HAZARD ANALYSIS IN ENGINEERING

HAZARD ANALYSIS IN ENGINEERING

WSP Global company is a Canada based company which offers professional services. It provides services like property and buildings, electrical and plumbing engineering, among many other services. In the company, I majored on electrical and mechanical engineering processes. These are the two primary services offered by the company and includes many activities that take place within the company. This engineering process is faced with multiple risks that should be mitigated to ensure smooth operation and efficiency of the company’s activities. Risks cannot be avoided easily, but if a risk mitigation plan is drawn, the risks can easily be managed. Risks are uncertainties that occur in a company and are unplanned for (Kockmann, et al., 2017. Pgs. 258-280).

Electrocution is one of the most common hazards affecting the electrical department in the WSP company. Identification of electrical hazards helps create awareness of risks, their impact and harm to workers. Overhead power lines have high voltages which can cause burns and electrocution to workers. This is a significant cause of deaths to many workers in the company during their working time. Therefore, workers should maintain at least a distance of about 8 feet from the overhead power lines (Modarres, et al., 2016). However, safety barriers and signs must be installed to warn nearby non-electrical workers of the hazards that are present. Another risk is the exposure to damaged tools and equipment. Damaged electrical appliances are hazardous to workers and should be fixed before they cause harm to them. Fixing these problems requires experienced and qualified personnel who understands electrical engineering. To fix this risk, the workers should thoroughly check for cuts on cables, wires and fix them before they cause injuries. Look Out Tag-out procedures should be analyzed before starting on the electrical repairs and maintenance.

Inadequate wiring and overloaded circuits are also a risk that faces the department. The use of inappropriate sizes of wires can lead to overheating hence causing fires. Fires can cause great damage to a building and lead to millions of losses, and therefore a plan should be drawn to ensure that the risk is combated. The use of correct extension cord designed for heavy-duty use is a measure to curb this risk. Workers are advised to use proper circuit breakers and avoid overloading circuits. Mousavi, et al., (2019, pgs. 154-162), argued that circuit breakers break the circuit in case overheating occurs hence preventing current from flowing to other delicate areas.

Furthermore, exposed electrical parts can cause potential shocks and burns.  Examples of exposed electrical parts include open power distribution units, temporary lighting and detached insulation parts. In case an individual touch a detached insulator, he or she is electrocuted and can end up dying. Since this risk is a leading cause of deaths globally to both workers and non-workers, daily checks should be maintained to ensure there are no exposed parts, and if there is, it should be repaired immediately. The pieces should be secured with proper guarding mechanism and adequate insulators.

The WSP Global inc is faced with risks in the mechanical engineering department. Firstly, is the risk of hazardous materials. When dealing with combustion engines, one is likely to be exposed to explosive and flammable materials. Elmogahzy (2019), stated that these chemicals produced by the engines contain poisonous gases which, when inhaled may lead to disorders such as lung cancer and failure of somebody organisms to function. Since this risk is deadly plans should be put in place to ensure that the risks do not impact the company negatively. Therefore, the engineers should be provided with proper clothing equipment’s which protect the workers from the risk.

Improper grounding and wet conditions are other risks that are associated with electrical engineering. Improper grounding can lead to increased voltages which can lead to electrocution. Therefore, proper grounding eliminates unwanted voltage, thus reducing the risk of electrocution (Van, 2017, pgs. 485-499). The metallic ground pin should never be removed since it is responsible for returning unwanted voltages to the ground.  It is advisable never to operate electrical equipment in wet condition since water increases the risk of electrocution, especially when the material has a damaged insulator. Therefore, it is recommended that an electrician inspects the electrical equipment before powering it.

In mechanical processes, risks such as exposure to hazardous materials from explosive or flammable substances. Combustion engines produce gases that are harmful to the workers and can lead to disorders such as lung cancer. According to Zio (2016, pgs. 137-150), the engines produce hazardous gases such as carbon monoxide and Sulphur oxide gas, which can impact negatively on the environment. Sulphur oxide gas can lead to the formation of acidic rain which leaches the soil nutrients. Therefore, one should wear protecting clothing, including masks, to prevent him from inhaling the poisonous air. Besides, the moving parts in a machine are likely to cause noise which can harm your ears. Workers should be given ear bands to protect their ears from damage caused by the loud noise.

Part Two

The health and safety act of 1974 ensures that employers take good care of their employees, and it requires that nothing should be charged (Munir, et al., 2016, pgs. 1157-1174). Employees protection against risks should be taken into consideration by the employers to ensure safety and smooth operation of the company. Since the engineering processes in the WSP company are exposed to several risks, protecting the employees is a way of preventing the risk from occurring. Wearing a helmet offers protection and prevents head injuries. An individual should wear a helmet when dealing with heavy machinery, which can cause accidents. During soldering in the engineering department eyes of the worker are exposed to injury, and they should be protected using safety glasses. Welding goggles offer protection and therefore should be used when one comes into contact with bright light or infrared radiation. Running machines produce a lot of noise, and there is a need to use earplugs to protect ears from being damaged. Earplugs are comfortable and convenient to use since they can be easily worn and taken off.  Engineers need to wear masks when dealing with hazardous materials (Bhattacharjee, et al., 2019). Many workers working in WCP company inhale poisonous gases while performing their task hence the need to protect themselves b wearing masks. When dealing with toxic materials, one is advised to wear a full-face mask which tends to protect the nose and mouth against harmful pollution. Hands and fingers are regularly injured and thus is essential to protect them using gloves. Safety shoes and boots are an excellent solution towards protecting your feet against heavy materials. The use of shoe claws is highly recommended when working on slippery surfaces. They prevent an individual from tripping and falling on the ground. Lastly, is that one should wear correct work clothing when performing his or her duties. Accidents in a crowded workshop can be prevented by wearing high-visibility jackets and pants that are made of strong fabric.

Part Three

Permit to work systems is a system that is used to ensure that work is done efficiently and safely. These systems are used in hazardous industries where the industries emit poisonous gases to the environment. According to Balamurugan, et al., 2019, pgs. 20-42), job approval is a core element of a stable and efficient work system that, in tandem with risk assessment and isolation plan, allows hazardous practices in non-trivial work environments to be reduced as relatively viable. System health monitoring needs job enforcement. Instructions or protocols for specific jobs are always satisfactory, although others need extra consideration. Working method allocation is a structured arrangement that specifies precisely where the research is to be completed. The individual responsible will review the job at each point and test health. Persons doing the job sign the consent to demonstrate awareness of the required risks and safeguards. Permits are indeed a correspondence tool for executives, plant supervisors and operators and the people carrying out the job (Stolzer, et al., 2018, pgs. 55-69). For example, hot work such as welding, the entrance of a vessel, the pipes carrying dangerous substances, the submarine in the vicinity of the opening of the intake and working which requires electrical or mechanical insulation that needs a written work permit. This is, therefore, a means to organize multiple job tasks to avoid disputes. A work permit is not a substitution for a rigorous risk assessment but may provide a framework for a work danger. Studies by the UK Health and Safety Executive have shown that a lack of active work-system approvals was a significant cause of maintenance-related accidents in the British chemical industry. Popular defects in work program operation are lack of work permit or separation management protocols, non-suitable and adequate risk assessments to determine hazards and control steps, and a combination of the two (Hickman, 2019).

Part Four

There is a plan for change built into the regulatory framework for carrying out risk evaluations. The protection statement, which will contain the relevant risk evaluations at the workplace, would define the strategy for safety and health organization. The effective execution of the protection statement of the organization would lead to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of its workers and those involved in its function (Rodenbeck & Peterson, 2018).  Your organization wants the control program to fulfil its requirements and execute the function successfully to properly enforce the Safety Policy. This program must ensure that everybody understands their goals in the workplace. They ought to set out the ground standards that everybody will live by to fulfil their legal obligations. The majority of productive businesses today require more than the necessary to maintain safety and health, so they will not experience injuries and strive to progress (Buchanan and McCalman, 2018).

Workplace safety is vital in any company because all workers want to work in a safe and protected environment. To improve the operations of both employees and the employer’s health and safety measures should be put into consideration. Good health and safety practices can improve productivity in the engineering workplace and also can impact positively on the company’s bottom line. Technology has been on the frontline to prevent injuries and fatalities that arise from workplaces (Bahr, 2018). High-speed communication can be used to improve workplace safety. Workers that work in stranded and remote areas experience high risks. Thus the use of apps as a communication tool can help employers to be updated about the safety of their employers. Employees need to receive updated about their safety.

Secondly, is the use of 3D visualization technology that assists employees to become more aware of their workplace risks. For example, in mechanical engineering, the 3D visualization software facilitates workers to know the dangers and risks involved in the process in advance. Therefore, the engineers become prepared to face the risks with protective clothing and equipment (Spellman, 2017).

Part Five

A hazard tracking system is a tool used by managers of a program and systems engineer to track safety risks. The main of the tracking system is to ensure the provision of necessary data to mitigate the risks effectively. The tracking of potential hazards can help a company to reduce the impact of the disease (Awolusi, et al., 2018, pgs. 96-106). A recording system is kept in a place where all risks associated with the business are located with their mitigation plans. The system contains a risk assessment plan that would reduce and also access the impact of the risk on the company. Risks can be managed if detected early and therefore; the tracking systems will help in the early identification of the danger even before its occurrence.

References

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