Unit III Scholarly Activity

Unit III: Scholarly Activity - Hazard Analysis of Key Operations in a Manufacturing Plant Author’s Name The Institutional Affiliation Course Number and Name Instructor Name Assignment Due Date Occupational safety is among the core responsibilities of any manufacturing facility. This paper aims to investigate three tasks assigned by the upper management of a manufacturing plant. The discussion focuses on key hazards, respective control measures, assessment of control measures, recommendations for implementation, and historical context for each hazard with particular reference to an Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) perspective. Operating Electric Forklift in Narrow Aisles Hazards and Potential Injuries Operating electric forklifts in narrow aisles can result in massive collisions with other forklifts or racking. In either case, it can result in falling material and crushing injuries. Another critical hazard associated with a forklift is the line of the site; due to the shelving and visibility, it could be difficult to see personnel, which could result in the impact of a pedestrian, which can be catastrophic. Control Measures Engineering Control: To improve visibility across turning points and intersections, the convex mirror, warning signs, and spotters must be fixed. Fixing these aids is likely to improve visibility, thereby reducing the chances of collisions at turning points (OSHA, n.d.). Administrative Control: It involves training the workers on one-way aisle traffic rules to help them mitigate the risk of collisions. These measures are likely to mitigate the risks associated with human errors by ensuring that each forklift is provided a safe zone to operate and that there are no simultaneous operations at play that could potentially cause a collision. Management should also train employees on Lockout/tagged out (LOTO) procedures to keep the forklifts deactivated when undergoing maintenance, as this will further mitigate the risk of unintended motion and collisions (Goetsch, 2019). Elimination: The management is advised to block the aisles where forklifts are currently active to prevent the personnel from entering and thereby getting exposed to the danger of collision. Recommendations It is crucial to highly prioritize collision avoidance systems since they are less dependent on human inputs and minimize the risk of human errors (Goetsch, 2019). Mandatory training should complement these engineering controls for the effective implementation of safety protocols. The training should also include the protocols for adherence to the warning signs and the instructions by spotters. Historical Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Perspective Forklift-related injuries have a deep history, considering how they influenced OSH, encouraging the incorporation of 29 CFR 1910.178 (subparts 1 and q), which involves power truck-based training to promote safe operational designs through proper maintenance and training (Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 1910.178(l), 1910.178(q)). These considerations highlight the recognition of the potential of forklift-related risks for collisions and injuries if left unmanaged or poorly managed. Repairing the Hydraulic System on the Gas-powered Forklift Hazards and P...