Section A Questions Deck 2 Flashcards
(a) Outline the health effects associated with the Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). (3)
(b) Outline control measures to protect against occupational exposure to the virus. (7)
Outline control measures to protect against occupational exposure to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). (10)
(a) HIV is a virus which attacks the body’s immune defence mechanism, weakens an individual’s ability to fight infections and may cause AIDS. It affects appetite, inducing the AIDS wasting syndrome, and may lead to a risk of opportunistic infections such as hepatitis B, TB or thrush.
(b) control measures to protect against occupational exposure to the virus include:
- pre-employment medical screening and the identification and protection of high risk workers;
- procedures for handling sharps and for dealing with spillages and the provision of an adequate disposal facility both for sharps and waste;
- the provision of micro-biological cabinets for handling samples;
- the cleaning and disinfection of surfaces;
- the provision of suitable personal protective equipment such as overalls, gloves and masks;
- ensuring that workers are given a high level of supervision together with adequate instruction and information on the risks involved and the precautions to be taken including the need for a high level of personal hygiene;
- introducing procedures for dealing with possible bodily contact from violent patients and ensuring that adequate facilities are provided for working outside controlled environments such as in a patient’s home.
Workers driving vehicles on a construction site may experience whole-body vibration (WBV).
(a) Explain the meaning of WBV. (2)
(b) Outline the health effects of WBV. (2)
(c) Outline measures the drivers could take in order to reduce the effects of WBV. (6)
(a) The meaning of whole body vibration is shaking, jolting or vibration of the human body due to transmission to the worker through a contacting or supporting structure such as a seat or the floor which itself is vibrating.
(b) The health effects of WBV include
- Fatigue and insomnia,
- Headache, shakiness shortly after and/or during exposure,
- Stomach problems such as motion sickness and muscular or back disorders.
(c) Measures that drivers could take in order to reduce the effects of WBV include
- Following worksite routes to avoid driving over rough ground and avoiding driving over holes or loose material to reduce bumping and jolting;
- Adjusting vehicle speed to suit ground conditions and operating it smoothly without sharp or sudden gear changes or braking;
- Adjusting the seat suspension to suit their individual weight and to avoid “bottoming out”;
- Adjusting seat position to make hand and foot controls easier to operate;
- Taking regular breaks away from the machine and undertaking relevant daily vehicle checks, particularly of tyre pressures.
When respiratory protective equipment is in use, it may not provide the
level of protection stated by the manufacturer.
Outline the possible reasons for this. (10)
Outline reasons why respiratory protective equipment (RPE) may not provide the level of protection that is stated by the manufacturer when it is being used. (10)
The possible reasons include
- An inadequate initial assessment which did not take into account work rate, duration of wear required and the anticipated level of contamination;
- A poor air flow or a loss of battery power;
- The fitting of incorrect cartridges or a failure to replace them before saturation;
- Poorly fitting equipment or incompatible with other personal protective equipment being worn;
- The presence of other contaminants resulting in a decrease in saturation time;
- Inadequate training in its use and particularly in the care that should be taken in its removal;
- Poor maintenance and inadequate storage resulting in the face piece being left exposed;
- Damage occurring during use and inadequate monitoring and supervision to ensure the equipment was always used when required and
- The fact that the equipment might not have been manufactured to the appropriate standards,
- The considerations to be taken when selecting respiratory protective equipment rather than why, once selected, it might not provide the stated level of protection.
Stonemasons are exposed to silica dust during grinding operations. You have collected exposure data for one worker using standard sampling equipment suitable for dusts. The results are presented in the table below.
(a) Outline the meaning of the term ‘respirable dust’. (2)
(b) Using the data in the table, calculate in mg/m3 the average concentration of ‘respirable crystalline silica (quartz) to which the worker was exposed during the sampling period. (5)
You should calculate the value in units of mg/m3 (there are 1000 litres in each cubic metre).
(c) Outline why there may be errors in the measurement values. (3)
a) The term ‘Respirable Dust’ refers to dust which penetrates to the gas exchange region of the lungs. The respirable dust was typically less than seven microns in aerodynamic diameter.
(b) an average concentration of respirable crystalline silica during the sampling period of 0.49mg/m³.
Total pump running time = 240 minutes giving a throughput of air of 528 litres (2.2 x 240) or 0.528m³ (528/1000).
The mass of dust collected was 4.30 mg (266.45 - 262.15).
The mean dust concentration was 8.14mg/m³ (4.30/0.528) and the mean crystalline silica concentration was 0.49 mg/m³ (0.06 x 8.14).
c ) Reasons for errors in the measurement values such as:
- Pump and balance calibration errors.
- Filter contamination.
- Variations in pump rate perhaps because of battery power variation and incorrect recording of either mass or time.
Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) provide important information to employers who are required to assess exposure to hazardous substances in their workplace. A typical SDS is divided into sections that contain different types of information.
Identify FIVE different types of information contained in a SDS, AND for EACH, outline how the information could contribute to the assessment of risk or control of exposure. (10)
(a) A SDS would include information on:
- The substance name.
- Information on the hazardous nature of the product (its classification, such as toxic, together with Risk and Safety phrases) and toxicological data (such as LD50, carcinogenicity).
- Information on the hazardous ingredients/composition (as opposed to the overall product).
- Physical and chemical properties (such as boiling point, volatility, physical form).
- Information on exposure controls/personal protection and standards (such as applicable occupational exposure limits, glove breakthrough times and measures normally recommended to reduce exposure).
- Stability and reactivity data (such as identification of incompatibles).
- Measures to be taken in emergencies (spillage, first aid, fire).
(b) When assessing exposure to hazardous substances, the assessment must take account of numerous factors including.
- How the task is carried out (e.g. pouring/spraying),
- Frequency and duration of exposure,
- Amounts used,
- Inherent properties (health, physical and chemical),
- Potential for accidental release (when exposure may be considerably greater) and the efficacy of any existing controls.
The SDS is no substitute for a risk assessment, but it can provide some base data for it.
Information on hazards will help to identify the inherent nature of the harm that can be caused in the first place (such as irritation or rapid destruction of skin) and the basic sites of attack (e.g. “harmful by inhalation”, “harmful if swallowed”).
Physical data (such as form and volatility/dustiness) can help identify the realistic exposure potential for various routes (high volatility/dustiness means easily inhaled).
Data on standards such as occupational exposure limits, etc. defines limits on what constitutes acceptable control for airborne contaminants (so gives a concrete exposure target to aim for).
Recommendations on controls/PPE help choose appropriate controls to reduce/avoid personal exposure or compare with existing controls.
Reactivity data informs decisions about how to avoid/limit potential higher exposure from unplanned releases (from undesirable reactions).
(a) Identify the possible health effects from working in a cold store at sub-zero temperatures. (4)
(b) Outline control measures to minimise the risks to persons who work in a cold store at sub-zero temperatures. (6)
(a) The possible ill-health effects of working in a cold store at sub-zero temperatures Include:
- cold strain (difficulty in maintaining the core body temperature);
- a reduction in the heart rate;
- persistent shivering together with blue fingers and lips;
- Mental impairment and stress;
- hypothermia;
- frost bite involving inflammation of the skin and tissue damage;
- and chilblains causing redness, tingling and pain in the affected area.
(b) Control measures which would help to minimise the risk to workers include:
- Pre-employment examination with subsequent continuing health surveillance;
- the provision and wearing of thermal clothing such as undergarments, insulated suits or jackets, gloves and footwear;
- continuous monitoring of the level of activity (which should be sufficient to generate some heat but not high enough to cause workers to sweat);
- placing a restriction on the time spent working in the cold store with the provision of regular breaks in a warm environment;
- ensuring that that there is no possibility of workers being locked in the store such as the provision of means for opening doors on the inside of the store;
- ensuring protection is provided against leaks of refrigerant gas such as a programme of regular maintenance together with a detection and alarm system;
- the provision of facilities for drying thermal clothing and for its replacement when necessary;
- and giving instruction and training to workers on the hazards involved in working in the cold store and the precautionary measures that they should take.
Operators use a range of solvents in a manufacturing process.
Describe a monitoring strategy that could be used to measure the exposure of the operators to solvent vapours. (10)
HSG173 describes a three-stage approach to a monitoring strategy.
In this case the strategy might consider people/areas to monitor, timing and duration of monitoring, and how to monitor.
There would need to be some basic data so that an initial evaluation of exposure level might be made.
This initial evaluation might make use of simple grab-sampling data (stain tubes or other methods), and possibly other techniques might be used, to get quantitative data on exposures (including personal monitoring and biological monitoring). There would also be the need to consider the analysis methods to be used.
This would require reference to MDHSs (Methods for the Determination of Hazardous Substances) and other recognized sources of standard methods
A research laboratory undertakes necessary work with biological agents. These biological agents are categorized as extremely hazardous, being placed in the highest hazard group.
Outline a range of technical controls that should be used to minimize the risks to those working in the laboratory, where elimination or substitution of the hazard is not possible. (10)
or
Outline the means of controlling exposure to biological agents in a pathology laboratory. (10)
The methods of controlling exposure to biological agents in a pathology lab would include:
technical control measures such as:
- the separation of the laboratory from other activities in the same building;
- input and extracted air to be passed through a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter;
- access via an airlock to be restricted to authorized persons by means of a security pass or swipe card;
- the workplace to be sealable to permit disinfection and to be maintained at an air pressure negative to atmosphere;
- all surfaces to be impervious to water, easy to clean, and resistant to acids, alkalis, solvents, and disinfectants;
- secure storage to be provided for the biological agents;
- an observation window (or alternatively, CCTV) to be fitted so that the occupants can be seen at all times;
- a microbiological safety cabinet with sealed front and glove port access to be used to carry out the work;
- a facility such as an autoclave to be provided for rendering waste safe and
- Hygiene measures; such as washing facilities and the prohibition of eating, smoking, and drinking in the laboratory.
- Displaying biohazard signs at lab entrances and on storage units.
A worker on a production line is required to stand in front of his workbench, which is 750mm deep and set at waist height. The worker must frequently lift a 20kg item of equipment from his workbench onto an unpowered roller conveyor which is behind it. The conveyor is set slightly higher than the workbench (see diagram).
(a) Explain why the current method of working is not acceptable. (4)
(b) Outline practical measures that might be considered to reduce the ergonomic-related risk to the worker. (6)
(a) An examination of the method of working described in the scenario would indicate that the degree of stooping and bending required coupled with the need to handle loads away from the body will increase stress to the lower back, with the frequency of the operation increases the risk with the result that injury, particularly to the back, would be caused.
(b) Measures that could be taken to reduce the risk to the worker include:
- reducing the weight of the load;
- providing a mechanical device such as a counterbalanced lifting arm to move the equipment onto the roller conveyor;
- re-arranging the work station so that the conveyor is at the side of the bench enabling the equipment to be slid onto the rollers;
- reducing the depth of the work station to reduce the distance the load has to be lifted away from the body;
- and the possibility of introducing job rotation together with the provision of frequent breaks for the operators.
(a) Outline the meaning of the term „work-related violence‟. (2)
(b) Outline a range of practical measures to help reduce violence towards a nurse who is required to visit patients in their own home (8)
a) Give the meaning of the term ‘work-related violence’.
(a) work-related violence is when a person is either assaulted, threatened, injured, abused or harmed and that it happened as a direct result of their work.
(b) practical measures include:
- such as familiarising with patient notes prior to the visit to identify previous incidents or indicators that violence might be more likely.
- Violence avoidance measures would include courteous behaviour, diffusing aggression and not carrying valuables.
- Violence may escalate, so making provision for a quick exit (vehicle parking, exit routes) as well as carrying means to call help .
