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PTAC 1308 Safety, Health & Environment I. Introduction Unit 1. Today’s Agenda & Objectives. Review history of occupational hazards Introduce regulatory agencies. Why do we need to look out for our Safety and Health and the Environment?. Occupational History.
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PTAC 1308Safety, Health & Environment I Introduction Unit 1
Today’s Agenda & Objectives • Review history of occupational hazards • Introduce regulatory agencies
Why do we need to look out for our Safety and Health and the Environment?
Occupational History • All occupations come with a degree of risk to your safety and health
Occupational Safety History Timeline • Health risks documented as far back as 4th century B.C. • 1st century A.D. - Pliny the Elder, a Roman scholar, noted the adverse effects of handling zinc and sulfur. • Middle Ages (1100-1300 A.D.) – feudal craftsman guilds provide assistance to injured or ill workers and their families.
Occupational Safety History Timeline • 1500's - The German scholar Agricola documented mining accidents and diseases • 1700-1800's - more links made between diseases and the occupations that caused them. • Chimney sweeps were found to have a high incidence of scrotal cancer. • Mad Hatter’s disease in hat makers from mercury
Timeline cont. • 1833 - The first of the English Factory Acts. First act established something similar to workman’s compensation program. • Late 1800's - another English Factory Act passed that centralized the inspection of factories for safety/health violations and created an official government post for this position (one of the first in the safety and health field). • Late 1800’s in America, labor unions were beginning to form to demand better safety and health conditions in the workplace. The United Mine Workers Union was the first union formed. • Early 20th century - Alice Hamilton was a physician interested in industrial medicine, which was relatively new field of medicine. Dr. Hamilton compiled convincing evidence between illness and exposure to toxic materials in the workplace.
More Timeline • 1908-1948 - federal and state government workmen’s compensation acts were passed. • 1966 - The Metal and Nonmetallic Mine Safety Act - set safety and health standards for metal and non-metallic mines. (lead and coal) • 1969 - Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act - created mandatory health standards for mines, provided for the study of safety and health problems in mines, and gave federal government the power to shutdown unsafe mines. • 1970 - The Occupational Safety and Health Act passed and Environmental Protection Agency formed. • 1980’s – asbestos • 1984 – Bhopal incident drives expansion of safety, health, environmental standards and community right-to-know
Overview of Safety/Health in Workplace • Hazard • Risk • Safety/loss prevention program • Industrial hygiene • Methods to control hazards
OSHAct “to assure so far as possible every working man and woman in the nation safe and healthful working conditions and to preserve our human resources.”
OSHAct OSHA OSHRC NIOSH
Number and Costs of Accidents • 1998 – according to OSHA • Over 5000 workers killed in U.S. • Cost is almost $50 billion • What kind of costs?
OSHAct • Regulated by the Dept. of Labor • Applies to all private employers • Established • The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) • The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health ( NIOSH) • The Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission (OSHRC).
Requirements under OSHAct • Employer responsibilities • Employee rights/responsibilities • Purpose of the General Duty Clause
MiOSH • Mining Occupational Health and Safety Administration • Many of same or similar practices to OSHA • In our area, ALCOA falls under this regulation – all other chemical plants, oil field operations, etc. are regulated under OSHA
EPA • Established in 1970 • Consolidated environmental programs into one agency • Mission: • designed to safeguard the natural environment and to promote public health by protecting our Nation’s air, water and soil from harmful pollution.
EPA – Major Regulations • The Clean Air Act (CAA) – • The Clean Water Act (CWA) - The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) • The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA or “Superfund”) – • The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) – • The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) -
TCEQ • Texas Commission on Environmental Quality • EPA has delegated authority to TCEQ for environmental regulation of water, wastewater, waste, and air
DOT • Regulates the transport of Hazardous Materials through: • Packaging - securing containers for shipping • Labeling, marking and placarding of containers and vehicles • Container and vehicle construction requirements
NRC • Nuclear Regulatory Commission
FDA • Food and Drug Administration
Homeland Security and Coast Guard • Heightened regulations after 9/11 Terrorist Attacks
Independent Practice • Internet Research on the Agencies Referenced in Lecture
Types of Workplace HazardsCh. 2, pg. 40 • Physical • Chemical • Biologic • Ergonomic
Independent Practice • Review Questions link