Introduction
Within the workplace, one of the most important and crucial components in protecting workers, customers and the organization itself is Occupational Safety and Health (OSH). This refers to health, safety and welfare issues in the workplace. It includes laws, standards and programs that aim to foster a safer, better working environment for workers, their families, stakeholders and customers (Mohammadfam et al., 2017). OSH is concerned with mandating the removal, reduction or replacement of job site hazards and is a crucial element for employers to provide to their employees. It is concerned with addressing different types of hazards such as chemical, physical, biological, psychosocial and ergonomic. These hazards can be addressed through the hierarchy of controls to ensure that the risks are reduced to as low as reasonably practicable.
This blog will explore the above-mentioned hazards present in the movie, “Snakes on a Plane ” and provide recommendations for mitigation based on the hierarchy of controls.
Elimination is the most effective control technique and this blog acknowledges the fact that all hazards directly and indirectly related to the presence of snakes on board could have been mitigated with the elimination of the snakes. The objective of eliminating the snakes from the plane would be accomplished by the following actions:
1. Training all security personnel on the methods to detect hazardous material and suspicious persons smuggling illegal contents.
Responsibility: Human Resources Department of Airport Authority
Deadline: Every 6 months for current employees and at orientation of new employees
2. Ensuring all checked and hand luggage have been manually inspected and x-rayed for dangerous materials.
Responsibility: Airport Authority and Security Personnel
Deadline: Prior to every flight
3. Secondary inspection of contents in cargo hold on the plane through visual checks, detection equipment and hunting dogs to ensure that no unauthorized material have made it onto the plane.
Responsibility: Airport Authority and Security Personnel
Deadline: Prior to every flight
The elimination of snakes is recommended through the above-mentioned actions and should be applied where the hazards were caused by the presence of snakes. Given that this control is implied, our analysis will focus on other mitigation efforts that should be used to address hazards in addition to elimination of the snakes.
SO Fasten your seatbelts and get ready for take-off! 😎
Movie Synopsis
While riding his motorcycle, Sean Jones witnesses the brutal murder of prosecutor, Daniel Hayes by a local gang leader, Eddie Kim in Hawaii. Sean is then escorted by FBI agent Neville Flynn and John Sanders on a plane to Los Angeles to testify in a trial against Kim. However, Eddie Kim arranges for a crate of venomous snakes to be released onboard the plane in an attempt to bring it down before it reaches Los Angeles International Airport. Midway through the flight, the crate opens and the snakes begin attacking passengers.
After the snakes attack the other pilot, he inadvertently releases the oxygen masks which cause most of the snakes to drop into the passenger cabin. Multiple passengers are killed, including agent John Sanders while the surviving run to the front to barricade themselves from the venomous snakes. Flynn then gets in contact with FBI Special Agent Hank Harris and Dr. Steven Price who search for antivenom which they find from the illegal snake dealer.
However, with both pilots dead, one of Three G’s bodyguards, Troy attempts to land the plane based on his experience with a flight simulator. After securing the passengers, Flynn shoots out the windows of the plane causing the snakes to blow out of the plane. Troy successfully lands the plane and the antivenom is given to the passengers that need it. As a final bit of action, when Sean is about to leave the plane, one snake jumps out and bites Sean in his chest which Flynn then shoots. But, Sean was wearing a ballistic vest so he was not harmed. As a thank you, the movie ends with Sean taking Flynn and teaching him to surf in Bali.
Physical Hazards
Physical hazards can be defined as hazards that can injure persons or facilities physically (Busick, 2014). Goetsch (2015), states some examples of physical hazards such as fire, noise, falls, electricity, high temperatures, vibrations, and ionizing/non-ionizing radiation. According to Bieber and Spellman (2011), physical hazards are a severe and fatal menace on the jobsite. Forecasting, detecting, evaluating, and minimizing these types of hazards requires safety specialists to use standard precautions, administrative regulations, and appropriate personal protective equipment.
–Temperature Hazard: Extreme temperatures on the airplane
Sean realized that the temperature was rising, and the air wasn’t recycling. Claire then pointed out that if there was no air-conditioning, it was going to get difficult to breathe. Once a mask is withdrawn, oxygen production cannot be turned off, and it normally lasts at least 10-15 minutes. Everyone on the plane eventually started to sweat profusely and became dehydrated. Small bottles of water were given out to all the passengers. Through several systems, such as perspiration, the human body manages its own inner level of heat, or body temperature, within a wide variety, but it cannot adapt to drastic alterations beyond that scope or when the systems of adaptability are not operating (Guidotti, 2011). Heat-related conditions become more likely as heat exposure reaches human tolerance level.
Mitigation:
• They lost power to the outflow valve motor. Therefore, in order to get the air-conditioning working again, Flynn had to reset it manually from the breaker which was located down in the cargo hold.
• Provide passengers with enough water so that they can consume about one cup every 20 minutes in order to prevent dehydration.
• Remove any excess clothing and dress lightly to allow sweat evaporation.
–Electrical hazard: Exposed wires
(Gif created from scene 1:17:26, Snakes on a Plane, 2006)
The snakes bit the insulation material, resulting in exposure of the circuit. Flynn was forced to crawl through a compact space with exposed wires which were sparking occasionally. Therefore, Flynn found himself in a hazardous situation where he was in close contact with exposed wires. This is known as an electrical hazard and if he came into contact with an electrical voltage, current would’ve traveled through his body, causing electrical shock and burns. Encounter with a current-carrying bare wire is considered one of the most common sources of electrocution. The exposed wire may have deteriorated insulation or be normally exposed. Electrical shock damage intensity is determined not only by the current dosage, but also by the current’s route through the body (Goetsch, 2015).
Mitigation:
• Proper PPE should be available for emergencies such as this scene where Flynn had no choice but to go through the compact space to get to the cargo hold.
• Proper guarding mechanisms should be used to safeguard the electrical components. Cover exposed electrical wires (such as those found in electrophoresis machines) with shields.
• Know where shut-off switches and/or circuit breaker panels are located and how to operate them. In the case of a fire or electrical hazards, use these devices to turn off equipment.
–Abnormal vibrations
In the above scenes, there were abnormal vibrations in engines one and two which meant that the plan wasn’t flying at a steady level. Therefore, passengers were exposed to a physical hazard because the vibrations resulted in luggage from the compartments falling down which could’ve possibly hit someone. Leading triggers of abnormal vibration consist of engine rotor imbalance, mechanical equipment breakdown, and airflow disruptions operating over doors or control surfaces that are mis-rigged or mis-faired, or that have excessive wear or free play. A structural breakdown or an inefficient power control system are seldom the causes of abnormal vibration. The varieties of damages caused by vibration vary depending on the source (Goetsch, 2015). In the short-term, mechanical vibration communicated to the human body causes tiredness, discomfort, interference with efficient performance, and a reduction in operational safety.
Mitigation:
The best tool for determining the intensity of an airplane vibration is the flight crew’s expertise. There is concern that the flight crew’s dramatic response to the vibration problem may exacerbate the situation. As a result, the ideal response of a flight crew to an abnormal vibration is to gently remove the airplane from the operational region where the vibration originates. The flight crew should minimize airspeed and engine speed if performance reasons do not outweigh the intensity of the vibration. To prevent undue stress on the airplane, the crew should return to level flight at lower airspeeds.
–Excessive noise levels
Noise pollution can be caused by an airplane or its systems. Mechanical noises, airflow noises and aircraft system noises are the three causes of noise from a plane. The abnormal vibrations of both engines paired with the constant screams and shouting from passengers created an atmosphere of excessive noise level. Additionally, Flynn broke the glass of a window by shooting it which caused the pressure and temperature to plummet in seconds, and the cabin became extremely noisy. In the scene, one of the passengers turned towards another passenger and cautioned her by explaining to her how loud it would get after the window broke. Therefore, the noises made from the plane as well as the passengers was a physical hazard. Everyone was terrified of the snakes which resulted in them panicking and shouting for help. Hearing loss is the most common hazard connected with extreme noise. Long-term exposure to high sound levels can affect the inner ear, reducing or eliminating the ability to perceive high-frequency sounds. Additional exposure can exacerbate the problem to the point where even lower frequency noises are no longer audible (Goetsch, 2015). In the movies, the level of noise posed a great risk especially for the baby, the two children and the elderly persons on board.
Mitigation:
In order to minimize the noise levels, the flight attendants could have managed the situation better. They should have taken a reactive approach and assured persons that shouting and creating chaos would not have assisted with the situation. Apart from keeping calm, the flight attendants could have also instructed the passengers to retreat to the first-class area where it was safe, instead of keeping them in the coach area which was infested with snakes. In addition, minimizing the amount of vibration also leads to a reduction in noise levels. Therefore, bringing the plane to a steady level would have diminished some of the vibrations and noises. Troy was successful in doing so and then landing the plane.
Risk Assessment Table
Biological Hazards
The UK Health and Safety Commission as well as the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define biological hazards as, “infectious agents or products of such agents that cause human disease.” Biological agents are thus any microorganism, cell culture, or human endoparasite, including any which have been genetically modified, which may cause infection, allergy toxicity or otherwise create a hazard to human health (CDC, 2009). We see quite a bit of biological hazards in Snakes on a Plane!
–Biological/Microbiological Hazards: HepB, HepC, HIV
Infectious Material: Blood
(Gif created from scene 14:30, Snakes on a Plane)
At the beginning of the movie, Eddie Kim beats prosecutor Daniel Hayes to death, and heavy blood splatter results from this action. Somebody has anger issues, am I right? Blood is splashed all over his face as well as clothes and appears to go into his mouth. This is a biological hazard as ingesting blood, even small amounts, can be dangerous as it can spread disease. There are various blood-borne diseases that can be spread by the consumption of blood such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV. Eddie might therefore be harmed if the blood is contaminated and he contracts such diseases. While we do not know whether or not Daniel had any of these diseases, we can determine that the likelihood of this risk is moderate as it is only a minority of people who are infected with such diseases. If Eddie is infected, however, the severity may be high as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and AIDS are all very dangerous diseases and can even cause a multitude of other health related issues.
Mitigation
In this case, it is not possible to physically remove or substitute this hazard, unless of course, Eddie simply chooses not to beat Daniel to death. Substitution can occur however, as Eddie can kill his victim in a less violent manner and he can also wear PPE. Firstly, Daniel should not have been beaten in such a manner where his blood would end up messily covering Eddie’s entire body. In addition, when dealing with blood, it is recommended that the person who is handling the substance, ensure that their body parts are thoroughly protected, for instance through the utilisation of gloves. Eddie should thus have been properly covered. If an individual comes into contact with blood however, they must take the situation seriously and treat the blood as if it is infected. If one has been pricked by a used needle, they should hold the affected limb down to make it bleed and wash the area with warm soap and water. If an individual has been splashed with blood and their skin has an open wound, sore or scratch, or is splashed in the eyes, nose or mouth, like Eddie in the example above, the area should be washed or rinsed well with soap or water (Health Link British Columbia, 2016). For further preventative measures, the individual should go to a hospital as they may need treatment such as a vaccine or medication in order to protect against infection. As Eddie is a criminal though, it’s not very likely that he’ll be showing up to hospitals drenched in blood anytime soon.
–Biological/Microbiological Hazards: Infection
Infectious Materials: Fluids-Snake Venom
The main plot of the movie Snakes on a Plane includes passengers being attacked by venomous snakes. Instances of this are presented below.
(Gif created from scene 36:10, Snakes on a Plane)
The captain is bitten by a snake, which jumps out from behind a circuit board while he is attempting to remedy technical problems occurring on the plane.
In addition, several snakes appear to fall from the overhead cabins, attacking all the passengers. A number of people are bitten, and a snake even penetrates a woman’s eye!
(Image Source: Scene 42:24, Snakes on a Plane, 2006)
Further, a snake has also bitten a woman’s tongue and the effects of the venom are seen clearly through swelling and what appears to be the bubbling of saliva.
Venomous snake bites are a biological hazard as toxins in the venom are transmitted from the snake into the individual’s body and can result in serious injury or death. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), venom can lead to severe paralysis and prevent breathing, as well as bleeding disorders which can result in fatal hemorrhages or irreversible kidney failure. Severe local tissue destruction may also occur, and this can lead to permanent disability and even limb amputation. The passengers were therefore harmed by the snakes as many were bitten and some even died. The risk of being harmed in this instance is extremely high as snakes were everywhere and the passengers could not escape. Severity was also very high as we see many injuries sustained in addition to deaths. If we’ve learned anything from this movie, it’s to be careful with snakes!
Mitigation
With respect to snakes, elimination would include physically removing the animals from the area. The rightful authorities should thus be notified, such as animal control services, as most snake bites tend to occur when individuals attempt to catch or kill a venomous snake. In Snakes on a Plane, however, there is no one to call and as such the passengers on board were forced to take the situation into their own hands. Generally, individuals should also change the way they work by being aware of their surroundings while outdoors. The passengers on the plane were not aware of their surroundings, as no one expected snakes to be on board the flight, and as such they were taken completely by surprise when the animals attacked. Lastly, PPE should be utilised, as persons who are outdoor workers should always wear protective clothing such as snake-proof boots, leather gloves and long pants (CDC, 2019). Again, the passengers were not properly protected as they perceived the plane to be safe from snakes. If a person is bitten, they need to be taken to a hospital to seek medical treatment. A picture of the snake should be taken, if possible, in order to identify the species so that medical professionals will be aware of what exactly should be done. Movement should also be restricted, and the bite area must be kept below the heart as movement and elevation of the bite area above the heart will increase the heart rate and the rate at which the venom moves throughout the body (CDC, 2019). The bite area should also be washed with soap and water before covering the wound with a clean, dry bandage.
–Biological/Microbiological Hazard: Infection
Infectious Material: Bacteria
If you’re squeamish, don’t look too hard at this example!
(Gif created from scene 53:30, Snakes on a Plane)
When a boy named Tommy is bitten by a snake and his hand becomes infected, a passenger named Maria cuts the skin open using the sharp end of her earring. This is done in an attempt to expel the venom from his system.
This is hazardous as puncture wounds are prone to infection. Tommy might thus be harmed as the earring which is being used to cut into his skin has not been properly sanitized, which increases risk of infection. As he is already suffering the effects of a venomous snake bite, it is possible that this may worsen the situation. Cuts and breaks in the skin can become infected when bacteria enter the wound and begin to multiply. Bacteria may come from the surrounding skin, the external environment or the object that caused the injury (Leonard, 2019). In this case, it is likely that the bacteria come from the earring as it was not cleaned prior to cutting. The likelihood of risk is high as Tommy is already injured from the snakebite and as such he is already in a vulnerable position. If the infection worsens, the effects may be severe.
Mitigation
It does not seem possible to eliminate this hazard, however it can be substituted by using a sanitized blade to cut into the skin, as opposed to a dirty earring. In addition, a medical professional cutting Tommy’s skin can also minimise risk. However, sufficient equipment is not available on the plane and so the passengers are once again forced to make difficult decisions. This would have reduced chances of infection as the cutting will have occurred in a clean, controlled environment by someone who is an expert. Furthermore, in the example above, Maria cuts open Tommy’s skin in order to treat a snakebite. However, as discussed earlier, snakebites should be treated by medical professionals after the victim is taken to a hospital. In fact, the CDC specifically states that the wound from a snake bite should not be slashed with a knife. Venom spreads quickly through the system and it is impossible to cut deep or quickly enough to pull an adequate amount of venom from the body. In order to prevent a cut from becoming infected, the area should be cleaned using water and an antiseptic or antibiotic cream should be applied to the wound once it is dry (Chavoustie, 2019). This will help in keeping germs away. The area can then be covered using bandages to further protect the cut. If the cut becomes infected, the individual should seek medical attention. A doctor may prescribe antibiotics as well as tend to the wound himself. If an individual is punctured by a rusty or dirty object however, they may need to seek out medical treatment immediately to receive a tetanus shot.
–Biological/Microbiological Hazards: Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV and Infection
Infectious Materials: Blood and Saliva
(Gif created from scene 54:00, Snakes on a Plane)
After Maria cuts open Tommy’s skin, she proceeds to attempt sucking the venom out of his skin after swallowing olive oil to protect herself.
The hazards associated with consuming blood were discussed previously. An individual can contract Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV through the ingestion of another person’s blood. In this case, Maria is also consuming venom. This is hazardous as it can result in the passenger becoming affected by the venom as well. The CDC specifically states that sucking out snake venom should not be done. Sucking the wound is also hazardous to the victim, as saliva contains bacteria and this increases chances of infection and can even cause further tissue damage. Both Maria and Tommy can thus be harmed. The likelihood of risk on Maria’s end is high as she can very easily be affected by the venom in Tommy’s system. The likelihood of risk with respect to Tommy is also high since he has already been infected by the snake bite. The severity of risk is high on both Maria and Tommy as venom can severely impact a person’s body and if the boy’s infection is further contaminated, he will be gravely affected.
Mitigation
As stated previously, snakebites should be treated by medical professionals. Substitution can therefore include taking the victim to the nearest hospital where they can receive proper treatment. Unfortunately, that option does not exist for poor Tommy. If an individual attempts to suck the venom out of someone’s wounds and begins to experience effects of the poison, they should also be taken to a hospital in order to receive treatment, but as we all know, this is also impossible for Maria.
Chemical Hazards
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration defines chemical hazards as those which pose health hazards in the form of irritation, sensitization and carcinogenicity, as well as physical hazards in the form of flammability, corrosion and explosibility. A person may be exposed to these dangers most commonly by ingestion, inhalation, injection or absorption. Examples of these chemicals can be fumes, liquids, toxins, vapors, flammable materials, etc.
In ‘Snakes on a Plane’, we see a lot of chemical hazards, which are shown below!
– Spraying pheromone on leis:
(Gif created from scene 13:45, Snakes on a Plane)
In this scene, the airport worker is seen spraying pheromone onto the leis in an enclosed room in order to make the snakes become more aggressive. The chemical hazard seen here is that of spraying a toxic substance without protective gear in an enclosed room. This can likely affect the man doing this and is quite likely to happen at a health risk rating of 4. Not only is this dangerous as he is talking on the phone and only using one hand, he is also not wearing gloves, masks or safety glasses. Therefore, he runs a high risk of the toxic substance causing injury to his exposed body on his hands, face or eyes or may be inhaled as it is very easy for him to mishandle this since he is only using one hand, and can be distracted in his phone call. Hence, this chemical hazard can cause danger to his health in the form of injuries through absorption or inhalation.
Pheromones are chemicals that animals produce which change the behavior of other animals of the same species. Though they are low-risk products, high human exposure to it can prove to be toxic (Wyatt, 2019).
Mitigation:
The best way to handle chemical substances would be for safety managers to provide ventilation such as exhaust ventilation in order to trap and remove the contaminated air so that the workers would be confined and inhale it. Also, it is important that employers mandate the use of safety wear when operating toxic substances. However, since in this case, he is a sole worker, he must protect himself by putting a barrier between himself and the hazard by wearing goggles, gloves and face shields before using the pheromone to prevent the substances from being absorbed or inhaled. This should be done at least one week before he begins to use the chemicals.
– Smoking (on an aircraft!)
(Gif created from scene 29:413, Snakes on a Plane)
The chemical hazard identified here is that of fumes which can harm both the person smoking as well as the passengers. This can fall under a category 1 health risk since the effects happen over time. However, it can be more likely to severely affect passengers with respiratory illnesses such as asthma, or babies and pregnant women who would be more susceptible. As a result, it was banned way back in the 1970’s in the US (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health). Nevertheless, two careless patrons in this scene go into the plane bathroom, disable the smoke detector and begin smoking a cigarette. Cigarettes contain a proliferation of harmful chemicals such as lead, nicotine, ammonia and carbon monoxide which make them highly carcinogenic, toxic and teratogenic. This poses a moderate risk to their health, and the secondhand smoke exposure is also a moderate risk to the persons in the enclosed aircraft as it can cause cancer, stroke, respiratory problems, etc. to both the adults and children on the aircraft as seen in the diagram below.
Mitigation
Since there is no ventilation, the smoke can have detrimental effects and as such should not be smoked in communal areas. The persons in the scene should stop smoking altogether immediately to protect their health. If this is impossible, they must wait for the plane to land and do this in a designated area with open air so that the smoke can easily dissipate and not cause harm to anyone. It is also further recommended that the airline authorities put in place stricter policies and penalties by the next month, for breaking the no-smoking rule and have frequent patrols to stop persons who may still do so.
– Improper handling of antivenom shot
(Gif created from scene 1:23:20, Snakes on a Plane)
The chemical hazard identified here is the improper usage of the powerful anti venom and injection needle. This can obviously harm the patient and this is very likely to happen (since he squeezed it into his EYE!) and can have severe consequences such as blindness. Here we see the mishandling of the shot which contains large amounts of chemical antivenom to treat the snake bite. This is a high risk action which could have been potentially lethal and can cause acute effects and injury to his vision. It can also be fatal if it is injected into his bloodstream in an improper dosage or concentration and his body may react negatively to it (Geoghegan, 2020).
Mitigation
It is recommended when handling substances of this capacity to practice proper procedures by trained professionals (not one who wants to torture you like the guy here), doing research and maintaining clean needles and proper dosage. It is important that operations managers put in place proper training when using injections with such strong serums to ensure the health and safety of those with whom they are administering it. Also, it should be mandatory to do a medical background check of the patient before giving the shot, to see if he/she has any allergies that would cause a negative physical reaction to the dosage.
Ergonomic Hazards
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, ergonomic hazards are work design practices that have the potential to cause harm to a worker’s musculoskeletal system. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) affect the muscles, nerves, ligaments, blood vessels and tendons and are often triggered by repetitive activities, working in awkward body postures, bending, lifting, pulling, pushing, reaching overhead and any other strenuous activities. Ergonomics is “the science of fitting the job to the worker and the product to the user” (Pheasant, 1996). In this regard, ergonomics helps to reduce the prevalence and severity of work-related MSDs).
The following are examples of ergonomic hazards which can be seen throughout the movie:
– Pushing and Pulling Meal Cart
(Gif created from scene 23:24, Snakes on a Plane)
In this scene, Claire is pushing the meal cart and Grace pulls the cart while walking backwards. Both Claire and Grace are using physical effort to move the heavy cart in the aisle, however, Grace is at a greater risk of getting a musculoskeletal disorder as walking backward is an unnatural body movement and she can pull a muscle dragging the cart in this manner, further she can also trip and be injured as she cannot see where she is walking. In Glitsch et. al (2007) paper on the physical workload of flight attendants using trolleys, the investigation revealed that “the posture analysis demonstrated that pulling forced the flight attendants to adopt ergonomically unfavourable postures such as pronounced flexion of the back, particularly among female subjects.” This can be seen as Grace is slouched over the cart, which can cause damage to her spine if she continues to do this on all shifts. Grace is on a flight to back pain!
Shaub et.al (2007), in their research paper, identified that German flight attendants were frequently complaining of back pain due to the physical effort of pushing and pulling meal carts through the aisles. The report indicated that the altitude of the plane, in addition to the weight of the cart, had a role to play in the physical effort required by flight attendants, stating that at times, attendants would be pushing the carts up and down slopes as high as 8 degrees 150 to 250 times per shift.
Mitigation
Based on the risk assessment below, it was determined that the overall risk associated with this hazard is relatively low but still deserving of addressing. Therefore, measures lower on the hierarchy of controls such as ergonomic and administrative controls were recommended such as:
1. Re-design of the meal cart to include considerations to the human factors of flight attendant’s (fitting the product to the user).
2. Task rotation of flight attendants between pushing cart and serving.
3. Training of flight attendants on proper posture and practices for maneuvering the cart.
Ergonomic Hazards Risk Assessment
– Poor sitting posture
According to the British Medical Association (BMA) in its book, “Bad Back”, poor postures when sitting are one of the leading causes of back pain. Throughout the movie, both passengers and employees are seen adopting poor sitting postures as follows:
In this scene, FBI Special Agent Hank Harris is reclined in his seat and his computer monitor and keypad are not placed directly infront of him, resulting in his neck being rotated to use the computer. The BMA advises that such a posture would place strain on the back and the neck muscles, which fatigues the muscle leading to swelling and pain and in some cases, severe migraines. The BMA presents the following diagram which is the best posture for working on a desktop compute
We know that you are guiltily adjusting your position right now while looking at this picture because we also did, and we commend you on the effort towards proper posture
The principles for good posture while sitting generally holds true for most situations involving sitting such as proper back support and feet being planted flat on the floor to allow for proper spine alignment in the body.
However, clearly the passengers on the plane did not get this memo. While lounging like Samuel Jackson may look cool, we do not recommend it.
Also, while sitting cross-legged saved this passenger from a snakebite in this instance, it will not save her from back pain later on if she continues to sit like that for a prolonged period such as the duration of a long flight
Mitigation:
Based on the risk assessment, it was determined that the likelihood of the hazard at the FBI office was high as it was very likely that all the work stations would be designed the same at the organization, presenting a moderate overall risk. As such, a mitigation strategy higher on the hierarchy of controls was utilized – substitution of the office chairs for ergonomic chairs. On the other hand, the overall risk of this hazard on the plane was relatively low, therefore an administrative control was utilized – posters on proper postures for sitting.
Psychosocial Hazards
Psycho-social hazards can be defined as components of job design, structure, and management, as well as their social environment, that have the potential to cause psychological or bodily injury (Cooper et al 2015.) Some examples of psycho-social hazards include interpersonal interactions at work, work stress, work overload, bullying, and violence.
Psycho-social hazards that were identified in the movie: Snakes on a Plane are listed below:
–Traumatic Event
During this scene, a little boy named Tommy was bitten by a snake on the top palm of his right hand which was swollen due to the venom. The flight attendant was holding up his hand with great distress in her face attempting to lend a helping hand by using medication from the first aid kit. The attendant was approached by a passenger, Maria, who assisted by requesting for olive oil and a cup. She highlighted by telling the attendant that growing up as a kid, when she goes hiking with her family, they always carry olive oil and a razor blade in the instance of snake bites. Maria took off her earrings, using it as a tool for slicing the flesh of the wound, drank the olive oil as a means of protecting herself from being infected, after which she was seen sucking the venom from Tommy`s hand. Tommy`s eldest brother, Curtis was seen sitting watching on. This is a psycho-social hazard as the effect from this scene led to a scary and terrifying experience for Curtis, as his facial expression was filled with fear and tears. Prior to this experience, Curtis and other passengers would have been exposed to other traumatic events – being attacked by snakes and witnessing gruesome deaths which would have also negatively affected their mental health.
Mitigation:
It would have been best if Tommy`s elder brother Curtis, was not a witness to the scene when the venom was being sucked out of his brother’s hand. The flight attendant as a responsibility towards children should have kept him aside and provided some kind of comfort until the exercise was over. He should not have been exposed to such a scene.
–Haphephobia
In this scene, at the Honolulu International Airport, Three G, a hip-hop star, was seen shopping at an accessory store with his two bodyguards Troy and Big Leroy guarding him. Just after he turned around, he was approached in cheer by his fans that recognized him given his popularity in the movie. He was seemingly exhibiting signs of haphephobia, that is, the fear of being touched. His bodyguards tried to prevent the crowd from reaching out to him, however, he volunteered to give his autograph to a young lady and then another. A kid then attempted to seek his autograph as well, which he granted by signing in his notebook and returned it to him. As a form of gratitude, the little boy by the way of a tip hand shake touched Three G. Three G`s face expression was filled with disgust as he looked down at his hand. He walks off from the crowd and pulls out a sanitizer for his hand and was seen rubbing the liquid in his palms.
Mitigation:
Since there is no one cure for this type of phobia. There are, however, treatment options that are available that can help to mitigate it. As in this case of the fear of being touched, an exposure therapy with the help of a trained therapist can slowly allow for a more comfortable environment. In this scenario with Three G`s, he should adopt a mechanism of facing his fear given the outcome of the movie, where practically all the characters were seen touching each other by helping in some way or the other from being attacked by the snakes.
–Occupational Stress
Occupational Stress is described to be as “a term commonly used in the professional business industry, occupational stress refers to the ongoing or progressing stress an employee experiences due to the responsibilities, conditions, environment, or other pressure of the workplace” (BambooHR). This is widely shown in the entirety of the movie Snakes on a Plane, where the main character, Neville Fynn, was first tasked with the responsibility of protecting an eyewitness to a murder of a prosecutor. After being in the air for some time, the snakes then revealed themselves on board which he was seen directing the passengers to build a wall with the use of suitcases. However, when the snakes broke through on the other side, Flynn hurriedly grabbed a fire extinguisher to deter the crowd. Since there was no real weapon to fight against the snakes, besides sporks, Flynn reached out to a renowned herpetologist, Dr. Steven Price who instructed him to document every snake species on board to have an idea about the antivenoms needed. He then arranges an angry mob of passengers to get to work. On the downside, the pilot and co-pilot in the cockpit were both inflicted by snakebites, and the plane was headed towards a fall into the Pacific. When Flynn was informed of this via Claire, a flight attendant, he immediately takes on the stressful role of the steering wheel of the plane alongside her. The situation escalated a bit outside just when the airways were jammed and the air conditioner stopped working but Flynn plays a heroic journey to the cargo and manually resets the outflow valve monitor. The situation is seemingly contained, but at this juncture, Flynn has had enough of it with snakes as he shoots at the airplane windows. This is a prime example of occupational stress being displayed by Flynn.
Mitigation:
While employees may be experiencing many stressful factors in the working environment, as exhibited by Neville Fynn in the movie, measures such as seminars, workshops, training and intervention can aid them to prepare or deal with effects properly so they aren’t long lasting. Additionally, it is recommended that breaks are taken in stressful working environments to avoid becoming overwhelmed, therefore, Neville should have taken a little breather to resuscitate himself rather than being on the go the entire time.
Conclusion
The fundamental objective of Occupational Safety and Health legislation is to ensure that enterprises provide a risk-free working environment from potential hazards. Simultaneously, encouraging health and safety as a core practice of any organization can help reduce the adverse repercussions of workplace occurrences such as injuries, diseases, and fatalities. The setting of ‘Snakes on a Plane’ clearly illustrates that Occupational Safety and Health protocols were not followed, resulting in several hazards seen throughout the film. This blog post discussed the various types of hazards portrayed in the movie, which included physical, chemical, ergonomic, psychosocial, biological, and safety threats. The inclusion of hazards in the film had a significant effect on the health and safety of employees and passengers on the plane. As a result, risk assessments for the nature of each hazard were tabulated in order to identify the outcome of each hazard that might have transpired. In addition, practicable and appropriate control actions are recommended to mitigate the consequences of each hazard identified in the film.
Fun, (but mostly terrifying) Fact:
While you may be of the belief that snakes on a plane is entirely fictitious, this was not the reality of passengers who found themselves living out a scene from “Snakes on a Plane” as a snake dropped into the cabin. This occurred on a 2016 flight from Mexico and can be found in a video below:
(Source: YouTube, Wall Street Journal, 2016)
Quick game: Spot the Hazards!
You can find the answers/ play the interactive quiz from Ulhas Polle (2021) here: https://www.upehs.com/spot-the-hazard-interactive-quiz-4-no-ads-link/#page-content
Thanks for reading our blog article! Bye bye 😄
https://tenor.com/search/cute-snake-gifs
References:
Agarwal, Dr. Pragya. 2021. “How Does Lighting Affect Mental Health In The Workplace”. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/pragyaagarwaleurope/2018/12/31/how-does-lighting-affect-mental-health-in-the-workplace/?sh=3cd878d4ccdf.
“Aircrew Safety & Health – Secondhand Smoke.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, May 9, 2017. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/aircrew/secondhandsmoke.html.
BMA Bad Back Book. London: Dorling Kindersley Limited, 2018.
Busick, Jennifer,M.P.A., I.H. 2014. “What are You Missing in Chemical Hazard Identification?” Safety Compliance Letter (2566) (10): 5-6. https://www.proquest.com/trade-journals/what-are-you-missing-chemical-hazard/docview/1611786277/se-2?accountid=45039.
“Chemical Hazards.” University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science, May 11, 2021. https://engineering.virginia.edu/departments/chemical-engineering/laboratory-safety/chemical-hazards.
“Department of Labor Logo United Statesdepartment of Labor.” Chemical Hazards and Toxic Substances – Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Accessed November 6, 2021. https://www.osha.gov/chemical-hazards.
“Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor.” Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders in the Workplace – Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Accessed November 6, 2021. https://www.osha.gov/ergonomics.
Geoghegan, Sarah, Kevin P. O’Callaghan, and Paul A. Offit. “Vaccine Safety: Myths and Misinformation.” Frontiers in Microbiology 11 (2020). https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.00372.
Glitsch, Ulrich, Hans Jürgen Ottersbach, Rolf Ellegast, Karlheinz Schaub, Gerhard Franz, and Matthias Jäger. “Physical Workload of Flight Attendants When Pushing and Pulling Trolleys Aboard Aircraft.” International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 37, no. 11-12 (2007): 845–54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ergon.2007.07.004.
Goetsch, D. L. (2015). Occupational Safety and Health for Technologists, Engineers, and Managers, Global Edition. Pearson.
Guidotti, Tee L. “Physical Hazards.” Global Occupational Health, 2011, 142–57. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195380002.003.0008.
Irani, Z., A. Beskese, and P.E.D. Love. “Total Quality Management and Corporate Culture: Constructs of Organisational Excellence.” Technovation 24, no. 8 (2004): 643–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0166-4972(02)00128-1.
Mary Kay Copeland, PhD, and PhD Rubina Mahsud. “Exemplary Customer Service – a Peer-Reviewed Academic Articles: GBR.” Graziadio Business Review | Graziadio School of Business and Management | Pepperdine University, September 29, 2020. https://gbr.pepperdine.edu/2020/09/exemplary-customer-service/.
Mohammadfam, Iraj, Mojtaba Kamalinia, Mansour Momeni, Rostam Golmohammadi, Yadollah Hamidi, and Alireza Soltanian. “Evaluation of the Quality of Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems Based on Key Performance Indicators in Certified Organizations.” Safety and Health at Work 8, no. 2 (2017): 156–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2016.09.001.
Pheasant, Stephen. Bodyspace: Anthropometry, Ergonomics and Design of Work. London: Taylor & Francis, 1996.
Schaub, Karlheinz, Knut Berg, Gabriele Winter, Rolf Ellegast, Ulrich Glitsch, Hans Jürgen Ottersbach, Matthias Jäger, and Gerhard Franz. “Muscular Capabilities and Workload of Flight Attendants for Pushing and Pulling Trolleys Aboard Aircraft.” International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 37, no. 11-12 (2007): 883–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ergon.2007.07.002.
Snakes On A Plane. Directed by David R. Ellis. North America: New Line Cinema, 2006.
Söderlund, Magnus, and Sara Rosengren. “Revisiting the Smiling Service Worker and Customer Satisfaction.” International Journal of Service Industry Management 19, no. 5 (2008): 552–74. https://doi.org/10.1108/09564230810903460.
Spellman, F. R., & Bieber, R. M. (2011). Physical Hazard Control. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group.
The Health Consequences of Smoking–50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General, 2014. Wyatt, Tristram D. “Reproducible Research into Human Semiochemical Cues and Pheromones: Learning from Psychology’s Renaissance,” 2019. https://doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.27908v1.
Cooper, Cary L., James C. Quick, and Marc Schabracq. 2009. International handbook of work and health psychology. Chichester, UK: Wiley-Blackwell.”What Is Occupational Stress? | Bamboohr”. 2021. Bamboohr. https://www.bamboohr.com/hr-glossary/occupational-stress/#:~:text=A%20term%20commonly%20used%20in,other%20pressures%20of%20the%20workplace.
Strat Matters 
November 18, 2021 at 12:05 am
Very well written and a lot of great information! Overall a good read and I like the fun fact and game at the end.
LikeLiked by 1 person
November 18, 2021 at 12:07 am
Thank you for the feedback! We are happy you enjoyed it.
LikeLike
November 18, 2021 at 2:02 pm
This was such an awesome read. you guys did amazing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
November 22, 2021 at 7:00 pm
Thank you for your feedback! It is greatly appreciated 🙂
LikeLike