SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

MIDTERM ASSIGNMENT

Basewell – Guardian2 Case Study

DOMINGO, Cyber
DURAN, Dylan Derrick
FERNANDEZ, Hance Kcee

Engr. Edelyn Padsuyan

March 30, 2022

 I. Identified Hazards

Dust Hazard

According to the International Standardization Organization (ISO 4225 - ISO, 1994), "Dust:
small solid particles, conventionally taken as those particles below 75 µm in diameter, which settle
out under their weight, but which may remain suspended for some time."

According to the WHO, dust is also related to some ailments, including cancer, asthma,
allergic alveolitis, inflammation, and various other non-respiratory diseases that may arise.
Significantly reduced exposure levels.

The risk associated with dust exposure is dependent on the following:

Dust particle size. Large dust particles visible to the human eye are often called inhalable
dust particles. Simultaneously, respirable dust clouds are composed of microscopic particles
invisible to the human eye and may penetrate the lungs deeply.

The dust particle's composition and its impact on the body. Dust originates from a variety
of sources. Materials/chemicals of several sorts. Each sort of dust particle has a unique set of
health consequences.

Noise Hazard

Noise pollution is particularly noticeable on construction sites, where various machines

and heavy equipment are continually operating. Noisy environments and noise-induced risks
abound in the manufacturing business.

The influence of noise on employees is determined by the frequency, amplitude (volume),

and length of exposure to the danger. The longer the ears are exposed to excessive noise levels,
even after considering the duration of exposure, the greater the probability of irreversible hearing
loss.

The decibel (dBA) is the unit of measurement used to quantify sound strength. A healthy
individual can distinguish noises beyond 140 decibels (dBA); nonetheless, exposure to noise
above 85 decibels (dBA) has dangers. When there is a lot of noise,
 For an 8-hour shift, OSHA's permissible exposure limit (PEL) is set by 90 decibels (dBA)
for all employees. This suggests that frequent 8-hour exposures to noise levels more than 90 dBA
will result in moderate-to-severe hearing impairment.

Unfortunately, many construction machines generate noise levels higher than the required
dBa (e.g., Jackhammer: 100 dBA, Chop saw: 105 dBA, Chain saw: 110 dBA, Hammer drill: 115
dBA).

Moving Objects

An object is said to be moving only when it changes its position. Therefore, a moving
object is characterized by its position, its direction of motion, and its direction of movement. A
construction site is an ever-changing environment, and construction hazards continue to increase
as construction is underway.

There are many moving objects commonly encountered on construction sites. These
include overhead lifting equipment, supply vehicles, and diggers, all of which move around in an
uneven ground. Moving or lifting objects that are large, heavy, bulky, awkward or difficult to handle
can put employees at risk of injuries known as musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). MSDs include
sprains, strains, fractures and soft-tissue injuries to the back and shoulders.

MSDs can occur suddenly or develop over time. Loose tools and equipment left around
pose an unexpected risk to other workers. Moving equipment, lifting and tag lines can all cause
snagging or collision. The impact of collisions can cause breakage or create other dropped objects
and debris.
 II. Solutions

Dust Hazard

Massive dust may be generated during bulk material handling procedures, such as filling and
emptying bags or transporting objects from one area to another. Even when the dust is not
stopped or removed from the air, it may travel long distances with ambient air and reach
individuals far away from the source and unaware of their exposure. The following are some
examples of remedies that may be used to mitigate these risks:

a. Providing proper exhaust ventilation allows dust to be collected at the point of generation.
Some portable tools are instances of this, with the critical criteria being that the dust is
collected as near to the source as is reasonably practicable.
b. Wet techniques – This procedure efficiently avoids dust. Using water to control dust that
has already entered the air is futile. It is possible to make sandstone absorb moisture to
form no dust while cutting it. It is important to note that the treated material must not dry
out before processing.

Noise Hazard

When annoying noises become noise hazards, they obstruct communication and warning
signals at work and contribute to long-term health problems. These hazards occur when workers
are exposed to more than 85 dB of noise during an eight-hour workday. Among the strategies for
mitigating these threats are the following:

a. In order to minimize industrial noise problems, the most cost-effective engineering control
is to guarantee that all machinery is in proper operating condition. Greasing machinery with
metal-on-metal contact should be performed on a regular basis. This type of "preventative
maintenance" can extend the life of equipment while also saving time in the manufacturing
process by preventing unexpected problems from occurring.
b. Noise Isolation – Moving large non-human operated devices away from employees or into
less congested locations can reduce noise hazards. If moving the gear isn't feasible, a
noise-reducing enclosure can be built and labeled. An enclosure with an entrance can be
designed for human operators, and appropriate PPE provided.
 Moving Objects

It is common to see objects being displaced or moved frequently in a construction site.

Moving objects pose hazards when objects are mishandled. This risks safety of the majority
of the employees and even the people within the working zone.

The simplest form of safety regarding Moving objects are: Avoiding working close to the
moving object, be vigilant of the surroundings, especially if the object does not have lights or
beepers, Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and as well as employee safety work
seminar.

III.

As an engineer, we need first to set a boundary between the hazardous working conditions
and the worker. This can be done by physical alteration or formally and educationally training
them on how to evaluate and mitigate the effects of the hazards that are present in the workplace.
This is called hazard control program; it is consisting of systematic steps and protocols to protect
workers from exposure to a substance or system. To know what kind of mitigation is essential, a
risk assessment must be done first to evaluate and gauge the hazards and risks that are present.
Certain legislative bills have been taken in place to protect the worker’s safety and integrity in the
workforce. There are numerous ways to control a hazard, but the prominent is by the process of
Elimination or removing the hazard from the workplace; for dust hazard, it can be done by
accumulating all the dust by a vacuum and exerted outside in a sterile and safe ventilation.; for
noise hazard, all equipment must be free from rusting, and must have a regular maintenance, so
that unwanted noise in the machine due to metal-on-metal contact isn’t generated.; for moving
objects hazard, if there are furniture (equipment) that isn’t needed anymore, we can put this in a
secluded room so that the employees would have a spacious workplace to work.