Blog: Watch M10.1 Video!

1) Consider your workplace or a workplace of one of your family members. Are there chemical, biological, radiological or ergonomic issues? Using the industrial hygiene hierarchy of controls, how might you address the issues? How are they being addressed in reality?
I work at ZSFG (Zuckerberg San Francisco General). I would say all those exist here. Different buildings would fall under each category. Currently the new building has the state of the art equipment where radiological harm would be more common to workers. Working at a hospital you need equipment to detect what is wrong with patients at the cost of being exposed to chemical, biological and radiological harm. By using the hierarchy of controls the elimination phase would be removing equipment that is no longer in use or too old to be in operation to combat the harmful effects it has on workers. Substitution would be taking out old equipment that pose harm to workers and bring in new equipment that will emit less substances that can be harmful. Engineering controls would be having workers were protective gear to minimize exposure to hazardous materials. Administrative controls would be changing regulations in the work place to cater towards the safety of workers and finally PPE would be supplying workers with tools and protection in the work area. Currently at ZSFG, workers are fitted with masks in case there is a chemical disater and you are given you size mask to have in case something were to happened. These issues can be addressed by writing to the supervisor or bringing it to the attention of the director of the department. In reality these issues are being addressed. I know ZSFG cares for its staff and wants them to work in the best conditions as possible. 

2) What might be the barriers to workers exercising their rights to a healthy and safe workplace?
Some barriers that exist to workers are not having adequate and meaningful training, current info on the Safety Data Sheet, confidence in being able to ask questions in regards to chemicals and products and having a packaged one size fits all training programs. 

Comments

  1. UnknownNovember 5, 2018 at 2:08 PM

    It's good to hear that ZSFG has so many things in place to protect the health of its workers. It's hard in a big hospital where there are all sorts of exposures to be thorough about protection. I'm grateful for the federal laws about workers rights and to live in an even more progressive state!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

M3.4 Air Pollution

Image
Watching the youtube video, I felt like it introduced me more to air quality. I have some knowledge on it from taking some health class during undergrad, but only understanding the iceberg of it. The 10 minute video summarizes how poor air quality is made up and the effects it has on the human population and the place we call home, planet earth. It was interesting learning about how sulfuric acid is made and how other chemical compounds can wreak havoc when produced. Looking over the air quality index I learned how to read AQI levels on air quality. It connects to the poor air quality we experienced with the fires last October. To learn what numbers indicate what color to use to warn those that the air is good, moderate or poor. I also learned about the ozone, the one Earth has and the one us humans create with pollutants from cars and factories.  Who and what are the top polluters in your zip code? The top polluters in my...
Read more

M10.2 Blog about MSDS and ToxNet

What are the health risks associated with this chemical? It was hard to find a sole chemical for ZSFG but I came across a compound used here called Metaltite which is used as a dental cement in one of the clinics in building 5 (there are many buildings located in ZSFG but building 5 is where some clinics can be found).  Is the chemical a carcinogen? Under OSHA, this compound is found to be hazardous and a highly flammable liquid and vapor. On the sheet it does not indicate whether it is a carcinogen but searching on the web it was hard to find much information on it. What personal protective equipment or special precautions should be taken when working with this chemical? Those who come in contact with Metaltite should wear protective clothing such as gloves and safety goggles and those who are handling it should not allow this compound to enter drains, sewers or watercourses. Handling of Metaltite should be taken place in a well-ventilated area and kept aw...
Read more