scholarly journals Characteristic Analysis of Occupational Confined Space Accidents in Taiwan and Its Prevention Strategy

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 1752 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chien-Chen Chiu ◽  
Yi-Ming Chang ◽  
Terng-Jou Wan
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Confined Space ◽  
Characteristic Analysis ◽  
Confined Spaces ◽  
Analysis Technique ◽  
The Us ◽  
Area Of Concern ◽  
Loss Control ◽  
Bureau Of Labor Statistics

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 882 people were killed or injured due to confined space accidents in 2011–2017. Occupational accident statistics published in 2008–2018 by the Taiwan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA, Taiwan) show that 70 people suffered from disasters and 52 were injured in the 64 accident reports involving confined spaces. In the US, on average, 126 people die each year in accidents related to confined spaces, and in Taiwan, an average of 8 people per year are casualties of accidents involving confined spaces, proving that it is an area of concern that cannot be neglected. When misjudgments occur in confined spaces, not only can people be hurt, but they can even lose their lives, and the risks associated with confined spaces can subsequently result in rescue personnel also being killed or injured. This study was conducted via the systematic causal analysis technique (SCAT), which was proposed and developed by the International Loss Control Institute (ILCI), with the intention of identifying the critical basic causes of the confined space accidents that have occurred over the years in the Taiwan area, in order to propose corresponding improvement strategies. After investigating the statistics in Taiwan, it was determined that hydrogen sulfide was involved in 45% of accidental deaths in confined spaces, followed by 11% involving carbon dioxide, 9% involving carbon monoxide, and 7% involving toluene. Additional analysis of non-standard acts identified “failure of operating procedures” as being involved in 27% of accidents, followed by 25% involving “improper personal protective equipment” and 23% involving “incorrect position”. The analysis of non-standard conditions revealed that “dangerous workplace” was involved in 39% of accidents, “improper protective measures” in 30%, and “inadequate ventilation” in 27%. In accordance with our analysis results, it could be suggested that hazard prevention strategies for confined spaces, in addition to encouraging avoidance of non-standard acts by personnel, should also strive to improve these non-standard conditions. Otherwise, if not prevented deliberately and in a fundamental, relevant accidents will remain inevitable.

scholarly journals Thermal Condition and Air Quality Investigation in Commercial Airliner Cabins

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 7047
Author(s):  
Nu Yu ◽  
Yao Zhang ◽  
Mengya Zhang ◽  
Haifeng Li
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Thermal Environment ◽  
Thermal Conditions ◽  
Pressure Change ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Exposure Limit ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
The Us ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Co2

Cabin air quality and thermal conditions have a direct impact on passenger and flight crew’s health and comfort. In this study, in-cabin thermal environment and particulate matter (PM) exposures were investigated in four China domestic flights. The mean and standard deviation of the in-cabin carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in two tested flights are 1440 ± 111 ppm. The measured maximum in-cabin carbon monoxide (CO) concentration is 1.2 ppm, which is under the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) permissible exposure limit of 10 ppm. The tested relative humidity ranges from 13.8% to 67.0% with an average of 31.7%. The cabin pressure change rates at the end of the climbing stages and the beginning of the descending stages are close to 10 hPa·min−1, which might induce the uncomfortable feeling of passengers and crew members. PM mass concentrations were measured on four flights. The results show that PM concentrations decreased after the aircraft cabin door closed and were affected by severe turbulences. The highest in-cabin PM concentrations were observed in the oldest aircraft with an age of 13.2 years, and the waiting phase in this aircraft generated the highest exposures.

scholarly journals COVID-19: US federal accountability for entry, spread, and inequities—lessons for the future

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (11) ◽  
pp. 995-1006 ◽  
Author(s):  
William P. Hanage ◽  
Christian Testa ◽  
Jarvis T. Chen ◽  
Letitia Davis ◽  
Elise Pechter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Safety ◽  
The United States ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Worldwide Population ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
The Us ◽  
Working Age ◽  
Community Transmission ◽  
Race Ethnicity ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe United States (US) has been among those nations most severely affected by the first—and subsequent—phases of the pandemic of COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. With only 4% of the worldwide population, the US has seen about 22% of COVID-19 deaths. Despite formidable advantages in resources and expertise, presently the per capita mortality rate is over 585/million, respectively 2.4 and 5 times higher compared to Canada and Germany. As we enter Fall 2020, the US is enduring ongoing outbreaks across large regions of the country. Moreover, within the US, an early and persistent feature of the pandemic has been the disproportionate impact on populations already made vulnerable by racism and dangerous jobs, inadequate wages, and unaffordable housing, and this is true for both the headline public health threat and the additional disastrous economic impacts. In this article we assess the impact of missteps by the Federal Government in three specific areas: the introduction of the virus to the US and the establishment of community transmission; the lack of national COVID-19 workplace standards and enforcement, and lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) for workplaces as represented by complaints to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) which we find are correlated with deaths 16 days later (ρ = 0.83); and the total excess deaths in 2020 to date already total more than 230,000, while COVID-19 mortality rates exhibit severe—and rising—inequities in race/ethnicity, including among working age adults.

scholarly journals Characterization of Silica Exposure during Manufacturing of Artificial Stone Countertops

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (12) ◽  
pp. 4489 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariella Carrieri ◽  
Carly Guzzardo ◽  
Daniel Farcas ◽  
Lorenzo G. Cena
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Particle Morphology ◽  
Silica Content ◽  
Short Exposure ◽  
Gravimetric Analysis ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Confined Space ◽  
Granite Sample ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
Artificial Stone

Artificial stone is increasing in popularity in construction applications, including commercial and residential countertops. Eco-friendliness, durability, and resistance to staining, make artificial stone attractive to consumers. Health concerns have arisen during manufacturing of artificial stone due to increased incidence of silicosis after relatively short exposure. Three artificial stone samples (A, B, and C) and one natural granite sample were subjected to cutting and grinding in a controlled environment. Gravimetric analysis, X-Ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy were employed to determine crystalline silica concentrations and particle morphology of bulk and respirable particles. Silica content of bulk dust from artificial samples A and B was 91%, sample C was <10%, while granite was 31%. Silica percent in the respirable fraction for samples A and B was 53% and 54%, respectively, while sample C was <5% and granite was 8%. Number concentrations for samples A and B were mainly in the nano-fraction, indicating potential for translocation of silica particles to other organs outside of the lungs. Respirable dust concentrations inside the chamber were well above Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards for all materials, indicating that confined-space exposures require ventilation to lower risks of acute silicosis regardless of the nature of the stone.

scholarly journals YouTube as a Source of Information on Confined Space Safety

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-42
Author(s):  
Muise A Brad ◽  
Brad Freeman ◽  
Earl Blair
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Safety Training ◽  
Occupational Safety And Health ◽  
Video Content ◽  
Confined Space ◽  
Confined Spaces ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
Key Phrases ◽  
Source Of Information

Safety professionals looking for information on confined space safety often use the Internet as a resource. YouTube is a popular website that may be used to supplement safety training or as a source of information pertaining to Confined Spaces (CS).  YouTube was examined as a source of information on CS safety. YouTube was queried using key phrases “confined space,” “confined space entry,” and “confined space rescue.” Two safety experts reviewed each video and assigned scores for accuracy and view-ability. Of the 220 videos screened, 48 were found to have relevant information about CS safety and were selected for inclusion in the study. Approximately 70.8% of the videos were rated as inaccurate and 87.5% were rated as offering little value. Results of our study suggest that YouTube may currently be an inadequate source of information on CS safety. Safety professionals should verify YouTube video content against trusted agencies such as OSHA before using them as a resource for CS information.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijosh.v2i1.5626International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health, Vol. 2 No. 1 (2012) 39-42

scholarly journals Current understanding and future directions for an occupational infectious disease standard

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (9) ◽  
pp. 703-710
Author(s):  
Corey Boles ◽  
Justine Parker ◽  
Laura Hallett ◽  
John Henshaw
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
State Government ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Occupational Safety And Health ◽  
Business Continuity ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
The Us

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has demonstrated a need for an infectious disease standard that will promote a safe and healthy work environment and assure business continuity. The current pandemic has revealed gaps in workplace preparedness and employee protections to microbial exposures. Federal and state government agencies have responded by providing interim guidelines and stop-gap measures that continue to evolve and vary in approach and required controls. This interim and inconsistent approach has resulted in confusion on the part of businesses as they work toward reopening during the pandemic and uncertainty as to the efficacy of required or suggested controls. Moving forward, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, with guidance from the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, should establish consistent and effective strategies through a nationwide standard to address the potential microbial exposures in the workplace. Such a standard will require effective worker protections from infectious diseases and assure business continuity.

scholarly journals The Effect of Workplace Inspections on Worker Safety

ILR Review ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 718-748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ling Li ◽  
Perry Singleton
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Worker Safety ◽  
Fuzzy Regression ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Specific Targeting ◽  
Safety Regulations ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
Baseline Case ◽  
The Us ◽  
Case Rate

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforces safety regulations through workplace inspections. The authors estimate the effect of inspections on worker safety by exploiting a feature of OSHA’s Site-Specific Targeting plan. The program targeted establishments for inspection if their baseline case rate exceeded a cutoff. This approach generated a discontinuous increase in inspections, which the authors exploit for identification. Using the fuzzy regression discontinuity model, they find that inspections decrease the rate of cases that involve days away from work, job restrictions, and job transfers in the calendar year immediately after the inspection cycle. They find no effect for other case rates or in subsequent years. Effects are most evident in manufacturing and less evident in health services, the largest two-digit industries represented in the data.

scholarly journals OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY IN HAZARDOUS CONFINED SPACE

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
ANA STOJKOVIĆ
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Medical Service ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Medical Service ◽  
Confined Space ◽  
Emergency Medical Service Personnel ◽  
Service Personnel ◽  
Indoor Space ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Confined Spaces ◽  
Emergency Medical

The paper presents the concept of hazardous confined space by identifying hazards in closed areas, with special emphasis on dangerous gases commonly found there, and occupational safetymeasures that involve: testing the air, cleaning and ventilation, separating enclosed spaces, personal protections, entry control, blocking mobile device and rescuing casualties. For only 8 years in America, there has been an average of 89 work-related deaths in confined spaces per year, and approximately 23 (25.5%) of those who died were persons attempting rescue. Asphyxiation by gases was the primary cause of death. The persons who were participating in rescue were in most cases co-workers, not or emergency medical service personnel. Since rescue operations in confined spaces are unique hazards, proper training of personnel and the availability of specialized equipment are required to protect persons attempting rescue from injury and death. Emergency medical service personnel should be familiar with all potential threats and rescue techniques in confined space. Analogously, the paper describes all the potential dangers and hazards of indoor space. Key words: hazardous confined spaces, occupational safety.

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