EXPLOSION OF COMBUSTIBLE DUST

Explosion of Combustible Dust….

On 17th March 2008, accident at the grains storage and milling plant somewhere in Perak which caused four fatalities and two workers were given outpatient treatment. During forensic investigation at the plant it was found that they were doing some hot work involving electric arc welding (on the day of the accident) in the pit of the silo tower. The welding was on one of the grains transfer lines between the interconnected conveyor and the elevator located in the silo tower. On that day two elevators of the four elevators in the silo tower were put on to transfer the raw grains from the silos to other parts of the facility.  

 

It is strongly suspected that the explosion followed by a bright flash light which were witnessed by the workers in the plan control room originated from the basement floor causing widespread damages to the silo tower facility, shattering window glasses and displacing window frame structures from the main building. The interconnected underground tunnel which housed the continuous conveyors and ancillaries from the jetty to the basement floor of the silo tower also sustained extensive and serious damages. Three workers who were working in the silo pit died from serious injuries. One worker at the jetty who sustained serious head injury died

The following safe practices are adopted during any hot work in confined space- with the like hood of presence of combustible dusts:

•  Hazards identification, risks assessment and control (HIRARC) has to be carried out for any welding work in confined space.

• According to Section 15, Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 it is the duty of employers to provide safe system of work to ensure the health and safety of their workers and other persons who might be affected by the activities that are being carried out. References can also be made to the Occupational Safety and Health (Use and Standards of Exposure of Chemicals Hazardous to Health) Regulations 2000 
• Sound and effective housekeeping program for all working areas in the plant have to be      prepared and implemented 
• ·        References can be made to the Code of Practice that was issued by DOSH on the Work in Confined Space. 
   
  
  
  
  

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Legionnaires' disease- Building Related Illness

What is Legionnaires' disease?

The name "Legionnaires' disease" was coined in 1976 after a respiratory disease affected many delegates attending a convention in Philadelphia held by the American Legion of Pennsylvania. Eventually, the bacteria that was responsible for the disease was isolated and named as Legionella pneumophila.

Two distinct illnesses, Legionnaires' disease and Pontiac fever, have been associated with the Legionella species. Legionnaires' disease is a severe pneumonia. Pontiac fever is a mild, non-pneumonia influenza-like illness. It is not clear why the same causal agent can produce two distinct illnesses.

In this document, we refer only to Legionnaires' disease. Pontiac fever is apparently uncommon; only a few outbreaks have been reported in the world.

What is the cause of Legionnaires' disease?

- The bacterium responsible for Legionnaires' disease belongs to the genus Legionella. - There are approximately 35 Legionella species known to produce the disease.- Legionella species are commonly found in any aquatic environment. - They can survive for several months in a wet environment and multiply in the presence of algae and organic matter.

What are the signs and symptoms of Legionnaires' disease?

Legionnaires' disease usually begins with : headache, pain in the muscles and a general feeling of unwellness. These symptoms are followed by:- high fever (up to 40°C -40.5°C or about 104°F-105°F) and shaking chills. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may occur. On the second or third day, dry coughing begins and chest pain might occur. Difficulty with breathing is often reported. Most patients develop pneumonia, a condition in which some of the lungs' air sacs fill with fluid or pus, so air is excluded. The pneumonia might involve both lungs and become so severe that hospitalization is required. Pneumonia resulting from Legionnaires' disease is similar to pneumonia from other causes. - Laboratory tests are necessary for a confident diagnosis.

- Mental changes, such as confusion, disorientation, hallucination and loss of memory, can occur to an extent that seems out of proportion to the seriousness of fever. Complete recovery can take several weeks. About 5-15% of known cases of Legionnaires' disease have been fatal.

How is Legionnaires' disease transmitted?

- The normal presence of Legionella in such environmental sites as water and soil is not automatically associated with an outbreak of the disease.

- It appears that the Legionella microbe, in order to produce the disease, must reach the lungs. Inhalation of small particles of contaminated water (aerosols) or soil seems to be the key

- New evidence suggests that aspiration is another way that the Legionella microbes enter into the lungs to cause the disease. Aspiration means choking during drinking, ingesting or swallowing. This allows fluids and particles to mistakenly enter the lungs instead of going into the stomach.

- Evidence of person-to-person transmission has not been found.

- Therefore, attention has focused on the spread of Legionella by building ventilation systems. Legionella can thrive in warm stagnant water. When the circulated air picks up droplets of contaminated water, the bacteria can be transported throughout a building. If the droplets are small enough, they can be inhaled, thus providing a way for the bacteria to enter the lung.

How are Legionella bacteria spread in indoor environments?

- Cooling towers are part of large modern air-conditioning systems. - They are used to cool water and dissipate unwanted heat to the atmosphere through water evaporation. Warm water flows into the top of the cooling tower through spray nozzles.

- While the water passes through the nozzles, tiny airborne droplets are formed, providing maximum contact between the water and the air moved through the tower by fans. To prevent droplets from fusing into larger ones, splash bars are placed below the nozzles.

- While falling through the tower, some of the water evaporates. Because evaporation consumes heat, the remaining water is cooled. Air pushed through the tower by fans also cools the water. Some droplets, known as drift, are carried out of the tower by the air stream produced by the fans. This water loss is reduced by a drift eliminator positioned at the top of the tower. The cool water collects at the bottom of the tower and is pumped back for another cycle.

Evaporative condensers (Figure above) are similar in their construction and operation to cooling towers.

Cooling towers and evaporative condensers may contain Legionella and other microorganisms brought in by circulating air or water.

Legionella grows easily in the water, especially if algae and scale are present. Legionella can be dispersed with aerosolized drift or with the evaporate, but it may enter the air-conditioning system if there is a break between its ducts and those of the cooling tower or evaporative condenser.

Legionella has been found in hot water tanks, hot water propelled from shower heads and faucets and in whirlpool spas. It is not known whether Legionella enters a building's water from municipal feeder systems or adjacent contaminated cooling towers. The use of hot water with production of aerosols allows Legionella, if present in the water, to get into the lungs.

Who is more likely to get Legionnaires' disease?

Legionnaires' disease usually strikes:

- middle-aged people, although cases have been reported in all age groups. - The disease frequently occurs in people whose resistance to infection has been reduced, but apparently healthy people may also develop the disease. - People suffering from cancer or chronic kidney diseases are among those less able to fight infections.

- Chronic diseases, such as diabetes and alcoholism, also seem to increase vulnerability to Legionnaires' disease.

- Cigarette smokers are more likely to contract Legionnaires' disease, perhaps because smokers are generally more likely than nonsmokers to develop respiratory tract infections.

What occupations are at risk for Legionnaires' disease?

- Workers most at risk are those with occupations that require them to work in sealed buildings including those workers who maintain water cooling towers in air conditioning systems.

- Some outdoor occupations should be considered at risk as well.- Soil disturbed by bulldozing and areas where surface or aerosolized water discharge occurs can cause the exposure to the microorganism responsible for Legionnaires' disease.

How can we prevent Legionnaire's disease?

The likelihood of Legionella infection can be best reduced by:

- good engineering practices in the operation and maintenance of air and water handling systems.

- Cooling towers and evaporative condensers should be inspected and thoroughly cleaned at least once a year.

- Corroded parts, such as drift eliminators, should be replaced.

- Algae and accumulated scale should be removed. These measures will not only control the growth of germs, but will also maintain operating efficiency. During cleaning operations in confined spaces, safety procedures for entry into confined spaces should be applied.

- Cooling water should be treated constantly. Ideally, an automatic water treatment system should be used that continuously controls the quality of the circulating water.

- The disinfectants commonly used in cooling towers are chlorine, dibromonitrilopropionamide, and ammonia derivatives called quaternary ammonium compounds. They appear to be effective in laboratory tests, but their value in practice has not been completely proven. It is important that any disinfectant used in a cooling tower water system be compatible with the tower's construction materials.

- Fresh air intakes should not be built close to cooling towers since contaminated aerosols may enter the ventilation system.

- Air filters should be examined, cleaned and/or replaced periodically and tested for leaks.

- Cooling towers should be positioned so the drift or evaporate does not enter the fresh air intake. Hot water tanks, which might provide ideal conditions for the growth of Legionella, should be cleaned regularly.

- The water system should be flushed out on a regular basis to prevent the water from stagnating.

Using Tower Cooling system? Do some of the worker complaint about the symptom look alike with this disease? Prevention always better than cure. !!

NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF VIDEO GAME ADDICTION

        Alert to the gamers!!! Computer games can have an impact on children, especially for those kids who spend hour after hour playing them. Whether you play video games on a portable unit, a television or the Internet, excessive gaming can affect your personal and professional life. Video games often take the blame for being a bad influence on children, encouraging inactivity, keeping them up at night, and influencing their minds with violence and gratuitous stealing. Although some video games may discourage children from being more active and obedient, most current research focuses on the positive effects video games have on obesity.

HEALTH PROBLEMS

   If you spend all of your free time playing video games and skip meals or lose sleep because of your excessive game play, a video game addiction can negatively impact your health. In addition, the University of Texas at Dallas notes that the addiction can lead to such medical issues as backaches, headaches, eyestrain and carpal tunnel syndrome pain and numbness that you may feel in your wrists, hands, shoulders and elbows.

EFFECT:

•  An increase in emotional disorder symptoms
•  An increase in and behavioral disorder symptoms
•     Declines in verbal memory performance
•  Somatic complaints
•  Family interaction problems such as less positive parental relations
•  Significant reduced amounts of slow-wave (REM) sleep
•     Playing violent video games is a significant risk factor for later physically aggressive behavior.

                                          

Sexual Harassment.

It is unlawful to harass a person (an applicant or employee) because of that person’s sex. Harassment can include “sexual harassment” or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.

Harassment does not have to be of a sexual nature, however, and can include offensive remarks about a person’s sex. For example, it is illegal to harass a woman by making offensive comments about women in general.

Both victim and the harasser can be either a woman or a man, and the victim and harasser can be the same sex.

Although the law doesn’t prohibit simple teasing, offhand comments, or isolated incidents that are not very serious, harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision (such as the victim being fired or demoted).

The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or someone who is not an employee of the employer, such as a client or customer.

Prepared by Mohd Nur Ariff b.Mohd Arshad(13b)

Expending life...

To stay as healthy as possible, you have to be an active participant in your own care. You can help maintain health and wellness by following a few steps every day, and be aware of changes in how you feel. This responsibility is not only for adults, but teens as well. Talk to your doctor about healthy lifestyle tips and avoid engaging in habits or activities that have the potential to damage your body in any way.

Step 1

Quit smoking, and if you don't smoke, don't start, suggests Family Doctor. Smoking is a major risk factor for developing chronic lung conditions such as emphysema and lung cancer. Do your best to avoid situations where you're exposed to second-hand smoke as well.

Step 2

Eat a healthy, well-balanced and nutritious diet. This doesn't mean you can't enjoy junk food once in a while, but don't over-do. Make sure you eat three to five servings of vegetables every day, and two to four servings of fruit. Children, teens and adults should eat two to three servings of dairy products and five to seven ounces of meats or beans, suggests HealthReserve.com.

Step 3

Exercise every day if you can, but at least three to four times a week. In addition to improving your mental alertness and mood, exercise helps your body stay strong and resist illness, according to the Mayo Clinic. Exercise also helps you maintain a healthy weight, increase your energy levels and sleep better at night.

Step 4

Resist pressure to drink, regardless of your age. Drinking affects your vital organs, regardless of how much you consume, warns College Drinking Prevention. Drinking may lead to conditions like hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver. Alcohol can cause an increase in blood pressure, which places added strain on the heart to pump oxygenated blood to cells and tissues of the body, including the brain.

Step 5

Avoid getting behind the wheel if you've been drinking, and resist the urge to be a passenger in a car driven by someone who's been drinking or using drugs. You may be embarrassed to call someone to come pick you up, but the alternative is even more unpleasant.

Step 6

Avoid taking chances with unprotected sex. Sexually transmitted diseases such as Chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis are devastating to the body, and may even prevent you from being able to have children in the future. Other communicable diseases like human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome--more commonly known as AIDS--may damage body function and even lead to death.

Prepared by sufiyan saidfudin

Way to improve work organization: Group Work

A very flexible way of improving work organization and job content, with many advantages for both management and workers, is group work. Most people like to work together and co-operate. Moreover, in co-operative work, the weakness of one worker can be compensated by the strengths of another. Similar adjustments can be done for differing preferences, temporary problems including absences, etc.

There are various ways of organizing effective group work. Many of the traditional types of work take into account the advantages of group work. A typical new form of work is a semi-autonomous work group which can be decide, to a considerable extent, work methods, scheduling, work assignment and problem solving. Another new form is to have group work of workers whose skills overlap with those of some others.

To facilitate the improvements in work organization, early planning with the participation of all parties is essential. These improvements are directed not only at improving working conditions but also more efficient work. They make the work operation more flexible and adaptive to production procedures and change-overs. For workers, improvements such as reduction in occupational stress, greater opportunities for co-operation, better use of skills and improved career prospect are combined with the benefits of a more productive enterprise. Many modern management techniques, such as quality circles or management by objective, make use of participative planning.

OUR HEALTH IS OUR PRIORITY

“Health is a crown on a well man’s head, but no one appreciates it like a sick man”. – Egyptian Proverb.

In our hectic lives, we tend to neglect our health and well being. Many of us mention health as one of our priority in life but as ourselves again, how many hours a day we spend towards our priority or how many hours a week we really did something that contribute to our health generally? We tend to spend more and more of our times on work, and yes, our work until we limit our time for other activities. At the end of the day, when sickness pays a visit, we tend to blame solely to our work as a main cause for our sickness. But we tend to forget, we are the one who neglected the importance of being healthy. Work does contribute toward certain sickness especially when we deal with hazardous substances, manual handling and so forth. Now it’s time to start shifting our priorities or at least balance it.

REGULAR MEDICAL CHECK-UPS

It is recommended to go for health screening every year. Remember that it cost less (both financially and emotionally) as prevention is better than cure. However there are some self-checks which could be carried out at home such as blood glucose or blood pressure tests. Don’t ignore any unusual symptom that you have been experiencing.

THE IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISE

One who found no time for bodily exercise will soon find time for bodily injury. Exercise is always at all stages of life. There are few different type of exercise that we can do and we need to do a little of each. Stretching helps to keep you flexible while strengthening exercise will slow down age related muscle loss. Endurance activities are good for cardiovascular system and balancing exercises are important to prevent from falls and fractures as a result of them.

NUTRITION

As we age, our nutrition requirements change. Lack of certain nutrients may result in drop of stamina. Seek help from professionals if there are any supplements that you need (seek from doctor while doing medical check-ups). We are what we eat. Learn what type of food suitable for your health and food that you should avoid. Compensate the shortage vitamins and minerals inside your body by taking supplement to boost your health and general well being.

A MOMENT TO RELAX

There are many ways to get more out of every day – this is when you choose to spend your time doing what you want to do, not what you have to do. Take leisurely walks, read, meditate or whatever that makes you feel relaxed. Age is just a matter of numbers. Even when you are so busy with daily routine, don’t make it as a reason to take a good care of your health.

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Start to shift towards a healthy lifestyle. Remember, the best time to plant a fruit tree is 5 years ago but the better time to plant is today… Take care… J. L. Lai.