Common health hazards at work and how to prevent them

 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration regards workplace hazards as risks or those threatening a workplace duty or environment. If these hazards remain unattended and unassessed, they could lead to injuries and illnesses among employees. Employers are given the responsibility to provide employees a safe and secure space to work, shares Captain Martin Sanders, Ph.D.

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Among the workplace hazards present in the workplace are biological hazards, physical hazards, and chemical hazards. Biological hazards come from organisms, animals, plants, and humans, posing a threat to a person’s health. Typical examples of these are molds, blood, bodily fluids, and sewage. In general, people experience allergic reactions when exposed to these, causing them to pause from work.

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Workplace hazards that are corrosive, toxic, combustible, and flammable are called chemical hazards. These put a person’s life at risk when they inhale, ingest, or touch it. Harmful and acute burns, vomiting, irritation, asthma, and other chronic or critical issues may arise from these. Physical hazards deal with natural elements and activities in a workplace that can put a person’s life in danger. Poor air quality, extreme temperatures, excessive noise, and radiation exposure are categorized as physical hazards, which can cause hearing impairment, cancer, respiratory issues, and other health problems.

According to Captain Martin Sanders, Ph.D., the best way to prevent these is to employ safety managers in the workplace to reduce the consequences of environmental hazards. They investigate and analyze the workplace environment to effect necessary changes or health and safety standards to prevent employees from falling due to environmental hazards.

Captain Martin Sanders, Ph.D., has over a decade of service in the occupational safety and health sector. He possesses extensive experience in biological defense activities and infectious disease outbreak investigations. Head over to this blog for more updates.

Disclaimer: This site was prepared by Martin Sanders in his personal capacity. The opinions expressed are the author's own and do not reflect the views of the USPHS, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Homeland Security, or the United States Government.