Human Factors Implications of Osha's Impact on Small Manufacturers

Small manufacturers often lack the necessary expertise to solve their occupational safety and health problems. A recent study examined the impact of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration upon small manufacturers. The findings of that study are reported here regarding their human factors implications. Recommendations to improve occupational safety and health performance are made.

Download Full-text

Health problems among employees in small enterprises as a result of improper OHS management

MATEC Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/matecconf/201818301012 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 183 ◽

pp. 01012 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Marta Niciejewska ◽

Dorota Klimecka-Tatar

Keyword(s):

Occupational Health ◽

Occupational Safety ◽

Health And Safety ◽

Health Problems ◽

Occupational Safety And Health ◽

Small Enterprises ◽

Quality And Safety ◽

Stress Symptoms ◽

Safety And Health ◽

The Impact

Occupational health problems are rarely underestimated both by employers and employees themselves. Lack of awareness about the impact of the environment on the health of the human body results in more frequent accidents, the sources of which are seen in the health problems of employees. Lifestyle, as well as the management of occupational health and safety, affect work quality and safety. It this paper ailments that have a significant impact on the health of the employee, which are the result of improper management of occupational safety and health in small enterprises, have been presented. The obtained results also indicate factors that cause various health problems among employees, with particular emphasis on stress symptoms.

Download Full-text

Field Evaluation of the Ultrasonic Personal Aerosol Sampler (UPAS) for Respirable Dust Exposure in a Taconite Mine

Annals of Work Exposures and Health ◽

10.1093/annweh/wxaa094 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Nima Afshar-Mohajer ◽

Rebecca Foos ◽

Gurumurthy Ramachandran ◽

John Volckens

Keyword(s):

Traditional Method ◽

Occupational Safety ◽

Personal Exposure ◽

Occupational Safety And Health ◽

Respirable Dust ◽

Health Concern ◽

Dust Exposure ◽

Health Administration ◽

Safety And Health ◽

The Impact

Abstract Exposure to respirable dust (RD; the mass fraction of inhaled particles that penetrate to the unciliated airways) is a major health concern in a variety of workplaces. While the estimation of personal exposure is an essential step in protecting worker health from aerosol hazards, the traditional method for assessing personal exposure to RD, suggested by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH method 0600), requires equipment that is heavy, bulky, noisy, and has the need of frequent calibration. The ultrasonic personal aerosol sampler (UPAS) is a new personal sampling technology designed to address some of these drawbacks associated with traditional sampling methods. In this study, we field tested and evaluated the performance of the UPAS for assessing worker exposure to RD in a taconite mine. Mineworkers (n = 39) from various job categories were recruited to wear both UPAS and NIOSH 0600 samplers on a work vest to estimate time-weighted exposure to RD. A strong linear relationship was observed (NIOSH method 0600 = 1.06 (UPAS) −9.22 µg m–3, r2 of 0.72, and Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.854). None of the workers were exposed to a RD concentration above the Occupational Safety and Health Administration permissible exposure limit (5 mg m–3). A Bland–Altman analysis revealed that 72% of the valid UPAS samples agreed within ±25% of the traditional method mean. The impact of job category on the correlation of the methods was not statistically significant. This work suggests that the UPAS may present a viable alternative for assessing personal exposure to RD in the workplace.

Download Full-text