Management of Occupational Health

and Safety Canadian 7th Edition

Kelloway Solutions Manual
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 CHAPTER 6
Biological and Chemical Agents

ESSENTIAL OUTCOMES
After completing the lesson on this chapter, if nothing else, my students should be able to
comprehend the terminology related to the risks and hazards of chemical and biological agents,
and describe processes used to manage and control these risks in the workplace.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
After completing this chapter, students should be able to:

• define the numerous terms related to chemical and biological agents

• discuss the management of chemical and biological agents
• outline the actions of chemical and biological agents on human physiology
• outline control mechanisms

KEY CONCEPTS
• Most occupational diseases are related to exposure to chemical and biological agents.
Depending on factors such as the type, circumstances, and duration of exposure, the result
can be as minor as a skin irritation, or as serious as death.
• Biological agents are sometimes referred to as biohazards and include things like mould,
fungus, bacteria, and viruses. They are natural organisms or products of organisms that
present a risk to humans. Biohazards are categorized by Biosafety Level, ranging from Level
1 to Level 4, with Level 4 being the most dangerous and requiring highly specialized
containment facilities, equipment, and expertise.
• Chemical agents are the creation of one or a combination of a large number of chemicals
and their physical reactions. In North America alone, more than 70,000 different chemicals
are in use, with hundreds more being added to the list each year.
• Contaminants can be either chemically produced (such as vapour from paint thinners), or
mechanically produced (such as dust from sanding or grinding). The seven types of
contaminants are dust, fume, smoke, mist, vapour, gas, and liquid.
• The hazard that a chemical agent poses is defined by its likelihood of causing injury and by
the potential seriousness of its toxicity.
• Chemicals may enter the body by one of four means: respiration (inhalation), skin
absorption, ingestion, or skin penetration. Of these, respiration is the most common means of
contamination and may present the greatest risk in many workplaces.
• Solvents may be organic or inorganic, and present various risks, which depend in part on
their characteristics and properties, such as their heat of vaporization, flammability, and
volatility.

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Chapter 6 – Biological and Chemical Agents

• All employees must be properly trained in identifying and handling dangerous substances,
and policies and procedures for their safe handling and use must be in place along with good
housekeeping practices and record keeping. Other administrative controls include the use of
appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), good personal hygiene practices (such as
proper washing before entering rest areas or lunchrooms), and diligent record keeping,
including medical surveillance.

STUDENT MOTIVATION
At some level, most people fear the types of hazards described in this chapter. This should arouse
interest and curiosity to learn more about chemical and biological agents and their safe handling.
Many students will have some prior awareness of the dangers of chemicals in the workplace,
even if they have not had direct experience with them. Likewise, most students will be aware of
biological hazards such as highly contagious viruses, and will have some appreciation of the
serious health threat they represent.

BARRIERS TO LEARNING
This chapter deals with some technical and scientific terminology that may be unfamiliar or
challenging to some students, especially those without some previous science background (such
as biology or chemistry), or those whose first language is not English. So it may be necessary to
provide some extra time to review these terms.

ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND LESSON PLAN

1. Engaging Students at the Outset

Learning Objective: At the completion of this activity, students will be able to list and
identify chemical and biological agents with which they may have come into contact.

Working in pairs, have students list various substances they have had contact with, either in their
work or in their personal lives. Once they have a list, ask them to mark either a “C” for chemical
or “B” for biological beside each substance. Ask for a few examples, and use these as a way of
introducing the chapter indicating that everyone has had some exposure to chemical and
biological agents, representing various degrees of hazard to our health.

2. Lesson Engagement Strategies

a. Learning Objective: At the completion of this activity, students will have related the risk
of exposure to chemical and biological hazards to the actual workplace, by using the
workplace examples described in the text.

Working in triads, ask students to read and discuss OH&S Notebook 6.1, “Types of
Contaminants (Aerosols)”; OH&S Today 6.1, “Bakers’ Asthma”; and OH&S Today 6.2,
“Needlestick Injuries: A Decreases in Rates.” Each student is to take responsibility for reading a
different article and summarizing its contents for the other two members of the triad. Ask them
to consider the exposure risks of chemical and biological agents in each situation, and to discuss

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 Chapter 6 – Biological and Chemical Agents

together whether these risks are reasonable and acceptable. Then invite the students to share the
conclusions of their triad discussions with the class.

b. Learning Objective: At the completion of this activity, students will be able to list and
describe basic procedures for infection control of potential biological hazards.

Show the class a brief video on infection control, such as the following video on universal
precautions from the ShelterHealth Hep C organization in Hamilton, Ontario:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxbba7ECCXc. Ask them to take notes while watching the
video. At the completion of the video, ask them to pair up and compare their notes. Call on
students at random to have them identify the seven universal precautions described in the video.

c. Learning Objective: At the completion of this activity, students will have considered
various perspectives dealing with the issue of environmental illness (EI) caused by
exposure to fragrances and scents.

Ask students to raise their hand if they are currently wearing any type of fragrance (perfume,
cologne, body spray, etc.). While they keep their hands up, ask again for students to also raise
their hand if today they used any sort of lotion, antiperspirant, etc., that has some sort of
fragrance or scent. Now ask the students to look around the classroom to observe the number of
classmates wearing some form of fragrance today. Have them put down their hands. Now, ask
students to raise their hand if they experience some sort of allergy or sensitivity to scents and
fragrances. Ask any other students to raise their had if they know someone with such a
sensitivity or allergy. Compare the size of this group to the size of the first group, and facilitate a
discussion about the issue of how to manage this issue in the workplace (using the classroom as a
potential representation of a typical workplace).

Alternative activity: In the event that your school or educational institution has a scent-free or
scent-reduced policy, discuss the influence that policy may or may not have had on students’
choice to wear a scented product. Ask students to indicate how they would respond as an HR
manager to a complaint of an individual wearing a scented product.

3. Lesson Plan Notes and Lecture Outline

Many chemical and biological agents are dealt with under WHMIS regulations. You may want to
have an OHS specialist from a safety association provide a three-hour WHMIS 2015
training session as an introduction to chemical hazards. WorkSafe BC provides a booklet,
“WHMIS at Work,” an instructional Video/DVD, and WHMIS information
(http://www.worksafebc.com).

Other jurisdictions provide similar useful student and instructor training resources.

A. Chemical and Biological Agents

(Refer to Lesson Engagement Strategy a)

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Chapter 6 – Biological and Chemical Agents

B. Chemical Agents and Types of Contaminants

* Just for fun, you may want to bring a few examples of classroom chemical hazards to your
classroom to share with students (e.g., multipurpose correction fluids, glue, computers, felt
markers, toner cartridges) as examples of the various types of chemical hazards professors and
students could be exposed to in nonindustrial workplaces.

This chapter lists the types of contaminants found in industrial workplaces. You will want to
extend the discussion to include contaminants found in non-industrial workplaces. Use
PowerPoint slides to define (and mention their impact on workplace health hazards) several of
the terms relating to chemical agents, such as these: synergistic, toxicity, aerosol, flammability,
reactivity, concentration, exposure time, liquid/solid/vapour states. Use PowerPoint slides to
illustrate OH&S Notebook 6.1, “Types of Contaminants.”

1. Dust
2. Fumes
3. Smoke
4. Mist
5. Vapour
6. Gas
7. Liquid

Ask students to reflect on their earlier discussion (Lesson Plan A: “Chemical Agents: Types,
Risks, and Management”) and share examples of the chemical contaminants that the workers in
those cases were exposed to (OH&S Notebook 6.1, “Types of Contaminants (Aerosols)”; OH&S
Today 6.1, “Bakers’ Asthma”; and OH&S Today 6.2, “Needlestick Injuries: A Decrease in
Rates”).

Ask students to consider what types of chemical hazards office workers might be exposed to.
Refer to the answer of end-of-chapter Discussion Question 1 for examples.

Office equipment such as photocopiers, computers, fax machines, laser printers, and
ink/bubblejet printers may have ozone and hydrocarbon emissions. These must be labelled on
SDSs. Use products with low volatile organic compound emissions and use only as directed.

Have students form groups of three or four to discuss one type of contaminant found in a
workplace. The students will want to refer to their text, OH&S Notebook 6.1, “Types of
Contaminants.” Students should define one contaminant, give an example, and describe related
legislation and HRM policies that address the health and safety issues. You may want to share
the following example before or after the group’s discussion.

Example: Second-hand Smoke

• Smoke is one of the seven types of chemical contaminants found in workplaces. Smoke is an
airborne respirable particulate originating from the products of combustion. Second-hand
tobacco smoke should not be present in the workplace. The Workers’ Compensation Board

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 Chapter 6 – Biological and Chemical Agents

defines second-hand smoke as a workplace hazard that requires employers to control the
exposure of workers. Employees may be provided with designated smoking areas outside the
building. Second-hand tobacco smoke contains many different toxic chemicals, including
some that are cancer-causing, such as benxoapyrene and formaldehyde. Health experts have
not established a safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke. Employers may offer
worksite health promotion interventions ranging from smoking cessation programs, which
typically involve a combination of education, group support, counselling, and behavioural
change techniques, to wellness programs and health benefits.

• For online information on second-hand tobacco smoke, visit one of the following:

http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthfiles/series.asp
http://www.tobacco-facts.info/
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca
http://www.worksafebc.com
http://www.cctc.ca
http://www.quitnow.ca

Ask a few of the student groups to summarize their discussion with the class. Share a few more
examples of any of the seven contaminants that were not mentioned by the student groups, to
ensure the students know the seven types of contaminants.

* An alternative learning activity would be to engage students in a discussion on the growing

concern about quality of air in the workplace and environmental illnesses. Students can discuss
Case Study 1, “Firefighters and Cancer.” Refer to end-of-chapter Case Study 1.

C. Toxicology and Routes of Entry

Use PowerPoint slides to define toxicology and the four routes of entry in order of risk and
normal contact: respiration, skin absorption, ingestion, and penetration. Engage students in a
discussion of recent events concerning occupations with high-risk exposure to chemicals (refer to
Using the Internet, Question 2). Bring several current online newspaper articles to class (e.g.,
Canadian fire fighters exposed to carcinogenic chemical fumes, agriculture workers exposed to
pesticides). Ask students to form small groups to discuss the following: an example of an
environment and/or occupation that is at a high risk of chemical exposure; how chemicals enter
employees’ bodies; the actions these chemical agents have on the human body; and what
employee behaviours can reduce the chemical exposure. Ask a few student groups to summarize
their discussion with the class.

You will want to clarify that certain chemicals can be high-risk or low-risk depending on their
route of entry. For example, research supports that thallium is a dust that can affect the human
nervous system, lungs, heart, and kidneys if it enters the body through respiration, ingestion, or
penetration but not absorption; therefore, it requires personal hygiene, the wearing of respiratory
personal protective equipment, and safe work practices. Ask students if they know of anyone
who ingests iron pill supplements. Iron is not harmful if it is ingested, penetrated, or absorbed
into the human body, but it can cause short-term (not long-term) respiratory problems if it enters

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Chapter 6 – Biological and Chemical Agents

the body through respiration. Summarize the discussion by suggesting that chemical exposures
can be prevented, first, through elimination, and second, through substitution, and that if these
methods are not possible, then chemical hazards need to be controlled by ensuring that
employees wear PPE and that they develop good personal hygiene and safe work practices.

D. Classification of Toxic Substances

Divide students into small groups. Assign each group one or two of the 12 classifications of toxic
substances. Have the groups define and discuss examples of the actions these biological and
chemical agents have on the human body. Have the small groups present their definitions and
examples to the class. Refer to OH&S Notebook 6.4, “Classification of Toxic Substances.”

The 12 classifications of toxic substances are:

1. Irritants
2. Asphyxiates
3. Anesthetics and Narcotics
4. Systemic Poisons
5. Liver Toxicants
6. Kidney Toxicants
7. Neurotoxins
8. Sensitizers
9. Lung Toxicants
10. Mutagens
11. Teratogens
12. Carcinogens

E. Characteristics and Properties of Solvents

Solvents are the most prevalent of products that we use both at work and at home. Use
PowerPoint slides to define organic and inorganic solvents, and then engage students in a
discussion on the eight characteristics and properties that make solvents effective, but also
hazardous and toxic.

The eight general characteristics or properties that make solvents effective, but hazardous and
toxic, are:

1. Low surface tension

2. High vapour pressure
3. Low boiling point
4. Low heat of vaporization
5. High volatility
6. Ability to dissolve fats
7. Flammability
8. Vaporization

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 Chapter 6 – Biological and Chemical Agents

F. Biological Agents

Use PowerPoint slides to illustrate the four biohazard classification levels outlined in the OH&S
Notebook 6.5, “Classification of Biological Agents.” Give an overview of the increasing degree
of risk at each level, providing workplace examples of biohazards. Engage students in a
discussion of some of the biohazards they have encountered in their workplaces. Refer to Table
6.2, “Biological Agents.” Provide and outline of the chain of infection using example (common
cold) students may be familiar with.

G: Control of Biological Agents (Infection Control)

Refer to Lesson Engagement Strategy b.

* An additional or alternative activity would be to have students form small groups to discuss
Using the Internet Question 1. You can have students access websites, or you can bring in
newspaper articles, hospital guidelines/policies, and/or other publications on workplace
procedures that have been implemented to minimize exposure and reaction to influenza. Ask the
student groups to summarize their discussion with the class.

H. Control of Exposures

Have students form seven small groups to discuss one of the seven ways of controlling the
potential adverse effects of exposure to chemical and biological agents. Ask the seven student
groups to summarize their discussion with the class. Refer to the answer for end-of-chapter
Discussion Question 3. Use PowerPoint slides to illustrate Figure 6.3. Give an overview of
engineering, work practices, PPE, personal hygiene practices, good housekeeping, medical
surveillance, and record-keeping controls.

ASSESSMENT TOOLS
To quickly assess student learning against the chapter learning outcomes, at the end of the class:

• Ask students to compare and contrast chemical and biological agents, giving examples of
each. Use OH&S Notebook 6.1, “Types of Contaminants,” and Table 6.1, “Biological
Agents” as references.
• Ask students to write a “minute paper” identifying (1) one key learning point they are
taking away from the class, and (2) one aspect they find confusing or requiring more
study. Collect and use the information to help assess material; this may require revisiting
either at the beginning of the next class, or during study review for a mid-term test.

REFLECTIONS ON TEACHING
Good teaching requires ongoing self-assessment and reflection. At the completion of this lesson,
you may find it helpful to reflect on the following, and consider whether you want or need to
make any adjustments for subsequent lessons.

• What worked in this lesson? What didn’t?

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Chapter 6 – Biological and Chemical Agents

• Were students engaged? Were they focused or did they go off on tangents?
• Did I take steps to adequately assess student learning?
• Did my assessments suggest that they understood the key concepts?
• What (if anything) should I do differently next time?
• How can I gather student feedback?
• How can I use this feedback for continuous improvement of my teaching?

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Weblinks

• ShelterHealth Network website: http://www.shelterhealthnetwork.ca

Videos

• ShelterHealth Hep C organization in Hamilton, Ontario:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sxbba7ECCXc

SUGGESTED ANSWERS TO CASES AND EXERCISES

Discussion Questions

1. This chapter lists the types of contaminants found in industrial workplaces. Consider the
typical office setting. What types of chemical hazards might office workers be exposed to?
(You can expand this question to include the types of chemical hazards that classroom
professors and students may be exposed to.)

Answer: Refer to the OH&S Notebook 6.1, “Types of Contaminants,” for a list of the seven
types of chemical contaminants. Some examples of chemical hazards (listed according to the
seven types of contaminants) that office workers (or classroom professors and students) may be
exposed to include the following:

• Dust is an airborne respirable particulate—that is, solid particles generated by

mechanical means. It may occur during office renovations involving sanding, or from
laser printer toner. Office equipment such as photocopiers, computers, fax machines,
laser printers, and ink/bubblejet printers may have ozone and hydrocarbon emissions.
These must be labelled on MSDSs.
• Fumes are airborne respirable particulate formed by the evaporation of solid
materials, such as automobile exhaust. They may enter through the intake of air from
indoor garages.
• Smoke is an airborne respirable particulate originating in the products of combustion,
such as second-hand tobacco smoke.
• Mist is an airborne respirable particulate in the form of liquid droplets generated by
condensation from the gas state, such as hair spray, spray perfume, or other personal
care products.
• Vapour is the airborne respirable particulate in a gaseous form of any substances that
are normally in the solid or liquid state at room temperature and pressure, such as

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 Chapter 6 – Biological and Chemical Agents

multipurpose correction fluids, glue, felt markers paints, lacquers, varnishes, drapes,
and carpets.
• Gas is an airborne respirable particulate that is one of the three states of matter where
temperature is above the boiling point, such as elevated levels of carbon dioxide in
small workspaces.
• Liquid can come in contact with the skin and/or eyes through chemical splashes or
spills. Examples include office, lunchroom, and bathroom cleaning solvents.

2. Explain the concept of a “synergistic effect” as used in this chapter.

Answer: Synergistic effects occur when the outcome of two factors taken together is greater than
the sum of the two. Hazards can act synergistically with other lifestyle or environmental factors,
leading to a much more serious hazard. A good and familiar example is ammonia and bleach.

3. What are the major ways of controlling the potential adverse effects of exposure to chemical
and biological agents?

Answer: Figure 6.3 gives an overview of engineering, work practices, PPE, personal hygiene
practices, good housekeeping, medical surveillance, and record-keeping controls.

4. What is the Globally Harmonized System and what is its goal?

Answer: The Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals
for workplaces is a standardized approach to classification. The overall goal in adopting this
standardized approach is to develop consistent policies, practices and standards with other
countries that use GHS.

Using the Internet

1. Research reports detailing the flu season in Canadian cities during 2016. Examine how this
season compared to previous years. What procedures did workplaces (i.e., hospitals)
implement to minimize exposure or reaction to this biological hazard?

Answer: Students should examine the Public Health Agency of Canada

(http://www.publichealth.gc.ca), the Government of Canada’s weekly flu watch website for
information (http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/diseases-conditions-maladies-affections/disease-
maladie/flu-grippe/surveillance/reports-season-2015-2016-saison-rapports-eng.php). Students
should also access information from Infection Prevention and Control Canada IPAC (http://ipac-
canada.org/infections-influenza.php).

2. Cases of environmental illness or environmental sensitivity seem to be becoming more

common. Search out contemporary cases in which employees have been exposed to chemical
or biological agents with long-term consequences. Could these exposures have been
prevented? Could the workers have been protected?

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Chapter 6 – Biological and Chemical Agents

Answer: Students can approach this by looking into various industries, including the hair
dressing or salon industry or they can look for news articles such as the following:
http://www.essexlive.news/harlow-security-firm-g4s-fined-almost-2-million-after-exposing-
workers-to-legionnaires-disease/story-29689064-detail/story.html.

Exercise

There are a number of steps that can be taken in order to reduce the spread of colds and
influenza. A systematic approach to implement various engineering, administrative and PPE
based controls that would minimize the spread should be implemented. Managers and
supervisors should ensure that the proper engineering equipment is available (e.g. gloves where
appropriate, cleansers, sneeze guards, tissues etc.). From an administrative control perspective
HR managers and senior leaders should ensure there is an appropriate amount of sick time, have
policies that are supportive of employees staying home when ill, as well as policies that outline
proper and expected hygiene protocols (i.e., personal and workspace hygiene). Depending on the
industry (e.g., medicine), organizations (i.e., HR manager) may want to implement a flu shot
policy or offer flu shot clinics in house. Organizations could host clinics by partnering with local
pharmacies, promoting clinics within the community and so forth. Other steps the HR manager
could take would be to educate employees as to proper hygiene, informing employees of the
routes of entry to avoid falling ill and informing them of the organizational supports available.
Furthermore it would be helpful for HR managers, as well as supervisors, to provide information
to employees of the myths associated with colds and flus. Employees should also engage in
various activities such as hand washing, remaining at home when they fall ill, and reducing their
exposure to sick individuals.

OH&S in Action

It is recommended that students select a biohazard (e.g., cold or influenza) they can research with
risk their selected biohazard poses. Based on what the students find, they should specifically
outline within their pamphlet whether there are specific populations of individuals who are more
at risk (e.g., women, children, frail or elderly). Students should refer to page 136 of the textbook
to outline the chain of infection using their selected biohazard as an example. Their pamphlet
should explicitly outline the various control mechanisms. For this portion of their pamphlets,
students should be referring to Chapter 4 and referring to precontact, point-of-contact, and
postcontact control mechanisms, including engineering, administrative, and PPE that should be
in place.

Case Studies

Case Study 1: Firefighters and Cancer

From the perspective of a health and safety professional, researching and documenting the
various new chemicals that are used in various industries, including technology, manufacturing,
and so forth, would be a start. While knowing all new chemicals would be a difficult task, it

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 Chapter 6 – Biological and Chemical Agents

would be helpful to ensure that firefighters are familiar with those they are most often exposed
to. This could be done by contacting chemical experts and having them put on education sessions
for firefighters. Chemical societies and universities often have experts that may be able to
provide greater insight. For instance the Canadian Society for Chemistry (CSC) is not-for-profit,
association that connects chemistry students and professionals who work in industry, academia
and government and could be a valuable resource for firefighters. Furthermore, safety
associations and agencies (e.g., NIOSH, CCOHS) could also be a resource for education and
information.

The health and safety professional should ensure that the control mechanisms match any newly
identified hazards. Furthermore, the health and safety professionals should ensure that all
firefighters have up to date WHMIS training. In this case, education and the proper controls are
instrumental to firefighter safety. Supervisors should also ensure that firefighters are following
proper safety protocols and are engaging in the proper safe work procedures.

Case Study 2: Unexpected Gas

Students can approach this case from an investigation point of view and develop a list of critical
questions (5 W’s and How) to determine the root cause of the accident and what can be done to
ensure that similar accidents do not occur in the future. Ask students to identify what questions
will help recognize the root causes of the accident. Was there an effective inventory management
program? Were the employees trained in WHMIS 2015 (i.e., did they know the hazards, how to
protect themselves, how to handle the emergency, and where to get product information)?
Important points for discussion include ensuring that the organization has good management of
its products from an effective inventory control program to an occupational health and safety
program that incorporates WHMIS 2015 and the GHS labelling and identification of all
materials. Waste products should be appropriately disposed of and not be left onsite. Unused
waste products should not be left sealed, but rather rinsed and stored open to let oxygen cycle
through. WHMIS labels, Safety Data Sheets (SDS), and worker education and training must all
be provided. There need to be labels on controlled products to alert workers to potentially
hazardous products. SDSs need to be provided to workers; these provide detailed hazardous
ingredient and safe handling of the product information. Education is needed to provide
employees with the information and practices that they need to know to work safety with
controlled products. All other products should also have been labelled.

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