BET 11 Lesson 5 - Workplace Hazards

Lesson 5: Workplace Hazard s|1
University of Makati
College of Technology Management
Electrical Technology
Learning Material
BET 11 : Electrical Installation and Maintenance
Lesson 5 : Workplace Hazards
BET 11: ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE

Lesson 5: Workplace Hazards
Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
1. Define hazards and risks,
2. Classify workplace hazards,
3. Identify workplace hazards and
Introduction:
The lesson will explain what is a hazard and risks in the context of
occupational safety and health. Moreover, the lesson will present to you
the classification and identification of workplace hazards that will help
you understand better how to be vigilant towards the ill effects of such
hazards.

HAZARDS AND RISKS
What is the difference between 'hazard' and 'risk'?
Hazard - The way in which an object or a situation may cause harm.
A hazard exists where an object (or substance) or situation has a built-in
ability to cause an adverse effect. Such hazards include uneven
pavements, unguarded machinery, an icy road, a fire, an explosion and a
sudden escape of toxic gas.
Exposure - The extent to which the likely recipient of the harm is exposed to
- or can be influenced by - the hazard.
The presence of a potential target in the area and its distance from the
hazard will determine the extent of the risk. For instance, a fire or explosion
may cause damage to nearby buildings and their contents, or to vehicles

and equipment, but will not harm people if there are no people present at
the time.
Risk - The chance that harm will actually occur.
As mentioned, a hazard exists where an object (or substance) or situation
has a built-in ability to cause an adverse effect. Risk, on the other hand, is
the chance that such effects will occur: the risk can be high or negligible.
FIVE BASIC WORKPLACE HAZARDS
There are five major types of hazards which can put both your health and
your safety at risk.
1. Chemical hazards
2. Physical hazards
3. Biological hazards
4. Ergonomic hazards or job-related hazards
5. Psychological hazards or stress

CHEMICAL HAZARDS
Chemical hazards are present when a worker is exposed to any chemical
preparation in the workplace in any form (solid, liquid or gas). Some are
safer than others, but to some workers who are more sensitive to chemicals,
even common solutions can cause illness, skin irritation or breathing
problems.
Chemical hazards are substances which, because of its characteristics and
effects, may cause harm to human health and safety. Chemical hazards
can be broken down to include exposure to; vapors, gases, mists, dusts,
fumes and smoke.

Examples of chemical hazards include exposure to:
✓ Chemical reactions ✓ Carcinogenic substances
✓ Production of chemicals ✓ Mutagenic substances
✓ Chemical incompatibility ✓ Teratogenic substances
✓ Chemical storage ✓ Oxidizing substances
✓ Flammable Substances ✓ Corrosive substances
✓ Combustible substances ✓ Pressurized containers
Beware of:
1. Liquids like cleaning products, paints, acids, solvents especially
chemicals in an unlabeled container (warning sign!)
2. Vapors and fumes, for instance those that come from welding or
exposure to solvents
3. Gases like acetylene, propane, carbon monoxide and helium
4. Flammable materials like gasoline, solvents and explosive chemicals.
PHYSICAL HAZARDS
Physical hazards are the most common and will be present in most
workplaces at one time or another. They include unsafe conditions that can
cause injury, illness and death.

They are typically easiest to spot but, sadly, too often overlooked because
of familiarity (there are always cords running across the aisles), lack of
knowledge (they aren't seen as hazards), resistance to spending time or
money to make necessary improvements or simply delays in making
changes to remove the hazards (waiting until tomorrow or a time when
"we're not so busy").
None of these are acceptable reasons for workers to be exposed to
physical hazards.

Physical hazards cause injury to workers when an object, piece of
equipment or material comes in contact with a worker. Physical hazards
are often associated with an uncontrolled source of energy; kinetic,
electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, etc.
Examples of physical hazards include:
1. Electrical hazards: frayed cords, missing ground pins, improper wiring
2. Unguarded machinery and moving machinery parts: guards removed
or moving parts that a worker can accidentally touch
3. Constant loud noise
4. High exposure to sunlight/ultraviolet rays, heat or cold
5. Working from heights, including ladders, scaffolds, roofs, or any raised
work area
6. Working with mobile equipment such as fork lifts (operation of fork lifts
and similar mobile equipment in the workplace requires significant
additional training and experience)
7. Spills on floors or tripping hazards, such as blocked aisle or cords running
across the floor.
BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS
Biological hazards come from working with animals, people or infectious
plant materials. Work in day care, hospitals, hotel laundry and room

cleaning, laboratories, veterinary offices and nursing homes may expose
you to biological hazards
Biological hazards are organisms or substances produced by organisms
that may pose a threat to human health and safety.
Biological hazards include exposure to:
✓ Blood or other body fluids or ✓ Bacteria and viruses
tissue ✓ Poisonous plants
✓ Human waste ✓ Animal waste
✓ Anthrax ✓ Threat of insect or animal bites
✓ Fungi / molds ✓ Drugs / cytotoxic substances

L e s s o n 5 : W o r k p l a c e H a z a r d s | 10
ERGONOMIC HAZARDS
Ergonomic hazards occur when the type of work, body position and
working conditions put strain on your body.
They are the hardest to spot since you don't always immediately notice the
strain on your body or the harm these hazards pose.
Short-term exposure may result in "sore muscles" the next day or in the days
following exposure, but long-term exposure can result in serious long-term
injuries.

Ergonomic hazards include:
✓ poor lighting ✓ frequent lifting
✓ improperly adjusted ✓ repeating the same
workstations and chairs movements over and over
✓ poor posture ✓ having to use too much force,
✓ awkward movements, especially if you have to do it
especially if they are repetitive frequently
PSYCHOLOGICAL HAZARDS
Psychological hazards cause workers mental distress or distraction.
Although a rather new hazard classification, it is critical that psychological
hazards are thoroughly identified and controlled.

Examples of psychological hazards include:
✓ Violence in the workplace ✓ Lack of motivation
✓ Work pace ✓ No procedures
✓ Working alone ✓ Bullying and harassment
✓ Over / under worked ✓ Client / patient aggression
✓ Worker phobias ✓ Fatigue
✓ Poor leadership ✓ Shift work
HEALTH HAZARDS
Common types of health hazards in the workplace are:
1. Chemical (asbestos, solvents, chlorine)
2. Biological (tuberculosis, HIV, hepatitis, molds)
3. Physical (noise, heat and cold, radiation, vibration)
4. Ergonomics or Repetitive Strain Injuries (carpal tunnel syndrome, back
injuries)
5. Psychological (stress)
How health hazards enter your body:
1. Breathing (inhalation)
2. Swallowing (ingestion)
3. Skin (absorption)
4. Cuts (injection)

The harm caused by health hazards depends on:
1. Strength, or potency, of the agent.
2. Amount of the agent that is present.
3. How long you are exposed to the agent.
4. Part of your body that is exposed.
Types of health effects:
1. Acute: the effect shows up right away.
2. Chronic: problems show up after a long period of exposure and/or long
after the exposure ends.
3. Local: only the part of the body that was exposed is affected.
4. Systemic: an agent enters the body and affects other parts of the body.
Reproductive effects
1. Both men and women can be affected by reproductive hazards at
work.
2. Reproductive hazards cause miscarriages and birth defects.
Sensitization
1. You may become allergic or sensitive to some agents you work with.
Sensitization can develop over time.

2. For example, a health care worker may develop a serious allergic
reaction to latex used in gloves.
SAFETY HAZARDS
Common types of safety hazards in the workplace are:
1. Slips, trips and falls
2. Being caught in or struck by moving machinery or other objects
3. Fire and explosions
4. Transportation and vehicle-related accidents
5. Confined spaces
6. Violence
Slips, Trips and Falls
1. Bad housekeeping and poor drainage can make floors and other
walking surfaces wet and slippery.
2. Electrical wires along the floor pose a tripping hazard.
3. You can fall if you are not provided with fall protection equipment,
guardrails, and safe ladders.

Caught In or Struck by Moving Machinery / Objects
Machinery can cause injuries in different ways:
1. You can get parts of your body caught in or struck by exposed moving
parts if machines are not properly guarded, or not locked out when
being repaired.
2. You can be struck by flying objects from machines without protective
guards.
Fire and Explosions
1. Improper labeling, handling or storage of certain materials can pose a
risk of fire or explosion.
2. Every workplace should have an evacuation plan for getting people out
of a building in case of fire and an alarm or alert system to quickly inform
employees of an emergency.
3. Every worker should be trained on what to do in case of an emergency.
Transportation and Vehicle-Related Accidents
1. Operators of vehicles and equipment can be injured or cause injury to
pedestrians if equipment is unsafe or if adequate training has not been
provided.
2. You can be seriously injured or killed after being hit by a vehicle while
repairing roads or doing other work in traffic zones.

3. This danger exists when traffic is not properly routed and/or adequate
barriers are not placed between the workers and the traffic.
Confined Spaces
1. A confined space is an area with small openings for a worker to enter
and exit and is not designed for regular work. Examples of confined
spaces include manholes, sewer digesters and silos. There are many
hazards in confined spaces.
2. Workers can become unconscious and die from a lack of oxygen.
3. There may be too much oxygen, or other chemicals that can catch fire
or explode.
4. Poisonous gases and vapors, such as hydrogen sulfide or carbon
monoxide, may also build up in a confined space.
5. Confined spaces can also pose physical hazards. They can be very hot
or cold, very loud, or slippery and wet.
6. Grain, sand or gravel can bury a worker.
Violence
1. Violence on the job is a growing problem.
2. Homicides are the second leading cause of workplace fatalities.
Workplace violence includes physical assault as well as near misses,
verbal abuse and sexual harassment.

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Lesson 5: Workplace Hazard s|1

BET 11 : Electrical Installation and Maintenance

Lesson 5 : Workplace Hazards

BET 11: ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE

Lesson 5: Workplace Hazards

At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:

1. Define hazards and risks,

2. Classify workplace hazards,

3. Identify workplace hazards and

the classification and identification of workplace hazards that will help

BET 11: ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE

HAZARDS AND RISKS

What is the difference between 'hazard' and 'risk'?

Hazard - The way in which an object or a situation may cause harm.

A hazard exists where an object (or substance) or situation has a built-in

ability to cause an adverse effect. Such hazards include uneven

pavements, unguarded machinery, an icy road, a fire, an explosion and a

sudden escape of toxic gas.

- or can be influenced by - the hazard.

may cause damage to nearby buildings and their contents, or to vehicles

BET 11: ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE

Risk - The chance that harm will actually occur.

As mentioned, a hazard exists where an object (or substance) or situation

FIVE BASIC WORKPLACE HAZARDS

your safety at risk.

4. Ergonomic hazards or job-related hazards

5. Psychological hazards or stress

BET 11: ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE

Chemical hazards are present when a worker is exposed to any chemical

even common solutions can cause illness, skin irritation or breathing

Chemical hazards are substances which, because of its characteristics and

fumes and smoke.

BET 11: ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE

Examples of chemical hazards include exposure to:

✓ Chemical reactions ✓ Carcinogenic substances

✓ Production of chemicals ✓ Mutagenic substances

✓ Chemical incompatibility ✓ Teratogenic substances

✓ Chemical storage ✓ Oxidizing substances

✓ Flammable Substances ✓ Corrosive substances

✓ Combustible substances ✓ Pressurized containers

1. Liquids like cleaning products, paints, acids, solvents especially

chemicals in an unlabeled container (warning sign!)

3. Gases like acetylene, propane, carbon monoxide and helium

4. Flammable materials like gasoline, solvents and explosive chemicals.

cause injury, illness and death.

BET 11: ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE

knowledge (they aren't seen as hazards), resistance to spending time or

money to make necessary improvements or simply delays in making

changes to remove the hazards (waiting until tomorrow or a time when

"we're not so busy").

None of these are acceptable reasons for workers to be exposed to

BET 11: ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE

Physical hazards cause injury to workers when an object, piece of

equipment or material comes in contact with a worker. Physical hazards

are often associated with an uncontrolled source of energy; kinetic,

electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, etc.

Examples of physical hazards include:

1. Electrical hazards: frayed cords, missing ground pins, improper wiring

2. Unguarded machinery and moving machinery parts: guards removed

or moving parts that a worker can accidentally touch

3. Constant loud noise

4. High exposure to sunlight/ultraviolet rays, heat or cold

5. Working from heights, including ladders, scaffolds, roofs, or any raised