Task $1$: Understanding and managing risks associated with exposure to wood dust

$1$

$($a$)$ Supporting document $2$ is the Woodworking Monthly trade magazine article that the SM was reading.

$($i$)$ Explain the meaning of $$occupational exposure limits for wood dust that are assigned in law$.$

Note: Your answer should be based on supporting document $2$ only.

$($ii$)$ Explain the significance of the $$typical exposure level$$ reported in the study.

Note: Your answer should be based on supporting document $2$ only.

$($iii$)$ Explain the likely distribution of the wood dust in the respiratory tract of the workers exposed to the wood dust.

Note: Your answer should be based on supporting document $2$ only.SCENARIO

Keystone Hardware $(KH)$ is a hardware store located in a retail park just outside a large town. It

opened $10$ years ago. Areas that are only open to the workers include a large warehouse, offices,

worker toilets and rest area, and two greenhouses $($see supporting document $1).$ The public areas

consist of a large sales floor, two large outdoor areas surrounded by perimeter fencing, a small caf$$

and customer toilets. In these two outdoor areas there are small sections that have an awning

covering them. These areas are where smaller, packaged supplies are displayed on shelves and

stands. The outdoor areas are accessed via automatic doors at the rear of the store. There is a car

park outside with a wide paved pathway leading to the store entrance; both areas are well$-$lit and

well$-$maintained. On entering the store, to the left is the caf$$ area and customer toilets. There is an

access road to the rear of the warehouse for deliveries, and areas for customer collections to the

front of both outdoor areas.

There are several departments in the store selling a large range of items. These departments

include: Gardens and Landscaping $($items ranging from large ceramic pots to small plastic pots,

garden ornaments and potted plants of various sizes$),$ Building Materials $($including items such as

$25kg$ bags of cement, sand and gravel, wood of various sizes, fixtures and fittings$),$ Heating and

Plumbing $($selling radiators and portable heaters, fires and fire surrounds, and boilers$).$ KH also sells

workwear and tools, including lawnmowers, cement mixers and small, boxed hand tools, and offers a

woodcutting service.

$KH$ is open to the public $7$ days a week, Monday $-$ Saturday $08$:$00-20$:$00,$ and Sunday $10$:$00-$

$16$:$00.$ The store employs $80$ workers including three managers. The store manager $($SM$)$ manages

the whole store team, as well as having specific responsibility for all the indoor areas. They are new

to the role having joined $KH$ from a competitor just a few months ago. Two other managers report to

the SM$,$ these are the building materials manager and the garden manager. The building materials

manager is responsible for outdoor area $2,$ the warehouse and the delivery area at the rear of the

store; and the garden manager is responsible for outdoor area $1.$

$KH$ is always busy with customers at weekends, but especially now, while there are price reductions

on radiators, gas fires and fire surrounds. This has resulted in workers being inundated with requests

for help with the loading of these heavy items into customers' cars.

The warehouse and delivery area

The warehouse is well$-$organised, with strong racking and clearly marked$-$out pedestrian walkways.

The delivery area for vehicles is limited in size and is located between the access road and the

warehouse. There are two forklift trucks and ten pallet $($pump$)$ trucks that operate in this area. All

equipment is kept in a good state of repair. Delivery vehicles vary in size; from small vans that are

unloaded by hand, to large delivery trucks that are unloaded using the forklift trucks.

Offices

There is access to the offices from the delivery area, the access road and outdoor area $1.$ Each of

the managers has a desk in the office. This office is also where the Human Resources and Accounts

departments are located. The SM is sitting at their desk eating their lunch and has just read an

article in Woodworking Monthly, a trade magazine $($see supporting document $2).$ It concerns a

study of wood dust exposure in a situation very similar to that at $KH.$ The $SM$ is particularly

concerned about the reference to carcinogens in this trade magazine article.

Outdoor area $1$: Gardens and Landscaping

In the Gardens and Landscaping department, a ramp leads down from the store into outdoor area $1.$

There is a combination of gravelled pathways and paved areas that guide the customers around the

department. Plants and shrubs are grouped on different stands to make it easier for the customer to

view them. These stands are positioned on paved sections of the area. Garden ornaments are

placed between the plants and shrubs to encourage c