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Introduction
There are several criteria to consider while evaluating a colleague’s workstation in the workplace. There is a necessity to examine workplace-required posture. This depends on the duties or activities of the place of employment. To reduce the incidence of work-related musculoskeletal illnesses, the objective is to design the workplace such that employees may maintain a neutral posture.
Discussion
There is no optimal sitting position; the following posture is the best. Instead, the objective is to be able to move the body by altering the chair’s positioning. The desk should not impede the colleague’s ability to move about and adjust their sitting position when their body directs them to do so. It is crucial that the colleague has a position in which the ears are aligned with the shoulders and hips. The hip and knee joints ideally form an angle between 90 and 110 degrees (Stack et al., 2016).
The hierarchy of controls is a sequential method for eliminating or minimizing workplace dangers. It rates measures from the extent of protection that is most efficient to the level of protection that is least effective. When selecting a technique of control, one should begin at the apex of the inverted triangle (Indeed, 2022). The most successful of all the levels of controls is the elimination or direct removal of danger from the workplace. When dangers are avoided or removed from the working environment, they can no longer have a detrimental effect on workers. Elimination, although being envisioned as the most successful step, is generally the most difficult to achieve. This may be expensive and requires extensive changes to conventional working procedures.
Within the scope of the construction industry, the examples can be formulated as follows. One can redesign a procedure in order to reduce the usage of hazardous materials or items. Then, it may be possible to conduct duties at ground level as opposed to working high above the ground. Then, one can store items at low elevations so that employees do not need to climb large heights and risk deadly falls.
Substitution, or the replacement of a dangerous object or activity with a less hazardous alternative, is the second-most efficient safety control step. Similar to elimination, substitution excludes a danger from the workplace or reduces the likelihood that the hazard will adversely impact workers. If a procedure in the workplace is still in the creation phase, substitution might be a cost-effective and efficient way to manage danger.
Implementing replacement safety measures in the construction sector entails identifying dangers that cannot be removed but may be replaced with a safer option. For instance, if employees deal with hazardous chemicals, this hazard may be replaced by machine automation or safer chemicals. Examples from the construction industry are as follows, which indicate an apparent difference with the elimination approach. One can substitute a caustic cleaning chemical with one that is non-hazardous. It is also possible to employ an abrasive substance that does not include silica instead of sandblasting.
It seems reasonable to stress that no matter which option from the hierarchy of controls is chosen, training and assessment may assist in ensuring the effectiveness of certain controls. Companies should provide employees and managers with proper training on how to apply these controls. Moreover, they are to regularly examine the mentioned controls on a regular basis. The frequent review may assess the effectiveness of controls in decreasing worker exposures and suggest opportunities for improvement.
The use of personal protective equipment is the last step in a hierarchy of controls for workplace health and safety. This step is intended to safeguard employees in situations when other procedures have not been completely implemented or cannot be implemented. PPE comprises protective clothing and equipment such as dust masks, aprons, boots, and HAZMAT suits.
Implementing PPE requires supplying safety gear and equipment that is optimized for current risks. For example, if employees work in a laboratory, full-body suits may protect them from lab risks. Since safety clothing and equipment might fail, keeping the worker completely exposed to the threat, PPE is regarded to be the foremost harmful safety measure. Sometimes, PPE is applied to danger without a thorough evaluation of the situation. Personal protective equipment is not a guessing game, although it may appear that manner if one were to roam around different workplaces in the US. To establish the right PPE to protect workers from industrial risks, careful attention must be given.
Conclusion
Personal protective equipment is only as functional as its user, which may be depicted via the following examples. If safety glasses are regularly left on top of the person’s hard hat, they provide no eye protection. If the wearer slips a coat over a reflective vest while it’s chilly, the vest loses its reflective qualities. If harmful dust is allowed to accumulate inside a respirator and it is not adequately cleaned, it may cause more damage than good. Hence, personal protective equipment is the least efficient technique for reducing dangers due to the high likelihood of damage rendering it useless relative to other measures..
References
Indeed. (2022). What is a hierarchy of controls? 5 stages of safety controls. Web.
Stack, T., Ostrom, L. T., & Wilhelmsen, C. A. (2016). Occupational ergonomics: A practical approach. Wiley Professional Development (P&T).
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