Documentos de Académico
Documentos de Profesional
Documentos de Cultura
WORKPLACE HAZARDS
A. What is Industrial Safety?
Industrial safety in the context of occupational safety and health refers to the management of all
operations and events within an industry, for protecting its employees and assets by minimizing
hazards, risks, accidents and near misses.
The relevant laws, compliance and best practices in the industry have most of the issues
addressed for the best protection possible. Employers are to make sure that these are strictly
adhered to in order to have maximum safety.
o Anticipation o Evaluation
o Recognition o Control
o
C. Steps to Protect Employees
o Anticipate potential hazards o Control exposure and risk
o Recognize potential hazards o (Not just for health hazards)
o Evaluate exposure and risk
D.
D. Hierarchy of Controls
1. Engineering controls: Remove hazard
o Process change, Chemical substitution
o Ventilation, Shielding, Guarding
o Requires little or no employee action
2. Administrative controls: Manage exposure
o Worker rotation, Procedures, Training
o Controlled access areas
o Requires employee action
o Hierarchy of Controls
3. Personal protective equipment (PPE)
o Respirators, Gloves, Boots, Clothing
o Fall protection equipment, Hard hats
o Requires individual employee action
o Last line of defense, behind engineering and administrative controls
E. Workplace Hazards
E. Chemical Hazards
o Irritants o Specific organ agents
o Asphyxiants o Genetic activity
o Central Nervous System (CNS) Agents
o Acute versus Chronic
o
o E.1 Irritants
o Respiratory o Eye
o Skin
o Irritants
Primary/Secondary
Sensitization
o N2 o He
o CO2 o CH4
Dilute air so oxygen content is low
Chemical Asphyxiants
o CO
o HCN- Hydrogen Cyanide or Prussic Acid is a colorless, extremely poisonous and
flammable liquid that boils slightly above room temperature
o H2S
Interact at cellular level to inhibit oxygen uptake.
F. Central Nervous System Depressants
o Narcotics o Depressants
o Anesthetics
o F.1 CNS Depressants
Aliphatic Hydrocarbons
o Blood - Hemotoxic
o Liver Hepatotoxic
o Lungs Pulmonotoxic
o Kidneys Nephrotoxic
o Skin Dermatotoxic
o Nerves & Brain Neurotoxic
o
H. Genetic Activity
Typically is irreversible
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has established Permissible Exposure
limits
o They are defined in time weighted average, TWA, for most working conditions. Short Term
Exposure Limits, STEL, for 15 minute exposure. Ceiling, C, for maximum allowable
concentration.
American Council of Government Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) has established Threshold Limit
Values, TLV.
Anticipation of Chemical Hazards
Odors
o Not all agents have detectable odor
Frequent headaches
Dermatitis
Drowsiness
Personality changes
Clusters of problems
J. Physical Hazards
Dusts and Fibers Corrosives
o D > 0.5 micron does not reach lungs (but may ingest)
o 0.2 < D < 0.5 micron respirable and gets stuck in lungs
o D < 0.2 micron are exhaled
J.2 Noise Hazard Recognition
o Usually involves necrosis, the death of local tissue due to contact of agent
o J.7 Temperature Extremes
Heat Stress
o Frostbite o Hypothermia
o J.8 Heat Stress
Bodys Energy Balance
Hot Stress
Types of Radiation
o density shielding
Neutrons - Special shielding techniques
o J. 14 Non-Ionizing Radiation
Low frequency - ~ 3 m wavelength
Microwaves - 3 m to 3 mm
Infrared - 3 mm to 750 nm
Ultraviolet Radiation
Also with more operators working at computers or workstations there are ergonomic concerns.
o
o
o
L. Biological Hazards
Pathogenic organisms
o Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
o Food processing or agricultural products
Typically hazards are well contained
o
o M. Engineers Responsibility
o Be aware of industrial hazards and possible effects.
o Design or assist in designing safer systems that minimize worker exposure to hazards.
o As a manager encourage proper safety procedures and good housekeeping to minimize
employees exposure to hazardous situations.