OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS

AT WORKPLACE

HSE Department Agha Saood Khan

Definition

“The promotion and maintenance of the highest

degree of physical, mental and social well-
being of workers in all occupations – total health
of all at work”
Ancient Times
 Egypt, Greece and Rome
 Mining one of the oldest industries
 Miners – slaves, criminals

 Work = punishment

 Manual trades – inferior

 Miners used bags, sacks, animal bladders as masks to

decrease dust exposure
Middle Ages
 Central Europe – mining a feudal enterprise
 Serf labour – unskilled
 Growth of trade - increased need for money and
capital – mines of Central Europe
 Need for skilled labour
 Mines deeper, conditions worsened
16th and 17th Century
 Mining, metal work and other trades flourished
 Some improvement in ventilation
 Shift from feudalism to capitalism
 Guilds – artisans – sickness benefits, funeral
benefits
18th Century
 Bernardino Ramazzini
 Physician,professor of medicine in Modena and Padua
 “Diseases of Workers” – 1700
 Systematic study of trade diseases
 Father of Occupational Medicine
 “what is you occupation?”
History

Bernardino Ramazzini (1633-1714)

``De Morbis Artificum Diatriba``
First book on occupational diseases – 1700 in
Italy
19th Century
 Statutory medical service for factory workers
 Factory Inspectors
 Medical certification for children
 Certifying Surgeons
 Workers with exposure to lead, white phosphorus,
explosives, rubber – periodic exams
 Notification of industrial disease – lead, phosphorus, arsenic,
anthrax
 1898 – Thomas Legge – Medical Inspector of Factories
20th Century
 Workers’ compensation
 Quickly moved from wage loss to clinical ratings, “meat
chart”
 Many enquiries

 Continual modifications, additional benefits & coverage

 Occupational disease
 1913 – industrial disease – 6 listed in Schedule 3
 1926 – silicosis, pneumoconiosis
 1932 – cancer
 1944 – exposure length removed
 WCB could add to Schedule 3
 1947 – generic definition of industrial disease
Mid 20th Century
 Occupational Health and Safety legislation
 EU directive
 General duty
 Evaluation of risk

 Program of prevention

 Establishment of preventive services

 Worker rights
 Knowledge
 Participation
 Refuse unsafe work and freedom from reprisals
 Learning objectives
 What is a/an
 Hazard
 Risk
 Exposure

 What are the types of occupational hazards?

Hazard
 Potential of an agent to cause harm
Exposure
 Contact with a Hazard is called Exposure
 Exposure is a combination of

 Magnitude
 Frequency
 Duration
Risk
 Likelihood that an agent will cause harm in the
actual circumstances of exposure

 RISK occurs only when there is

Hazard Exposure
Health Risk = Hazard x Exposure

Exposure

Hazard
Health Risk

 No Hazard = No Risk

 Hazard, but no Exposure = No Risk

Health Risk = Hazard x Exposure

HAZARDS AT WORKPLACE
 Physical
 Chemical
 Biological
 Psychosocial
 Ergonomics
 Mechanical
 Classes of Hazards

Health hazard
The potential to cause
harm to health
Chemical Psychological

Physical Ergonomic
Biological
 Occupational • Bacteria
• Fungi • Manual handling
Hazards • Insects • Repetitive movement
• Viruses • Restrictive working area

• Noise
• Vibration
• Radiation BIOLOGICAL ERGONOMICAL
• Lighting
• Heat PHYSICAL
• Cold CHEMICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL
• Fibres
• Dusts
• Fumes • Job stress
• Gases • Job monotony
• Aerosols • Unsociable hours
• Mists • Job organization
• Liquids
• Vapours
Physical hazards
Physical hazards
 Fall from heights e.g. scaffolding, high building
 Slips and trips
 Objects falling from cranes
 Dangerous heavy machinery
 Electrocution
 Confined spaces
Physical agents
NOISE
 Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL)
 Mental irritability & fatigue
 Noise can increase blood pressure
 Interference with communication can lead to
accidents eg. Carpentry, quarry, construction
workers
EXTREME TEMPERATURES

HEAT COLD
 Heat Stress  Hypothermia
 Heat Stroke  Frostbite (freezing soft
 Cataract body tissue)
 eg. hot oven workers,  eg. cold storage
glass manufacturing workers
RADIATION

Ionising Radiation Non-Ionising Radiation

 X-ray, Gamma, Alpha &  Ultra-violet light
Beta particles eg.
radiology staff, nuclear
plant, radium workers
 Health effects:
 Cancer – lung, bone,
thyroid
 Congenital abnormalities

 Leukaemia
Chemical hazards
CHEMICAL HAZARDS

 Solvents which may be

 Dusts (sand, asbestos, cotton) present in the
working
 Paints environment as
 Pharmaceuticals gases, vapours,
mists/aerosols,
 Pesticides fumes, dusts, liquids
 Metal fumes or solids.
 Acids & Alkali
SOLVENTS
 Neuropathy (n-hexane,TCE)
 Dermatitis
 Kidney damage
 Liver damage/toxic jaundice –hepatitis
 Anaemia, leukaemia -benzene
DUST
 Asbestosis
 Sand dust(silica) – silicosis
 Cotton dust – byssinosis
 Vegetable/plant dust – hypersensitive pneumonitis,
bronchial asthma
PAINTS
 Paint contain petroleum solvents.
 Paint contain Lead pigments (Pb poisoning) →
anaemia, neuropathy, kidney damage
PESTICIDES
 Chronic headache
 Memory impairment

 Skin Diseases

 Cancer

eg. Agricultural workers,

pest sprayers
METAL FUMES
 Lead, mercury
e.g. welders

Health Effects:
 Cancer

 Kidney damage

 Neuropathy

 Metal fume fever

GASES
 Carbon monoxide, sulphur

 Health Effects
 Respiratory irritation
 Asphyxia

e.g. coal miner, sewerage, tunnel, laboratory workers

Biological hazards
BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS

 Bacteria
 Fungi – mold
 Virus – Bird Flu, Influenza, SARS
 Blood-borne pathogen - HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis
 Tuberculosis

e.g. farmers, health care workers, animal handlers

Psychosocial hazards
Psychosocial hazards
 Work-related stress – excessive working time,
overwork, burnout
 Bullying – emotional, verbal
 Sexual harassment
 Violence at work
 Body odour
 Health effects:
 Occupational Stress, Anxiety, Depression
 Cardiovascular Disorders, GI Disorders

 Drug abuse, smoking

ERGONOMIC FACTORS

• Working postures / chairs

• Space per work shift

• Working surface height

• Reach / machine feeding

• Space between machines

• Strenous physical load

ERGONOMIC FACTORS
 Lifting heavy loads/frequent bending/repetitive &
monotonous work

 Design of tools

 Displays and instructions

 Mental overload / visibilty

Health Effects
 Musculo-skeletal disorders
 Backache/back strain/neck strain

 Repetitive strain injuries (RSI)

 Carpel tunnel syndrome

e.g. factory workers, Health care workers, electronic,

garment workers, VDU operators
MECHANICAL HAZARDS
 Outdated machines

 Unsafe designs

 Complex / sophiscated machinery

 Poor maintenance

 Slippery /wet floors

Health effects: cut/crush injuries,fractures,fb eye

SAFETY/OTHER HAZARDS
 Flammable substances - fire
 Flammable gases - explosion
 Electricity overload, inadequate insulation -
electrocution
Risk Assessment

HIGH MEDIUM LOW

Circular Machines
(Sande, Cables
Saw
fretsaw,
bandsaw)
Steps to Carry Out Risk Assessment
 Identify the Hazards
 Identify who might be
harmed and the nature of
the harm
 Evaluate the risks and
decide on control measures
 Record findings and
implement actions
 Set fixed period for review
of risk assessment and
update if necessary
Thank you

The End