There are many types of hazards chemical, ergonomic, physical, and psychosocial, to name a few which can cause harm or adverse effects in the workplace. Skin cancer, other cancers, sterility, birth deformities, blood changes, skin burns and eye damage are examples. Chemical exposure breathing of contaminated air is the most common way that workplace chemicals enter the body. Ergonomic hazards may be described as problems that can occur when a workers physical workplace or typical work procedures do not match up with his physical size or work positions. Define the term job hazard identify a variety of health and safety hazards found at typical worksites where young people are employed. Electrical hazards the construction industry is most at danger from electrical hazards, accounting for 52% of all electrical fatalities in the us workplace us bureau of labor statistics data. Workplace hazardous materials information systems whmis involves which of. They include unsafe conditions that can cause injury, illness, and death. By identifying hazards at your workplace, you will be better prepared to control or eliminate them and prevent accidents, injuries, property damage, and downtime. The safety, health and welfare at work act 2005 the 2005 act requires you to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety, health and welfare of your employees and to manage and conduct your work activities in such a way as to ensure their safety. A 7 part series covering the 6 types of workplace hazards. Here are five types of environmental hazards that employers need to inform workers about. General examples include any substance, material, process, practice, etc. But did you know there are lots of ways radiation is used in the workplace.
Links with this icon indicate that you are leaving the cdc website the centers for disease control and prevention cdc cannot attest to the accuracy of a nonfederal website. Did you know workers in all industries are exposed to one or more workplace hazards every day. Concepts of hazards, disasters and hazard assessment goals to. Most of these incidents and fatalities were caused by direct worker contact with overhead power lines and contact with machines, tools, and handcarried metallic objects. Keep shields in place to reduce the potential for thrown objects. Workplace safety and health management practical guidelines on the implementation and maintenance of an occupational safety, health and welfare management system. Workplace hazards can come from a wide range of sources. Types of workplace hazards include chemical, ergonomic, physical, psychosocial and general workplace. Slips, trips and falls being caught in or struck by moving machinery or other objects fire and explosions transportation and vehicle.
Learning objectives when you have completed this lesson, you should be able to do the following identify the basic types of physical hazards. Examples of common workplace hazards the following is a list of common workplace hazards encountered within ahs. Training workers wont inherently know they have to do something a certain way, dankert said. A chemical hazard is a type of occupational hazard caused by exposure to chemicals in the workplace. Types of physical and health hazards r introduction in the preceding lesson, you saw that the hazard communication standard covers both physical hazards and health hazards. Controlling theresa gorman jonathan dropkin health jacob.
Identifying electrical hazards can help raise awareness of the risks, their severity, and how it can harm workers. The following is a list of common workplace hazards encountered within ahs. Safety hazards exist in every workplace, but how do you know which ones have the most potential to harm workers. Hazards canadian centre for occupational health and safety. Identifying safety and health problems in the workplace osha. By the end of this lesson students will be able to. Avoid blind spots in your workplace safety procedures by taking into consideration these six main categories of workplace hazards. Classes of hazard hazard can be classified as either safety hazard or health hazard. The most common workplace hazards include safety hazards like slipandfalls or electrical hazards. Identify the potential hazards associated with each task. Physical and mechanical hazards physical hazards are common source of.
Exposure to chemicals in the workplace can cause acute or chronic detrimental health effects. Are you aware of these 6 types of workplace hazards. In general, there are three major of routes of entry for these microorganisms into our body, i. Biological hazards refer to organisms or organic matters produced by these organisms that are harmful to human health. Whether your company sets up shop on a job site or in an office, these are the workplace hazards you should be aware of in order to promote workplace safety. By identifying hazards at your workplace, you will be better prepared to control or eliminate them and prevent accidents, injuries, property damage and downtime. Container labeling in the workplace the hazard warning can be any type of message, picture, or symbol that provides information on the hazards of the chemicals and the targeted organs affected, if applicable labels must be legible, in english, plus other languages, if desired, and prominently displayed employees need to notify. Hazard identification and control environmental health and. Hazard identification is the foundation of a safe workplace pdf. Workplace hazards are costly, but if the right precautions are taken, they can be prevented. Physical hazards of machinery and equipment thrown objects any object that can become airborne because of moving parts. Safety has to be a priority of all people wherever they go, especially in the workplace. Locate various types of hazards in an actual workplace.
Physical hazards are environmental factors that can harm an employee without necessarily touching them, including heights, noise, radiation and pressure. Classes even though hazards look different in every workplace and in every type of industry, there are five defined classes. Accidents can happen, even when those protections are in place, but many types of hazards in the workplace are preventable. To help identify workplace hazards, nsc consultants recommend focusing on the following areas. Physical hazards are some of the most common hazards, and they show up in the workplace too often. Types of hazards national association of safety professionals. Occupational safety and health hazard awareness training for the construction, oil and gas, and landscaping industries west virginia university research corporation 2011. Here are 7 of the most common electrical hazards in the workplace and tips on what you can do to mitigate these risks. The goal of all occupational safety and health programs is to foster a safe work environment.
Chemicals in the workplace there are 750,000 hazardous chemicals used in the workplace around the world. Gases like acetylene, propane, carbon monoxide and helium. In addition to just productivity, companies who have serious issues with hazards can risk bad pr or loss of morale. Frayed electrical cords, unguarded machinery, exposed moving parts, vibrations, and working from ladders, scaffolding, or heights. Physical hazards are the most common type of hazard found in workplaces. Employees must know how to protect themselves from chemical hazards. Briefly cover each hazard type and ask for examples in participants workplaces. Spills on floors or tripping hazards, such as blocked aisles or cords running across the floor. This means that we are required to identify and manage any hazards that may threaten the health and safety of people associated with our trainingassessment. But there are also ergonomic workplace hazards, environmental, chemical and others. Working from heights, including ladders, scaffolds, roofs, or any raised work area. Workplace hazards although work provides many economic and other benefits. To complete the first step in any workplace risk assessment, you must identify the hazards in your workplace.
To achieve this, you need to be aware of the various types of workplace hazards to which you may have exposure. Osha can intervene when employees report unsafe conditions. Get resources on specific hazards and their control, including identification, risk assessment and inspections, to keep your workplace healthy and safe. Physical physical hazards are things or agents that may come. The words risk and hazard are often used interchangeably. The seven hazards presented are by no means an exhaustive list many other hazards may exist at your worksite, and spotting them requires vigilance. Oct 26, 2018 its an employers responsibility to prevent workplace hazards and to protect its employees from harm. Ll types of hazards in each of these two categories. Aug 06, 2019 6 types of workplace hazard ergonomic hazards u n d e r s t a n d in g w or k pla ce ri sk e l e c t r o c u t i o n m a c h i n e r y s l i p s, t r i p s a n d. Watch out for these 5 types of environmental hazards. Occupational safety and health is a crossdisciplinary area concerned with protecting the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work. The top 10 workplace hazards and how to prevent them. These include parasites, viruses, bacteria, fungi and protein. Definitions of hazards anything or condition with the potential to cause harm the potential of a substance, person, activity or process to cause harm injury or illness anything materialsubstance, machine, methods or matters in the workplace that has the potential to cause harm 3.
But, before we can manage a hazard, we have to know what types of hazards there are. Radiation is used to sterilize health products, to treat cancer and other diseases, to measure the. Hazards can have negative effects at the workplace for worker and company productivity. The common chemical substances, such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, hydrocarbons, sulphuric acid, tannic acid acetic acid, fumeric acid, ozone, limes. May 22, 2016 the seven hazards presented are by no means an exhaustive list many other hazards may exist at your worksite, and spotting them requires vigilance. Hazards exist in every workplace, but how do you know which ones have the most potential to harm workers. Wear protective gear such as goggles to reduce the risk of personal injury if you cannot prevent particles from being. By identifying hazards at your workplace, you will be better prepared to. To fulfill this responsibility, employers must implement the necessary precautionary measures to pinpoint and eliminate potential workplace hazards. Controlling and minimizing workplace hazards for healthcare personnel hcp in hospitals present a unique challenge because the health and wellbeing of hospital patients must also be considered.
Hazard can be classified as either safety hazard or health hazard. Slips, trips and falls being caught in or struck by moving machinery or other objects. Jan 07, 2019 to complete the first step in any workplace risk assessment, you must identify the hazards in your workplace. Are you aware of these 6 types of workplace safety hazards. These types of hazards may occur in both office and light industrial settings. A very common workplace hazard from tripping on floors, falling off structures or down stairs, and slipping on spills. Radiation in the workplace you are probably familiar with a few uses of radiation, like xrays and nuclear power. Types of hazards in the workplace falls impacts either struck by or struck against. Common workplace hazards are any condition, practice, or act that could result in an. When completing the hazard identification, assessment and control. Whether a particular hazard listed in this chapter will need to be addressed in a haccp plan will depend on an evaluation of the actual risk and severity of the hazard in the food. Common types of safety hazards in the workplace are. Osha 11 finding hazards 3 finding hazards learning objectives by the end of this lesson, students will be able to.
Vapors and fumes that come from welding or exposure to solvents. Linking to a nonfederal website does not constitute an endorsement by cdc or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website. Hazards can be broadly grouped based on their nature. Safety hazards common types of safety hazards in the workplace are. Chemicals at the workplace can range from cleaning products to chemical production. Finding hazards home university of washington deohs. Grantee materials by topic occupational safety and. Determine which controls are necessary to minimize or eliminate the potential hazards. Electrocution is one of the most common hazards across construction sites according to osha.
The list is broken down into the four main categories of hazards. It helps you understand how each type of hazard can affect your health and safety. Grantee materials by topic occupational safety and health. Jan 22, 2018 naturally, the exact types of hazards you might encounter on the job will vary depending on where you work and what kind of work you do, but generally speaking, these are some of the most common types of workplace hazards to keep an eye out for.
These are the most common and will be present in most workplaces at one time or another. Concepts of hazards, disasters and hazard assessment goals to instill an understanding of the concepts of hazards, multiple hazards and disaster to develop the capability for hazard assessment learning outcomes after completing this session, you will be able to perform a hazard identification and assessment for a selected community. Centers for disease control and prevention estimate more than 32 million workers in the united states are potentially exposed to chemicals that can be absorbed through the skin. Safety hazards a 7 part series covering the 6 types of workplace hazards. Apr 18, 2019 federal law dictates that it is the obligation of employers to provide a secure and safe workplace. Hazards biological, chemical and physical explanatory note. This is somewhat of a generic work hazard to mention, but its an important one. Get resources on specific hazards and their control, including identification, risk assessment and inspections, to. The four main types of occupational hazards and diseases are as follows. If injured on the job, the first thing an employee should do is tell the supervisor get first aid fill out a form for workers compensation go to the hospital or a doctor if necessary 7. Every workplace has hazards and, although there will be a nominated person for conducting formal risk assessments, it is still everyones responsibility to be mindful of hazards in the workplace and minimise risk of harm. Watch out for these 5 types of environmental hazards safestart. Wear protective gear such as goggles to reduce the risk of personal injury if you cannot prevent particles from being thrown.
These hazards can result in both health and physical impacts, such as skin irritation, respiratory system irritation, blindness, corrosion and explosions. Dec 26, 2018 in a hazard assessment, it is important to be as thorough as possible because after all, you cant protect your workers against hazards you are unaware of. Heres a list and introductory definitions for each. It is important to be aware of all the different types of hazards to look for on the job, both obvious and hidden ones. Liquids like cleaning products, paints, acids, solvents particularly if chemicals are in an unlabeled container. Federal law dictates that it is the obligation of employers to provide a secure and safe workplace. How to identify workplace hazards staff in the workplace should provide answer to the following questions what can go wrong. Chap 2 hazards biological, chemical, and physical chapter 2.