In this course we visit a number of industrial facilities and other places of work. You are required to write two reports about the walkthrough inspection. The reports will discuss the industry, the process, the work hazards, the controls or measures used to reduce worker exposure and your recommendations. The target audience for this paper is a “client”, presumably one with a college education, not the instructor.
I will review every report and return them to you in as timely a manner as possible. It is important for you to get your papers in on time. The paper should contain background information about the facility we are visiting, the work process, a discussion of your observations during the walkthrough, your assessment of existing controls and your recommendations for improvements. Please remember the goal of the site visit is to observe how different facilities deal with potential work related health and safety hazards.
Report Requirements:
Report Sections (estimated length of report: 5-8 pages):
· Introduction (should be no more than a few pages)
· A little about the type of industry, the processes used and hazards which might be anticipated.
· Basic information about facility you visited, such as location, numbers of employees, annual sales. Also a summary of the violations found by OSHA inspectors in the past is often helpful.
· Walkthrough process (following the order of departments or divisions you visited)
· Describe the hazards you observed in each department/division and the controls in place to reduce or eliminate these hazards. Were there hazards you detected that were not adequately controlled? If so describe them and the controls that are needed.
· Diagrams of processes are always helpful
· Photos taken during the site visit are often helpful, but if they should not take up more than about a page of your 5-8 pages. If you wish to use more photos, please do not hesitate to do so, but in that case they should add to the length of the paper beyond 5-8 pages. The photos are not a substitute for text but a supplement to it.
· Materials that cause or contribute to the hazards observed should be named in your discussion
· Don’t forget to observe physical and biological as well as chemical hazards. Also keep an eye out for ergonomic hazards.
· Summarize your recommendations for improvements in worker health and safety in the plant or facility.
· Briefly present your overall impression of health and safety conditions in this plant or facility.