Hazards Vulnerability Matrix

Assignment Instruction

Hazards Vulnerability Matrix

Developing a Hazard Vulnerability Analysis document takes significant time and coordination with the local community partners and organizations. The intent of this assignment is to get you on the path to developing an HVA using the fictitious city called Bobsville. The document on Bobsville is intended to provide to you a snapshot of many small towns in America.

To fully complete the HVA process you would need to ensure that you have coordinated with your community, county, and state partners to evaluate the hazards in your community. If you were going to do the entire process from start to finish you would have to complete the following 4 Steps to completing the HVA:

There are 4 Steps to completing an HVA:

1. Identify the Hazards

2. Profile the Hazards

3. Inventory the Assets

4. Estimate the Losses

Since you will be working on your own, and due to the amount of time we have as a class, you will only be completing the first two items: 1) Identify the Hazards; and 2) Profile the Hazards.  There are 4 worksheets (adapted from FEMA course IS559) associated with these 2 steps.

This week you will complete Worksheet 1 – Hazard Vulnerability Matrix. I want you to develop one worksheet for each types of hazards (natural, technological, and human). You will use the fictitious town of Bobsville to complete the assignment.

This is the first step you will use to complete the HVA. You will use the HVA and associated documents as a resource document for your next class  EDMG220 when you develop your Emergency Operations Plan (EOP). Be thorough and ensure that you are as meticulous as you can since missing information will impact the EOP.

Instructions

1. Download “Welcome to Bobsville.docx” for information on the location you will evaluate.
2. Download the EDMG101 HVA Matrix.xlsx.  This contains a cover sheet and 3 blank tabs to fill–Natural, Technological, and Human.
3. Fill out your name and date on the cover tab.
4. Fill in each tab with hazards you identified from the location being assessed.  Many columns have drop-down menus with standardized values.  You do not have to fill in every row in every tab, but be thorough.  If you need to copy additional blank rows you can.
5. Add your first initial and last name to the filename. ie: AJones HVA Matrix.xlsx
6. Submit here in the classroom.

Supporting Materials

•  EDMG101 HVA Matrix.xlsx (17 KB)
•  Hazard Vulnerability Matrix-example.pdf (15 KB)
•  Welcome to Bobsville.docx (24 KB)

PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW

Welcome to Bobsville

Founded in 2000, Bobsville is a fictitious city that is located in the heartland of America in Oklahoma.  Bobsville’s population when the University of Bobsville is in session is 9500 and when the school is not in session, the population is 7500.  Bobsville has been voted one of the Top 100 places in America to live in and has been voted as one of the Top 100 friendliest towns to live in.

Geography

The overall size of the city of Bobsville is 30 square blocks (4.6 X 6.5 miles) and shaped like a rhombus geometric symbol. The city is oriented with Main Street along the long axis from southwest to northeast and Center Street along the short axis from southeast to northwest. The average temperature in the winter is 40 degree F, in the summer it is 85 degrees F, and in the spring and fall, the temperature averages around 65 degrees F.

The topography of the town is flat. The highest point is 68 feet above sea level. Bobsville Creek runs from the northeast to the southwest into Lake Elise, which is larger than Bobsville.  There is only one bridge in town where Oklahoma 323 goes over the Bobsville Creek, which has some Level 2 rapids for kayaking, but only early in spring after the snow thaw.

City Council

Bobsville is your normal American small town.  The mayor doubles as the town’s dry cleaner; the city council is 5 individuals; 1 who is the Volunteer Fire Chief, 1 who is the Sheriff, 1 who is the Sherriff Deputy; 1 who is the Elementary/Middle School Principles and 1 town council member is always a high school student who is in their senior year of high school.

The mayor of Bobsville is an uncompensated position, but one of the benefits of being mayor is the 2015 Callahan 750 Luxury 4-wheel drive pickup with the town logo with his/her name painted on the side. The current mayor has been in office for 12 years and doesn’t seem to want to retire any time soon, which is fine with the town citizens. The mayor chairs the town council meetings on the first Thursday of each month at 7PM. The meetings are well attended and like most small towns, the busy bodies of the town attend the meeting and voice their opinion on many of the topics that are discussed at the meeting. It has been at least 5 years since anyone was escorted from the meetings by the Sheriff; however, they are always ready for the possibility they will need to remove an unruly spectator. Change has not come easy for Bobsville.

In Town

Downtown

The main commercial part of town is along Main Street, and is 7 blocks long and 2 blocks wide The streets beyond the downtown area are generally family homes, 6 blocks wide along Center Street and 10 blocks long along Main Street. The full length of Main Street including the downtown area and the surrounding residential area is 17 blocks.

Main Street through Bobsville used to be Oklahoma 323; however after the 9/11 attacks the section of the road that travels through the town is now known as 9/11 Memorial Drive. There are no stoplights in Bobsville. There are 4-way stop signs at all the intersections.

City Center Monuments

The town center of contains a statue of Bob Willie Ville, the founder. The statue is in the absolute center of town. A traffic circle surrounds the statue. In 2017, the last surviving World War 2 Veteran who lived in Bobville died and a monument was built to commemorate all those who have served their country. There’s been talk of putting in a Veterans Cemetery; however, the funding is not available.

City Offices

Meetings are held in the Town Hall located 2 blocks from the town center on the right side of the road when heading out of town to the northeast.

The following offices are located in the downtown area and are located in the block across from the Town Hall: the Sheriff’s Department; the Fire Chief’s Office; the DMV Office (Open 3 hours per week); and the Emergency Manager who is also the Dogcatcher.

Fire Dept

The fire department has two stations, and 1 Tanker Truck, 1 Rescue Truck, 1 Engine truck, and a Ladder Truck. There are 30 Volunteer firefighters. Each firefighter has duty one day a week and during the 24 hours of duty he/she sleeps at the main fire station located 2 blocks directly east from the statue. The other fire station is in the northwest part of town .5 miles from the statue at 310 degrees on the compass.  If a fire is called in the other firefighters show up to their respective stations.

Sheriff

The Sheriff’s Department has a Sheriff and 6 Deputies. There are 4 vehicles within the office. The Sheriff has one and the deputies share the other 3 vehicles. The deputies work 12-hour shifts and rotate from days to nights. There is only one deputy on duty each day and night. Bobsville does not have a crime problem and the budget for the city is set up to maintain a law enforcement presence, but it is done on a shoestring. The jail in town has one holding cell, and when there is no one in the cell, the on duty deputy sleeps in the cell.

Crime is virtually non-existent and in the last year there were only 3 people arrested; 2 for public intoxication, and 1 for egging the Sherriff’s car. Each individual’s punishment was to walk the downtown area holding a sign letting people know their crimes.

Businesses

The downtown commercial district has a hardware store, a drycleaners, a toy store, a dry goods store, a grocery store, a movie theatre, and a host of other small boutique stores.

On either side of the city offices are small businesses including Clyde’s Diner. Clyde is a retired Navy cook and is famous for having the best cream chipped beef on toast within the state. It is not uncommon on Saturday or Sunday morning to see the line to Clyde’s wrapped around the corner.

Next to Clyde’s is the dry cleaner owned by the mayor, open from 9AM to noon on Tuesday and Thursday. The other days, the mayor is the head groundskeeper at the municipal 9-hole golf course. However, the mayor will open longer when there is a special event in town. The mayor is also available by phone in case someone has a quick need for a suit to be cleaned. The high school band has their uniforms cleaned at the dry cleaner. When the band is invited to march in a big parade, the mayor cleans the uniforms for free, with assistance from the band boosters.

At the end of the main street is Elise’s Creamery, the local ice cream store.

There was an attempt by a rich former resident of Bobsville to build a small mall, the money ran out, the building is in bad shape and has been a place for illicit activities; usually on the weekend after a high school football game.

Many of the stores except the grocery and hardware store close at 6PM. The hardware store, grocery, movie theatre, and creamery stay open to 9PM. No store, including the grocery store is open on Sunday during church hours. There has been a movement to change the Sunday hours, but it has not been successful.

Library/Meeting Hall

The 2000 square foot library doubles as the town’s meeting hall, is located 2 blocks on the west side north of the town center.

Chamber of Commerce/Museum

Next door to the Library, the Bobsville museum of history also doubles as the town’s Chamber of Commerce Office.  It is also the rehearsal hall for the Bobsville town Chamber of Commerce band.

State & Federal Building

A Federal Office Building is also in the downtown area.  It is the tallest building in Bobsville at 6 stories high, and is called Bunny’s Tower.  Its courtroom is used for local, state, and federal court cases. Also within the building are the FBI and ATF offices. At least once a month the agents come to town for a meeting with the Sheriff and Mayor.  The following state and federal agencies make up the top 3 floors:

1. Oklahoma Agriculture Representative
2. Oklahoma Wine Growers and Packaging Representative
3. Oklahoma EPA Representative
4. Federal Land Management Representative
5. Bureau of Indian Affairs Representative
6. National Weather Service’s Tornado Warning Center
7. Joint CIA/NSA Field Office

Hotel

A hotel is in the lower three floors of Bunny’s Tower and primarily serves the officials which visit though it is open to the public.  There is another hotel at the interstate exit 4 miles north of town.

Churches

Like most towns in Oklahoma, there are enough churches to support the whole town and then some. In the downtown area, there are 5 churches even though downtown is only 7 blocks long. There is a Catholic Church, a Southern Baptist Church, an Independent Baptist Church; a Church of Christ, and a non-denominational church which doubles as the hospital should there be a need for additional medical facilities.

Car Dealership

Bobsville Motor and Transport Company is the only car dealer or repair shop in town, and proudly sold the mayor his official vehicle. The dealership is located 2 blocks directly west from the town center.

Non-Downtown

Medical Complex

Bunny Ville General Hospital (named after Bob Ville’s wife) is just off Main St. half a mile to the northeast of the town center. The hospital has an operating room, an ER with 3 beds; and 5 in-patient beds, one of which is ICU. The staff includes 1 Pediatrician, 1 General Surgeon, 1 Physicians Assistant, 1 Nurse Practitioner, 4 RN’s, 2 LPN’s, and 4 Medical Assistants. The hospital has the capacity to handle minor emergencies; however should a significant number of people require medical assistance Bobstown General Hospital is the next closest hospital 25 miles south of Bobsville. Specialty care is referred to Bobstown General Hospital, a Class 2 Trauma Care facility. The Bobstown General Hospital which is in Disaster County has 100 beds and has the requisite staff to support the hospital should the need arise.

There is no full time EMS staff for the one ambulance the town has; however, Jack who owns the car dealership was once an up and coming dirt track racer and his skills haven’t diminished. Even though the ambulance is old and has over 100000 miles it is maintained well and is capable of doing what is needed should the need arise. When the ambulance has to roll, an RN who was an 18 Delta (Army Special Forces field medic) and a former Navy Hospital Corpsman (Fleet Marine Force) who is a Medical Assistant will roll with the vehicle. The ambulance medical staff’s experience is based upon deployments to Iraq (RN) and Afghanistan (MA). Each individual is trained in trauma care on the battlefield and more than capable of saving a life in the Golden Hour.

Collocated by the hospital is the town’s dental office. The office has 4 dentists, two of which are dental surgeons, and 6 dental hygienists. There is no orthodontist in the town. The closest orthodontist is in Bobstown 25 miles away.

There is no pharmacy at the hospital; however, there is a local pharmacist in the Medical complex that fills all prescriptions as needed.

School Complex

The high school is located 5 blocks south and 3 blocks east of the town center. The elementary school and middle school is also located on the same campus of the high school. The total area of the school campus is 5 blocks wide and 7 blocks long. The campus includes a football stadium, a football practice field, a soccer field, 2 softball fields; one for practice and one for games; and 2 baseball fields, one for practice and one for games. The elementary school also has a 1/8 mile long track and a jungle gym area.

University Campus

The University of Bobsville is a private liberal-arts college located on the northeast edge of town near Lake Elise, which specializes in Natural Resources and Agriculture.  Bobsville’s population when the University of Bobsville is in session is 9500 and when the school is not in session, the population is 7500.  There are 500 dormitory rooms in 10 residence halls.

Parks & Rec Complex

There is a municipal Parks and Recreation department whose office is located at the town’s recreation area 1/4 of a mile north from the town center and surrounded by homes. The recreation area has a two court tennis court, a children’s soccer field that also doubles as the high school bands practice field, a little league baseball field, one softball field and a Babe Ruth baseball field as well as half-sized Olympic swimming pool.

Communications Complex

There is one radio station at the southern end of Main Street that transmits on AM and FM. There is also WBOB, the local ABC affiliate.  The local internet provider offers underground cable broadband service though there are still some residents that use DSL.  There are two cell phone transmitters in Bobsville, one on the radio tower, and the other on top of Bunny’s tower.

Out of Town

Connecting Roads

North of the town is Interstate 58. The entry point to the interstate is 4 miles from the northeastern most tip of the city. There is an exit for services. There are 2 gas stations, 1 hotel, 2 fast food restaurants, and Millie’s Palm Reading. Approximately 5 miles south of town is the intersection of Oklahoma 323 and Oklahoma 322.  High-tension power lines follow Oklahoma 323 from the Disaster County Nuclear Power Plant to the north and provide power to the area.  Roads have been constructed by the town’s leadership that leads out to all of the critical infrastructure sites.

Lake Elise

Just outside the northeast edge of town is Lake Elise; a lake that has a larger area than the city of Bobsville. In his will, the previous owner left all the land around Lake Elise to Bobsville. His will stated that no homes are to be built on the lakes edge and oil and gas boats should not be in the lake. The only vessels allowed in the lake are sailboats, skulls, and other type of rowing boats. The lake is the town’s reservoir.

Airport/National Guard Base

During the Vietnam War, the Army built a helicopter-training base located 2.5 miles east of town, which is now an Army Reserve/National Guard base and is still active. There are currently 6 helicopters on the base; 1 Kiowa, 1 Cobra; 2 Blackhawks; and 2 Apaches. The Soldiers who serve in the units come from as far as 100 miles to the Bobsville Base.

The regional airport is next to the helicopter base and has a 5000-foot runway. Commercial flights take off every day at 9AM, 1PM, and 7PM. The airline supporting the town is affiliated with Yellow Bird Airlines and operates twin-engine turboprops that seat 10. The airport has 2 TSA Agents who split their time of work so that all flights are covered. There are no baggage handlers. Each passenger retrieves his or her luggage from the flight attendant who served the flight. The airport is open 1 hour prior to each flight and closes to the public once the aircraft has departed the area. The control tower is staffed by 2 controllers who also split their time for the flights.  Security is handled by the National Guard.

Water Treatment & Landfill

A water treatment plant and landfill is located 2 miles east of the town center and south of the air base. The plant was built in that location since the prevailing winds come from the west. The plant recently went through an update of its equipment and it doubled the capacity of water it treats from 1.1 million gallons/day to 2.2 million.

Golf Course

The golf course tucked nicely in the southwest corner of the city has only one road leading to it, Duffers Lane. The golf course is also the marshalling point for every full-scale exercise conducted by the Emergency Manager and her team. They chose the golf course because it has only one road leading in and out. The thought was in a real disaster access for responders may be blocked and simulating one way in and out forces the responders to think outside the box.

Winery

Just southwest of town on 9/11 Memorial Drive is the Bobsville Winery, made famous for its Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio sold exclusively in 1 and 5-gallon wine boxes.

Fairgrounds

The Bobsville Agrarian Fairgrounds is on the east end of town is home to the annual Cow Chip Throwing festival and utilizes the surrounding fields as parking for large events.

Racing Track/Drive In Theatre

The Bobsville dirt track is located about a mile east of the outskirts of town, and doubles as the town’s drive in theatre during the summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day).

RV Park

The RV Park, located 3 miles north from the town center on the far edge of Lake Elise, is where many visitors to the town’s festivals stay.  It is open year round and can be accessed both from the interstate exit as well as a road extending from Center Street in Bobsville that wraps around the lake.

Marina

Lake access boat ramps are found on the southern shore of the lake near the university, as well as a smaller access at the RV park on the northern shore.

County

Bobsville is in Disaster County, a county of 90,000 people. Disaster County is mostly an agricultural county; however, the county is home to the Disaster Nuclear Power Plant; the Disaster County Supermax Prison; the U.S. Army’s Biological Agent/Weapon Analysis and Development Command, and lastly, the Disaster County Regional Airport with a 7000-foot runway.

There are 8 hospitals in Disaster County, which includes a Level 2 Trauma Center.

The Disaster County’s south evacuation route as a result of a radiation release from the nuclear power goes through Bobsville.

Festival Events

Cow Chip Throwing Festival

Bobsville is best known for its cow chip throwing festival that takes place on the last weekend of July, held in the Fairgrounds on the southeast outskirts of town. The Grand Prize for the professional cow chip-throwing category is a cow that supposedly has lines to Elise the cow. Elise is famous for being the first cow featured on a milk carton.

The population of Bobsville expands to around 20,000 during the festival. Most of the people that come to the festival come from the surrounding communities and generally will not need lodging. However, a significant number come from outside the surrounding communities and they generally need lodging if they are not staying in the RV Park.

Bobsville has 2 hotels with a total of 200 rooms. Many local families open up their homes to those that travel great distances for the festival. Since the University is not in session during the festival, there are an additional 500 dormitory rooms available for sleeping.

Rowing Championships

In late May or early June each year, Bobsville hosts the Oklahoma High School Rowing Championship on Lake Elise.  The marina entrance is on the south end of the lake.  Accommodations are handled the same way as the cow chip toss festival.

Natural Disasters

In the last 10 years Bobsville has had 3 EF2 tornadoes; 1 EF4 tornado; and 1 EF5 tornado; along with 6 crippling blizzards with snowfall in excess of 24 inches. Each disaster brought its own set of problems and the people in Bobsville have demonstrated they are resilient. There was a serious drought from 2008-2011 which caused water rationing; and since the towns founding 25 earthquakes of at least 3.0 on the Richter Scale have occurred.

PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW

 

BOS 3525

BOS 3525, Legal Aspects of Safety and Health Unit I to Unit VIII Assignment

Unit I Assignment

Hi Jerry! This is your OSHA’s Area Director.

We received a non-formal complaint recently from one of your current employees. The complaint alleges that employees there are performing welding operations on stainless steel in an area with inadequate ventilation.

This employee also states that they frequently “cough up” black sputum, and that they are worried about the health consequences caused by this lack of ventilation.

The complaint further states that no air sampling has been performed to evaluate the employees’ exposures to welding fumes. And, that when asked for respirators, they were given “dust masks” with one strap, which were purchased at the local hardware store. The effectiveness of these dust masks for the exposure that is present is also in question.

I will also be sending you an email summarizing this non-formal complaint, so that you can respond accordingly.

Thanks Jerry! Goodbye.

Part 1

Draft a letter in response to the complaint. Your letter should summarize why you believe the complaint is invalid and no on-site inspection is required. Keep in mind, simply stating that the complaint is invalid is not adequate. You must support your opinions in the letter.

 

Part 2

(Answer the following question on the page 2 of your word document) Answer the questions below in a few sentences.

1. Where does this type of complaint fit on OSHA’s Priority criteria?

2. What factors could have made this complaint non-formal rather than formal?

3. What steps could you take as the employer to identify the employee who filed the complaint? 4. What factors could result in this complaint being reclassified as a formal complaint?

Save both parts of this assignment in one word document to submit for grading.

PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW

Unit II Assignment

Discussion Question

Question 1

Under what conditions can an employee be denied access to the opening conference, walk-around, and closing conference? Your response should be at least 75 words in length.

Question 2

If the OSHA compliance officer requests documents that are not related to a formal complaint, what options do you believe the employer has? Your response should be at least 75 words in length.

Question 3

If OSHA determines that an employer’s response to a non-formal complaint is adequate, what options does the employee filing the non-formal complaint have? Your response should be at least 75 words in length.

Question 4

Can an employee request that an attorney or union representative attend a private conference with the compliance officer? If the union demands to have a representative present, does the employee have to comply? Your response should be at least 75 words in length.

Unit II Assignment

You receive a follow-up call from the area director saying the employee filing the original non-formal complaint has provided additional information about the alleged health situation and submitted a formal complaint using the OSHA-7 form, making the complaint a formal complaint. A few days later, an OSHA compliance officer shows up at your facility to perform a comprehensive inspection. The compliance officer presents the proper credentials, and you verify that the compliance officer is employed by OSHA and assigned to the local office.

During the opening conference, the compliance officer provides you with the formal complaint, alleging that employees are exposed to hazardous concentrations of metal fumes in welding areas of the plant, that you have not performed any air sampling to determine exposure levels, that adequate ventilation is not present in welding areas, and that adequate respiratory protection has not been provided to welders. As a part of the inspection, the compliance officer requests the following documents:

 

 Chemical inventory list;

 

 OSHA 300 logs;

 

 Hazard Communication Program, including training records;

 

 any sampling data that you have;

 

 Respiratory Protection Program, including medical clearance letters and training records;

 

 written hazard assessment for personal protective equipment (PPE) used at the facility;

 

 Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) for the metals you use in the production process and any welding rods/wire used in the welding area; and

 

 any other written programs you have that are required by an OSHA regulation.

 

The compliance officer takes a walk-through tour of the facility, spending extra time in the welding areas. During the walk-through, the compliance officer points out several issues believed to be apparent violations. The issues are as follows:

 

 Heavy haze is present in the welding area.

 

 Individuals wearing half-mask air-purifying respirators have full beards.

 

 Employees are using chemicals that could be injurious to the eyes, and no emergency eyewash is present.

 

 Eyewash is present in another area of the plant that is covered in dust, and there is no indication of recent operation or inspection.

 

 Employees are using chemicals that could be absorbed through the skin and are not using any gloves.

 

 Employees are performing maintenance inside a press with no lock-out/tag-out applied.

 

 No written lock-out/tag-out program is available at the time of the inspection.

 

 Welding operation is performed near flammable materials, and no fire watch present.

 

 There is no record of training for fork truck drivers.

 

 Extension cords are stretched across walkways.

 

 Three containers are present in the plant with no label present on any of the containers.

 

 An employee could not find a SDS for the chemical he or she was using.

 

The compliance officer asks for a private conference room and a list of non-managerial employees. He tells you that he intends to interview four non-managerial employees before leaving for the day. He also states that he will return the next day to collect some air samples at the facility.

You are worried about the number of citations and penalties that you may face. Provide a document summarizing the steps you would take as soon as the compliance officer leaves, and the steps you believe you could have taken during the walk-through that may have resulted in a quick-fix penalty reduction.

Your document must be at least three pages in length, not counting the title or reference pages. You must also include at least one reference using appropriate APA style.

Information about accessing the Blackboard Grading Rubric for this assignment is provided below.

PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW

Unit III Assignment

You receive a document (linked below) by certified mail. After reading the document, prepare a response that summarizes the approach you would take to the citations and penalties that have been proposed. Be sure to include the following in your response:

 Steps you are required to take,

 Options available to you,

 Contacts you would make, and

 Documentation necessary to respond to the citations and penalties.

Your response must be a minimum of two pages in length, using at least one reference. All sources must be cited and a reference provide using APA style.  Click here to access the OSHA citation document for this assignment. Information about accessing the Blackboard Grading Rubric for this assignment is provided below.

Unit IV Assignment

Based on the Citation and Notification of Penalty letter you received in Unit III, prepare a document that summarizes at least five actions you would take as soon as possible after you reviewed the letter. For each of the actions, you must state the following:

 

 the exact action,

 

 why you believe the action is required for the citations and penalties,

 

 how you believe the actions will assist in responding to the citations and penalties, and

 

 resources you would use to accomplish the action.

 

You must support your actions with reliable sources. Your response must be a minimum of two pages in length, using at least one reference. All sources must be cited, and a reference must be provided using APA style.

Information about accessing the Blackboard Grading Rubric for this assignment is provided below.

Unit V Assignment

You managed to schedule an informal conference with the area director at the regional OSHA office four days after you receive the Notice of Citations and Penalty. Based on the citations and penalties you received in Unit III, prepare a document that lists the citations and penalties you wish to discuss with the area director.

You should summarize what you are trying to accomplish in regard to each citation/penalty you choose, to include:

 The information you will use to try and accomplish your goal,

 The information you will take with you to the meeting, and

 Who will accompany you to the meeting.

You must support your actions with reliable sources. Your grade will be based on your ability to present a case to your professor (serving as the area director) to reduce either the severity of some citations, or the amount of some penalties. If you simply state that you accept the citations and penalties as written, you will receive a minimal score on the assignment.

Your response must be a minimum of two pages in length, not including the title page and reference page. You must use at least one reference in the paper. All sources must be cited in the text and on the reference page, using APA style.

 

Unit VI Assignment

You fail to reach an informal settlement agreement with the area director. You file a Notice to Contest within the required 15-day period. Your case is assigned to an administrative law judge (ALJ). Prepare a document summarizing the case you will submit to the ALJ. The document should discuss the following at a minimum:

 Which citations and penalties you would contest,

 the reasoning behind each contested citation and/or penalty,

 Documents you would bring to the hearing,

 Individuals you would use at the hearing,

 How the case before the ALJ differs from the informal conference,

 What information will be presented before the ALJ that was not presented in the informal conference, and

 What information you would request from OSHA as part of discovery.

You must support your actions with reliable sources. Your grade will be based on your ability to present a case to your professor, serving as the ALJ, to reduce or vacate either the severity of some citations or the amount of some penalties. If you simply state that you accept the citations and penalties as written, you will receive a minimal score on the assignment.

Your response must be a minimum of two pages in length, using at least one reference. All sources must be cited in the text and on the reference page, using APA style.

Unit VII Assignment

Assume that a fatality occurred at your facility one month prior to the OSHA inspection. Review the citations and penalties that were assessed to your facility, and respond to the following questions:

• Which of the citations could be referred to the U.S. DOJ for criminal proceedings?

• What conditions would have to be met before the citations could be referred for criminal proceedings?

• Which individuals working at your facility could face criminal charges under the Act?

• What would be the maximum prison sentence and fines that any individual would face?

• What would be the maximum fine that the company would face?

• If you were facing criminal charges under the Act, what would be your best defense?

• How could you involve the OSHRC in the criminal case(s)?

Your response must be a minimum of two pages in length, using at least one reference. All sources must be cited in the text and on the reference page, using APA style.

Unit 8- Question Answer

1. Summarize the procedures required to achieve Star status under OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP).

2. Describe the role that Challenge Administrators play in the OSHA Challenge voluntary cooperative program.

3. Provide your opinion as to which OSHA voluntary cooperative program would be the most beneficial to a small business that prints business cards and letterhead.

4. Discuss the benefits that OSHA alliances provide to employers and workers in general industry.

PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW

BOS 3525, Legal Aspects of Safety and Health Unit I to Unit VIII Assignment

Unit I Assignment

Hi Jerry! This is your OSHA’s Area Director.

We received a non-formal complaint recently from one of your current employees. The complaint alleges that employees there are performing welding operations on stainless steel in an area with inadequate ventilation.

This employee also states that they frequently “cough up” black sputum, and that they are worried about the health consequences caused by this lack of ventilation.

The complaint further states that no air sampling has been performed to evaluate the employees’ exposures to welding fumes. And, that when asked for respirators, they were given “dust masks” with one strap, which were purchased at the local hardware store. The effectiveness of these dust masks for the exposure that is present is also in question.

I will also be sending you an email summarizing this non-formal complaint, so that you can respond accordingly.

Thanks Jerry! Goodbye.

Part 1

Draft a letter in response to the complaint. Your letter should summarize why you believe the complaint is invalid and no on-site inspection is required. Keep in mind, simply stating that the complaint is invalid is not adequate. You must support your opinions in the letter.

 

 

Part 2

(Answer the following question on the page 2 of your word document) Answer the questions below in a few sentences.

1. Where does this type of complaint fit on OSHA’s Priority criteria?
2. What factors could have made this complaint non-formal rather than formal?
3. What steps could you take as the employer to identify the employee who filed the complaint? 4. What factors could result in this complaint being reclassified as a formal complaint?

Save both parts of this assignment in one word document to submit for grading.

Unit II Assignment

Discussion Question

Question 1

Under what conditions can an employee be denied access to the opening conference, walk-around, and closing conference? Your response should be at least 75 words in length.

Question 2

If the OSHA compliance officer requests documents that are not related to a formal complaint, what options do you believe the employer has? Your response should be at least 75 words in length.

Question 3

If OSHA determines that an employer’s response to a non-formal complaint is adequate, what options does the employee filing the non-formal complaint have? Your response should be at least 75 words in length.

Question 4

Can an employee request that an attorney or union representative attend a private conference with the compliance officer? If the union demands to have a representative present, does the employee have to comply? Your response should be at least 75 words in length.

Unit II Assignment

You receive a follow-up call from the area director saying the employee filing the original non-formal complaint has provided additional information about the alleged health situation and submitted a formal complaint using the OSHA-7 form, making the complaint a formal complaint. A few days later, an OSHA compliance officer shows up at your facility to perform a comprehensive inspection. The compliance officer presents the proper credentials, and you verify that the compliance officer is employed by OSHA and assigned to the local office.

During the opening conference, the compliance officer provides you with the formal complaint, alleging that employees are exposed to hazardous concentrations of metal fumes in welding areas of the plant, that you have not performed any air sampling to determine exposure levels, that adequate ventilation is not present in welding areas, and that adequate respiratory protection has not been provided to welders. As a part of the inspection, the compliance officer requests the following documents:

 

 Chemical inventory list;

 

 OSHA 300 logs;

 

 Hazard Communication Program, including training records;

 

 any sampling data that you have;

 

 Respiratory Protection Program, including medical clearance letters and training records;

 

 written hazard assessment for personal protective equipment (PPE) used at the facility;

 

 Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) for the metals you use in the production process and any welding rods/wire used in the welding area; and

 

 any other written programs you have that are required by an OSHA regulation.

 

The compliance officer takes a walk-through tour of the facility, spending extra time in the welding areas. During the walk-through, the compliance officer points out several issues believed to be apparent violations. The issues are as follows:

 

 Heavy haze is present in the welding area.

 

 Individuals wearing half-mask air-purifying respirators have full beards.

 

 Employees are using chemicals that could be injurious to the eyes, and no emergency eyewash is present.

 

 Eyewash is present in another area of the plant that is covered in dust, and there is no indication of recent operation or inspection.

 

 Employees are using chemicals that could be absorbed through the skin and are not using any gloves.

 

 Employees are performing maintenance inside a press with no lock-out/tag-out applied.

 

 No written lock-out/tag-out program is available at the time of the inspection.

 

 Welding operation is performed near flammable materials, and no fire watch present.

 

 There is no record of training for fork truck drivers.

 

 Extension cords are stretched across walkways.

 

 Three containers are present in the plant with no label present on any of the containers.

 

 An employee could not find a SDS for the chemical he or she was using.

 

The compliance officer asks for a private conference room and a list of non-managerial employees. He tells you that he intends to interview four non-managerial employees before leaving for the day. He also states that he will return the next day to collect some air samples at the facility.

You are worried about the number of citations and penalties that you may face. Provide a document summarizing the steps you would take as soon as the compliance officer leaves, and the steps you believe you could have taken during the walk-through that may have resulted in a quick-fix penalty reduction.

Your document must be at least three pages in length, not counting the title or reference pages. You must also include at least one reference using appropriate APA style.

Information about accessing the Blackboard Grading Rubric for this assignment is provided below.

Unit III Assignment

You receive a document (linked below) by certified mail. After reading the document, prepare a response that summarizes the approach you would take to the citations and penalties that have been proposed. Be sure to include the following in your response:

 Steps you are required to take,

 Options available to you,

 Contacts you would make, and

 Documentation necessary to respond to the citations and penalties.

Your response must be a minimum of two pages in length, using at least one reference. All sources must be cited and a reference provide using APA style.  Click here to access the OSHA citation document for this assignment. Information about accessing the Blackboard Grading Rubric for this assignment is provided below.

Unit IV Assignment

Based on the Citation and Notification of Penalty letter you received in Unit III, prepare a document that summarizes at least five actions you would take as soon as possible after you reviewed the letter. For each of the actions, you must state the following:

 

 the exact action,

 

 why you believe the action is required for the citations and penalties,

 

 how you believe the actions will assist in responding to the citations and penalties, and

 

 resources you would use to accomplish the action.

 

You must support your actions with reliable sources. Your response must be a minimum of two pages in length, using at least one reference. All sources must be cited, and a reference must be provided using APA style.

Information about accessing the Blackboard Grading Rubric for this assignment is provided below.

Unit V Assignment

You managed to schedule an informal conference with the area director at the regional OSHA office four days after you receive the Notice of Citations and Penalty. Based on the citations and penalties you received in Unit III, prepare a document that lists the citations and penalties you wish to discuss with the area director.

You should summarize what you are trying to accomplish in regard to each citation/penalty you choose, to include:

 The information you will use to try and accomplish your goal,

 The information you will take with you to the meeting, and

 Who will accompany you to the meeting.

You must support your actions with reliable sources. Your grade will be based on your ability to present a case to your professor (serving as the area director) to reduce either the severity of some citations, or the amount of some penalties. If you simply state that you accept the citations and penalties as written, you will receive a minimal score on the assignment.

Your response must be a minimum of two pages in length, not including the title page and reference page. You must use at least one reference in the paper. All sources must be cited in the text and on the reference page, using APA style.

 

Unit VI Assignment

You fail to reach an informal settlement agreement with the area director. You file a Notice to Contest within the required 15-day period. Your case is assigned to an administrative law judge (ALJ). Prepare a document summarizing the case you will submit to the ALJ. The document should discuss the following at a minimum:

 Which citations and penalties you would contest,

 the reasoning behind each contested citation and/or penalty,

 Documents you would bring to the hearing,

 Individuals you would use at the hearing,

 How the case before the ALJ differs from the informal conference,

 What information will be presented before the ALJ that was not presented in the informal conference, and

 What information you would request from OSHA as part of discovery.

You must support your actions with reliable sources. Your grade will be based on your ability to present a case to your professor, serving as the ALJ, to reduce or vacate either the severity of some citations or the amount of some penalties. If you simply state that you accept the citations and penalties as written, you will receive a minimal score on the assignment.

Your response must be a minimum of two pages in length, using at least one reference. All sources must be cited in the text and on the reference page, using APA style.

Unit VII Assignment

Assume that a fatality occurred at your facility one month prior to the OSHA inspection. Review the citations and penalties that were assessed to your facility, and respond to the following questions:

• Which of the citations could be referred to the U.S. DOJ for criminal proceedings?
• What conditions would have to be met before the citations could be referred for criminal proceedings?
• Which individuals working at your facility could face criminal charges under the Act?
• What would be the maximum prison sentence and fines that any individual would face?
• What would be the maximum fine that the company would face?
• If you were facing criminal charges under the Act, what would be your best defense?
• How could you involve the OSHRC in the criminal case(s)?

Your response must be a minimum of two pages in length, using at least one reference. All sources must be cited in the text and on the reference page, using APA style.

Unit 8- Question Answer

1. Summarize the procedures required to achieve Star status under OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP).
2. Describe the role that Challenge Administrators play in the OSHA Challenge voluntary cooperative program.
3. Provide your opinion as to which OSHA voluntary cooperative program would be the most beneficial to a small business that prints business cards and letterhead.
4. Discuss the benefits that OSHA alliances provide to employers and workers in general industry.

PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW

SCI207

• Prior to beginning work on this assignment, read the Climate Change investigation manual. This lab enables you to explore concepts related to global climate including, the greenhouse effect, albedo, and melting land and sea ice.
• The Process
• Take the required photos and complete all parts of the lab assignment (calculations, data tables, etc.). Use the Lab Worksheet as a resource to complete the Lab Report Template. Transfer any answers and visual elements from the Lab Worksheet into the Lab Report  Template. You will submit the Lab Report Template through Waypoint in the classroom.
• The Assignment
• Make sure to complete all of the following items before submission:
• Before you begin the assignment, read the Climate Change investigation manual; you may also wish to review the video, SCI207 – The Scientific Method (Links to an external site.).
• Complete all activities using materials in your kit, augmented by additional materials that you will supply. Photograph each activity following these instructions:
• When taking lab photos, you need to include in each image a strip of paper with your name and the date clearly written on it.
• This lab will require you to make two line graphs and one bar graph. Should you desire further guidance on how to construct a graph, it is recommended that you review the Introduction to Graphing lab manual. (You are not expected to complete any of the activities in this manual.)
• Use the Lab Worksheet as a guide to complete the Lab Report Template.
• Must use at least two credible sources outside of the textbook and lab manual.
• Submit your completed “Lab Report” via Waypoint.

PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW

Lab Worksheet

 

Hypotheses

Activity 1.

 

Activity 2.

Activity 3.

 

continued on next page

 

Observations/Data Tables

 

Data Table 1:  Modelling the Greenhouse Effect

 

Time (min)	Bare thermometer (degrees C)	Thermometer in cup (degrees C)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

 

continued on next page

 

Data Table 2:  Modelling Albedo

 

Time (min)	Temperature of water in cup with dark paper on the top (degrees C)	Temperature of water in cup with aluminum foil on the top (degrees C)	Temperature Difference (degrees C)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

 

continued on next page

 

Data Table 3. Sea Ice, Glacier Ice, and Sea Level Rise

 

	Initial Water Volume (mL)	Final Water Volume after Ice Melt (mL)	Change in Water Volume (Final Volume – Initial Volume) (mL)
Melting Sea Ice (ice cubes in graduated cylinder)
Melting Glacier Ice  (ice cubes in funnel)

PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW

*This template will enable you to produce a polished Lab Report.  Simply complete each section below, pasting in all your completed data tables, graphs, and photographs where indicated.  Before you submit your Lab Report, it is recommended that you run it through Turnitin, using the student folder, to ensure protection from accidental plagiarism.  Please delete this purple text, and all the instructions below, before submitting your final report.

 

Title of Lab Goes Here

Introduction

Background paragraph: Provide background on the lab topic, explaining the key concepts covered in the lab and defining (in your own words) important terms relating to the lab.  Explain why the lab topic is important to scientists. Using APA format, cite at least two outside credible sources (sources other than textbook or lab manual) in your statement. Your background paragraph should be 5-7 original, substantive sentences long.

 

Objectives paragraph: In 4-5 sentences, explain the purpose of this lab. What is it intended to examine or test?

 

Hypotheses paragraph: State your hypotheses for this lab. Be sure to cover all the lab activities, one at a time. For each hypothesis, explain why you originally thought that would happen.

Note: Do not mention the actual results of the lab here – they go later in the report.

For additional help in writing your Introduction section, refer to the Ashford Writing Center Resource, Introductions and Conclusions.

 

Materials and Methods

Using your own words, describe what you did in each of the lab activities. Answers should enable a lab report reader to repeat the lab just as you did it – a process known as replication. Clearly explain any measurements you made (including the measurement units).

 

Results

Data Tables: Copy and paste each of your completed data tables here, in order (Weeks One, Two, Four, and Five Labs only).

Observations: Provide your observations for each lab activity here, in order (Week Three Lab only)

Graphs: Paste your graphs here (Week Four Lab only).  Include a numbered figure caption below each one, in APA format.

Photographs: Paste your photographs here, in the order they were taken in the lab.  Include numbered figure captions below each one, in APA format.

 

For additional help with the data tables and images, refer to the Ashford Writing Center resource, Tables, Images, and Appendices.

 

Discussion

Accept or reject hypotheses paragraph: Based upon the results of each lab activity, explain whether you accepted or rejected each of your hypotheses, and why.

Follow these steps:

• Restate your original hypothesis for the lab activity.
• Communicate the results of the lab. Then,
• Compare your hypothesis to the results of the lab and decide whether to accept your hypothesis or reject it.
• State if your hypothesis is supported or not, and explain with evidence.
• Move on to the next lab activity and repeat the process.

 

What I have learned paragraph: What important new things have you learned from this lab? Use at least one credible outside source (not the lab manual or textbook) to answer this question. Cite the source using APA format. Answers should be 5-7 original, substantive sentences in length.

 

Sources of error paragraph: What challenges did you encounter when completing this lab? (Identify at least one.) How might those challenges that you experienced have affected the accuracy of the results that you obtained?

 

Future research paragraph: Based upon what you learned in this lab, what new questions do you have about the topic of this lab? In a few sentences, how might you design a new lab activity to answer those questions?

 

References

List the references that you cited in your report, in APA format and alphabetically by author’s last name. If you did not actually cite the source somewhere in your paper, do not include it.

For additional help in formatting your resources section, refer to the Ashford Writing Center’s resource for Formatting your Reference List.

PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW

accident investigation unit I assessment 6 questions and one DQ question

Question 1

 

In addition to identifying accident causal factors, what other benefits does an effective accident investigation process provide to a safety and health program?

 

Your response must be at least 75 words in length.

Question 2

 

Why is it important to include near misses in the accident investigation process?

 

Your response must be at least 75 words in length.

 

Question 3

 

Describe two characteristics of an effective accident investigation process that you feel are particularly important. Briefly explain your choices.

 

Your response must be at least 75 words in length.

Question 4

How do accident investigations help an organization avoid spending money in the future?

 

Your response must be at least 75 words in length.

Question 5

 

Explain the four levels of accidents, providing an example of each. How are the categories different from each other?

 

Your response must be at least 200 words in length.

Question 6

What steps must an organization take before an accident occurs to ensure it is prepared to conduct an effective accident investigation?

Your response must be at least 200 words in length.

Discussion Question 

The course textbook discusses differences between the terms “accident” and “incident.” Do you think the difference is important, or are the two terms just different words describing the same thing? What term does your current or previous organization use?

 

Your response must be at least 80 words in length.

PLACE YOUR ORDER NOW