Mechanical Ventilation Required in the Welding Standards (Term Paper Sample)

Discussion Questions
Name
Institution
1 Discuss some of the circumstances where mechanical ventilation is required in the welding standards. Do you believe this requirement is reasonable? Why, or why not?
Mechanical ventilation is required when welding or cutting is done on metals not covered. This type of ventilation can be done in areas where space is small – roughly less than 11000 Cu Ft per welder. Also, in a room having very short ceiling height. Alternatively, it can be done in enclosed spaces or where the welding space contains barriers that block cross ventilation significantly (Muhlethaler & Malcolm, 2010).
The circumstances are when enough ventilation cannot be obtained without obstructing the means of access and also where a welder must enter an incarcerated space through a small opening (Kreit, 2013).
I firmly believe that the ventilation is reasonable. Firstly. It helps provide sufficient light and air for welders working in confined places. These are areas where natural ventilation cannot work. Mechanical ventilation helps eliminate gasses and fumes that cause serious health problems. Thus, giving the welders a safe working environment.
Moreover, the ventilation speeds up the removal of fumes and contaminants giving the welder better visibility. This works since clouds and vapor formed during welding are reduced. Needless to say, better visibility leads to increased work output. In conclusion, I would advocate for mechanical ventilation in areas where natural ventilation is limited.
Discuss some of the problems that might be encountered when implementing OSHA’s machine guarding standards in the workplace. Do you feel that the standards are adequate to control machine guarding hazards in general industry? Why, or why not?
Firstly, compliance with the standards is not mandatory. Simply, it's not a legal requirement despite being the best way to demonstrate that essential safety and health requirements have been met. I believe that it should be a legal requirement, especially in Europe for good implementation ("OSHA's direction", 2005).
Moreover, the guarding standards have not matched the advancing technologies. Modern computers, for instance, are more intricate– they move faster and involve more elements. The measures described in OSHA'S standards are traditional and inadequate. An employer, therefore, has to look for other guarding options before adopting the standards.
OSHA'S machine guarding standards offer very little in building a safer workplace. Unlike other machine guarding systems, OSHA’S usually don’t provide sufficient guidelines for the type of equipment. Also, they hardly, undergo revision every few years. The information on implementing safety procedures and systems is also limited.
Strongly, I believe that the standards are not sufficient to control machine guarding hazards in general industry. The standards ought to be review...