Health and Safety to Minimise Musculoskeletal Disorder Risk

Health and Safety to Minimise Musculoskeletal Disorder Risk RECOMMENDATIONS Introduction This chapter is concerned with recommendations which can be put forward in order to eliminate or minimize risk of musculoskeletal disorders arising from ergonomic and other hazards. The hierarchy of controls will be considered for putting forward the recommendations. Hierarchy of hazard control The hierarchy of hazard control is a system which provides various hazard control methods, ranging from the most effective to the least effective methods. The hierarchy of hazard control is as follows: Elimination Elimination is the best way to control a hazard as the danger associated with it is completely removed from the workplace but in most cases it is not possible. Substitution The second most effective way of controlling hazards is by substitution which diminishes the hazards associated with a task, activity or process to some extent and new hazards can be introduced but it will have a less harmful effect on the workers. Engineering controls Engineering controls involves the use of physical barriers to prevent interaction between the workers and the hazards by redesigning of the process, job or activity. Administrative controls Administrative controls are concerned with changes in the policies and procedures of the organization. These include: Job rotation Redesigning of task, activity or process Implementation of safe operating procedures Training, instruction and information. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) The least effective way of controlling hazards is by the use of PPE. Here the workers are provided with PPE’s such as earmuffs, visors, respiratory mask to prevent exposure to the hazard. It is considered the least effective as: The hazard is still present If the worker has worn it improperly, he/she is exposed to the hazard They can create hazards sometimes as they interfere with movement. Recommendations for the fourdepartments Recommendations to the problems identified in the four departments in the factory that is cutting, assembly and finishing will be provided. The recommendations for these four departments will not be the same but there are some recommendations which are applicable to all of them, which are as follows: Job rotation Job rotation falls in the administrative methods for controlling hazards. Job rotation involves rotating the employees from different jobs, especially those who uses the same group of muscle repeatedly and in which the workers adopt poor postures. Micro breaks Micro breaks, as their name suggests are small breaks which can range from 30 seconds to two minutes which the worker can take after working continuously for 30 minutes while either standing or sitting. These breaks are important as it enables the musculoskeletal system of the worker to rest, thereby reducing the risk of developing MSDs, especially if the tasks involves repetitive movements, awkward postures and goes on for long period of time. Training in good handling and lifting techniques Good handling and lifting techniques are essential as it reduces the risk of developing MSDS. This is achieved when the worker adopts the techniques. Training is essential and it should include: What are the risk factors and how to recognize them, How to safely lift and handle the loads. Good lifting techniques Before lifting The lift should be plan. It should be seen if the path for the lifting operation is clear and if not, the worker should remove the obstructions. Adopting a stable posture It is essential to maintain balance and the feet of the worker should be apart with one of his/her leg a bit forward. Getting a good hold The load should be as close as possible to the body whenever it is feasible. Starting in a good posture The worker should bend slightly at the start of the lift. Avoid flexing the back more when lifting The worker should not straighten his/her legs before raising the load. Keeping the load close to the waist The load should be kept as long as possible close to the body. Avoiding twisting of the back and leaning sideways The shoulders should face the same direction of the hips and they should be at the same level. Keeping the head up After the load has been secured, the worker should look ahead and not down. Smooth movement In order to keep control and minimize risk of injury, jerking and snatching of the load should be avoided. Avoid lifting loads that are too heavy Workers should always safely lift the loads within their capacity and help from a coworker can be used to safely lift a heavy load. Adjusting the load after it has been put down It is important to put the load down first then move it in the correct position. Medical surveillance Medical surveillance should be carried out as it allows for the early detections of conditions which can have adverse effects on the health of the workers. Ventilation Cutting department Recommendations for the problems which have been identified in the cutting department concerning the equipment or task, activities or processes are as follows: Loading the spreading machine Here training in good lifting and manual handling techniques are necessary as it will teach the workers how to properly lift the fabrics onto the floor level to place it onto the spreading machine to avoid risk of injuries. The other solutions could be: Reduce the weight of the fabric being lifted and, Have a minimum of two people to lift the fabrics. Spreading the fabric Spreading of the fabric should be done by at least two workers, who are facing each other at the opposite end of the tables. This minimizes adoption of awkward postures and long reaches. Also workers should be encouraged to take micro breaks. Cutting the fabric The spreading table should be set at a good working height so as to improve back and shoulder posture which will result in the worker adopting a better posture. Replace the handle of the electric cutter or the cutter itself if possible, with an adjustable handle so as to improve wrist posture. The fabric should not be cut from only 1 side of the table; it should be cut from both sides of the table so as to avoid long reaches. Micro breaks should be taken. Sorting the cut pieces Avoid overfilling of the baskets. Use of smaller baskets to facilitate lifting and handling. Have two persons to carry the baskets if they are heavy Training in good lifting techniques. Assembly department Recommendations for the problems which have been identified in the assembly department concerning the equipment or task, activities or processes are as follows: Supply and removal of clothes Smaller boxes should be placed at an adequate height to allow easy grips. The tables on which the materials are placed should be of the same height of the sewing table. The tables should be large enough to contain the clothes and they should be stable. Sewing table Height The sewing table should be adjustable so that the workers can adjust the height at their elbow level, which is the most adequate. Size and shape The larger tables can be tailored to make them smaller in order to allow delivery and supply of materials easier. Also for small tables, an addition can be placed on it so as to augment its size. Raised edges can also be placed on the table to prevent materials from falling. Angle Tilting the table by 100 t0 250 towards the operator can improve visibility and prevents the worker to adopt poor neck posture. Chair As it was found out during the study, the chairs are not good enough. Chairs with the following features should be bought: Adjustability The seat height should be adjustable Seat height – this should be easily adjustable and it should be able to be adjusted to the height of the operator who will be using it. Seat width and depth – it should be wide and deep enough so that the users are comfortable and the seat should suit the shortest and tallest users Seat material – There should be enough padding of the material on the seat and back of the chair so that it is comfortable for the user to sit for long period of times. Backrest –It should support the back and lower back and it should be adjustable in angle and height. Arm rest – it should be of adequate size such that it is large enough to support the lower arms but small enough so that they do not interfere with the position of the chair. Foot pedals The foot pedals should be modified so that they are at the same angle and position to allow good posture. Hand tools Hand tools such as scissors of different and adequate size should be provided. Work organization The sewing machine operators could be given the freedom to go and pick up the pieces of materials that they need to work on. Pressing department Recommendations for the problems which have been identified in the pressing department concerning the equipment or task, activities or processes are as follows: Working height The working height should be adjustable as an appropriate height enables the worker to work with his/ her back in an upright position and their shoulders relaxed. Floor surface Anti-fatigue mats should be placed everywhere in the pressing department area. Foot pedals The foot pedals should be close or even with the floor. Finishing department Recommendations for the problems which have been identified in the finishing department concerning the equipment or task, activities or processes are as follows: Chair As it was found out during the study, the chairs are not good enough. Chairs with the following features should be bought: Adjustability The seat height should be adjustable Seat height – this should be easily adjustable and it should be able to be adjusted to the height of the operator who will be using it. Seat width and depth – it should be wide and deep enough so that the users are comfortable and the seat should suit the shortest and tallest users Seat material – There should be enough padding of the material on the seat and back of the chair so that it is comfortable for the user to sit for long period of times. Backrest –It should support the back and lower back and it should be adjustable in angle and height. Arm rest – it should be of adequate size such that it is large enough to support the lower arms but small enough so that they do not interfere with the position of the chair. Accessories Foot rests that are adjustable should be provided to the workers Input and output Training for workers in good lifting techniques to avoid risk of injury.

Thrives on Misunderstanding: Analysis of “A Doll House”

Of all the struggles of the oppressed, perhaps the most daunting has been the most silently tyrannical. Women have spent ages proving their obvious intellectual, cognitive, and social equality to the male population, especially to the men in their lives. In â€Å"A Doll House† and â€Å"Trifles,† Henrik Ibsen and Susan Glaspell illustrate how men not only underestimate their wives, but also drive them to hide their true thoughts, act in secrecy, and ultimately take formidable, yet understandable measures of overcompensation. They do so while simultaneously imposing unique male and female perspectives on the relationships they create.Through the men’s shallow view of the women around them and their inability to properly analyze their interactions, the male characters in â€Å"Trifles† and â€Å"A Doll House† create a culture of tension and resentment in their households that lead their wives to rebel against their oppression. In A â€Å"Doll House,à ¢â‚¬  Ibsen uses Torvald’s character to highlight the patronizing quality of the 19th century husband. Torvald addresses his wife, Nora, almost always by pet names, such as â€Å"Is that my little lark twittering out there?†¦ Is that my squirrel rummaging around?†¦When did my squirrel get in? † (859) For the better part of three acts, Nora internalizes the condescension and relishes the adoration—or at least she pretends to. The comments, which serve to reduce her humanity, lead Nora to realize that Torvald is ill-equipped to be a husband or a father, as he can only seem to sustain the relationships he dominates. As she comes to this realization, she tells her husband â€Å"There’s another job I have to do first. I have to try to educate myself. You can’t help me with that. I’ve got to do it alone. And that’s why I’m leaving you now. (907) Although removing herself from the hold of her husband’s patriarchy se ems logical, it is uncertain whether Nora will adapt to the realities of an independent lifestyle. The transition from her father’s patronization to the binds of Torvald’s expectations left Nora no opportunity to explore her interests or learn practical skills, like money management. Furthermore, had Nora pursued either, her husband would have forbidden her from duties associated with the male realm. The lack of these experiences forced Nora into venturing into the male world of business, taking out the loan which â€Å"saved† Torvald.When he reads Krogstad’s letter, his true sentiments about Nora come out: â€Å"I should have suspected something of the kind. I should have known†¦ All of your father’s flimsy values have come out in you. No religion, no morals, no sense of duty. † (904) Torvald’s lack of faith in Nora’s intellectual and business abilities also become clear through the outburst. The tension and shallowness i n the household become apparent when he uses pet names superficially, but when genuinely expressing emotion, he uses no names of the sort.He restricts their interactions to shallow conversation, which Nora picks up on when she announces her departure: â€Å"In eight whole years—longer even—right from our first acquaintance, we’ve never exchanged a serious word on any serious thing. † (906) Certainly, their interactions are more of a father-child dynamic than that of a married couple. Only when faced with her departure does Torvald make any concessions to the relationship, after attempting to subdue her defiance. Likewise, the women in â€Å"Trifles† are oppressed, though less subtly.Though Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale make significant discoveries at the Wrights’ home, their husbands treat them as children brought along to work. For instance, these women live their day to day lives pursuing the popular cultural interests deemed appropriate for w omen, and as such, are prone to discuss them in conversation. When Mrs. Hale points out Mrs. Wright’s quilt, the sheriff is quick to tease her: â€Å"They wonder if she was going to quilt it or just knot it! (The men laugh, the woman look abashed. † (917) The blatant disrespect makes the women disinclined to tell the men investigating the crime scene any of their real findings, almost out of spite and to protect their fellow woman, Mrs. Wright. The women take note of the quilt, the broken preserves, and the dead canary, which likely triggered Mrs. Wright’s rage. While the men begin their search with the preconceptions that Mrs. Wright committed the crime and attempt to find evidence to prove it, the women assume her innocence; either they choose to because of their kind nature, or perhaps because doing so is a silent form of retaliation. Such rebellion is obvious when Mrs.Hale hides the bird from the sheriff and recalls Mr. Wright’s injustice to his wife: â€Å"I wish you’d seen Minnie Foster when she wore a white dress with blue ribbons and stood up there in the choir and sang. Oh, I wish I’d come over here once in a while! That was a crime! That was a crime! Who’s going to punish that? † (921) The men do not account for the woman Mrs. Wright had once been, and are therefore blind to the motive they search for. Mrs. Wright parallels Nora in that their men drive them to acts of desperation. Whereas Nora merely leaves her oppressive husband, Mrs. Wright finishes hers off herself.The difference in sex between the authors and how they have the women deal with their husbands is especially significant. Ibsen, a man, concludes with the oppressed woman becoming aware of her situation in spite of her lack of education, summoning the courage to leave her husband and family never having experienced independence. Almost suddenly, Nora realizes the lifelong hold of patriarchy her father and husband have imposed on he r when she complains â€Å"Our home’s been nothing but a playpen. I’ve been your doll-wife here, just as at home I was Papa’s doll-child. And in turn, the children have been my dolls.I thought it fun when you played with me, just as they thought it fun when I played with them. That’s been our marriage, Torvald. † (906) Glaspell, on the other hand, brings a female perspective and ended her characters’ marriage in murder—a fit of passion and rage from a woman who had lost her identity and zeal. The female author’s conclusion of overcompensation seems more realistic than the male author’s of miraculous clarity. For example, the male author’s version of the married couple is surely one of blatant shallowness, while the female author indirectly illustrates a dynamic void of respect and love.The more subtle, sinister nuances of the relationship that Glaspell hints at are more characteristic of real relationships; the on es that deteriorate often lose civility gradually. Contrasting, the Helmers were seemingly cordial, though paternalistic, until the end. Through their oppressive behavior, intentional or not, the men in these works contribute to their wives’ emotional deaths and to the deaths of their relationships. By treating them more like pawns in their quest for superficial happiness than equals, these men fail to recognize the frailty of their marriages.In addition, by underestimating their wives’ capabilities, they are blind-sighted when the women assert their humanity. The male-dominant dynamic incites the conflicts that lead the women to rebel; had there been any depth to the husband-wife connections, the contentions of â€Å"A Doll House† and â€Å"Trifles† may have been eschewed all together. Instead, the despotism in these relationships forges irreversible consequences: for the men, the harsh reality of a broken life; for the women, resentment for their oppres sion and a future of uncertainty.

Constitutionalism vs Absolutism

Constitutionalism vs AbsolutismIn the following paragraphs I’m going to explain what constitutionalism is, and how it differs from absolutism. Constitutionalism is the way a state or country governs it’s people based off of laws set forth to protect the people’s rights and liberties. These laws are called constitutions, for example the Constitution of the United States. There are two types of constitutional governments, republican and monarchy. Within a constitutional republic the sovereign is elected by the people to govern according to the constitutional laws.Constitutional monarchy is almost the same, except a king or queen rules according to the constitutional laws, but is given some political authority. As with constitutional republic a constitutional monarchy’s powers rest in the electorates. The best example of constitutionalism is John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government. He states, â€Å"liberty to follow one’s own will in anythin g that isn’t forbidden by the rule, and not to be subject to the inconstant, uncertain, unknown, arbitrary will of another man. † (John Locke)The difference between constitutionalism and absolutism is that the king or sovereign is believed to be ordained by God. There are no rules or regulations for the sovereign to run his state. This gives him the ultimate power to rule over his subjects as he sees fit. No one can challenge his authority because his word is God’s word, to question the king, would be questioning God, and this would be considered treason. (Mike Cox) The infamous Louis XIV, other wise known as the â€Å"Sun King†, governed by this mentality. He has been heard saying, â€Å"I am the State! You also have Thomas Hobbe’s Leviathan, which goes on to describe how people need an absolute ruler to keep the peace and discourage civil war. To conclude, I have given you a descriptive explanation on constitutionalism, and described how it diffe rs from absolutism. As you see it is a matter of how much power a sovereign has over his people, and how much power the people have over him. http://www. earlymoderntexts. com/pdf/lockseco. pdf http://www. sparknotes. com/philosophy/hobbes/themes. html A History of Western Society Vol II

Life of Wilkie Collins, English Detective Novel Writer

Wilkie Collins (January 8, 1824 – September 23, 1889) has been called the grandfather of the English detective novel. He was a writer of the sensational school during the Victorian Period, and with bestselling novels and successful plays such as The Woman in White, The Moonstone, and The Frozen Deep, Collins explored the effects of mysterious, shocking, and criminal happenings within  Victorian middle-class families. Early Years and Education Wilkie Collins (born William Wilkie Collins) was born on Jan. 8, 1824, on Cavendish Street in Marylebone, London. He was the eldest of two sons of William Collins, a landscape artist and a member of the Royal Academy, and his wife Harriet Geddes, a former governess. Collins was named after David Wilkie, the Scottish painter who was his godfather. After spending one year at a small preparatory school called Maida Hill Academy  near Tyburn, England, Collins went with his family to Italy, where they stayed from 1837 to 1838. In Italy, the Collins family visited archaeological ruins and museums and resided in a number of cities, including Rome, Naples, and Sorrento, before returning home. Wilkie then boarded at a boys school run by Henry Cole in Highbury from 1838–1841. There, Collins was bullied into telling stories to the other boys at night because he had learned Italian and had picked up on plots from foreign literature and was not shy in bragging about it. At age 17, Collins started his first job with a tea merchant named Edward Antrobus, a friend of his fathers. Antrobus shop was located on The Strand in London. The heady atmosphere of The Strand—a major thoroughfare populated by theaters, law courts, taverns, and newspaper editorial offices—gave Collins ample inspiration to write short articles and literary pieces in his spare time. His first signed article, The Last Stage Coachman, appeared in Douglas Jerrolds Illuminated Magazine in 1843. In 1846, Collins  became a law student at Lincolns Inn. He was called to the bar in 1851, but never  practiced law. Early Literary Career Collins first novel, Iolani, was rejected and didnt resurface until 1995, long after his death. His second novel,  Antonina was only one-third of the way finished when his father died. After the elder Collins death, Wilkie Collins started work on a two-volume biography of his father, which was published by subscription in 1848. That biography brought him to the attention of the literary world. In 1851, Collins  met  Charles Dickens, and the two writers became close friends. Although Dickens was not known to serve as a mentor for many writers, he was surely a supporter, colleague, and mentor for Collins. According to scholars of Victorian literature, Dickens and Collins influenced one another and even co-wrote several short stories. Dickens supported Collins by publishing some of his stories, and it is possible that the two men were knowledgeable of the others less-than-ideal Victorian sexual alliances. Collins was called William and Willie as a child, but as he rose in stature in the literary world,  he became known as Wilkie to just about everyone. The Sensational School The sensation genre of writing was an early stage in the development of the  detective novel. Sensational novels offered a hybrid of domestic fiction, melodrama,  sensational journalism, and  gothic  romances. The  plots contained elements of bigamy, fraudulent identity, drugging, and theft, all of which took place within the middle-class home. Sensational novels owe much of their sensation to the earlier Newgate novel genre, which consisted of biographies of notorious criminals.   Wilkie Collins was the most popular and is today the best-remembered of the sensational novelists, completing his most important novels in the 1860s with  the heyday of the genre. Other practitioners included Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Charles Reade, and Ellen Price Wood. Family and Personal Life Wilkie Collins never married. It has been speculated that his close knowledge of Charles and Catherine Dickens unhappy marriage may have influenced him. In the mid-1850s, Collins began living with Caroline Graves, a widow with one daughter. Graves lived in Collins house and looked after his domestic affairs for most of thirty years. In 1868, when it became clear that Collins would not marry her, Graves briefly left him and married someone else. However, she and Collins reunited two years later after Graves marriage ended. While Graves  was away, Collins became involved with Martha Rudd, a former servant. Rudd was 19 years old, and Collins was 41. He established  for her a few blocks away from his home. Together, Rudd and Collins had three children: Marian (born 1869), Harriet Constance (born 1871), and William Charles (born 1874). The children were given the surname name Dawson, as Dawson was the name Collins used when he bought the house and visited Rudd. In his letters, he referred to them as his morganatic family. By the time he was in his late thirties, Collins was addicted to laudanum, a derivative of opium, which featured as a plot point in many of his best novels, including The Moonstone. He also traveled throughout Europe and led a fairly lavish and sybaritic lifestyle with his traveling companions, including Dickens and others he met along the way. Published Works Over his lifetime, Collins wrote 30 novels and over 50 short stories, some of which were published in magazines edited by Charles Dickens. Collins also wrote a travel book (A Rogues Life), and plays,  the best-known of which is The Frozen Deep, an allegory of the failed Franklin expedition to find the Northwest Passage across Canada. Death and Legacy Wilkie Collins died in London on Sept. 23, 1889, at the age of 69, after having suffered a debilitating stroke. His will divided what proceeds were left from his writing career between his two partners, Graves and Rudd, and the Dawson children. The sensationalism genre faded in popularity after the 1860s. However, scholars credit sensationalism, especially  Collins work, with reimagining the Victorian family  in the midst of social and political changes of the Industrial Age. He often depicted strong women who overcame the injustices of the day, and he developed plot devices that the next generations of writers such as Edgar Allan Poe and Arthur Conan Doyle used to invent the detective mystery genre. T.S. Elliot said of Collins that he was the first and greatest of modern English novelists. Mystery writer Dorothy L. Sayers said that Collins was the most genuinely feminist of all the 19th century novelists. Wilkie Collins Fast Facts Full Name: William Wilkie CollinsOccupation:  AuthorKnown For: Bestselling detective novels and developing of the sensational genre of literatureBorn: January 8, 1824  in London, EnglandParents Names: William Collins and Harriet GeddesDied: September 23, 1889 in London, EnglandSelected Works: The Woman in White, The Moonstone, No Name, The Frozen DeepSpouses Name:  Never married, but had two significant partners –  Caroline Graves, Martha Rudd.Children: Marian Dawson, Harriet Constance Dawson, and William Charles DawsonFamous Quote:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Any woman who is sure of her own wits, is a match, at any time, for a man who is not sure of his own temper.† (from  The Woman in White) Sources Ashley, Robert P. Wilkie Collins Reconsidered. Nineteenth-Century Fiction 4.4 (1950): 265–73. Print.Baker, William, and William M. Clarke, eds. The Letters of Wilkie Collins: Volume 1: 1838–1865. MacMillan Press, LTD1999. Print.Clarke, William M. The Secret Life of Wilkie Collins: The Intimate Victorian Life of the Father of the Detective Story. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee, 1988. Print.Lonoff, Sue. Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins. Nineteenth-Century Fiction 35.2 (1980): 150–70. Print.Peters, Catherine. The King of Inventors: A Life of Wilkie Collins. Princeton: Princeton Legacy Library: Princeton University Press, 1991. Print.Siegel, Shepard. Wilkie Collins: Victorian Novelist as Psychopharmacologist. Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences 38.2 (1983): 161–75. Print.Simpson, Vicky. Selective Affinities: Non-Normative Families in Wilkie Collinss No Name. Victorian Review 39.2 (2013): 115–28. Print.