Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Environmental Safety: Patricia Ann Robles
Environmental Safety: Patricia Ann Robles
Toxic Substance
is a substance that can be poisonous or can cause health effects.
Physical Agents
Physical agents are sources of energy that may cause injury or disease.
Examples include noise, vibration, radiation, and extremes in temperature
Example of Carcinogenic Substances:
Non-radioactive Carcinogens
Asbestos- a heat-resistant fibrous silicate mineral that can be woven
into fabrics, and is used in fire-resistant and insulating materials
such as brake linings.
Certain dioxins
Where to find Asbestos?
Ceiling limits is the best suited for chemicals that are fast acting and do not
have a good control by the use of TWA.
TWA requires a explicit limit to the excursions that are permissible above the
limited TLVs, whereas the ceiling limit places a definite boundary.
Excursion Limit
During a workday, excursions may exceed 3 times the TLV-TWA for no more
than a total of 30 minutes and under circumstances should they exceed 5
times the TLV-TWA ; and under no case the TLV-TWA should be exceeded.
Even if the 8hr TLV-TWA is within limits excursions above the TLV-TWA should
be controlled.
The maximum recommended excursion should be related to the variability
generally observed in actual industrial process.
“SKIN” Notation:
Does not denote the capability for the chemical to cause irritation, dermatitis
and sensitization.
refer to the potential contribution to the overall exposure by the cutaneous
route including mucous membrane and eye, either by airborne or particularly
by direct contact with the substance. This attention calling designation is
intended to suggest appropriate measures for the prevention of cutaneous
absorption so that the threshold limit is not validated.
It alerts that a air sampling alone is insufficient to accurately measure
quantitative exposure to prevent cutaneous absorption.
Physical Agents: TLV for Noise
How long and how loud can we listen to
sound without risking hearing damage?
Damage-risk criteria provide the basis for recommending
noise exposure limits based on noise level and exposure
time
OSHA permits exposures of 85 dBA for 16 hours per day, and uses a 5-dB
time-intensity tradeoff: for every 5 dB increase in noise level, the allowable
exposure time is reduced by half. For every 5 dB decrease in noise level, the
allowable exposure time is doubled.
(4) Exposures to impulsive or impact noise shall not exceed 140 decibels peak
sound pressures level (ceiling value).
Rule 1075: Illumination
Why is good lighting
important?
Natural Lighting
(1) Skylights and windows should be located and spaced so that daylight
conditions are fairly uniform over the working area.
(2) Where necessary, skylights and windows should be provided with means to
avoid glare.
(3) A regular system of cleaning skylights and windows should be established
to ensure that they are kept clean at all times.
Artificial Lighting Quality
(1) Artificial lighting shall be provided when daylight fails or for area where
the daylight illumination is insufficient.
(2) The general lighting should be of uniform level, widely distributed to
avoid harsh shadows or strong contrast and free from direct or reflected
glare.
(3) Where intense local lighting is necessary, a combination of general and
supplementary lighting at the point of work may be provided.
(4) Supplementary lighting shall be specially designed for the particular visual
task and arranged or provided with shading or diffusing devices to prevent
glare.
Intensity
(1) Artificial lighting shall be adequate at the place of work for the operation
or work performed.
(2) A minimum of 20 lux (2 foot candles) shall be provided for yards, roadways
and outside thoroughfares.
(3) A minimum of 50 lux (5-foot candles) shall be provided:
(1) Clean fresh air shall be supplied to enclosed workplaces at an average rate
of not less than 20 to 40 cubic meters (700 to 1400 cu. ft.) an hour per
worker, or at such a rate as to effect a complete change of air a number of
times per hour varying from four (4) for sedentary workers to eight (8) for
active workers.
(2) Where an adequate supply of fresh air cannot be obtained by natural
ventilation or where it is difficult to get the desired amount of air at the
center of the workrooms without creating uncomfortable drafts near the
inlets, mechanical ventilation shall be provided.
Cleanliness
(1) Dusts, gases, vapors, or mists generated and released in work processes
shall be removed at the points of origin and not permitted to permeate the
atmosphere of the workrooms.
(2) Internal combustion engines fueled by gasoline, diesel or liquefied
petroleum gas (LPG). Installed in workrooms shall be located such that
exhaust gases are prevented from permeating the atmosphere of the
workrooms.
Air Movement
The air movement in enclosed workplaces shall be arranged such that the
workers are not subjected to objectionable drafts. The air velocity shall not
exceed 15 meters (50 ft.) per minute during the rainy season and 45 meters
(150 ft.) per minute during the summer season.
Temperature and Humidity