Basic Calculations for Occupational Safety and Environmental Health Professionals - Mathematics and Statistics for the Environment - page 383

15.2.4 e rgonomiC s tressors
The science of ergonomics studies and evaluates a full range of tasks including, but not limited to,
lifting, holding, pushing, walking, and reaching. Many ergonomic problems result from techno-
logical changes such as increased assembly line speeds, adding specialized tasks, and increased
repetition; some problems arise from poorly designed job tasks. Any of those conditions can cause
ergonomic hazards such as excessive vibration and noise, eye strain, repetitive motion, and heavy
lifting problems. Improperly designed tools or work areas also can be ergonomic hazards. Repetitive
motions or repeated shocks over prolonged periods of time as in jobs involving sorting, assembling,
and data entry can often cause irritation and inflammation of the tendon sheath of the hands and
arms, a condition known as carpal tunnel syndrome.
Ergonomic hazards are avoided primarily by the effective design of a job or jobsite and better
designed tools or equipment that meet workers' needs in terms of physical environment and job
tasks. Through thorough worksite analyses, employers can set up procedures to correct or control
ergonomic hazards by using the appropriate engineering controls (e.g., designing or redesigning
work stations, lighting, tools, and equipment); teaching correct work practices (e.g., proper lifting
methods); employing proper administrative controls (e.g., shifting workers among several different
tasks, reducing production demand, increasing rest breaks); and, if necessary, providing and man-
dating personal protective equipment. Evaluating working conditions from an ergonomics stand-
point involves looking at the total physiological and psychological demands of the job on the worker.
Overall, environmental health professionals point out that the benefits of a well-designed, ergo-
nomic work environment can include increased efficiency, fewer accidents, lower operating costs,
and more effective use of personnel. In the workplace, the environmental health professional should
review the following to anticipate potential health stressors:
• Raw materials
• Support materials
• Chemical reactions
• Chemical interactions
• Products
• Byproducts
• Waste products
• Equipment
• Operating procedures
15.3 ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY TERMINOLOGY
Every branch of science, every profession, and every engineering process has its own language for
communication. Environmental health and safety practice is no different.
Abatement period —The amount of time given an employer to correct a hazardous condition
that has been cited.
Absorption —The taking up of one substance by another, such as a liquid by a solid or a gas
by a liquid.
Accident —This term is often misunderstood and is often mistakenly used interchangeably
with injury. The meanings of the two terms are different, of course. Let's look at the con-
fusion caused by the different definitions supplied for the term accident. The dictionary
defines an accident as “a happening or event that is not expected, foreseen or intended.”
Defined differently, “an accident is an event or condition occurring by chance or arising
from an unknown or remote cause.” The legal definition is “an unexpected happening