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HAZARDS

Health hazards are conditions that can impair health or cause discomfort, leading to lost work time. They are classified into chemical, biological, physical, ergonomic, psychosocial, and safety hazards, each with specific examples and implications for worker health. Understanding these hazards is essential for creating safer work environments and preventing health-related issues.

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19 views3 pages

HAZARDS

Health hazards are conditions that can impair health or cause discomfort, leading to lost work time. They are classified into chemical, biological, physical, ergonomic, psychosocial, and safety hazards, each with specific examples and implications for worker health. Understanding these hazards is essential for creating safer work environments and preventing health-related issues.

Uploaded by

Kevin G. Perez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What are Health Hazards – are condition that may impair health or cause discomfort

enough to make workers lose time from work. They are classified into following:

1. Chemical Hazard – when they become AIRBORNE and in EXCESSIVE


CONCENTRATION. In the following forms, nature:

1. Mist – Acids and Bases. Dispersion of liquid particles in air, suspended


liquid droplets due to condensation. Associated with acids, chlorine,
formaldehyde, phenols, etc. & processes like electroplating, spraying, and
misting. Common acids are hydrochloric, sulfuric, nitric, and phosphoric;

2. Vapors – Organic Solvents. Gases forms when liquid evaporates.


Associated with solvents, adhesives, alcohols, varnishes, paints &
lacquers, degreasers, gasoline, dry cleaning agent, etc., classified into
hydrocarbons, ketones, esters, ether, and alcohol. They easily evaporate;

3. Gases – substances in gaseous state at room temperature and pressure.


Have no warning odor at a dangerous concentration. Carbon Monoxide
from incomplete combustion, hydrogen sulfide & chlorine gas due to
wastewater, sewage treatment plant, ammonia from refrigeration &
fertilizer plants leakage, and nitrogen dioxide from machinery using diesel
engine like generators;

4. Dusts / Particulates – Powder and Fibers. Hazard depends in the content


of dust. Nuisance dust are ordinary dusts. They become problem
depending on the amount, concentration, size, and type of dust. Silica
Dust from building materials such as stone; Metal Dust from leaded paint
or grinded metal; Wood Dust due to flooring and wood fixtures; Asbestos
Dust from thermal and acoustic insulation, fire resistant walls and
partitions, and asbestos cement sheets and flooring. Asbestos are
carcinogenic;

5. Fumes – Heavy Metals. Volatilized solid that condenses when had contact
with air. Very small solid particles created when hot vapor reacts with air
to form an oxide. Associated with molten metals through welding,
soldering, metalizing, and coating. Common heavy metals are Lead, Iron,
chromium, Tin and Zinc Fumes;

2. Biological Hazard – Microbiological consisting of bacteria virus fungi; and


macrobiological consisting of animals, and plants carrying microbiological
hazards:

Both chemical and biological hazards can enter a person’s body through
ingestion, inhalation, skin contact, and injection

3. Physical Hazard – It includes:


1. Noise – unwanted and excessive in the form of vibration conducted
through solids, liquids, or gases. Through Arm’s Length Rule, if 2 people
with no hearing impairment have to raise their voices in order to hear each
other in a distance of less than an arm’s length, then there is hazardous
noise;

2. Vibration – unwanted movements, transmissions of mechanical energy


from sources of oscillation. Low frequency or whole body transmission due
to weaving looms, harvesters-threshers, tractors, etc. High frequency or
segmental through hand-driven power tools like chain show, grinder, and
polishers;

3. Illumination – is hazardous if the stream of light is low. Sources of lights


are natural and artificial. Lighting are either general which illuminates the
whole area, or local which illuminates a specific task (e.g. in quality control
areas for QC purposes). Illumination is measured as “lux”;

4. Temperature – extreme cold or extreme heat. Factors include Metabolic


rate/activity level, workload whether light moderate, heavy as required by
the work; clothing; air temperature; radiant temperature; solar loading; air
speed; and humidity. All of them affects extremity of temperature;

5. Pressure – extremity depends on change in altitude or atmospheric


pressure. 14.7 psi (pressure per square inch) or 101.325 kpa (kilo pascal)
is the standard pressure. Occupational Exposure to pressure is common
in underwater tunneling, diving, sewage construction, aviation, mining;

6. Radiation – emission or transmission of energy as waves or moving


particles. Ionizing radiations are particles, x-rays, gamma rays with
sufficient energy to cause ionization affecting cellular composition and
mutation. Non-ionizing are electromagnetic radiation which does not carry
enough energy to ionize atoms or molecules.

4. Ergonomic Hazards – process of designing or arranging workplaces, products


and systems so that they fit the people who use them. It includes improperly
designed tools or work areas, repeated motion in/and awkward position,
improper lifting or reaching, and poor visual conditions (lighting);

5. Psychosocial Hazard – poor work design, organization, management, poor


social context of work which may result in work related stress, burnout, and
depression. It leads from work conflicts, meeting deadlines, relationship with
coworkers, managing staff, long working hours, demanding boss, heavy or high
workload, lack of direction on tasks, lack of perception of fairness, lack of control
over work environment, low reward (pay, benefits, and salaries). Grievance
machineries have an important role to it.

Safety Hazard
1. Poor housekeeping
2. Fire – Fuel, Oxygen, Heat
3. Use of Machine
4. Material Handling
5. Electricity

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