OSHA
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, more commonly known by its acronym OSHA, is responsible for protecting worker health and safety in the United States. Congress created OSHA in 1971 following its passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for workers by enforcing workplace laws and standards and also by providing training, outreach, education and assistance. Congress enacted the OSH Act in response to annual workplace accidents that resulted in 14,000 worker deaths and 2.5 million disabled workers annually. Since its inception, OSHA has cut the work-fatality rate by more than half, and it has significantly reduced the overall injury and illness rates in industries where OSHA has concentrated its attention, such as textiles and excavation. The administrator for OSHA is the Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health; the position answers to the Secretary of Labor, a member of the Cabinet of the United States.
Know Your Rights
Under federal law, you are entitled to a safe workplace. Your employer must provide a workplace free of known health and safety hazards. If you have concerns, you have the right to speak up about them without fear of retaliation. You also have the right to:
- Be trained in a language you understand
- Work on machines that are safe
- Be provided required safety gear, such as gloves or a harness and lifeline for falls
- Be protected from toxic chemicals
- Request an OSHA inspection, and speak to the inspector
- Report an injury or illness, and get copies of your medical records
- See copies of the workplace injury and illness log
- Review records of work-related injuries and illnesses
- Get copies of test results done to find hazards in the workplace
Workplace hazards for designers and visual artists
RSI: Repetitive strain injury
Noise
Hazardous substances
Fire
Gas
Electricity
Slips, Trips and Falls
Cuts
Lifting
Risk Assessment_determining health & safety hazards
A risk assessment identifies the hazards in your workplace and evaluates the risks posed by these hazards. In order to fully comprehend the language of the legislation and to be able to draw up a risk assessment, it is helpful to understand the common terms used throughout – hazard, harm and risk.
A risk assessment identifies the hazards in your workplace and evaluates the risks posed by these hazards. In order to fully comprehend the language of the legislation and to be able to draw up a risk assessment, it is helpful to understand the common terms used throughout – hazard, harm and risk.
- A Hazard can be defined as anything that has the potential to cause physical injury or damage to health, the environment or to property.
- Harm is the adverse effect on an individual that may result from exposure to a hazard
- A Risk is a measure of the probability of harm being caused and the severity of that harm.
Carrying Out a Risk Assessment
The Health and Safety Authority provides a systematic guide to carrying out a risk assessment.
The Health and Safety Authority provides a systematic guide to carrying out a risk assessment.
* Analyse your studio or workplace. This may involve listing all the activities carried out in your studio, drawing up a diagram of your space and mapping the location of equipment such as computers, sinks, radiators, shelving, kilns etc
* Identify the hazards associated with your work activities. For example, electrical hazards associated with untrunked cables which may cause tripping or falling, chemical hazards associated with toxic materials, hazards that are associated with stone work – dust inhalation for example. Textile dyes are particularly hazardous to skin and photochemicals used by photographers are associated with skin and respiratory diseases. Some hazards may not seem so obvious such as unsecured shelving, the glare from PC monitors, for example, but even the chair that you sit on, if incorrectly adjusted, can cause back injury.
* Rate the risk level associated with each hazard. To do this you need to evaluate the likelihood that injury might occur and the extent or severity of the injury. This assessment of risk is a question of judgement – you yourself must form an opinion. If you are unsure of the risk associated with a particular piece of equipment or chemical; it is up to you to find out by contacting the manufacturer or reading the label or safety manual.
* Evaluate the ‘controls’ that you may already have in place to make hazards less hazardous. Controls are essentially precautions that you put in place to eliminate or reduce the risks. A control may take the form of signage near a leaking sink that warns of a slippery surface, warning labels on chemicals, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as goggles and dust masks for working with stone or when printmaking for example.
Hierarchy of Controls
Once you have carried out a Risk Assessment of your studio or workplace you must then decide what efforts you will take to ensure that the risks you have identified are reduced or eliminated. The Health and Safety Legislation sets out a five-step hierarchy of controls on how to deal with or control risks. It is called a hierarchy because the most effective control is placed at the top. You should implement these controls in priority order starting at the top and working down the list.
Once you have carried out a Risk Assessment of your studio or workplace you must then decide what efforts you will take to ensure that the risks you have identified are reduced or eliminated. The Health and Safety Legislation sets out a five-step hierarchy of controls on how to deal with or control risks. It is called a hierarchy because the most effective control is placed at the top. You should implement these controls in priority order starting at the top and working down the list.
1. Eliminate: If you can eliminate the hazard altogether you should do so. So for example, avoid using a particular type of toxic chemical altogether or avoid carrying heavy loads yourself.
2. Substitute: Can you substitute the materials or equipment for ones that are less hazardous? For example, can you use an alternative brand of paint – one that is less toxic or can you substitute that faulty heater for one that works a bit better.
3. Engineering: Can you install Fire Extinguishers in your workplace? Ensure that the electrical installation in your studio is certified and maintained by a competent person.
4. Administrative: Clearly display signage warning of hazards associated with materials such as chemicals and toxic paints or signage warning visitors of poor floor conditions or obstructions.
5. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): PPE is any safety clothing or equipment worn to protect against hazards. You should use goggles to protect against dust or debris for example.
Summary of Responsibilities
To summarise, you must display a Safety Statement in your workplace or studio. The Safety Statement must be accompanied by a Risk Assessment. This must include risks for all people including visitors. For every hazard identified, controls or preventions must be put in place to ensure the risk of harm is eliminated or reduced. Finally, your Statement and Risk Assessment must be revised annually to ensure any new hazards are identified and controls implemented.
To summarise, you must display a Safety Statement in your workplace or studio. The Safety Statement must be accompanied by a Risk Assessment. This must include risks for all people including visitors. For every hazard identified, controls or preventions must be put in place to ensure the risk of harm is eliminated or reduced. Finally, your Statement and Risk Assessment must be revised annually to ensure any new hazards are identified and controls implemented.
Chemical Hazards
Now we will look at some of the most common workplace hazards. The main categories of hazards to be mindful of are: biological, chemical, physical, human behaviour, and fire and explosion.
Now we will look at some of the most common workplace hazards. The main categories of hazards to be mindful of are: biological, chemical, physical, human behaviour, and fire and explosion.
Chemical agents are considered hazardous not only because of what they contain but also because of the way in which they are used in the studio. Some hazardous chemical agents include:
* Substances brought into the workplace and handled, stored and used in your work processes. These may include solvents, cleaning agents, paints, glues, and resin.
* Substances generated by your work activity – fumes from welding, soldering, dust, solvent vapours from painting etc
* Substances or mixtures produced by your work process – residues and waste for example.
The effects of exposure to chemical hazards can range from eye irritation to poisoning to chronic lung disease. Information on chemical agents can usually be found on packaging labels, information provided by the supplier and of course the Internet. The HSA data sheets will advise on how to prevent or eliminate risks associated with chemicals.
Biological Hazards
Biological hazards are usually invisible so the risks they pose are not always appreciated. They include bacteria, viruses, fungi (yeasts and moulds) and parasites. The essential difference between biological agents and other hazardous substances is their ability to reproduce. Exposure to biological agents can occur whenever people are in contact with the materials such as natural or organic materials like soil, clay, and plant materials (hay, straw, cotton etc); substances of animal origin (wool, hair, etc); food; organic dust (eg. flour, paper, dust) and waste or wastewater.
Biological hazards are usually invisible so the risks they pose are not always appreciated. They include bacteria, viruses, fungi (yeasts and moulds) and parasites. The essential difference between biological agents and other hazardous substances is their ability to reproduce. Exposure to biological agents can occur whenever people are in contact with the materials such as natural or organic materials like soil, clay, and plant materials (hay, straw, cotton etc); substances of animal origin (wool, hair, etc); food; organic dust (eg. flour, paper, dust) and waste or wastewater.
Some of the occupations at risk from biological hazards that artists may cross over into include working in areas with air conditioning systems and high humidity (eg. textile industry, print industry and paper production). This can cause allergies and respiratory disorders due to moulds and yeasts. Also, working in archives, museums and libraries can cause allergies and respiratory disorders.
Physical Hazards
Activities involving manual handling and trips and falls are probably the most common cause of workplace accidents. The common risks are associated with manual handling involve the load being too heavy, bad posture when lifting and environment factors such as uneven floors.
Activities involving manual handling and trips and falls are probably the most common cause of workplace accidents. The common risks are associated with manual handling involve the load being too heavy, bad posture when lifting and environment factors such as uneven floors.
Visual Display Units
Though working at a computer may not seem particularly hazardous to your health there are health and safely issues associated with the use of computers and the workstation (desk, chair, lighting,) at which a person works. Anyone that works at a computer workstation for one continuous hour or more, as part of their everyday work should be aware of the hazards associated – eye strain, back injury, repetitive strain.
Though working at a computer may not seem particularly hazardous to your health there are health and safely issues associated with the use of computers and the workstation (desk, chair, lighting,) at which a person works. Anyone that works at a computer workstation for one continuous hour or more, as part of their everyday work should be aware of the hazards associated – eye strain, back injury, repetitive strain.
Fire
Probably the hazard that most people are aware of and that which is a hazard in every workplace. Common causes of fire include electrical faults, cooking, smoking and flammable liquids. Obviously, the best control to prevent fire is to isolate the three factors that cause fire – heat, fuel and oxygen. Thus, your studio should be kept neat and tidy to limit potential fuel sources. Ensure sockets are not overloaded and that electrical equipment is in good condition. A smoke detector and fire extinguisher should be installed in your studio.
Probably the hazard that most people are aware of and that which is a hazard in every workplace. Common causes of fire include electrical faults, cooking, smoking and flammable liquids. Obviously, the best control to prevent fire is to isolate the three factors that cause fire – heat, fuel and oxygen. Thus, your studio should be kept neat and tidy to limit potential fuel sources. Ensure sockets are not overloaded and that electrical equipment is in good condition. A smoke detector and fire extinguisher should be installed in your studio.
