OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS

IN THE WORKPLACE
 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
• Restrictive working area
• Viruses

• 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
Ergonomics At
Workplace
 What is Ergonomics?

ERGO=“work”

NOMICS= “rules” or “laws”

Ergonomics literally means “the laws of

work”
SO EXACTLY WHAT IS
ERGONOMICS?
It is study of people efficiency at their
working environment.

It is one of the definition of Ergonomics.

It is understandable that there are

different definitions because
ergonomics is all about differences
DIFFERENCES
 This are differences in size,
shape, strength and ability of
individual workers.

This differences call for different

designs in equipment ,
furniture,
Workstations and routines.
 ERGONOMICS

 Ergonomics is used in a
workplace to help
prevent repetitive and
cumulative injuries.
3 Main Ergonomic Principles:
1. Work activities should permit worker to
adopt several different healthy and safe
postures.
2. Muscle forces should be done by the
largest appropriate muscle groups
available
3. Work activities s/b performed with
joints at about mid-point of their ROM
(esp. head,trunk, UE)
 FACTS
• The average person working at a keyboard can
perform 50,000 to 200,000 keystrokes a day
• Overexertion & falls are the most common
cause of workplace injury
• An average of 125,000 back injuries due to
improper lifting each year.
• Muscles overuse results in tiny tears in the
muscles and scarring; these contribute to
inflammation and muscle stiffness
Ergonomic Factors
Two Categories of Ergonomic
Factors
1. Environmental
Hearing

Vision

General comfort and health

2. Physical
 Environmental
Factors

 Some examples of ergonomic environmental

problems are:

 Sick Building Syndrome

 Excessive noise
 Improper lighting
 Temperature extremes
Physical Stressors

Physical stressors place pressure or stress

on parts of the body:
 Joints, muscles, nerves, tendons, bones

Sometimes these injuries are referred to

as “Cumulative Trauma Disorders” (CTDs)
or “Repetitive Strain Injuries” (RSIs)
Types of Injuries
• Muscle pain • Repetitive motion
injury
• Joint pain
• Cumulative trauma
• Swelling
disorder
• Numbness
• Musculoskeletal
• Restricted disorder
motion
• Repetitive
stress injury
ERGONOMIC
STRESS AREAS

Hip

Knee
Target Regions

• Back

• Upper
extremities

• Lower
extremities
Types of Problems or Mismatches
 Physical Size

 Endurance

 Strength

 Manipulative

 Environmental

 Cognitive
Physical Size

 Clearance

 Reach

 Equipment Size

 Personal
Protective
Equipment (PPE)
Cognitive

 Machine Pacing

 Shift Work

 Morale

 Psychosocial
 Musculoskeletal Disorders:
Signs and Symptoms

• Decreased grip • Numbness

and/or pinch • Burning
strength sensation
• Swelling • Tingling
• Fatigue • Pain
• Loss of function • Cramping
• Stiffness
An ounce of Prevention is worth
a pound of cure !
What to do ??

a) Warm up & stretch before

activities that are repetitive, static
or prolonged
b) Take frequent breaks from ANY
sustained posture every 20-30
minutes
c) Respect pain positions or stop
painful activity
d) Recognize early signs of
inflammatory process
 Posture check
Increased stress, decreased
circulation…
 Posture
Think of posture in terms of joint position

Static and awkward postures

lead to:
Decreased movement
Decreased circulation
Increased stress and fatigue
Maintain Neutral Posture
a) Maintain erect position of back
& neck without shoulders
relaxed
b) Position equipment & work
directly in front of and close to
your major tasks
c) Avoid static positions for
prolonged time; muscles
fatigue---MOVE to circulation!
Modify Tasks

a) Alternate activities frequently;

rotate heavy &/or repetitive tasks
without lighter less repetitive
ones.
b) If stress become worse REASSESS
task setup & look for alternative
methods
c) Avoid repetitive or prolonged grip
activities
Correct &
Incorrect
Techniques
Computer workstation ergonomics

• Chair  Glare
• Monitor  Eye strain
• Keyboard  Footrests
• Mouse  Wrists pads
• Document holders  Keyboard trays
• Lumbar pads/pillows  Laptops
• Arm rests
ERGO
REMINDERS
 Practice Wellness at Work and
Home !

Exerci Relaxati
se Nutriti on
on

Spir
Min it
Bod d
y
Thank you
The End