Control Strategy of Cadmium Usage and Health Effects

The provided assignment focuses on cadmium usage control strategies and its adverse health effects. It highlights various types of toxicity involved in cadmium exposure, such as carcinogenity and kidney damage. The document also emphasizes the importance of proper handling and storage of cadmium-contaminated materials, wearing protective equipment, and conducting regular health check-ups for employees exposed to cadmium. Additionally, it suggests using alternatives like zinc alloys or metallic ceramic coatings to reduce cadmium usage.

Running head: WORKPLACE SAFETY AND IMPORTANCE
Workplace Safety and Importance
Name of the Students:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1
WORKPLACE SAFETY AND IMPORTANCE
1 The workers have a legitimate complaint?
In Canada, a noise criterion level (Lc) has been set which is the legitimate noise level that
can be permitted in a workplace for eight hours’ shift. In Canada, the level is set in order to
determine noise exposures. Therefore, in this way he Lc ensures that the continuous noise
exposure is not causing any major damage or harm to the workers as well as the community.
In a manufacturing unit, there are number of sources for causing noise pollution apart from the
manufacturing equipment. These sources can range from the usage of power generators,
emergency vehicle whistles which can consequent in hearing loss. The workers have the full
right to recognize the potentially harmful elements in their workplace, to evaluate the extent of
danger associated with it and take effective measures to sketch a solution to the problems.
However, there are certain terms and conditions associated with this. In Canada, to ensure that
the noise exposure is not exceeding so as to cause health damage, a noise measurement has
been set which is 85dB(A) for many jurisdictions, 90dB(A) for Quebec and 87dB(A) for
Canadian federal jurisdictions (Woodhull, Carande-Kulis & Biddle, 2016). Safe noise levels
are mainly dependent on two things, one being the level of noise produced the other is the rate
of exposure of the workers to it. It is clearly stated in the guidelines that no worker should be
made to be exposed to more than 140 dB of noise for a prolonged period of time. A noise
dosimeter is used to gauge the noise level as per the Occupational Safety and Health
(Woodhull, Carande-Kulis& Biddle, 2016). These are the measurements by which
organizations ensure that they are not exposing the workers to extreme noise levels. However
the workers cannot complain in a legitimate manner about noise level if the
measurements comply with the one set by OSH 85dB(A), 90dB(A) and 87dB(A). This is
the standard exposure limit as allowed by the law and any sound which crosses 85Db can
result in acute loss of hearing and serious damage to the ears. Generally in the well-reputed
firms and industry that deals with the production of sound, the employers conduct a scrutiny in

2
WORKPLACE SAFETY AND IMPORTANCE
the areas which are most dangerously exposed to harm. In case the employers fail to do so,
the workers have the full right to file a complaint or report the ‘nearv misses, that are cases of
accidents which could had a serious impact on the workers. Ths will require implementation
of new policies and strict penalties for not adhering by the rules and regulations. However,
recent studies have published about the severity of noise exposure of 85dB over 8 hours as a
potential threat to ear, the effect is generally long-term. OHS has set the noise level as a part
of risk management system and keeping in consideration total health management and
employee productivity of an organization. A sound alarm on the part of the workers is not
legitimate when the noise levels are not posing as a direct threat to the harmony of the
workplace. The manufacturing units have the full permission to produce noise within the
above mentioned stipulated limit. The organizations need to possess a well-written statement
regarding the compliance of rules and regulations within the organizations and each and every
worker should be aware of the fact in order to know about their position. In case, the workers
are feeling uncomfortable he/she can wear hearing aid made of formable wadding acoustical
fibres, or reusable plastic ear plugs, taking other controlling measures like implanting barriers
around the machines. These control measures are legitimate since no workers can be forced to
adjust themselves to uncomfortable working environments which cause physical discomfiture.
The workers can only file a complaint when the organizations are generating noise above the
prescribed level. The role of a health and safety representative is of utmost necessity over here
for supervising over and working actively to make sure that the workers are not damaging
their health in the workplace. Some of their fundamental responsibilities are to check whether
the new workers are abiding by the workplace rules regarding health and safety, conducting a
survey to collect data regarding the problems that the workers are facing regarding noise level
and listing various health issue that can emerge as a result of noise exposure (Lay et al., 2016).

3
WORKPLACE SAFETY AND IMPORTANCE
The workers should also go through regular hearing tests to make sure that workers’ health is
not being compromised with in the manufacturing unit.
In order to file a complaint, primarily the workers need to carry out a frequency analysis
which will be evident or record for measuring noise level. In that case a thorough risk
assessment process would be executed with safety specialists visiting the organization and
understand the operational processes. The noise survey would be necessary to carry out a
thorough examination of the entire unit and identifying the number of employees who are
most likely to get exposed to the harmful zone. The survey can either measure the sound level
at selected units or the entire plant. A number of measurements can be carried out to obtain
accurate measurements during the noise survey. In these circumstances they would detect the
degree of possible harm, frequency of noise and its exposure to the workers and to find out if
there are any possible ways to keep it at bay. If the results indicate that the employees are
dangerously exposed to noise which is exceeding the pre-set noise exposure limit then the
team will formally inform both the employers and employees about the extent of truthfulness
in their complaints regarding excessive noise level in their workplace (Lay et al., 2016).
The OHS work violations is a serious grievance and is therefore a yearly review which is
important for highlighting areas on developing new strategies to avoid potential threats to the
organization and its members. The magnificence that OHS rules and regulations contain makes it
difficult for the workers to hold any serious. Any complaint can only be registered from the
workers’ end if they have evidence to prove that the organization is falling short of meeting the
OHS regulations and requirements. In that case the company needs to provide a hefty penalty and
employees can adhere to reasonably practicable, as it is termed by Labor Program in Canada for
the purpose of taking necessary precaution at the face of workplace hazards and impeding injuries
or accidents. To make a valid complaint the employees must have a thorough knowledge of
OH&S policies, have attended safety and precautionary training measures and know the best

4
WORKPLACE SAFETY AND IMPORTANCE
response to unsafe conditions or scenarios in their workplace. It is only in this manner that the
employers can make a valid standpoint. If the organization has a record of retaining papers that
document their strict adherence to workplace safety and rules, the employees can in no way prove
that the manufacturing unit is violating the basic norms of sound levels in the workplace, placing a
major risk at employees’ health and safety.

5
WORKPLACE SAFETY AND IMPORTANCE
1. Identify a biological or chemical agent present in workplace.
The presence of toxic and chemical elements in workplace is of major importance because
under WHS regulations and policies, these substances can exert hazardous effects on the
workers. Corrosive, chemically reactive and explosives are harmful for the health of the
workers. Therefore WHS Regulations appoint a specific team of people to supervise the
presence of these chemicals in an organization and negotiate the risk factors. However, I
am well-acquainted with the dangers of the Electronics, Computer and
Transportationfactory where one of my associates works. One of the potential chemical
and toxic agent that are emitted out of these factories is cadmium which is immensely
high on toxicity and can be harmful to life forms on earth when comes is direct
contamination (Reese, 2015).
Route of Entry: the entry of this chemical is for the purpose of electroplating, producing
paint pigments, batteries, coating operations, phosphor coating and baking enamels. A per
data, the usage of cadmium has been doubled up in the factories by 5-10% making room
for further growth within these factories (Ahmad et al., 2015).
Types of Toxicity Involved: Cadmium contains carcinogen and can cause medical
conditions like cadmium blues, respiratory tract problems and dizziness. Carcinogenity
also results in cancer on long-term inhaling (Ahmad et al., 2015).

6
WORKPLACE SAFETY AND IMPORTANCE
Health Effects of Cadmium:workers get contaminated with cadmium mainly through
respiratory tracts. Some of the health implications are
Effects Symptoms and Severity
Renal Effects 1. Cadmium damages kidney, renal cancer, renal cortical
necrosis which has symptoms of hematuria, flank pain
and severe fever.
2. Renal tubular dysfunction causing fatigue, muscle
weakness, stunted growth in children and
osteomalacia.
3. microproteinuria which is a side-effect of cadmium
exposure which indicates a severe kidney damage.
Skeleton Effects 1. Exposure to Cadmium can result in bone disease called
Itai-Itai disease with symptoms like anemia and brittle
bones and death.
2. It can also cause a reduced mineral density in bones
complicating the symptoms further
Respiratory Effects 1. Breathing problems and lung diseases.
2. Dizziness due to lack of oxygen and headache are
common.
3. Lung cancer due to long exposure
Miscellaneous 1. Cadmium exposure can result in stunted growth in
children
2. Can result in yellowing of teeth and ansomia
characterized by hay fever with allergies and influenza.

7
WORKPLACE SAFETY AND IMPORTANCE
Control Strategy of Cadmium Usage
1. Usage of non-mercurial fungicides in paints and enamels instead of cadmium
2. Residual management is another control measure to check the usage of cadmium usage
in factories.
3. Usage of alternatives like zinc alloys, zinc cobalt and zinc nickel can be used in plating
as zinc alloys are corrosive resistant (Lay et al., 2016). Usage of metallic ceramic
coatings as an alternative to cadmium usage is another way to limit cadmium usage.
Implementation of materials like stainless steels and titanium in place of cadmium
plated steel can also increase the harmful effects.
4. Usage of protective equipment while working with cadmium. Washing oneself
properly after cadmium contamination so that it does not enter the body with food
consumption.
5. Cadmium contaminated clothes should be properly separated from cleaner ones
6. Proper handling and storing of batteries in workplaces. Taking proper shower after
cadmium contamination.
7. Proper training for employees for cadmium handling. The workplace should carry out
other measures like air monitoring to check the cadmium concentration in air. The
employer should ensure that the employees are not exposed to cadmium to the level or
even below the level of PEL (Lay et al., 2016).
8. Scheduled health check-ups for employees who are repeatedly exposed to cadmium.
Collection of samples is another way to keep the harmful effects in check.

8
WORKPLACE SAFETY AND IMPORTANCE
Reference List:
Ahmad, P., Sarwat, M., Bhat, N. A., Wani, M. R., Kazi, A. G., & Tran, L. S. P. (2015).
Alleviation of cadmium toxicity in Brassica juncea L.(Czern. & Coss.) by calcium
application involves various physiological and biochemical strategies. PloS one, 10(1),
e0114571.
Lay, A. M., Saunders, R., Lifshen, M., Breslin, C., LaMontagne, A., Tompa, E., & Smith,
P. (2016). Individual, occupational, and workplace correlates of occupational health and
safety vulnerability in a sample of Canadian workers. American journal of industrial
medicine, 59(2), 119-128.
Reese, C. D. (2015). Occupational health and safety management: a practical approach.
CRC press.
Woodhull, D., Carande-Kulis, V. G., & Biddle, E. A. (2016). The Business Case for
Occupational Safety, Health, Environment and Beyond Steve Newell, and Reepa
ShrofF. In Occupational Health and Safety (pp. 69-92). Routledge.