Quidoles, Edgel R.

BSN-4

Occupational Health Hazards

Safety Hazards Health Hazards

 working conditions where harm to the  working conditions which result in an

workers is of an immediate and violent illness
nature  exposure to dangerous substances or
 result in broken bones, cuts, bruises, conditions, such as chemicals, gases,
sprains, loss of limbs, etc. dusts, noise etc.

 the harm results in some kind of injury to  often, latency between exposure and
the worker disease

 associated with poorly guarded or

dangerous equipment and machinery

Chemical Hazards

Routes of entry into the body:

 Inhalation
 Ingestion
 Skin Contact

Routes of excretion:

 Gastro-intestinal (Feces)
 Renal (Urine)
 Respiratory (Exhalation)
 Skin (Sweat, hair, nails)

Classification of Toxic Effects

 Local toxicity- occurs at the site of chemical contact

 Systemic toxicity- occurs distant from point of contact, may involve many organ systems
 Acute toxicity- occurs almost immediately (hours/days) after an exposure
 Chronic toxicity- represents cumulative damage to specific organ systems; occurs many
months or years to have recognizable clinical disease

Health Effects

 Renal Diseases
 Respiratory Diseases
 Skin Diseases
 Hematologic Diseases
 Cardiovascular Diseases
  Neurologic Diseases
 Carcinogenic
 Teratogenic

Effects Chemical Agent Industry/Process

Renal Diseases: Mercury, cadmium, Battery, chemical industries,
acute/chronic renal chloroform pesticide
failure
Respiratory Diseases: Solvents, ammonia Chemical industries
Irritation, inflammation
Pneumoconiosis Inorganic dust Mining, construction,
sandblasting, coal
Cancer Chromium Plating, metal refining
Blood Diseases: Lead Battery mfg., lead
Anemia smelting
Aplastic anemia Benzene Solvent & soap mfg.
Skin Diseases: Plastic epoxides Plastic, varnish
Allergic/contact
dermatitis
Acne Cutting oils, grease Machine-tool
operators
Skin Cancer Arsenic, tar Petroleum refinery
Liver Disease: Carbon Cleaning fluids, dry
Acute liver toxicity tetrachloride cleaners
Liver cancer Vinyl chloride Plastics & vinyl
chloride mfg.
Cardiovascular Disease: Lead, Cadmium Battery mfg. &
Hypertension recycling
Atherosclerosis Carbon disulfide Degreasing, dry
cleaning
Arrythmias Fluorocarbon, Refrigeration, solvent
trichloroethylene workers

Physical Hazards:

 Noise
 Vibration
 Extreme Temperature
 Illumination
 Radiation
NOICE

Types of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

 Temporary Threshold Shift (auditory fatigue)

 temporary loss of hearing acuity after exposure to loud noise
 recovery within 16-48 hrs
 Permanent Threshold Shift
 irreversible loss of hearing

Early Signs of Hearing Loss

• Difficulty in understanding spoken words in a noisy environment

• Need to be near or look at the person speaking to help understand words

• Familiar sounds are muffled

• Complaints that people do not speak clearly

• Ringing noises in the ears (tinnitus)

VIBRATION

Physical factor which affects man by transmission of mechanical energy from oscillating sources.

Types:

 Segmental vibration
 Whole body vibration

Segmental Vibration

Health Effects:

— Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS)

— tingling, numbness, blanching of fingers

— pain

Whole Body Vibration

Health effects:

 Fatigue
 Irritability
 Headache
 Disorders of the spine

EXTREME TEMPERATURE

Sources of heat stress:

Natural Conditions
 Hot work processes related to furnaces, kilns,

boilers and smelting

Health Effects of Heat Stress

Disorders Clinical Features

Prickly Heat (Miliaria rubra) Pruritic rash
Heat cramps Cramps in the body,
usually legs
Heat exhaustion Dizziness, fainting attack,
blurring of vision, cold,
clammy and sweaty skin
Heat stroke Cyanosis, muscle
twitching, disorientation,
delirium, convulsions

Sources of Cold Environment:

Ice plants and freezers in the food industry

HEALTH EFFECTS OF COLD TEMPERATURE

 Frostbite: reddening of skin, localized burning pain and numbness. Fingers, toes, cheeks,
nose, ears are most susceptible.
 trench foot or immersion foot: numbness, pain, cramps, ulceration and gangrene.

INADEQUATE ILLUMINATION

Health Effects

Visual Fatigue

Double Vision

Headaches

Painful irritation

Lacrimation

Conjunctivitis