosed with asbestosis.  Consequently, Mr Y was paid more than £35000 by the construction company. Asbestos Exposure: Inhaling asbestos can cause diseases such as pleural thickening, asbestosis, lung cancer, and/or mesothelioma. Symptoms of asbestos-related diseases do not become apparent for many decades after exposure. Symptoms include shortness of breath, cough or a change in cough pattern, blood in the sputum coughed up from the lungs, pain in the chest or abdomen, difficulty in swallowing or prolonged hoarseness, and/or significant weight loss. Asbestos fibers can be measured in urine, feces, mucus, or fluids rinsed out of the lungs. A thorough physical examination, including a chest x-ray and lung function tests, is required. Current Scenario: In the present case, a sampling of the claimant’s working environment would be conducted to determine the presence of asbestos containing material, and whether the working conditions would have caused exposure to asbestos. Also, a determination would be made whether the worker had been informed of the health risks associated with asbestos exposure and provided with appropriate protection such as respirators. If the working environment did pose the risk of exposure to asbestos, and the worker had not been informed or provided with personal protective equipment, the worker would be eligible for compensation. References: Health and Safety Executive, (2008). Freedom of Information. Retrieved March 3, 2009, from Health and Safety Executive Web site: Information document (part 2) - Exposure to Asbestos from work activities: Advice for employees and members of the public. Web site: http://www.hse.gov.uk/foi/internalops/fod/oc/200-299/265-48-2.htm National Cancer Institute, (2002). Asbestos Exposure: Questions and Answers. Retrieved March 3, 2009, from National Cancer Institute Web site: http://cancerweb.ncl.ac.uk/cancernet/600321.html The Claims Connection, (2009). Asbestos law and compensation rights. Retrieved March 3, 2009, from The Claims Connection Web site: http://www.theclaimsconnection.co.uk/asbestos-compensation/asbestos-law.html Module 5: Chemical Safety and Industrial Hygiene Routes of Exposure to Benzene: Benzene may enter the body by inhalation; breathing benzene vapours present in the air, absorption; penetration through the skin, and/or ingestion; swallowing material containing benzene. Short Term Effects on Exposure to Organic Chemicals: Short term exposure to organic chemicals such as benzene can cause headaches, tiredness, nausea, and/or dizziness. Short term exposure limits (STELs) has been developed by American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH), and Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) in the US. These are exposure limits for 15 minutes time weighted average exposure that must not be exceeded. Long Term Effects on Exposure to Organic Chemicals: Long term exposure to organic chemicals such as benzene can cause blood disorders such as anaemia or leukaemia. Long term exposure limits for eight hours time weighted average include threshold limit values (TLVs) by ACGIH, permissible exposure limits (PELs) by OSHA, and recommended exposure limits (RELs) by NIOSH. Precautionary Measures: Benzene is covered under Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002. The regulation requires the employer to assess the risks to health and provide control measures, prevent exposure to benzene or adequately control exposure, reduce the amount of benzene in the air as far as is reasonably practicable and keep it below 1 ppm for an 8-hour working day, establish the extent of exposure, arrange appropriate health checks, provide information on the risks of exposure to benzene, provide training in the use of personal protective equipment, and ensure that control measures and personal protective equipment are maintained in good working order. Health and Safety Executive has recommended the following precautionary measures while working with benzene. The woman working in the laboratory as a technician should ask the employer about the risks and precautions to be taken in case of an emergency, follow safe working procedures laid down by the employer, avoid breathing benzene vapours, avoid getting liquids containing benzene on skin, use the ventilation equipment and personal protective equipment such as gloves, masks, goggles, report any damaged or defective ventilation plant or protective equipment, and attend any health checks that may be arranged. Monitoring the workplace is an important aspect of controlling exposures at the workplace. Sampling can be done using direct reading instruments such as photoionization detectors, or by the use of sampling media such as sorbent tubes and analyzing the media in the laboratory. Direct reading instruments are less reliable, but are useful to make quick assessments to determine the presence of organic vapours such as benzene, whereas use of sampling media produces more accurate results. Following proper procedures and using control measures while handling benzene or other organic vapours are necessary to minimize the risks from organic vapors. References: Health and Safety Executive, (2004). Benzene and You. Retrieved March 3, 2009, from Health and Safety Executive Web site: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg329.pdf Read More