Occupational hazards: Meaning, Types and Prevention

Occupational health and the various occupational hazards faced by employees are described along with how to prevent all these hazards.

1. OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS

2. Occupational health should aim at the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well being of the workers in all occupations. Occupational hazards are problems that a worker faces due to his or her occupation.

3. TYPES Physical Hazards Chemical Hazards Biological Hazards Mechanical Hazards Psychosocial Hazards

4. Hazards Physical The physical hazards include Light Radiation Heat and Cold stress Vibration hazards Noise  hazards

5. VIBRATION HAZARDS Frequency range 10 to 500Hz - tools such as drills cause health issues. These vibration usually affects the hands and arms. After some months or years of exposure, the fine blood vessels of the fingers may become increasingly sensitive to spasm (white fingers) It also produce injuries of the joints of the hands and shoulders.

6. HEAT AND COLD STRESS Direct effect as heat stroke, heat exhaustion and heat cramp. Indirect effect are decreased efficiency, increase fatigue and enhanced accident rates . General hypothermia is common. Occupational exposure to extremely low temperature is experienced by divers, fishermen, dairy workers, refrigerator repairmen, etc. Important hazards associated with cold works are chill brains, trench foot and frostbite.

7. RADIATION Radiation refers to any transfer of energy through space from a source. Some examples of radiation include sunlight, radio waves, x-rays, heat, alpha, beta, gamma ionizing radiation, and infrared

8. LIGHT Workers may be exposed to risk of poor illumination or excessive brightness. The acute effect of poor illumination are eye strains, headache, eye fatigue, eye pain, lacrimation. Exposure to brightness or glare -discomfort annoyance and visual fatigue. Intense direct glare - blurring of vision and lead to accidents. Sufficient and suitable lighting, natural and artificial whenever persons are working.

9. NOISE HAZARDS Auditory effects -temporary or permanent hearing loss Non-auditory effects- nervousness, fatigue, interference with communication by speech, decreased efficiency and annoyance. The degree of injury- depends on intensity and frequency range, duration of exposure and individual susceptibility.

10. Psychosocial Hazards A psychosocial hazard or work stressor is any occupational hazard that affects the psychological and physical well-being of workers, including their ability to participate in a work environment among other people.

11. Psychosocial Hazards This kind of hazard troubles an individual very much to an extent that his general well-being is affected. Examples include: Work-related stress, whose causal factors include excessive working time and overwork Violence from outside the organization

12. Psychosocial Hazards Bullying, which may include emotional and verbal abuse, Sexual harassment, Mobbing, Burnout Exposure to unhealthy elements during meetings with business associates, e.g. tobacco and uncontrolled alcohol.

13. CHEMICAL HAZARD A chemical hazard is a type of occupational hazard caused by exposure to chemicals in the workplace. Exposure to  chemicals  in the workplace can cause acute or long-term detrimental health effects.

14. CHEMICAL HAZARD The following materials are very much causing chemical hazards; Acids, Glues Cleaning products such as toilet cleaners, disinfectants , mildew remover and chlorine bleach. Heavy metals, including mercury, lead, cadmium, and aluminum. Paint, Pesticides, Petroleum products

15. BIOLOGICAL HAZARD It is also known as biohazards, refer to biological substances that pose a threat to the health of living organisms, primarily that of humans. This can include medical waste or samples of a microorganism, viruses, or toxins (from a biological source) that can affect human health.

16. BIOLOGICAL HAZAD Sources of biological hazards may include bacteria, viruses, insects, plants, birds, animals, and humans. These sources can cause a variety of health effects ranging from skin irritation and allergies to infections (e.g., tuberculosis, AIDS), cancer and so on.

17. BIOLOGICAL HAZAD The harmful effects posed to human health by these biological hazards are mainly of three types - infections, allergy and poisoning. If the contact with biological hazards cannot be prevented, the employees must use personal protective equipment and adhere strictly to the practice of personal hygiene.

18. BIOLOGICAL HAZAD The personal protective equipment includes masks, gloves, protective clothing, eye shields, face shields and shoe covers.

19. MECHANICAL HAZARD These are created as a result of either powered or manual (human) use of tools, equipment or machinery and plant. An example of a mechanical hazard is: contact and/or entanglement with unguarded moving parts on a machine.

20. COMMON MECHANICAL INJURIES Cutting & Tearing Shearing Crushing Straining & Spraining Puncturing

21. COMMON MECHANICAL INJURIES In industrial settings, people interact with machines designed to drill, cut, shear, punch, chip, staple, stitch, abrade, shape, stamp, and slit . If workers fail to follow safety precautions, these procedures can happen to humans, instead of work pieces.

22. PREVENTION OF OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS

23. Identify the risks at workplace . The first thing that you need to do is to check the work place for potential hazards Reduce Noise at Your Workplace. In many factories, workers are exposed to high decibels of noise caused by the machinery. Try to Reduce Environmental Stress Conduct Regular Checks and Mock Drills

24. Provide personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, goggles, protective cloths, foot cover, etc. It is better to regularly conduct health check ups to the employees who are exposed to hazardous chemicals, gas, radiation, etc. Proper training should be given to all the employees that are engaged in hazardous activities and also the safety measures that they have to follow.

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