CH 4182: Saf et y and Loss Prevent i on

INTRODUCTION TO
OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS,
WORK, HEALTH AND
PRODUCTIVITY
A worki ng condi ti on that can l ead to i l l ness or death

Occupati on hazard may i ncl ude,
Risk of accident
Contracting occupational diseases

Danger to heal th, l i mb or l i fe that i s i nherent i n or
associ ated wi th a parti cul ar occupati on, i ndustry or work
envi ronment
Often, j obs wi th hi gher ri sk l evel s are pai d more than si mi l ar
l ow ri sk j obs, i n order to compensate for the i nvol ved danger
OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS
A chemical or
physical condition
that has the
potential to cause
damage to people,
property or the
environment
Hazard
A measure of
human injury,
environmental
damage or
economic loss in
terms of both the
incident likelihood
and the
magnitude of the
loss or injury
Risk
HAZARD VS. RISK

WORKPLACE HAZARD
Working conditions where harm to the workers is of
an immediate and violent nature
Result in broken bones, cuts, bruises, sprains, loss
of limbs, etc.
The harm results in some kind of injury to the worker
Associated with poorly guarded or dangerous
equipment and machinery
Safety
Hazard
Working conditions which result in an illness
Exposure to dangerous substances or conditions,
such as chemicals, gases, dusts, noise etc.
Often, latency between exposure and disease
Health
Hazard
Age
Gender
Race
Medical
history
Genetic
factors
Lifestyle
WORKERS
SUSCEPTI
BI LI TY
Physical
properties
Multiplicity of
exposure
Magnitude of
exposure
Duration of
exposure
Timing of
exposure
Workplace
Factors
WORK-
RELATED
DISEASE
Physi cal hazards
Chemi cal hazards
Bi ol ogi cal hazards
Mechani cal hazards
Psychosoci al hazards
CLASSIFICATION : OCCUPATIONAL
HAZARDS
Physical
Hazard
Extreme
Tempera
ture
Light
Noise
Vibration
UV
Radiation
Ionizing
Radiation
PHYSICAL HAZARD
Audi tory effects
Temporary threshold shift (Auditory fatigue)
Temporary loss of hearing acuity after exposure to loud noise
Recovery within 16 48 hours
Permanent threshold shift
Irreversible loss of hearing
Non-audi tory effects
Nervousness, fatigue, interference with communication by speech,
decreased efficiency and annoyance
NOISE
Earl y Si gns of Heari ng 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)

Other Harmful Effects of Noi se
Hypertension
Hyperacidity
Palpitations
Disturbs relaxation and sleep

NOISE CONT.
The degree of i nj ury from exposure to noi se depends on,
Intensity and frequency range
Duration of exposure
Individual susceptibility

NOISE CONT.
Physi cal factor whi ch affects man by transmi ssi on of
mechani cal energy from osci l l ati ng sources such as
pneumati c tool s (ex. Dri l l s, hammers etc.)

Types
Segmental vibration
Whole body vibration


VIBRATION
Segmental vibration
Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome
(HAVS)
Tingling, numbness, blanching
of fingers
Pain
Whole body vibration
Fatigue
Irritability
Headache
Disorders in the spine
VIBRATION HEALTH EFFECTS
Hot Temperature
Sources of heat stress
Natural conditions
Hot work processes related to furnace, klins, boilers and smelting

Heal th effects of Heat stress

EXTREME TEMPERATURE
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
Cold Temperature
Sources of col d envi ronment
Ice plants and freezers in the food industry

Heal th effects of Col d 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.

EXTREME TEMPERATURE
Inadequate i l l umi nati on heal th effects
Visual Fatigue
Double Vision
Headaches
Painful irritation
Lacrimation
Conjunctivitis

Exposure to excessi ve bri ghtness
Discomfort
Annoyance
Visual fatigue
Blurring of vision leading to accidents


LIGHT
Types Sources Health Effects
Ionizing
X-rays
Gamma rays
Cancer, congenital 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
RADIATION
Routes of entry i nto the body,










Produced i l l -effects depends on the durati on of exposure,
way of exposure and i ndi vi dual suscepti bi l i ty
CHEMICAL HAZARDS
Chemical
Agent
Skin
Contact
Inhalation Ingestion
Effects Chemical Agent Industry/Process
Renal Diseases:
acute/chronic renal
failure

Mercury, cadmium,
chloroform
Battery, chemical
industries, pesticide
Respiratory Diseases:
Irritation, inflammation

Solvents, ammonia

Chemical industries
Pneumoconiosis Inorganic dust
Mining, construction,
sandblasting, coal
Cancer Chromium Plating, metal refining
Blood Diseases:
Anemia

Lead

Battery mfg., lead smelting
Aplastic anemia Benzene Solvent & soap mfg.
CHEMICAL HAZARD
Effects Chemical Agent Industry/Process
Skin Diseases:
Allergic/contact
dermatitis

Plastic epoxides

Plastic, varnish
Acne Cutting oils, grease Machine-tool operators
Skin Cancer Arsenic, tar Petroleum refinery
Liver Disease:
Acute liver toxicity

Carbon
tetrachloride

Cleaning fluids, dry
cleaners
Liver cancer Vinyl chloride Plastics & vinyl chloride
mfg.
Aplastic anemia Benzene Solvent & soap mfg.
CHEMICAL HAZARD CONT.
Effects Chemical Agent Industry/Process
Cardiovascular
Disease:
Hypertension

Lead, Cadmium

Battery mfg. & recycling
Atherosclerosis Carbon disulfide Degreasing, dry cleaning
Arrythmias Fluorocarbon,
trichloroethylene
Refrigeration, solvent
workers
CHEMICAL HAZARD CONT.
Empl oyees can be exposed to i nfecti ve and parasi ti c agents
Occupati onal di seases i n thi s category
Brucellosis
Leptospirosis
Anthrax
Hydatidosis
Psittacosis
Tetanus
Encephalitis
Fungal infections
Schistosomiasis
Persons worki ng wi th ani mal products (ex. Wool , hai r, hi des
etc.) and agri cul tural workers are speci al l y exposed to
bi ol ogi cal hazards
BIOLOGICAL HAZARD
VIRUSES
FUNGI
BACTERIA

PARASITES
Centers around machi nery, protrudi ng and movi ng parts etc.
Accounts for ~10% of i ndustri al acci dents
MECHANICAL HAZARD
Ari se due to the workers fai l ure to adapt to an al i en
psychosoci al envi ronment
Psychosoci al factors whi ch may undermi ne both physi cal
and mental heal th of the workers;
Frustration
Lack of job satisfaction
Insecurity
Poor human relationships
Emotional tension
The capaci ty to adapt to di fferent worki ng envi ronments i s
i nfl uenced by,
Education, Cultural background, Family life, Workers expectations
from employment
PSYCHOSOCIAL HAZARD
Heal th effect can be cl assi fi ed as,
PSYCHOSOCIAL HAZARD CONT.
Including hostility, aggressiveness, anxiety,
depression, tardiness, alcoholism, drug
abuse, sickness, absenteeism
Psychological and
behavioral changes
Including fatigue, headache, pain in the
shoulders, pain in the back, propensity to
peptic ulcer, hypertension, heart disease
and rapid aging
Psychosomatic ill-
health
Physi cal factors (heat, noi se, poor l i ghti ng etc.) pl ay a maj or
rol e i n addi ng/preci pi tati ng mental di sorders among workers
The i ncreasi ng stress on automati on, el ectroni c operati on
may i ntroduce newer psychosoci al heal th probl ems i n
i ndustry
Thus, psychosoci al hazards are assumed to be more
i mportant than physi cal or chemi cal hazards
PSYCHOSOCIAL HAZARD CONT.
PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF
OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS
Environmental monitoring

Biological monitoring and
surveillance


Treatment and surveillance
- Morbidity
- Mortality
Workplace-Related Events
Exposure at the workplace
Chemicals
Physical agents
Biologically significant exposure
Chemicals absorbed
Early (reversible) changes

None

Early





Late
Clinical diagnosis
measurable health effects
End effects
Diseases
unfavorable events
(spontaneous abortion)
Monitoring Activity
Health Effects
Hi gh l evel s of worker producti vi ty are cri ti cal to the success
of al l sorts of organi zati ons, whether for -profi t, government,
or non-profi t... As a resul t, heal th [and safety] ri sks and
producti vi ty are bei ng di scussed wi thi n corporate medi cal
departments, executi ve sui tes, academi c centers, and
government agenci es around the worl d" (Brandt-Rauf et al ,
2001:1)

Some of the di rect and i ndi rect benefi ts of OHS
i nterventi ons i denti fi ed i n the l i terature are summari zed i n
the fol l owi ng sl i des

IMPACT ON OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH FOR HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY
Direct Benefits
Reduced i nsurance and workers' compensati on premi ums
Reduced l i ti gati on costs
Reduced si ck pay costs
Lower i nj ury and i l l ness costs
Fewer producti on del ays
Reduced product and materi al damage
Improved producti on/producti vi ty rates
Reduced absenteei sm
Reduced staff turnover
Improved corporate i mage
Improved chances of wi nni ng contacts
Improved j ob sati sfacti on/moral e

IMPACT ON OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH FOR HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY CONT.
Indirect Benefits
Reduced i nsurance and workers' compensati on premi ums
Reduced l i ti gati on costs
Reduced si ck pay costs
Lower i nj ury and i l l ness costs
Fewer producti on del ays
Reduced product and materi al damage
Improved producti on/producti vi ty rates
Reduced absenteei sm and staff turnover
Improved corporate i mage and chances of wi nni ng contacts
Improved j ob sati sfacti on/moral e

IMPACT ON OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH FOR HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY CONT.
The dri ve to l i nk empl oyees' producti vi ty wi th thei r overal l
heal th and safety i s fuel l ed by,
The need for more i nnovati ve ways to reduce the hi gh rates
of workpl ace i nj ury and i l l ness
The pressure to reduce the soci al and economi c costs of
i nj ury and i l l ness, parti cul arl y compensati on costs
The need to i mprove l abour producti vi ty wi thout empl oyees
needi ng to work l onger hours and/or taki ng on more work
The need to offer good worki ng condi ti ons as an enti cement
to recrui t and retai n ski l l ed workers i n a ti ght l abour market
IMPACT ON OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH FOR HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY CONT.
Most workpl ace heal th and safety programs that try to prevent
i nci dents and i l l nesses focus on,
Job/task (re)desi gn
Engi neeri ng processes (re)desi gn
Work envi ronment (re)desi gn
Personal protecti ve equi pment/cl othi ng
Educati on and trai ni ng measures
Improvements to management and moni tori ng
Improvements i n i nter-personnel communi cati on
IMPACT ON OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND
HEALTH FOR HIGHER PRODUCTIVITY CONT.
Looking at
developmental
strategies
Looking at regulatory
requirements
Information
Education
Training
Campaigns
Good practices
Successful cases
Competitions
Demonstrations
Interventions
Relevant laws, standards,
issuances and guidelines
Enforcement
Implementation
Inspection
Evaluation

APPROACH IN ENSURING
WELL-BEING OF WORKERS
Parti ci pati on and i nvol vement from stakehol ders
Coordi nated i nterventi on
Learni ng from
Specifications/guidelines,
Scientific data
Best practice

PARTICIPATORY APPROACH
Enhanced worker moti vati on and j ob sati sfacti on
Added probl em-sol vi ng capaci ty
Greater acceptance of change
Greater knowl edge of work and organi zati on
Reduces the extent and severi ty of work rel ated i nj uri es and
i l l nesses
Improves empl oyee moral e and producti vi ty
Reduces workers compensati on costs
BENEFITS TO THE WORKERS