Assignment
Word count: 1,500 words
Surfboard manufacture
A former Australian international board-racing champion has recently started a surfboard-making business in a beachside suburb of Geelong. The work is undertaken in a single-storey unit of an industrial complex. He employs five assistants, only one of whom is a qualified tradesperson (a carpenter). The surfboards are made of polyurethane foam cores, wooden stringers and layers of fibreglass and resin. All the work is carried out using handheld machine exposure to hazardous substances such as fibreglass, resins, solvents and paints used in the manufacture. Disposable face masks are provided as well as plastic goggles; however, some of the employees have expressed concern that these are not sufficient or appropriate controls to ensure their health and safety.
1. What controls are required to reduce the risk from exposure to hazardous substances in the surfboard factory?
Hint: Make sure that you consider the control hierarchy when preparing your answer. Refer to the regulations and codes of practice Managing the Work Environment and Facilities, as well as other codes of practice referred to earlier (Singapore)
Aircraft noise
A regional airport has attached to it an open plan maintenance workshop and a disused hangar that maintains DASH 8s for two airlines. There are 30 licensed aircraft maintenance engineers and a small number of apprentices who are being taught by the local TAFE. The airport is also the location of RAAF pilots, and a number of jet trainers use the adjacent runway as well as commercial and private planes of various sorts The noise insider the workshop can be very high, regularly exceeding the limit of 85 decibels and on the runway, when a fighter is taking off, noise can easily exceed the recommended peak levels of 140 decibels. The manager and supervisor of the workshop are very aware of the noise problem and the potential for noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus. They are also aware of their obligations to the workforce, students, visitors and customers. However, so far, controls have been limited to the issuing of earmuffs to workers and apprentices
1. Assess the risk to workers from the aircraft noise. Use the risk level matrix in Figure 6.9 to determine the risk rating when no controls are used and then reassess the risk rating when ear muffs are worn to see if the risk is reduced.
Hint: Refer to the code of practice Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work (Singapore)
Source: Archer, R, Borthwick, K, Travers, M &Ruschena, L 2015, WHS A Management Guide, 4th edn, Cengage, South Melbourne, pp. 130-131.
Attachment:- RAFormTemplate.rar