Description Jennifer Veitch, PhD, a senior research officer at the National Research Council of Can ...
Description Jennifer Veitch, PhD, a senior research officer at the National Research Council of Canada in Ottawa, investigates how indoor lighting affects employee well-being and productivity and how employee behaviors affect the use of resources and energy. Dr. Veitch recently completed a study on the impact of control over workspace lighting on workers. Findings of her research revealed that when people have control over the lighting in their work spaces, their moods are more upbeat, they are more committed to their employers, and they have overall improved well-being. Individually controlled lighting also reduced lighting energy use by 10 percent. For this unit's discussion, please share your thoughts on the pros and cons of implementing individually controlled lighting in an office environment. Please respond with 250. words UNFORMATTED ATTACHMENT PREVIEW UNIT V STUDY GUIDE Controlling Ergonomic Risks Factor Exposure: Work Environment Design Course Learning Outcomes for Unit V Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to: 7. Evaluate common controls for mitigating ergonomic-related hazards. 7.1 Discuss the impact of environmental work design factors on injury and musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk. 7.2 Recommend control strategies for manual handling tasks to reduce environmental risk factors. Required Unit Resources Chapter 9: Working in Hot and Cold Climates, pp. 317–336 Chapter 10: The Visual Environment: Measurement and Design, pp. 349–371 Chapter 11: Hearing, Sound, Noise, and Vibration, pp. 391–408 In order to access the following resources, click on the links below. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. (n.d.). Controls for noise exposure. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noisecontrol/default.html Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (n.d.). Occupational heat exposure: Prevention. https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatstress/prevention.html Unit Lesson Meet Mr. Garry Blanch Garry Blanch is a 48-year-old former mechanic technician from Farmington, Virginia. After completing a twoyear diesel mechanics program at the local community college, Mr. Blanch was hired immediately by an industrial equipment repair company. During his tenure with the company, Mr. Blanch used and repaired a wide range of hand-held power tools, including grinders, sanders, and pneumatic wrenches. When he was away from work, Mr. Blanch often spent time doing light carpentry and woodwork that involved the use of various saws. In his early 40s, Mr. Blanch began having severe pains in his hands and was subsequently diagnosed with vibration white finger. After suffering for several more months, Mr. Blanch was forced to leave his job after 23 years, and he was within two years of his employer’s retirement eligibility. Mr. Blanch hopes that by sharing his experiences with others, this may help save them some of the pain and financial worries that he is experiencing. Here is his story in his own words: Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) has affected my daily living in a major way. I have a loss of manual dexterity and find it very difficult to use my fingers, in particular my thumbs, coupled with loss of feeling and sensations in various sections of my hands. I dread doing simple things like brushing my teeth or combing my hair because gripping with my thumbs is so very painful. The cold winter months are very difficult, and even during the warm spring months, I still experience coldness and painfulness. The worst part is not being able to do some of the hobbies I used to enjoy, like working in my shop and making arts and crafts since I can’t pick up small screws. Controlling Ergonomic Risk Exposure with Proper Work Environment Design OSH 6301, Advanced Ergonomics 1 The physical aspects of a work environment can adversely affect workers andUNIT resultxinSTUDY both momentary GUIDE pain and long-term injury. A poorly designed work environment not only contributesTitle to decreases in efficiency and productivity but also may potentially affect the health and safety, comfort, concentration, job satisfaction, and morale of the people within the work environment. Although the specific physical factors that impede performance may vary, some of the factors in the work environment that should be considered in the design of work include temperature, lighting, noise, and vibration. Design of Thermal Environments Thermal conditions can have both a positive and negative effect on productivity and comfort; however, people tend to be most productive when they perceive the climate in the working environment is comfortable. The farther thermal conditions deviate from the comfort zone, the greater the likelihood of injury and the faster injury will occur (Brauer, 2016). Factors affecting the feeling of comfort within the thermal comfort zone include temperature, humidity, air speed, workload, clothing, and radiant heat (Chengalur, Rodgers, & Bernard, 2004). For purposes of this discussion, we will focus on temperature. Working in environments that are extremely hot can affect concentration and motivation and result in general discomfort and heat-related illnesses, such as dehydration, cramps, burns/rashes, and strokes. Exposure to extreme heat can also reduce tolerance to chemical and noise exposure and increases the risk of heart attacks. Likewise, working in environments that are extremely cold effects the body’s blood circulation and can also impact concentration, flexibility, and dexterity. Prolonged exposure to extreme cold can lead to injuries, including frostbite, trench foot, and hypothermia. The Visual Demands of Work Workplace lighting also plays a vital role in ensuring the safety and health of workers and influences many parameters of a worker’s productivity, including speed and quality of work. Because industrial workplaces often have a wide variety of visual requirements, it is essential to understand the visual demands of tasks to design the appropriate lighting conditions. For example, tasks such as data entry, product Man welding inspection, manual assembly work, and (Bujdoso, 2017) lathe operation all have very high visual demands (Chengalur et al., 2004). Adequate lighting in the areas were these type tasks are performed is essential to ensure quality visual work to occurs. The ability to perform tasks with high visual requirements is dependent upon several environmental and workplace factors, including the level of illumination, contrast, reflection of the work surface, and glare (Chengalur et al., 2004). These factors should be considered and sound ergonomic principles should be utilized during the design phase. Failure to provide an appropriately illuminated work environment may result in lowered productivity, increased error rate, and reduced job satisfaction. Work environments that are either too dim or overly bright can reduce visual acuity and cause irritability, eyestrain, and headaches. Working in poorly lighted areas also increases the risk of trip/fall hazards and poor coordination. Light sources, including the sun, can create unwanted reflections, glare, and shadows in the workplace that can cause discomfort and distraction and can interfere with the performance of visual tasks (Chengalur et al., 2004). The Impact of Exposure to Occupational Noise OSH 6301, Advanced Ergonomics 2 Excessive noise levels are common in workplaces such as manufacturing facilities; mining, farming UNIT xfoundries, STUDY GUIDE and logging operations; and construction sites. The sources of occupational noise Titlecan stem from the use of tools and equipment, such as saws and drills, or from the use of motor vehicles, such as emergency vehicle sirens and backup alarms on powdered industrial trucks. All of these sources can easily exceed safe levels based on the frequency and duration of the noise exposure. There are three major types of occupational noise. Three major types of occupational noise Short-term exposure to excessive noise generally only causes irritability and distraction, while long-term exposure to excessive noise can cause irreversible damage to the ear. The degree to which hearing is affected depends on the level and duration of the exposure (Chengalur et al., 2004). Hearing loss often goes unnoticed and can be temporary, but once a loss becomes permanent, hearing cannot be restored. Consequences other than hearing loss can result from exposure to excessive noise levels. For example, headaches, muscle tension, fatigue, stomach problems, and high blood pressure can result from exposure to excessive noise levels above 90 decibels (dBA) and noise peaks above 100 dBA. Job performance and job satisfaction can also be impacted by nuisance noise, which is both aggravating and disturbing. Examples of nuisance noise include the sound emitted when someone is making copies at a shared printer or the sound of a co-worker’s telephone conversations in a shared workspace. Due to its effect on employees, nuisance noise should be minimized when possible. Noise becomes unsafe when it impairs communication among workers and can be fatal when it limits the ability to concentrate or hear auditory warning alarms. One simple method for assessing the level of noise in a workplace is by evaluating whether workers can have a conversation in a normal tone while standing within arm’s length of each other. If workers have to shout to communicate with each other, the noise level is too high and should be reduced. The Impact of Exposure to Occupational Vibration Occupational exposure to vibration is a common occurrence for many workers, particularly those in professions such as construction, maintenance, motor vehicle manufacture and repair, shipbuilding, mining, forestry, and foundries where use of power tools is required. Workers whose hands are frequently exposed to high levels of vibration from tools and equipment may suffer from several kinds of injury to the hands and arms, including impaired blood circulation and damage to the nerves and muscles. Based on exactly how these exposures intersect an individual's work environment, they are classified into two general types: hand- arm and whole-body vibration. OSH 6301, Advanced Ergonomics 3 UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Title Two types of vibrations (Photoking, 2018) Hand-arm vibration (HAV), which is transmitted to the hands through direct contact with a vibration source, causes direct injury to the fingers and hand and affects feeling, dexterity, and grip. Common occupational sources of hand-arm vibration include grinders, impact drills, sanders, chipping hammers, saws of all types, pavement breakers, air-powered wrenches, and even dental tools can all be sources of vibration. Using these tools repeatedly for long periods could increase the risk of developing a HAV injury. Exposure to high levels of hand and arm vibration is associated with a variety of vascular and neurological symptoms, classified as hand and arm vibration syndrome. Symptoms include a tingling sensation in the hands and fingers after use of vibrating hand tools. As the condition progresses, a whitening of the digits occurs and is followed by a "flushing" effect, or pain and numbness in the hand while away from work. Hand- arm vibration syndrome can take six months to six years to develop and, after the fingers blanch, the condition is irreversible. Whole-body vibration (WBV) is transmitted to the human body, usually through a seat or a platform and causes injury to vertebrae, intervertebral discs, and supporting musculature (Chengalur et al., 2004). WBV becomes an issue for those who spend long periods operating vehicles such as forklift trucks, off-road haulers, mining machinery, logging equipment, paving machines, trucks, buses, rails, ferryboats, and aircraft. An example of a common occupational exposure to whole-body vibration would be a worker riding in a construction vehicle on a bumpy road. In this instance, vibration is transmitted to the feet resting on the floor and to the buttocks through the seat. Conclusion The environmental factors discussed in this unit lesson are not all inclusive. There are other important environmental factors such as air quality, ventilation, and radiation that should also be considered during the design of work and workplaces. Every aspect of the work environment has the potential to affect the worker and work productivity and should be considered to design a workplace that if comfortable and free of health and safety risks. References Brauer, R. L. (2016). Safety and health for engineers (3rd ed.). Wiley. OSH 6301, Advanced Ergonomics 4 Bujdoso, A. (2017). Man welds at the factory working in metal industry (ID 104851200) [Photograph]. UNIT x STUDY GUIDE Dreamstime. https://www.dreamstime.com/man-welds-factory-working-metal-industry-workerTitle image104851200 Chengalur, S. N., Rodgers, S. H., & Bernard, T. E. (Eds.). (2004). Kodak’s ergonomic design for people at work (2nd ed.). Wiley. Photoking. (2018). Vibration in stone on tree. (ID 118010491) [Illustration]. Dreamstime. https://www.dreamstime.com/vibration-stone-section-trunk-annual-rings-vibration-stone-treeimage118010491 Suggested Unit Resources In order to access the following resources, click on the links below: The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted a study on lighting, indoor environmental quality concerns, and job stress at a call center in California. The findings of the study are presented in this article, and it is provided as recommended reading to supplement our unit lesson. Wiegand, D. M., Ramsey, J. G., Burr, G. A., & Choi, J. (2013). Lighting, indoor environmental quality concerns, and job stress at a call center–California [Health Hazard Evaluation Report No. 2012-00813169]. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/2012-0081-3169.pdf NIOSH researcher Kristine Krajnak discusses research surrounding hand/arm vibration in the below video. This video is recommended to enhance your knowledge of the effect of occupational exposure to vibration. NIOSH. (2014, December 22). Hand arm vibration study [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/XE8Koc5DAAw Click here to access the transcript for the above video. OSH 6301, Advanced Ergonomics 5 Purchase answer to see full attachment User generated content is uploaded by users for the purposes of learning and should be used following Studypool's honor code & terms of service.
