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| Occupational hazards |
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| Hierarchy of hazard controls |
| Occupational hygiene |
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Anoccupational hazard is ahazard experienced in the workplace. This encompasses many types of hazards, includingchemical hazards,biological hazards (biohazards),psychosocial hazards, andphysical hazards. In the United States, theNational Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conduct workplace investigations and research addressing workplace health and safety hazards resulting in guidelines.[1] TheOccupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) establishes enforceable standards to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses.[2] In the EU, a similar role is taken byEU-OSHA.
Occupational hazard, as a term, signifies both long-term and short-term risks associated with the workplace environment. It is a field of study withinoccupational safety and health andpublic health.[3] Short term risks may include physical injury (e.g., eye, back, head, etc.), while long-term risks may be an increased risk of developingoccupational disease, such ascancer orheart disease. In general, adverse health effects caused by short term risks are reversible, while those caused by long term risks are irreversible.
Chemical hazards are a subtype of occupational hazards that involve a wide variety ofchemicals. Exposure to chemicals in the workplace can cause acute or long-term detrimental health effects. There are many classifications of hazardous chemicals, includingneurotoxins, immune agents, dermatologic agents,carcinogens, reproductive toxins, systemic toxins,asthmagens, pneumoconiotic agents, and sensitizers.[4]
NIOSH setsrecommended exposure limits (REL) as well as recommends preventative measures on specific chemicals in order to reduce or eliminate negative health effects from exposure to those chemicals.[5] Additionally, NIOSH keeps an index of chemical hazards based on theirchemical name,[6]Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number (CAS No.),[7] and RTECS Number.[8] Furthermore, OSHA has set permissible exposure limits[9] (PEL) on around 500 chemicals which are enforceable by law.
These exposure limits include evidence that a certain amount of a chemical exposure is linked to one or more adverse health effects. For instance,heart disease[10] is more prevalent in workers who are exposed to the chemicals found in engine exhausts. Exposure tocarbon tetrachloride has shown to cause liver and kidney damage.[11] Exposure tobenzene has been linked to leukemia.[12]
Biological agents, which create biological hazards, includebacteria,fungi,viruses,microorganisms, andtoxins.[13] These biological agents can cause adverse health effects in workers.Influenza is an example of a biological hazard which affects a broad population of workers.[14]
Exposure to toxins generated byinsects,spiders,snakes,scorpions,[15][16][17] etc., require physical contact be made between the worker and the living organism. Skin exposure to biological agents can causecontact dermatitis (caused by exposure tourushiol from poisonousToxicodendron plants[18]),Lyme disease,[19]West Nile virus,[20] andcoccidioidomycosis (caused by exposure to fungi).[21] According toNIOSH, outdoor workers at risk for these hazards "include farmers, foresters, landscapers, groundskeepers, gardeners, painters, roofers, pavers, construction workers, laborers, mechanics, and any other workers who spend time outside."[18]
Health care professionals are at risk to exposure toblood-borne illnesses (such asHIV,hepatitis B, andhepatitis C)[22] and particularly toemerging infectious diseases, especially when not enough resources are available to control the spread of the disease.[23]Veterinary health workers, includingveterinarians, are at risk for exposure tozoonotic disease.[24] Those who do clinical work in the field or in a laboratory risk exposure to West Nile virus if performingnecropsies on birds affected by the virus or are otherwise working with infected tissue.[20]
Other occupations at risk to biological hazard exposure includepoultry workers, who are exposed to bacteria;[25] andtattooists andpiercers, who risk exposure to blood-borne pathogens.[26]
Psychosocial hazards are occupational hazards that affect someone's social life or psychological health.[27] Psychosocial hazards in the workplace includeoccupational burnout and occupational stress, which can lead to burnout.[28]
According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of occupational burnout include a cynical attitude towards work, severe lack of motivation at work, erratic sleeping habits, and disillusionment about one's occupation.[29]
Physical hazards are a subtype of occupational hazards that involveenvironmental hazards that can cause harm with or without contact. Physical hazards includeergonomic hazards,radiation, heat and cold stress, vibration hazards, and noise hazards.[30]
Heat and cold stress occur when the temperature is significantly different from room temperature (68–74 degrees Fahrenheit).[31] When the body is exposed to heat stress, excess sweating can lead to a range of heat-related illnesses.[32] Excessive cold can lead to several cold-related illnesses such ashypothermia,frostbite, etc.[33]
Occupational vibration hazards most often occur when a worker is operating machinery that vibrates as a symptom of its functioning (e.g., chainsaws, power drills, etc.). The most common type of vibration syndrome is Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). Long-term exposure to HAVS can lead to damage occurring in the blood vessels, nerves, muscles, and joints of the hand, wrist, and arm.[34]
Each year in the US, twenty-two million workers are exposed to noise levels that could potentiallyharm their health.[35]Occupational hearing loss is the most common occupational illness in the manufacturing sector.[36] Workers in exceptionally high noise environments, such asmusicians,[37]mine workers,[38] and even those involved withstock car racing,[39] are at a much higher risk of developing hearing loss, when compared to other workers (e.g., factory workers, etc.).
While permanent noise-induced hearing loss is often preventable through proper hearing protection, limiting the amount of time one is exposed to high levels of noise is still required.[40] As such a widespread issue, NIOSH has been committed to preventing future hearing loss for workers by establishingrecommended exposure limits (RELs) of 85 dB(A) for an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA).[41] TheBuy Quiet program was developed by NIOSH to encourage employers to reduce workplace noise levels by purchasing quieter models of tools and machinery.[42][43] Additionally, a partnership with the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) has resulted in the creation of theSafe-in-Sound Award to recognize excellence and innovation in the field of hearing loss prevention.[44][45]
Furthermore, OSHA's development and implementation of the Hearing Conservation Program (HCP)[46] has required employers to more effectively protect their workers against noise levels that are too high. The HCP empowers workers to not only receive noise exposure testing, as well as audiometric testing, but also to have access to noise protection devices adequate for the noise levels they are being exposed to.[47][48]
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