Ergonomic Hazard Assessment: Machine Shop

Ergonomic Hazard Assessment: Machine Shop

Reagan Holley

Columbia Southern University

Ergonomic Hazard Assessment: Machine Shop

A machine shop is one of the popular workstations today. Most of them comprise both electrical and mechanical works. Consequently, such workshops occasion numerous critical mechanical and electrical works risks. The current post explores the ergonomics hazards involved in these sites. Machine shops expose people to ergonomics dangers such as high temperatures and heat, noise, and electric shocks; hence, there should always be extreme appropriate preventive measures such as wearing protective gear.

High temperatures are one of the common stressors in machine shops. The heat from burning frames or electric heaters is necessary for electroplating and soldering, among other purposes. Nevertheless, it exposes workers to the risks of catching fire and burning (Akaninwor, Obed, & Enyiche, 2019). Approximately 40% of deaths in the construction industry in the U.S are heat-related (OSHA, 2021). High temperatures are also associated with heat illnesses such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and heat rash, which appear with symptoms like confusion, seizures, heavy sweating, irritability, dizziness, nausea, and headache, besides painful cramps and tired muscles.

Noise is another stressor. In machine shops, noise originates from works such as welding and grinding. Noise is unpleasant because it damages the delicate hair cells in the inner ear and causes noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Once damaged, Akaninwor, Obed, and Enyiche (2019) argue that cilia—the microscopic hair cells inside the cochlea, cannot repair themselves, leading to deafness. One of the preventive measures against noise is periodic testing of noise to ensure that it does not exceed recommended levels. Workers should also wear protective gear such as sound marks (OSHA, 2021). Noise is a dangerous stressor, and no workplace should ever overlook it.

Machine shops also entail numerous risks, and electric shock is one of them. Common causes of this risk involve workers’ contact with uninsulated conducting wires. Electric shocks are associated with fatal injuries such as burns, cardiac arrest and other internal damages, and death. Precautionary measures against this risk include wearing dry gloves (Gibson & Wayne, 2013). Firms should also always inspect electrode holders for damage and insulation.

Other risks comprise welding, machine fumes, and gases. All these fumes contain toxic substances such as metal oxides, which cause severe health issues when inhaled. Short-term inhalation is associated with nausea, dizziness, or eye, nose, and throat irritation. On the other hand, long-term exposure may lead to lung cancer, larynx cancer, and urinary tract cancer, other than the nervous system, and kidney damages or failure (Gibson & Wayne, 2013). Accordingly, workers should always wear gas masks and welding goggles to protect themselves from the gasses besides working in open air or well-aerated rooms. Moreover, while working with welding machines, OSHA (2021) warns that workers should also put on resistive utile, safety boots, and protective gloves. Above all, employers and supervisors need to have safety rules and standards and ensure that all their teams are observing them to the latter.

In the bottom line, machine shops are risk-intense areas because they involve many stressors and hazards associated with a variety of damages and injuries. Characteristically, high temperatures and heat, noise, and electric shocks cause burning, heat illness, NIHL, different kinds of cancer. Accordingly, employers and supervisors should always set and ensure proper adherence to safety rules and standards besides providing and ensuring the use of protective gear such as boots, gloves, and welding goggles. Without these measures, machine workshops would no less dangerous zones for people.

References

Akaninwor, K., Obed, O. O., & Enyiche, C. E. (2019). Application of safety measures in machine-shop practice in technical colleges in rivers state. International Journal of Innovative Scientific & Engineering Technologies Research, 7(3), 25-35. https://seahipaj.org/journals-ci/sept-2019/IJISETR/full/IJISETR-S-3-2019.pdf

Gibson, J., & Wayne, N. (2013). Proceedings of the 2012 University of California Center for Laboratory Safety Workshop. Journal Of Chemical Health And Safety, 20(1), 4-17. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jchas.2012.10.002

OSHA, (2021). General requirements for all machines. United States Department of Labor. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.212