Syllabus

Surface Finishing Environment Course

At the end of the course a student should be able to:

A. Environmental Awareness
1. Appreciate that human beings over several earlier centuries have caused the problems that are now seen in the world.
2. Appreciate that mass production techniques have required a significantly increased requirement for raw materials.
3. Appreciate that there is a finite quantity of some materials and therefore the need to conserve them by the use of recycling and recovery, and other means of conservation.
4. Appreciate that many of the materials, particularly chemicals have a detrimental effect on the environment and the health of people.
5. Appreciate that many chemicals, particularly those of an organic nature, cause pollution of the atmosphere, land and sea.
6. Know that the ‘greenhouse’ effect is partially due to the increase of the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and that the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to the atmosphere has other deleterious effects.
7. Know that surface finishing processes can be used to impart beneficial properties into components made from inexpensive base substrate to make them better ‘fit for purpose’.

B. Workplace Environment.
1. Recognise that people can affect the environment where they live and work and can also be affected by the environment.
2. Understand that the relationship between the physical, chemical and biological aspects of the environment is complex and interactive.
3. Know that concern for the environment has local, national and international dimensions.
4. Understand the need for controlling workplace activities to protect people both inside and outside that workplace
5. Identify the factors within the workplace that can affect the workplace environment.
6. Be able to give examples to illustrate that failure to control the workplace environment can lead to harm to people, damage to structures, breakdown of equipment, damage to the external environment and to increased costs.
7. Define the term accident.
8. Define the term hazard. Identify sources of hazard information. Identify common hazards in surface finishing workshop and briefly describe their practical effect on people, structures and equipment in the workplace.
9. Define the term risk. Understand the need to carry out risk assessments. Know that risk assessment involves an understanding of the nature of the hazards present, who or what may be harmed and the controls required to eliminate or minimise the risk.
10. Describe a method for prioritisation of risks and appreciate the need to take unplanned events into consideration. Identify procedures for dealing with emergency situations.
11. Give examples of such prioritisation methods which can be used to control risks in the surface finishing workshops in terms of hazard elimination, use of less hazardous substitutes, isolation and enclosure of hazards, engineering methods, working conditions, systems and procedures.
12. Understand the importance of information, instruction, training and supervision in controlling risks.
13. Know when and why protective clothing and equipment is used to control risks and give typical examples of such protective measures used in surface finishing and be able to discuss the reasons for their use.
14. Know that health surveillance and monitoring have a role to play in both risk assessment and risk control and give examples relating to surface finishing.
15. Know that where risks have been identified and controls introduced then, these controls must be used, tested and maintained in a fit state to control the risk.
16. Identify particularly hazardous substances used in surface finishing and understand the methods for their safe storage and use.

C. External Environment.
1. Understand what is meant by the term external environment.
2. Define the term pollution.
3. Know what is meant by the term environmental media.
4. Be aware that the need to protect the environment has local, national and international dimensions. Identify examples where surface finishing activities may cause local, national or international concern if uncontrolled.
5. Distinguish between planned and unplanned releases to the environment and give examples in each case.
6. Describe the potential effect on the environment of typical releases from surface finishing operations.
7. Understand the need for energy in surface finishing. Identify the problems encountered by the inefficient use of energy and identify methods used to conserve energy.
8. Identify costs involved in protecting the environment.
9. Discuss methods for protecting the environment, giving examples of the technology involved and the potential for cost saving where appropriate.
10. Identify the features and benefits of Environmental Management Systems (EMS). Outline the steps involved in producing an EMS (e.g. ISO 14001)

D. Legal Aspects.
1. Distinguish between reactive and proactive approaches for environmental protection and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each approach.
2. Know that health, safety and environment legislation is State Law. Be able to distinguish between an Act of Parliament and Regulation issued under the Act. Outline the role of Approved Codes of Practice and Guidance Notes.
3. Identify the enforcement agencies involved and appreciate their powers for enforcement.
4. Appreciate the nature of the Courts of Law and the penalties that could be levied in cases of proven infringement of the Law.
5. Appreciate that UK Legislation is influenced by international considerations.
6. Have a basic knowledge of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and be conversant with the main features of Regulations controlling hazardous substances, noises, workplace equipment, manual handling equipment, electricity and welfare facilities.
7. Have a basic knowledge of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 relevant to surface finishing. Outline the general requirements of the Environment Act 1995, the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999, the Water Industry Act 1991 and the Water Resources Act 1991 with respect to the surface finishing industry.