Occupational Hazards

HAZARDS AND RISKS

Hazard:
It is a factor or exposure that may adversely affect health, property and/or the
environment.
It is a qualitative term expressing the potential of an environmental/safety agent
to harm the health of certain individuals if the exposure level is high enough.
Risk:
A measure of the probability that damage to life, health, property, and/or the
environment will occur as a result of exposure to a given hazard.
It is the quantitative probability that a health effect will occur after an individual
has been exposed to a specified amount of a hazard.

What are the environmental Health Hazards?

 Any external factor that negatively affects your health can be considered an
environmental health “hazard."
 Common environmental health hazards include indoor and outdoor air
pollution, and contaminated water.

Types of Exposure to Hazards

 Acute
Short term period between exposure and onset of symptoms

 Chronic
Long time period between exposure to an agent and the onset of symptoms

Safety hazards:
 Accident Types (Machinery & object hazards)
 Fire and explosion hazards
 Electrical hazards
 Confined space hazards
 Prevention of occupational safety hazards

Health hazards:
 Physical hazards

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  Chemical hazards
 Biological hazards
 Ergonomic hazards
 Prevention of occupational health hazards

Accident Types (Machinery & object hazards)

STRUCK-BY:
 A person is forcefully struck by an object. The force of contact is provided
by the object.
 Example: a pedestrian is struck by a moving forklift.

STRUCK-AGAINST :
 A person forcefully strikes an object. The person provides the force.
 Example: a head person strikes with a low overhead pipe work

CONTACT-BY:
 Contact by a substance or material that by its very nature is harmful and
causes injury.
 Example: a person is contacted by dust created by cutting task.

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CONTACT-WITH:
 A person comes in contact with a harmful material/object. The person
initiates the contact.
 Example: a person hands contacts with the moving sharp-edged (cutting
part in a machine).

CAUGHT-ON
 A person/clothing is caught on an object that is either moving or stationary,
causing him to lose balance and fall, be pulled into a machine.
 Example: a loose of sleeve cuff becomes entangled with lathe machine .

CAUGHT-BETWEEN
 A person is crushed, pinched or otherwise caught between either a moving
object and stationary object, or between two moving objects.
 Example: a person’s finger is caught between two gears.

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Serious Caught-On Accident

Jack Benton, OSHA (Aug, 2003) (http://ehssafetynews.wordpress.com/2013/08/page/3/)

CAUGHT-IN
 A person or part of him is trapped, stuck, or otherwise caught in an opening or
enclosure.
 Example: a person’s finger is caught through the spokes of machine wheel.

Falling Object
 Loading/object falling from height during handling operation, object dislodged, adverse
weather conditions.
 Example: loads falling from a pallet when being lifted by forklift.

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FALL TO SURFACE:
 A person slips or trips and falls to the surface he is standing or walking on.
 Example: a person slip due to material on a floor in the walkway.

FALL-TO-BELOW:
 A person slips or trips and falls to a surface level below the one he was walking or
standing on
 Example: a person fall from elevated surfaces (ladder).

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 Manual Material Handling (MMH) Hazards
 MMH is one of the common hazards that leading causes of workplace
injuries of musculoskeletal disorder such as back injury, muscle injuries and
work-related upper limb disorders (WRULDs).
 MMH includes lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling of objects
 Examples:
- A person lifts a heavy object
- A person twists the torso to place materials on a table.
- Pulling heavy materials

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 Fire and Explosion hazards)
Fire Triangle (Basic principles of fire combustion)

Basic Fire Triangle Description

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Flash point:
is the lowest temperature at which a liquid produces sufficient
flammable vapors to cause a momentary flame when ignited. It should
be noted that as soon as the source of ignition is removed the flame
extinguishes.
It is used to determine the various amounts of combustible material
permitted to be stored in various types of containers.

Potential Factors Cause Fire at Workplace:

 Hot work- any work involving the use of naked flames (e.g. a
propane torch) or that creates a significant ignition source (e.g.
arc-welding).
 Electrical equipment- incorrect use of electrical equipment in
inappropriate environments.
 Unsafe use & storage of flammable liquid & materials- e.g. Petrol,
gas cylinders. Static sparks can be generated which could ignite a
flammable vapour.
 Chemical reactions- can also generate heat, e.g. oxidizers.
 Heating appliance- e.g. electric fan heaters, space heaters,
especially when left unattended.

Control Measures of Fire Hazard:

Control of Flammable Materials
 Eliminate the flammable materials
 Substitute one potential fuel source for another
 Minimize the quantities of flammable materials at workplace and
storage area.
 Control of ignition sources (potential factors cause fires)
 System of work- e.g. use of a “permit-to-work system” to control
hot work where flammable material is available.
 Good housekeeping- e.g. well ordered, keep each flammable
materials in separate storage area and appropriate ambient
temperature for flammable liquid “flash point”
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 Classification of flammable & combustible liquids
adapted from Asfahl & Rieske, 2010)

Ambient Temperature & Flammable Liquid

 Lower explosive limit:
is the lowest concentration of a flammable gas or vapor mixture in air
which is capable of ignition and subsequent flame propagation. Below
this concentration ignition cannot take place.
 Upper explosive limit:
is the highest concentration of a flammable gas or vapor mixture in air
which is capable of ignition and subsequent flame propagation. Above
this concentration ignition cannot take place.

Burnability ranges of some popular flammable liquids

(adapted from Asfahl & Rieske, 2010)
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Electrical hazards)
Electrocution Hazards:
 110-volt circuits are not safe.
 Victims of 110-volt circuits are more than 220-volt circuits.
 Electrocution accident depends on factors such as body
resistance, wet or damp location, the point of contact, contact by
the body torso, and the presence of skin wounds.
Electricity Hazards:
 Electric shock: it can lead to muscle grip, heart fibrillation and
cardiac arrest.
 Burns
 Fire & explosion
 Arcing
Miswiring Dangers:
 Jumping (connecting) the ground wire to the neutral wire is
dangerous.
 Reversed Polarity means that the hot and neutral wires are
reversed, which may cause confusion.
 Open Ground mean failing to connect the ground terminal to the
ground wire.
Confined Space hazards)
 Chemical hazard includes contaminated atmosphere (deficient
oxygen or chemical contaminants).
 Mechanical hazards may be in the form of entrapment or
engulfment.
 Entrapment occurs due to falling in constriction, such as in silos,
hopers and cyclones.
 Engulfment occurs in containers handling dry powdered material,
sand or grains, such as bins, silos or hopers.
Confined Space Hazards Controls Measures:
 Permit-required spaces be identified, evaluated & controlled.

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  Procedures of entry must be identified.
 Appropriate equipment and level of training.
 Confined spaces must be provide with warning sign & barrier.
 Personal protective equipment (PPE).

Prevention of Safety hazards

Prevention of Safety Hazards (Control)
 Elimination
 Substitution
 Minimization
 Engineering controls:
Enclosure, safeguards, planning plant layout, safe design
 Administrative controls:
Safety training, safe procedures, supervision, warning signs,
housekeeping, inspection, preventive maintenance, standard
practice, etc.
 Personal protective equipment:
Eye & face, ear, head, hand & foot, clothing, respiratory, etc.

Types of Occupational Health Hazards

Physical Hazards
Types of physical health hazards:
 Noise and vibration
 Thermal stress
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  Abnormal pressure
 Ionizing and non-ionizing radiation

Physical Hazards: Noise & Vibration

Occupational Noise
What is noise:
 Noise is unwanted sound. The unit of noise or sound is decibel
(dB). Noise is measured using sound level meter.
 High noise levels may produce psychological effects by annoying,
startling, or disrupting the worker’s concentration, which can
lead to accidents.
 High levels can also result in damage to workers’ hearing,
resulting in hearing loss.
Allowable exposure limits:
 OSHA permissible limit is 90 dBA for an 8 hr daily duration of
exposure .
 As the noise level increases by 5 dBA, the exposure duration
should be reduced to 50%. This is called a 5-dBA exchange rate.
This means that if the noise level is 95 dBA, the exposure
duration should not be longer than 4 hr, etc.
 NIOSH recommends an exposure level of 85 dBA for 8 hr and an
exchange rate of 3 dBA.
Basic requirements of OSHA’s Hearing Conservation Standard:
 Monitoring noise levels
Using sound level meter or noise dosimeter.
 Medical surveillance
Periodical audiometry.
 Noise controls
Administrative and engineering controls.
 Personal protection
Ear plugs or ear muffs.
 Education and training
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Vibration
 Vibration is defined as the oscillatory motion of a system around
an equilibrium position.
 Vibration originates from mechanical motion, generally occurring
at some machine or series of machines.
 Vibration is a low-frequency form of noise.
 The two types of vibration are:
 Whole-body vibration
 Segmental vibration
 Excessive whole-body vibration cause annoyance, reduced
performance, blurred vision and loss of motor control.
 Segmental vibration can cause “white finger” or “Raynaud
Syndrome”.

Physical hazards: Thermal Stress)

 Operations involving high temperatures, high humidity, or
strenuous physical activities have a high potential for inducing
heat stress (e.g., fatigue, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, heat
stroke, heat collapse).
 Examples are:
• Iron and steel foundries,
• Electrical utilities (boiler rooms),
• Chemical plants,
• Mining sites,
• Outdoor activities (e.g., construction).
Measurement of heat stress:
 Many indices are used to assess heat stress.
 The most commonly used is the Wet-Bulb-Globe-Temperature
(WBGT) index.
 The US standard:

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Light work (<200 kcal/h), moderate work (200-350 kcal/h), heavy work (>350 kcal/h).

Thermal stress control:

 Engineering controls:
Ventilation, air cooling, fans, shielding, and insulation.
 Administrative controls:
Training, workplace monitoring, work scheduling, reducing physical
workload, and providing recovery area.
 Personal protective equipment:
Reflective clothing and auxiliary body cooling.

NIOSH requirements for training program contents:

 Knowledge of the hazards of heat stress
 Recognition of predisposing factors, danger signs, and
symptoms
 Training of employees regarding their responsibilities in
avoiding heat stress
 Awareness of first-aid procedures
 Dangers of using drugs, including therapeutic ones hot work
environments
 Use of protective clothing and equipment (PPE)
 Purpose and coverage of environmental and medical
surveillance programs and the advantages of worker
participation

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Physical hazards: Radiation
Ionizing Radiation:
 Ionizing radiation is any radiation capable of producing ions by
interaction with matter (cells), causing functional changes in the
tissues (e.g., cancer).
 Examples: alpha, beta, gamma and X-rays, and cosmic rays.
 Ionizing radiation sources can be found in:
• Health care facilities,
• Research institutions and science labs ,
• Nuclear power stations.
• Medical radiography and baggage security scanner.

Non-Ionizing Radiation:
 Non-ionizing radiation includes those electromagnetic regions
extending from ultraviolet to radio waves (radiofrequency range).
 Examples: ultraviolet, light, infrared, laser, microwave, and
radiofrequency radiation.

Non-Ionizing Radiation:
 Ultra-violent( UV): high frequency electromagnetic radiation (e.g.
arc in arc-welding task).
 Visible light: High intensity visible light damages the eyes (e.g.
laser pointer or device)
 Infrared radiation: leads to skin burns, dehydration, and eye
damage (e.g. red-hot steel in rolling mill).
 Microwave radiation: causes internal heating of the skin (e.g.
telecommunication equipment- mobile phone antenna).

OSHA Radiation Safety Requirements:

 OSHA has standards for both ionizing radiation (29 CFR 1910.96)
and non-ionizing radiation (29 CFR 1910.97).

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Control Measures
(OSHA Radiation Safety Requirements):
Time: minimize the time of exposure.
Distance: Increase the distance from the radiation source to reduce the
amount of received radiation.
Shielding: reducing the level of radiation by made steel and concrete.
Other control measures such as warning, security and training of
workers.

OSHA Radiation Safety Requirements:

Ultra-violent: cover exposed skin (protect eyes in welding process).
Laser: the protection depends on class of laser. For example, in high
class laser (eye protection dark goggles).
Microwave radiation: maintain a safe distance from the source or
isolate the radiation of source.
Infrared radiation: cover exposed skin (eye protection dark goggles)

Chemical hazards)
 Gases
 Metal Fumes
 Acids and Bases
 Solvents
 Pesticides
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  Chemical hazards include airborne, liquid and solid chemicals.
 Airborne chemicals include:
 Gases (e.g., SO2, NOx, CO, H2S).
 Vapors (e.g., organic solvents).
 Particulates (e.g., dust, metal fumes, acid mist, smoke).
 Liquid chemicals include:
 Acids, alkalies, lubricating oils, solvents, detergents, etc.
 Solid chemicals include:
 Cement, gypsum, lime, mineral salts, etc.

Examples of health effects of some chemicals:

 The chemical hazards can impact on skin (e.g., dermatitis-

inflamed skin) and respiratory system (e.g., asthma- polishing
dust).
 Toxic substances are typically classified as:
-Irritants if they tend to inflame the skin or respiratory tract (e.g., dust
in polishing operation).
- Systemic poisons when they damage internal organs (e.g., mist in
painting operations- paint spraying).
- Depressants if they act on the central nervous system (e.g., fume in
molten metal by welding process).

Control of chemical hazards:

 Engineering controls:
 Elimination, substitution, minimization of the use of hazardous
chemical.
 Enclosure to eliminate or minimize contact with chemicals.
 Local and general ventilation.
 Administrative controls:
 Safe work practices
 Training,
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  Job rotation, rest periods, …
 Medical examinations
 Personal protective equipment:
 Respirators, masks, hand and foot protection, eye and face
protection, protective clothing.

Example: open abrasive blast cleaning

 Process: The abrasive medium (steel shot/grit, sand, or slag) is
propelled through a hose by compressed air to remove paints and
expose the steel.
 Engineering controls:
 Local ventilation
 Substitute with less dusty operation: vacuum-blast cleaning, wet
abrasive blast cleaning, high-pressure water jetting, chemical
stripping, power-tool cleaning.
 Administrative controls:
 Develop and implement a good respiratory protection program in
accordance with OSHA requirements in 29 CFR 1926.103.
 Personal protective equipment:
 Type CE abrasive-blast respirators certified by MSHA/NIOSHA.

Ergonomics hazards)
What is ergonomics?
 Ergonomics discovers and applies information about human
behavior, abilities, limitations, and other characteristics to the
design of tools, machines, systems, tasks, jobs, and environments
for productive, safe, comfortable, and effective human use.
 The goal of ergonomics is to protect the worker, to minimize
worker error, and to maximize worker efficiency – while providing
a bit of comfort to the worker while he or she performs job tasks.

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD):

 MSD result from:
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lifting or lowering loads, sustained or awkward posture, overexertion,
repetitive work, vibration, mechanical compression, etc, as well as
inefficient ergonomic design.
 Types of MSD:
low back disorders, neck and shoulder disorders, and disorders of the
hand, wrest and elbow.
 Examples of MSD:
Low back disorders, Cervical radiculopathy, Ulnar nerve entrapment,
Carpal tunnel syndrome, Trigger finger

Other ergonomic hazards:

 There are many other types of environmental, psychological and
physiological stresses that increase fatigue and error at work and,
consequently, increase accident rates.
 Examples:
Repetitive short cycle jobs, monotony, boredom, noise, improper
illumination, improper shift schedule, improper design of displays,
improper colors, etc.

Elements of an ergonomic program:

 Hazard identification
 Program evaluation
 Training
 Medical management
 Management commitment and employee participation
 Hazard prevention and control
Administrative control of ergonomic hazards:
 Proper selection of employees for the task in question through
pre-employment physical examination.
 Periodical medical examination and job rotation, if necessary.
 Training in ergonomic safety.
 Provision of personal protection, e.g., back belts.

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  Proper shift rotation system and adequate rest pauses.
 Development of standard practices.
Engineering control of ergonomic hazards:
 Proper design to eliminate environmental hazards (illumination,
noise, color, thermal environment).
 Proper design of equipment using the appropriate
anthropometric data.
 Proper design of hand tools, controls and displays.
 Replacing manual handling of loads by mechanical handling.

Biological hazards
 Animals
 Rodents
 Insects
 Microorganisms:
 Bacteria
 Viruses
 Parasites
 Yeasts
 Fungi

Categories of Hazards
Health and Safety Manager should not feel that elimination of
workplace hazards in an indisputable goal
Every Hazard must fall into one of the following categories
(1) Hazards that are physically infeasible to correct (x-ray radiation,
Aircraft engine disabled because of birds, 15.1.2009 Le guadria
Airport)
(2) Hazards that are physically feasible, but economically infeasible to
correct (Crosswalks on a university campus, cost, inconvenience,
low probability)
(3) Hazards that are both physically and economically feasible to
correct (Automobiles air bags, antilock breaks, etc)

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