Hazardous Material Exposure Control

OSHA uses injury and illness rates to assess effectiveness of occupational safety and health efforts. Insurance companies use an experience model to determine good and poor risks for underwriting workers compensation coverage. Accident and injury experience does provide a good indicator about the effectiveness of hazard control initiatives. However, accident frequency and severity rates alone do not always accurately evaluate effectiveness of an accident prevention function. For example, an organization may experience an underreporting of occupational disease cases and hazardous materials exposures (Table 1.21). 

Controlling exposure is the best method of protecting range worters and shooters. Generally this means elimination of the hazard, substitution of a less hazardous material, engineering controls, administrative controls (to reduce time of exposure) and personal protective equipment. 

Thiophene and 3-methylthiophene are Hsted on the TSCA chemical substances inventory. Thiophene is regulated as a hazardous material under OSHA and also regulated under the Clean Air Act, Section 110, 40 CFR 60.489, but there are no exposure limits or controls set for 3-methylthiophene. Both materials are regulated under sections 311/312 of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act, 1986 (SARA), as materials with an acute health and fire hazard, and under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as ignitable hazardous wastes (DOOl). 

Coordinates public programs administered by the federal government that control potential health hazards from exposure to asbestos and other fibrous materials. Has numerous links to asbestos programs, courses and resources. 

High hazard material - selection of lower hazard material recommended if I substitution is not feasible perform health risk assessment and adopt exposure control strategy to reduce health risks... 

Hazard material perform health risk assessment and adopt exposure control strategy to reduce health risks... 

It is essential to ensure that employees are not exposed to toxic materials at levels above or for durations beyond those permitted by TLV s or the equivalent. It is thus necessary to ensure by periodic measurement that atmospheric levels of toxic materials throughout the work shift do not exceed the permitted levels. Measurement of atmospheric toxic exposures has been discussed in Chapter 11. The frequency of this air sampling depends on the potential for exposure and injury. Where the hazard is relatively low and actions have been taken to control it, occasional checks by a knowledgeable but not necessarily professional person are desirable to ensure that the control is effective. Where there is a potential for serious hazard, for example, where high-hazard materials are handled in quantity,... 

This document [63] also suggests exposure control measures in the following hierarchical form eliminate (i.e. avoid using hazardous substance), substitute (i.e. replace with less risky material), enclose (i.e. perform operations in enclosed cabins), engineering control (i.e. carrying out potential dust formation processes with extract ventilation), procedural control (i.e. limiting the number of personnel exposed, their time and the process to specified areas), and personal protective equipment (i.e. use of protection measures to limit inhalation and dermal exposure). 

In addition to training, engineering controls are the most effective way of minimizing exposure to harmful chemicals. Engineering controls include process or equipment modifications that reduce the amount of potentially hazardous materials to which an employee may be exposed. Isolation and ventilation are the primary methods of control. Engineering controls also include the maintenance, policing, and changing of work practices when necessary. 

Ideally, a hazardous materials team at the scene will be able to provide assistance regarding the specifics of the exposure and the potential treatment. A local poison control center also may be able to provide assistance. 

This book provides an advanced level of study of industrial hygiene engineering situations with emphasis on the control of exposure to occupational health hazards. Primary attention is given to industrial ventilation, noise and vibration control, heat stress, and industrial illumination. Other topics covered include industrial water quality, solid waste control, handling and storage of hazardous materials, personal protective equipment, and costs of industrial hygiene control. 

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