Health Case

Table of Contents

1. Introduction 2

2. Health and safety hazards 3

2.1. Health hazards 3

2.2. Safety hazards 5

3. Factors which are likely to cause occupational diseases 6

4. Improvements to the external and internal environment 7

5. Suitable benefits and services package for the organization 8

6. Conclusion 9

1. Introduction

Cargo and Container Handling Co. Ltd was earlier located in Colombo, near to the port. With the relocation of such projects out of Colombo city the container yard along with all its technical operations was relocated in Hendala, Wattala. The new container yard is around 10 acres in extent and was macadamized. According to the given case it has described about present condition of the container yard. When describing the present situation of the yard it has mentioned its' roads, drain system, illumination condition in the yard. In brief it has described the road and the yard damage because of the use of heavy vehicles and rain. There is no proper water flowing system so it causes to breed mosquitoes.

Not only above mentioned thing it also mentioned about the good and bad impact from them to the worker as well as to the environment. Under the illumination case has described how the lights situated and about the broken and fused spot lights. Then it has mentioned about the wiring system of the yard and the hazardous impact from them. Not only those it has mentioned about the working shifts, how the manual workers work in those shifts and what are the benefits they get from the company for their contribution like company is providing overtime and shift allowance to the workers. The incentive scheme is common to all the manual workers and the latter category is entitled to special traveling arrangements. The case has mentioned, the company is providing some benefits to their workers like food and beverages, PPEs, uniforms and etc. it has mentioned that the knowledge is lack in technical staff about the health and safety slogans. There is no proper ventilation. Their existing labor turnover and the absenteeism rate is considerably high level.

By analyzing given fact, could identify health and safety hazards, factors which are likely to causes occupational diseases. Then we identify the necessary improvements in internal and external environment and finally by assessing the present benefits and services I have planned out a suitable benefits and service package to the organization.

2. Health and safety hazards

A hazard is a source or situation with a potential for harm in terms of human death, injury or ill health, damage to property, product or working environment or a combination of these.

Table 1.1: Workplace Hazards

According to the given case study there are both health and safety hazards as follow,

2.1. Health hazards

o Physical hazards

* Noise equipments and engines of heavy vehicles may produce noise.

* Heat temperature is high due to no ventilation.

* Illumination yard is vast and there are only few spot lights. Some are fused and broken. Distance of the existing lights is far apart from one another.

* Radiation UV (ultraviolet) radiation is given off by the sun. It harms to the people who stand in the queue in the port and people who are expose to the sun in the yard.

o Chemical hazards

* Dust is a major hazard due to the macadamized yard and it causes to have health diseases like asthma.

* Fumes and gases which are released from the vehicles.

o Biological hazards

* Water lodges are caused to breed mosquitoes and because of that, workers and the people who are around the yard have the threat of dengue and other diseases cause by the mosquitoes.

* A driver and two cleaners having treating themselves for minor rashes. There is a threat of spreading it among other workers who work in the yard.

* Drinking water and the foods are not available in the yard so there is a risk of causing diarrheal diseases. At the moment there is one or two diarrheal disease instances have mentioned by the workers.

o Psychological hazards

* The employees who are washing and painting 40 foot long containers without ventilation. So people get fainted and breathing problems. So this drives to decrease the worker morale.

* Some heavy vehicle drivers have to work two shifts in a row. Psychological disorders and stress can be occurred due to the workload.

* People who are standing in the queue for long hours can result in inflammation of veins.

o Ergonomics

* Bad postures in painting containers. Because workers have to keep their hands up. (Over the power zone).

* Standing for long hours in the port.

* Heavy vehicle drivers have to sit for long hours so it causes to musculoskeletal disorders. This can happen to the workers who are engaged with the painting and washing.

2.2. Safety hazards

* Roads are not made properly so people will face accidents and they might get fall.

* Light are far apart from one another causes accidents specially in night.

* No proper drain system. So there are so many muddy holes. People might slip near such places.

* Hanging wires can cause electrocution and fire.

* Machinery injuries might happen due to the folk lifting.

* Working in a confined space.

* Some workers are not using their PPEs.

* No emergency treatment facilities available in the yard.

* Technical staff doesn't have