MSc Occupational Safety Health and Environment
Course Title: Occupational Hygiene Management
Assessment Title: Risk Management
Executive summary
This report is a risk management paper accentuating on tidying of leaded products and the storage tanks, this involves the use of tetraethyl lead. Notwithstanding its role in anti-knocking, it poses serious health and safety hazards to both catalytic converters and human life. The essay below shall give a background of tetraethyl lead, identify hazards involved, and a risk assessment report.
Introduction
Tetraethyl lead is an organic fuel additive that helps in engine deflation, which in turn raises performance and fuel saving, these benefits come with shortcomings that include, its toxicity to children, it is harmful on cars that are not leaded gasoline, it leads to catalytic converters being ineffective. A study conducted by the United Nations in 2011 gave prominence to the banning of tetraethyl lead indicated 2.4 million dollars was realized and over 1.2 million premature deaths were put to a halt. different working environments have varying impacts on the blood lead levels among the workers.
Dermal touch as a source of tetraethyl lead exposure
Although cutaneous contiguity is not a prominent path to the normal populace, to the workers it is significant for the exposure to organolead, it is argued that organic lead has a greater probability of dermal absorption than inorganic lead. After its absorption into the skin, digestive system, and lungs it is taken into the bloodstream as triethyl lead (Karen I. Bolla, 2007). Owing to its ease of absorption, it easily penetrates the brain leading to complex symptoms of incoherence in reasoning, phobia, and hallucinations. Its chronic effects include episodic memory. According to (Anderson SE, 2014), more than 13 million workers in the United States are exposed to skin-absorbed chemicals, these high numbers are a result of at least 82,000 chemicals produced and 700 increments annually which raises the risk of skin exposure to chemicals. A report by the Bureau of Labour Statistics indicated that in the year 2012, skin diseases recorded 34,400 of the cumulative occupational dermal diseases, which account for 95% of all work-related skin diseases in the United States, this has awakened regulatory bodies such as NIOSH (National institute for occupational and safety health) and OSHA (occupational safety and health administration) to caution on highly affected industries in their bid to improve awareness.
Comparing samples in Table 2
Urinary complications have symptoms such as consistent urination, bloody urine, and pain during urination, according to (Xie Y, 1998), despite the existence of countless researches, only a few describe the correlation between lead metal in the urine and blood, previously reported shows there is a non-linear relationship between the two parameters. In Table 2 workers were put in different exposure periods before post-work tests were done, worker 1 and Worker 2 having taken their tests almost immediately, justified the biggest amount of lead concentration among the ties, worker 3 and Worker 4 having taken long before the tests taken confirms the lower amounts of lead recorded in the results. Some of the common ways of lowering lead concentrations in urine include vein EDTA treatment, and taking in fluids to reduce the lead concentration in the bladder (Xie Y, 1998). As seen in the table exposure to lead results in a high concentration of the substance in the renal system, it in turn poses serious urinary complications that are not only expensive to treat but also expose the victim to other related diseases, if possible, preventative measures against lead exposure should be taken.
Hazards involved in tank cleaning
Cleaning of leaded product storage tanks may expose the cleaners to dangerous hazards. A competent occupational hygienist should investigate the explosion and fire hazards, physical hazards, chemical hazards, microbiological hazards, emissions, and oxygen deficiency levels to help ensure the safety and health of the cleaners,
Explosion and Fire.
Explosions and fires are some of the most common hazards that may occur when cleaning a leaded product storage tank. A competent occupational hygienist should be keen on investigating possible fire and explosion outbreaks. Cleaning of leaded product storage tanks may lead to fire and explosion due to its flammable nature. when flammable air and vapor mix the introduction of an ignition source may lead to an explosion. There has to be the presence of Oxygen, flammable material, and a source of ignition for an explosion to happen.
To prevent the occurrence of fire and explosion the oxygen levels can be maintained below 80% and alternatively getting rid of any source of ignition, for example, static electricity and hot surfaces can help in preventing an explosion (Wei et al., 2020). The occupational hygienist should investigate the impact that hot work such as welding may cause when cleaning the tank. The use of plastic or static-generating materials should be avoided to help prevent the occurrence of an explosion. There should be use of cleaning agents that are compatible with the residue materials to help prevent the occurrence of a fire.
The occupational hygienist should also ensure that emergency strategies are put in place for quick action during a fire outbreak or explosion. Gas detectors should be put in place to help monitor lower explosive limits and help prevent the occurrence of an explosion. Highly combustible waste materials should be properly disposed of to prevent the risks of an explosion. Every piece of equipment that will be used during the cleaning should be investigated to ensure that there will be no overheating during the cleaning. The occupational hygienist will have to train the cleaners on the quickest ways of determining the likelihood of a fire breakout and the ways of fighting the fire by using firefighting types of equipment appropriately.
Physical Hazards.
Before entry or any attempt to clean the tank, the occupational hygienist should check for any physical hazards for example weather conditions, tripping, or hindrance in the tank. Climate conditions such as high temperatures and extreme cold conditions can be dangerous for tank cleaners. The tank layout should be thoroughly investigated to help in preventing obstacles, slippery surfaces, and tripping (Spellman, 2023). The cleaners should be provided with a clear layout of the tank to help them in avoiding slippery areas.
There will also be a need to ensure maintained exits just in case of emergencies. The structure of the tank should be assessed to ensure that there are no risks as a result of corrosion. Proper equipment should be provided to the cleaners to help prevent falls that may cause injury to the cleaners. Spills should be properly cleaned up to help prevent the slippery nature of the tank and ensure that the cleaners do not slide and fall.
The mechanical equipment in the tanks such as rotating types of machinery should be investigated to ensure that they do not fall on the cleaners. Exposed wirings should be checked to ensure electric shocks and fires caused by electricity are prevented. The occupational hygienist should ensure that the cleaners are provided with appropriate clothing in cases of extremely high or cold temperatures to help prevent hypothermia and excess heat. The hygienist should also assess the risks that may occur when the cleaners manually handle equipment while cleaning and ensure that support will be provided when handling heavy equipment.
Microbiological hazards
Microbiological hazards are the dangers that are brought by as a result of being exposed to microorganisms such as Bactria and fungi which are considered to be highly harmful. The presence of water and sludge in the tank causes microbiological production which may result in allergic reactions. The occupational hygienist should advise the cleaners accordingly to help prevent allergy and infection cases.
The levels of bacteria such as pseudomonas which contaminate the tank thrive in such saturated surroundings, this should be checked to help prevent infections (Sharma et al., 2021). Investigations on mold and fungi buildup should also be done to help protect the cleaners from harmful toxins. The occupational hygienist should ensure that the cleaners use suitable disinfectants to help eliminate microbial hazards. Alternatively, the cleaners can be educated on the risks associated with microbiological hazards and how to protect themselves from infections.
Chemical hazards.
The occupational hygienist should also check for any chemical hazards before the cleaning is done. The toxic chemicals present in the tanks may put the cleaners at risk if they are inhaled or ingested. Exposure to these chemical hazards may cause long-term or immediate effects on a cleaner’s health (Sun et al., 2020). The Occupational hygienist should ensure that the cleaners wear personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, and headgear. The levels of lead should be assessed to help prevent exposure, there should be investigations on the chemical residues to ensure that there are no health risks, and the cleaning agents should also be thoroughly checked to help prevent hazards. The ventilation should be checked to ensure that the cleaners are in a safe working environment, the waste should be properly disposed of to prevent environmental pollution, and emergency procedures put in place just in case of any accidents during the cleaning activity
Oxygen deficiency.
The oxygen levels in the tank may drop below 20%, the occupational hygienist should check for oxygen levels in the tank or ensure that the cleaners wear breathing masks. The occupational hygienist should ensure that the tanks are properly ventilated to help minimize risks of oxygen exhaustion. Continuous atmospheric testing should be carried out to ensure that the oxygen levels in the tank are safe for the cleaners (Stefana et al., 2019)
. There will be a need to come up with a guide for emergency response to help deal with emergencies such as the lack of oxygen. The cleaners should be equipped with skills in identifying the signs of lack of oxygen to help them act fast during such emergencies. There should be restrictions in accessing the tanks to only the permitted personnel.
Emissions.
The occupational hygienist should investigate to ensure that there are no emissions into the air or water during the cleaning process. These emissions are toxic and will pose a danger to the environment. Air emissions should be monitored to help minimize the impacts that they pose on the environment and human beings (Yang, Gupta, and Dhital, 2020)
Causes for increased lead in urine
Lead coloring is one of the common lead pollutants, old flakes from old buildings combine with dust to form lead dust which when inhaled, blood streams absorb the lead elements, debased ground surfaces where children play are likely to contain harmful leaded toys that are highly likely to tamper with by putting in their mouth, lead-contaminated water which arises when water is vessels through lead pipes and at the end consumed (Anderson SE, 2014). Lifestyle is a key cause of lead poisoning through accessories that resonate with, young children, these include toys and other playing kits that children use to play, some of the toys they use contain lead and, therefore, expose them to a high risk of lead contamination, some ceramic utensils and other wares that are used for domestic use as well contains lead elements (Anon., 1977).
Constant lead atmosphere analysis
According to (Anon., 1977), welders were put under one week of work, the chromium levels were measured constantly, and the solvent levels of the compound exceeded 0.05mg/m3 when using coated rods, it produced lower results in concentration when using lead- helium gas. Sedentary sources are activities such as smoking and other similar activities conducted under indoor controlled experiments, It is not easy to identify the requisite factors that contribute to such levels. During a past survey in the United States to identify sedentary sources, it was discovered that the lifespan of the building, floor conditions, as well as the interiors, are among the factors. Due to the static nature, it is basic to trace any impending or correct error source that was previously not factored in, this includes filtering elements and making sure limit thresholds are at par, this is key in avoiding unprecedented risk. Workers in this setup are less exposed to risks owing to its ease of identifying pollutants, in addition, this environment gives more accurate results which help the company to handle the safety of the employees as well as guide future ventilation designs
Table 4 and Table 5 comparisons
According to (Xie Y, 1998), 3.5ug / dl is the recommended concentration level of lead as per the federal advisory members, OSHA, on the other hand, has capped 50ug/m3 as the lead exposure threshold for 8 hours on average. Having high lead concentration levels in the blood marks renal problems and high blood pressure. In table 4. Being a controlled environment guarantees employees’ safety against exposure to impending hazards since it is easy to detect changes in a controlled environment. In Table 5, the tests before work followed a normal trend but after work the levels of lead in the blood were high, this is a result of exposure from the working environment hazards, possible hazards include exposure to lead elements compounds.
Conclusion
From the case study, controlled air-borne workspaces have less hazard probability occurrence compared to uncontrolled spaces, there should be procedures put in place to prevent water spillages from running directly into waterways as this may pose a danger to marine life. The waste produced after the cleaning should be properly managed and disposed of by the cleaners to help prevent environmental hazards. The occupational hygienist should also ensure that all the cleaning activities align with the regulatory requirements and standards provided for environmental conservation. Cleaning of leaded product storage tanks can be harmful to the health of cleaners due to the harmful chemical residues and lead in the tanks. It is prudent for an occupational hygienist to conduct thorough investigations on the chemical, physical, emissions, oxygen deficiency, microbiological, fire, and explosive conditions that may be harmful to the cleaners. The investigations will help in coming up with proper personal protective equipment and procedures that will help protect the health and well-being of the cleaners.
References
Anderson SE, M. B., 2014. Potential health effects associated with dermal exposure to occupational chemicals. Environ Health Insights. Environmental health insights, I(8), p. 51–62.
Anon., 1977. Environment & Health. Scandinavian Journal of Work, 3(4), pp. 192-202.
Karen I. Bolla, J. L. C., 2007. Exogenous Acquired Metabolic Disorders of the Nervous System. third ed. s.l.:s.n.
Xie Y, C. M. S. A. W. H. I. Y., 1998. Studies on lead-binding protein and interaction between lead and selenium in the human erythrocytes. Ind Health. Use of lead in urine as an indicator of exposure and its relationship with lead in blood, 234(9), p. 36.
Yang, H.H., Gupta, S.K., Dhital, N.B., Wang, L.C. and Elumalai, S.P., 2020. Comparative investigation of coal-and oil-fired boilers based on emission factors, ozone, and secondary organic aerosol formation potentials of VOCs. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 92, pp.245-255.
Wei, W.E., 2020. Presymptomatic transmission of SARS-CoV-2—Singapore, January 23–march 16, 2020. MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report, 69.
Sun, P., Lu, X., Xu, C., Sun, W. and Pan, B., 2020. Understanding of COVID‐19 based on current evidence. Journal of Medical Virology, 92(6), pp.548-551.
Barlati, S., Stefana, A., Bartoli, F., Bianconi, G., Bulgari, V., Candini, V., Carrà, G., Cavalera, C., Clerici, M., Cricelli, M. and Ferla, M.T., 2019. Violence risk and mental disorders (VIORMED-2): a prospective multicenter study in Italy. PLoS One, 14(4), p.e0214924.
