Reference no: EM132056114

This assignment provides you with an opportunity to select an alert system, research it, and evaluate its quality and usability from an ergonomics perspective.

First, identify an alert system. It can be an everyday system, or it can be one used at your workplace. Second, research the details of the alert system by using at least one resource in the Online Library.

You can include credible resources from the Internet, but be sure to include at least one from the CSU Online Library.

Third, after effectively collecting all of the information about the system, evaluate its quality and usability from an ergonomics perspective. Prepare a 10-slide PowerPoint presentation with your results, and the presentation should include each of the following:

Briefly describe the alert system and the setting. 

Briefly explain the purpose of the system. 

Briefly explain what triggers the alarm. 

Briefly explain how the employee should respond once the alarm triggers. 

Briefly explain how human variability impacts the design of displays and controls. 

Provide your analysis of quality. 

Provide your analysis of usability. 

(Not required) If you feel the system could be improved, explain how. Include a title slide and references slide; however, they do not count toward the total slide count. Use APA Style for all intext and reference citation.

Scholarly Activity

This assignment involves completing a series of four exercises, and the purpose is for you to practice assessing workplace stressors, evaluating the regulatory environment, and evaluating controls within a workplace.

Exercise 1: Questionnaire and Interview Skills

For this exercise, place yourself in the shoes of someone who has been tasked to improve the workstation of an administrative assistant, like Beth. To practice your questionnaire and interview skills, develop a set of 10 questions that will allow you to learn more about the employee and her workstation in order to prevent any further ergonomics injuries.

Exercise 2: OSHA, FMCSA, and Controls

Prior to departing the truck terminal and after the walk-around inspection, Ben, the truck driver, has identified a problem, one that could lead to more dangerous problems for him while he is driving. He reports the problem to the terminal manager, who, afterward, informs Ben that the truck load must go out today and he must take his rig to make the delivery. After discussing this with the mechanic, Ben is told by the terminal manager that the repairs will be done upon his return and after the shipment has been delivered.

In a 200-word essay, explain why Ben should not make the delivery with the problematic truck by addressing the OSHA guidelines and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Association (FMCSA) guidelines to defend your assertions.

This question might require you to research the guidelines prior to formulating a response. Also, briefly address how the pressure from the manager impacts Ben's ability to successfully perform his job-what are the emotional and psychological implications from the manager's actions?

Exercise 3: Quality Control and Inspection

This exercise involves evaluating quality control and inspections, which apply to basically all occupational incidents. This is an opportunity for you to select an incident that interests you. In the online library or from a major credible news source on the Internet, locate a current news story or article where some sort of failure occurred.

The incident should not be more than three years old. The purpose of this exercise is to specifically highlight the failure of the quality-control-and-inspection system. Also, how would you have prevented this incident (the failure) from occurring by using the proper quality-control-and-inspection system? Your response should be at least 200 words, while also containing the appropriate references and in-text citations.

Exercise 4: Recommending a Preventative Maintenance Program

Since managers and executives are so busy, it is not always easy for them to identify how spending money will actually save money. This exercise involves drafting a statement to your management team in order to persuade them to invest in a preventative maintenance program. Highlight an example of preventative maintenance in your current work environment.

First, estimate the cost of the preventative maintenance and then compare it to the cost of not fixing the problem along with the other problems that might occur because of it. With at least 200 words, prepare a statement to the management staff of your company to persuade them to proceed with the expenditure of the money in a preventative mode.

8. This assignment involves completing two exercises, and the purpose is for you to apply the safety and health management systems approach to workplace ergonomics. Click here to access the template for this assignment.

Exercise 1: Relating Countermeasure Strategies

Discuss the 10 generic countermeasure strategies proposed by Haddon as they relate to an incident that might have occurred on your worksite, or relate the countermeasures to something you have observed.

The 10 generic countermeasures are listed below:

(a) Prevent the initial buildup of energy.

(b) Reduce the potential energy.

(c) Prevent the release of the energy.

(d) Reduce the rate of release of energy.

(e) Separate the host from the energy source.

(f) Place a barrier between the host and energy source.

(g) Absorb the energy.

(h) Strengthen the susceptible host.

(i) Move rapidly in detect and counter the release.

(j) Take procedures to ameliorate the damage.

Your response should be at least 200 words in length.

Exercise 2: Applying the Safety and Health Management Systems Approach to Workplace Ergonomics

This question involves reading the following passage, choosing one side of the debate, and then defending your choice by providing your rationale. Read the following passage and then decide who is at fault: the company or the employee.

Our truck driver, Ben, injures his back while tying down the tarps on his flatbed trailer. He has to use four-inch straps to secure the load, and then has to cover the load with tarps which require the use of bungee cords (rubber straps) to secure the tarp.

Either defend the company and decide that the root cause for the back injury was due to the failure of the employee to properly follow the processes and procedures, or defend the employee and decide that the root cause of the back injury was due to the failure of the company to provide a hazard-free workplace.

To successfully answer this question, you might have to do a bit of research.

Consider the following sources: the OSHA standards, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) rules, and the textbook. Use APA Style to insert appropriate citations into your response. Your response should be at least 200 words in length.