Industrial Hygiene
Being that it is an operation that is being conducted in an industrial area, and in an industry that dealt with compressed gas, it is critical that all the safety measures are taken into account in a categorical and safe manner in the bid to re-enter the after the terrible hurricane. For instance there are various experts who are present and I would recommend that their individual expertise be put to use in the recovery process. First, the entire employees' body must be informed of the extent of the damage and the seriousness of the problem at hand and instructed not to venture into any area within the firm without the clearance and subsequent communication through a central communications office that they have to be informed of. I would also suggest to the Incident Commander to have a formal written process for the recovery of the firm. This will help in the accurate and safe re-entry into the firm without exposure to danger of the people involved in the recovery as well as the employees later on. This schedule will help him ensure that there is coordination between the specialists that are at site to help in the safe re-entry and avoid skipping of steps that may endanger lives later on.
Bearing that the firm deals in the distribution of compressed gas, one of the most obvious dangers that at hand is the possibilities of explosions from the compressed gas cylinders. This is most likely danger as the cylinders were scattered allover the compound during the flooding. In light of this, there is need to keep off the general public so as to reduce the likelihood of fires occurring. The other most likely danger is the exposure of the general public and the recovery team in particular to the Hydrogen Sulfide gas which has the rotten egg smell. This is a highly toxic gas as well as flammable gas. The fact that Hydrogen Sulfide is heavier than air, it tends to stay longer within a poorly ventilated room as it displaces the air. The other dangerous aspect of it is that though it is highly pungent, the sense of smell quickly loses the capability to sense it and hence exposing the potential victims to intoxication especially of the nervous system yet unaware of its presence, this is very dangerous to my team (Osha Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 2005). The other danger is the presence of the confirmed leakage of chlorine gas. The danger with this gas is that it combines with almost all elements. It is an irritant to the mucous membrane as well as the lungs and has the capacity to cause cancer. I also noted that chlorinated liquids have the ability to burn the skin and even fabrics and bearing the situation at hand with water all over, the presence of chlorine gas at the site is of grave health concern. The saturation in the region is also of significant industrial health concern since as little as 1000 ppm can prove fatal to the recovery team after just a few breaths (Biophica Inc., 2011). The last though not least of the industrial concern is the integrity of the buildings at the site that must be accessed by the team as they undergo the verification of the sources of the leaking gas. After the hurricane, there is a possibility that the physical structure was highly compromised making it dangerous for the recovery team.
Organizing such a recovery is not easy but with the team available, it is going to be a task worth the challenge. First I would use the Safety Supervisor (programs and training) to train the entire team on the procedures and the steps that are going to be taken in the recovery process so as to ensure a danger free recovery work. There is going to be enough support back up plans like the emergency and medical service available. He will also be in charge of the safety recovery procedure during the application of the process of recovery.
Then the two technicians (versed in IH and environmental sample collection and testing) will come in handy in identifying and collecting samples from the site to verify the contents and the concentration. The specialists in Industrial Health will be the ones to advice on the safety of accessing each part of the firm to carry out the recovery. They will also work closely with the safety supervisor in ensuring that the zones that are still dangerous to access maybe due to high concentration of the gases...
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