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Ergonomics
Causes of WRULDs
Symptoms
Numbness in fingers
Pains in hands or arms
Restriction of joint movement
Soft tissue swelling
Force exerted
Frequency and duration of operation
Repetition of movement without rest or recovery
Posture
Constraints on space
Environment
Mechanise task
Use correct tools and equipment
Health effects
Workstation requirements
Adequate lighting
Minimum noise
Ample legroom
Suitable screen at eye level
Suitable softwear
Keyboard
Work surface
Suitable work chair
Footrest if necessary
Welfare
Sufficient toilets
Washing facilities
Eating and changing facilities
Clothing storage
Seating
Rest areas
Arrangements for non-smokers
Working environment
Temperature
Ventilation
Lighting
Room dimensions
Suitable work stations and seating
Weather protection for outdoor workstations
Eye strain
Headaches
Poor posture
Tripping over unseen objects
Increased likelihood of human error
Increased time to vacate work area
Noise
Noise terminology
Frequency:- The number of wave fronts assign a point in one
second measured in Hertz
Hearing Damage
Acute Chronic
Stress Noise induced hearing loss
Temporary threshold shift Permanent threshold shift
Temporary tinnitus Permanent tinnitus
Blast deafness Prebyacusis
Noise Control
Source
Design
Damping
Isolate
Maintenance
Path
The Person
Distance
Time exposed
Information and training
Hand-Arm Vibration
Health Effects
Control Measures
Elimination
Reduce the degree of vibration
Skin burns
Cataracts
Dehydration
Heat cramps
Headaches
Fainting
Precautions
Medical pre-selection
Acclimatisation
Limit time of exposure
Cold drinks
PPE
Hypothermia
Loss of concentration
Shivering
Frost bite
Precautions
Medical pre-selection
Acclimatisation
Limit time of exposure
Hot drinks
Insulated clothing
Radiation
Non-Ionising
Type Use in Industry
Infrared Heating and brazing
Lasers Cutting, Bar code readers
Microwaves Food preparation, Signal transmission
Ultra-violet Welding
Health effects
Burns
Reddening of the skin
Cataracts
Arc eye
Temporary sterility
Ionising Radiation
Type Use in Industry
Alpha Smoke detectors
Beta Thickness testing
Gamma Non-Destructive testing
X-Ray Medical
Neutron By product nuclear fission
Control Measures
Time
Distance
Shielding
Others
PPE
Environmental and personal monitoring
Correct disposal of radiation materials
Good hygiene practices
Training and supervision
Violence at work
Occupations at risk
Taxi drivers
Hospitals
Schools
Cash transactions
Delivery/collection of money
Control measures
Training and information
The environment
Design of the job
Communication
Lone working
Reporting and recording incidents
Stress
Physical Effects Psychological effects
Headaches Increased anxiety
Dizziness Reduced concentration
Aching neck and shoulders Irritability
Skin rashes Sudden mood changes
Prone to infections Inability to cope
Panic attacks Reduced work output
Raised heart rate Increased use of alcohol, etc
Increased blood pressure Poor sleep patterns
Heart disease
Stomach ulcers
Causes of Stress
Culture
Demands
Control
Relationships
Change
Role
Individual
Environment
Test ( 5 )
Time
Distance
Shielding
PPE
Environmental and personal monitoring
Good hygiene practices
Training and supervision
TYPE SOURCE
INFRARED Any hot materials/laser
ULTRAVIOLET Arc welding/sun
b) Outline suitable control measures for ONE of the above
sources of non-ionising radiation
Shielding.
Distance.
Time/duration.
Appropriate PPE e.g.: clothing/eye protection.
Sun creams.
ii) tinnitus
Incorrect selection
Not worn/fitted correctly
Incompatible with other PPE
Comfort factors; Unhygienic/needs cleaning
incorrect selection,
incorrect fit,
incompatibility with other PPE,
damage & lack of maintenance,
lack of training in use,
& the non-use of the equipment, even for short periods, by
those requiring protection.
Direct
Noise
Source
2) Intensity
The loudness of the noise
Acute Chronic
Stress Noise induced hearing loss
Temporary threshold Permanent threshold shift
shift
Temporary tinnitus Permanent tinnitus
Blast deafness Prebyacusis
Silencing
Absorption
Damping
Isolation
cramped conditions,
dirty or untidy working conditions,
workplace layout resulting in a lack of of privacy or
security,
Poor lighting
problems with glare,
extremes of temperature &/or humidity,
inadequate ventilation resulting in stale air (or
conversely, draughty conditions),
exposure to noise & vibration,
inadequate welfare facilities
for those working outside, inclement weather
conditions.
Symptoms
Numbness in fingers
Pains in hands or arms
Restriction of joint movement
Soft tissue swelling
b) Outline the specific causational factors that may
have contributed to the condition
Causes of WRULDs
heat stress,
heat cataracts,
dehydration,
exhaustion,
& respiratory distress.
the task
the load,
Eye strain
Headaches
Poor posture
Tripping over unseen objects
Increased likelihood of human error
Increased time to vacate work area
3) Outline the welfare facilities that should be
provided in the building
Sufficient toilets
Washing facilities
Eating and changing facilities
Clothing storage
Seating
Rest areas
Arrangements for non-smokers
Shift work
Unsociable hours
Excessive overtime
Job insecurity
Fear of redundancy
Repetitive monotonous work
Lack of adequate breaks
Lack of control over the job
Work load too high or too low
Harassment, bullying, fear of violence, poor
communisation
Personal and social factors e.g. financial, illness,
family
In relation to work related upper limb disorders
(WRULDS)
Outline the possible risks to health associated with the use of display
screen equipment (DSE)
Significant health risks associated with display screen equipment relate to a
range of work-related upper limb disorders caused by poor position &/or
repetitive movement
Such conditions can cause pain, swelling, soreness or stiffness in fingers,
wrists, elbows or shoulders
Other risks are eye-strain or migraine from
Uncorrected eyesight problems
Poor workstation arrangement & design
Fatigue
nervous tension & stress
&, in rare cases, facial dermatitis (which is thought to be more related to
the working environment than the workstation or equipment itself
(b) Identify the features of a suitable seat for use at a DSE workstation
referred to general terms to pain or strain without identifying the parts of the
body affected, while others simply stated work related upper limb disorders
with no indication that they understood the meaning of the term
In contrast, answers were to a much higher standard, with identifying such
factors as
Stability (or five points contact with the floor)
The ability to adjust seat height
seat back (to provide good lumbar support)
The provision of armrests where appropriate
the facility to swivel, tilt & move the seat with ease when required
Outline the possible effects on health from exposure to high levels of noise
Mainly disappointing given both the importance of this focused in relation to
occupational health & the prominence afforded to noise on courses & in past exam
questions
Expressing clearly .some produced short lists that included terms like deafness
with no further explanation
Of those who did refer to noise-induced hearing loss, many did not then go on to
outline the condition in terms of
Physiological damage to the sensory hair cells in the inner ear, affecting
sounds within the audible frequency range
progressively descent with continued exposure
The noise effect dividing between the acute & chronic effects
For instance, although most candidates mentioned tinnitus, & recognized that it is
characterized by a ringing or other sound in the ears, very few referred to its
temporary or permanent nature
Similarly, there was little distinction made between temporary & permanent threshold
shift (with the latter describing noise-induced hearing loss)
This is despite the fact that most people have experienced the acute effects of noise at
some time
Other acute effects include stress & fatigue & trauma (e.g. burst eardrum) caused by
exposure to sudden loud noise
In relation to the ill-health effects from the use of vibrating hand-held tools
(i)Identify the typical symptoms that might be shown by affected individuals
typical symptoms are
Numbness & blanching of the fingers
& swollen painful joints
Leading to a reduction in both the manual dexterity & tactile sensation
(ii)Outline the control measures that may be used to minimise the risk of such effects
Answers to part (ii) were generally to a better standard, with some presented in a
hierarchical order
In some cases, it might be possible to alter the work process in order to
Eliminate or reduce the use of vibrating tools
(or perhaps to reduce the pressure upon the tool required by the operator)
Ways of reducing the degree of vibration, or changing its characteristics,
should be explored by
Proper selection of equipment
&/or by good standards of maintenance
Risk can also be reduced by
Limiting the time that operators are exposed
By introducing a health surveillance/health promotion programme
& by appropriate personal protective equipment (such as gloves to keep hands
warm)
Outline the health & safety risks associated with welding operations
Given the variety of types of welding, & the broad range of hazards that can be
presented, an outline of the associated risks should have posed little problem
Depending on the type of welding, risks may include
Electric shock
Tripping over trailing cables or pipes
Injuries from the handling of cylinders
the problems associated with oxygen enrichment leading to an increased risk
of fire &/or explosion
and the effects of fume inhalation, damage to the eyes from UV light, burns to
the skin & the increased risk of fire from hot materials or sparks
(b)Describe how the body may defend itself against the harmful effects of airborne
dust
An adequate description of how the body may defend itself against the harmful
effects of airborne dust include
The majority mentioned coughing & sneezing
And referred to the filtering effect of nasal hairs & to the role of the mucus in the
respiratory tract & bronchi, which allows dust particles to be trapped & then
carried upwards by tiny hairs (cilia)
Fine dust particles reaching the bronchioles may be subject to the engulfing action of
scavenging cells (macrophages) & absorbed into the blood stream. Or causing the
eyes to water & dust particles to be removed
(c)Outline, using practical examples where appropriate, the control measures that may
be used to reduce levels of dust in a work environment
Good answers to part (c) generally followed the first part of the control hierarchy &
referred to control measures such as
Elimination (e.g. by introducing pre-formed components or outsourcing the
dusty operation)
Substitution (e.g. of powder by granules, liquid or paste)
Isolation of the process in a separate room
Enclosure (in a glove box, for instance)
The provision of LEV
& suppression by damping down & carrying out cleaning operations by
vacuuming rather than sweeping
providing a lot of inappropriate details on LEV systems and mentioned dilution
ventilation, although generally this has little effect on airborne dust levels
Identify the information that should be included on a hazard data sheet supplied with
a hazardous substance
When we talk about the hazard data sheets were able to identify a wide range of issues
in their answers to this question The information that should be contained on a hazard
data sheet includes
The name of the substance
Its chemical properties & composition
The nature of the hazard
Relevant standards (e.g. occupational exposure standards)
Precautions to be taken in its transport, handling & use
Measures to be taken in an various emergency causes (e.g. spillage or
accidental exposure)
disposal requirements
first aid procedure to be taken immediately
Outline the precautionary measures that may be needed to prevent slip & trip hazards
in an engineering factory
In answers to this question
We must looking for/ and outline of precautionary measures such as
The initial design & layout of the workplace, with designated walkways &
non-slip floors
A system of maintenance that ensures the prompt repair of floor defects
such as holes & bumps
Procedures for avoiding & dealing with spillages
The provision of adequate lighting
A good standard of housekeeping (including the proper management of cables
& hoses)
& procedures for reporting defects & incidents
It is possible that some were unable to visualise the situation of an engineering factory
& yet the types of precautionary measure to prevent slip & trip hazards are, in
principle, consistent no matter what the working environment
(a) Identify the types of hazard against which gloves could offer protection
Some good responses were provided for part (a) of the question, with most candidates
able to identify
Chemical
Mechanical
Biological
Radiation
& electrical hazards
Extremes of temperature & wet work were also mentioned
One or two included gardening in their answers, prompted perhaps by
personal experience
But unfortunately this was not a hazard which resulted in the award of a mark
Indeed, no specific hazard had been identified
Outline FOUR types of engineering control that may be used to reduce noise in the
workplace, giving a practical example of EACH
In answering this question, those candidates who could apply the theory of noise
reduction to the scenario described inevitably performed better than those who
mentioned noise reduction techniques in the abstract
Examiners were looking for response that outlined means such as
Insulating the noise by the erection of barriers or screens
Fitting a silencer to the chisel &/or lagging it with a jacket
covering exposed surfaces with absorbent material
Mminimising exposure times by carrying out the operation where possible at
times when employees of the factory are not at work
& providing hearing protection for the operator & workers
Insulation
Absorption
& isolation/segregation
Could be applied in the circumstances described
Outline the Most candidates were able to outline at least a reasonable range of factors
Better candidates addressed both underlying factors, such as
poor design & a lack of maintenance &/or periodic testing
& the more immediate factors
such as the hood being placed too far from the source of the emission
Ddamaged or blocked filters
Uunauthorised alteration to the system
incorrect settings
A faulty fan
& possible changes to the process leading to increased dust emissions
Factors that might reduce the effectiveness of the LEV system