OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

HAZARDS
HAZARD AND RISK
 HAZARD
- any source of potential damage, harm or adverse health effects
on something or someone under certain conditions at work.

 RISK

- the chance or probability that a person will be harmed or

experience an adverse health effect if exposed to a hazard.
 PHYSICAL
HAZARD

ERGONOMIC CHEMICAL
HAZARD HAZARD

BIOLOGICAL
HAZARD

BOSH Training 2009 OSHC

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH (
ILO/WHO )
Promote and maintain the highest degree of physical, mental & social well-being
of workers of all occupations

Prevent workers from departures due to health caused by their working conditions

Protect workers in their working environment from hazards and risks usually
causing adverse health effects

Place & maintain a worker in an occupational environment adapted to his/her

physiological ability

BOSH Training 2009 OSHC

CHEMICAL HAZARDS

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Chemical Hazards
Routes of entry into the body
Inhalation Skin Contact

Ingestion

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Chemical Hazards
Routes of excretion

Gastro-intestinal Renal (urine) Respiratory Skin (sweat, hair, nails)

(feces) (exhalation)

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 Measures of concentration of toxic substances

• Threshold Limit Value (TLV)- average concentration of an airborne

substance to which most workers could be safely exposed over an eight-
hour working day or forty-hour working week throughout a working
lifetime

• Maximal Allowable Concentration (MAC)- peak or maximum concentration

of an airborne to which most workers could be safely exposed.
 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
Chemical Hazards
Effects Chemical Agent Industry/Process

Renal Diseases: Battery, chemical

acute/chronic renal Mercury, cadmium, industries,
failure chloroform pesticide
Respiratory Diseases:
Irritation, inflammation Solvents, ammonia Chemical industries

Pneumoconiosis Inorganic dust Mining, construction,

sandblasting, coal

Cancer Chromium Plating, metal refining

BOSH Training 2009 OSHC

Chemical Hazards
Blood Diseases:
Anemia Lead Battery mfg., lead
smelting

Aplastic anemia Benzene Solvent & soap mfg.

Skin Diseases:
Allergic/contact Plastic epoxides Plastic, varnish
dermatitis

Acne Cutting oils, grease Machine-tool

operators
Skin Cancer Arsenic, tar Petroleum refinery

BOSH Training 2009 OSHC

Chemical Hazards
Liver Disease:
Acute liver toxicity Carbon Cleaning fluids, dry
tetrachloride cleaners
Liver cancer Vinyl chloride Plastics & vinyl
chloride mfg.

Cardiovascular Disease:
Hypertension Lead, Cadmium Battery mfg. &
recycling
Atherosclerosis Carbon disulfide Degreasing, dry
cleaning
Arrythmias Fluorocarbon, Refrigeration, solvent
trichloroethylene workers

BOSH Training 2009 OSHC

Management of chemical hazard
Physical Hazards
• Noise

• Vibration

• Extreme Temperature ( hot and cold)

• Inadequate Illumination

• Radiation
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BOSH Training 2009 OSHC
NOISE
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

BOSH Training 2009 OSHC

NOISE
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)

BOSH Training 2009 OSHC

Other Harmful Effects of Noise

• Hypertension
• Hyperacidity
• Palpitations
• Disturbs relaxation and sleep

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

• Types
• Segmental vibration
• Whole body vibration

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Segmental Vibration:
• Health Effects:
—Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS)
—tingling, numbness, blanching of fingers
—pain

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Whole Body Vibration:
• Health effects:
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Headache
• Disorders of the spine

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EXTREME TEMPERATURE

• Sources of heat stress:

• Natural Conditions
• Hot work processes related to furnaces, kilns, boilers and smelting

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 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
twitchings, disorientation,
delirium, convulsions

BOSH Training 2009 OSHC

 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.

BOSH Training 2009 OSHC

BOSH Training 2009 OSHC
Inadequate Illumination
Health Effects
• Visual Fatigue
• Double Vision
• Headaches
• Painful irritation
• Lacrimation
• Conjunctivitis

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BOSH Training 2009 OSHC
RADIATION

Types Sources Health Effects

Ionizing X-rays Cancer, congenital
Gamma rays defects, death

Non-ionizing Ultraviolet skin redness, premature

skin ageing, and skin
cancer
Infrared corneal and conjunctival
burns, retinal injury,
cataract
Laser
Skin and eye problem

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Management of physical hazards
BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS

VIRUSES FUNGI

BACTERIA PARASITES

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Selected Infectious Diseases and Occupations
Agent / Disease
Colds, influenza, scarlet fever,
diphtheria, smallpox
Tuberculosis
Occupation
May be contacted anywhere
Silica workers, people exposed
to heat and organic dusts, and
medical personnel

Anthrax Animal handlers and handlers

of carcasses, skins, or hair of
infected animals, including wool
carpet processors and
handlers.

BOSH Training 2009 OSHC

Selected Infectious Diseases and Occupations

Agent / Disease Occupation

Ringworm (in horses, cattle, Pet shop salesmen, stockmen,

deer, pigs, cats, dogs, birds) breeders of cats and dogs, and
other animal handlers

Tetanus Farmers (spores in soil) or

anyone in contact with manure.

BOSH Training 2009 OSHC

Selected Infectious Diseases and Occupations

Agent / Disease Occupation

Rabies (e.g. dogs, bats, rats, Veterinarians, letter carriers,
pigs, cats) laboratory research workers,
agricultural workers.

Fungus Farmers, outdoor workers,

animal handlers

BOSH Training 2009 OSHC

Management of biological hazards
ERGONOMIC
HAZARDS

BOSH Training 2009 OSHC

ERGONOMIC HAZARDS
• An ergonomic hazard is a physical factor within the
environment that harms the musculoskeletal system.

• Ergonomic hazards include themes such as repetitive

movement, manual handling, workplace/job/task design,
uncomfortable workstation height and poor body positioning.
• Mainly associated with three type of positions related occupation.

1. Prolonged sitting
2. Prolonged standing
3. Prolonged repetitive movement with whole limb or lifting
Prolonged sitting
Examples : • Hazard :

• Trapezitis or spasm
• Computers /desk works • Slouchy or kyphotic posture
• Cervical spondylitic changes
• Task design
• Joint pain
• Accountants • Joint stiffness
• White collar jobs etc • Rheumatic changes
• Diabetes
• Metabolism alteration
• Heart disease
• Obesity
Mainly computer work related problems
• Computer vision syndrome –mainly myopia
• Musculoskeletal: neck pain , shoulder pain , upper back pain
• Sleep disorders
• Painful joints
• Pain, tingling, numbness in hands, wrists, forearms, shoulders, knees
and feet
• Shooting or stubbing pains
• Swelling or inflammation
Prolonged standing
• Examples: • Hazard :

• Traffic police • Flat foot

• Assembly line workers • Heel pain
• Calf pain
• Army officers
• Back pain
• Factory workers
• Varicose vein
• Bartenders
• Joint compression or spondylitic
• Catering staff changes
• Security etc • Slouching
Other exertional or repetitive work
• Examples: • Hazard:

• Household work • Mainly back pain

• Labourers • 2nd is knee pain
• Farmers • Other compressive forces may
injured musculoskeletal structures
• Garage workers
• Tendonitis, bursitis, ligament
• Weight lifting sprain etc
• Trigger finger
ERGONOMICS

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STRESS

The harmful physical and emotional responses that

occurs when the requirements of the job do not
match the capabilities, resources or needs of the
worker.

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STRESS: Effects

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STRESS
Manifestations of Stress
PSYCHOLOGICAL PHYSIOLOGICAL BEHAVIORAL
 Fatigue  Heart rate  Drug use
 Anxiety  Blood pressure  Alcohol intake
 Tension  Indigestion  Heavy smoking
 Irritability  Impulsive emotional
 Depression
behavior
 Boredom
 Inability to
concentrate
 Low esteem
 Poor work & family
relationship
 Social isolation
 Family abandonment

BOSH Training 2009  Sleep problems

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