PUP415 Occupational Health Assignment Sample
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Occupational health and safety management
Literature review
Description of Hazard and its potential health problems
Occupational health and safety is the most common concern for the human wellbeing especially in the case of construction and engineering projects. The occurrences of hazards create the workplace health problems. So there is needed to find out the areas which give rise to the hazard in regards to implement the work site safety management.
According to Gutierrez et al. (2013), there are various hazards that may occur at the site. It includes the falls from heights and trench collapse. Besides that, since workers work more with electricity then the chances of electric shock & blast is more. The failure to use proper personal protective equipment and repetitive motion injuries are the major risk that give rise to the injuries. Thus, these are the few hazards that are common at the working sites.
In favour to this study, Cope et al. (2010) stated that moving objectives is always prove to be hazard for the people who working closely at the site. These include the overhead lifting equipment, supply vehicles and diggers etc, these all are moved unevenly. These areas affect the human in adverse manner. In concern to this study, Caponecchia and Sheils (2011) described that the toxic component or gases are also considered as a Hazard for the human health as it is identified that construction sector are more involves in this type of work.
So, the emission of carbon creates various health problems such as asthma, breathing problem and allergy etc. Besides that, chemical hazards also exposed when workers are involved in chemical preparation (solid, liquid and gas) in the workplace. The chemical hazard will result in skin irritation, burns and eye injury. Moreover, toxic vapours and fumes are also arising with the chemical products. Thus, chemical hazards tend to be considering more dangerous.
In contrary to this study, Zakaria et al., (2012) depicted that fatigue can be also cause of occurring the hazards. Likewise, tiredness, sleepiness, depression etc can also create the safety hazards in the workplace in the form of injury, poor performances and improper manage of equipment and machinery which result in accident. Thus, through this manner also hazard develops at workplace (Chandrasekar, 2011). Thus, these are the hazards that give rise to the health problems.
As there are many types of hazard, the chemical hazard is a common workplace hazard. This type of hazard is associated with a chemical substance/compound at specific concentrations and can arise due to dusts, fumes, gases, vapours and liquids. Thus, the physical properties of this hazard include all the three states of matter such as dust explosion, flammable liquids and gases/vapours.
Low et al. (2013) in the study underline the chemical hazards that can be categorised into compressed gases (liquefied and dissolved gases), flammable (such as methanol, spray adhesive) and combustibles (diesel fuels), corrosive (acetic acid), toxic (benzene, toxic metals), reactive (TNT, air and water reactive) and environmental hazard (Oils). This hazard has inherent properties of the mixture, substance that pose adverse effect on the human health, and the environment.
The chemical properties have potential to affect the heath of an individual by chemical exposure. The exposure routes can be inhalation, digestion, injection and contact with skin. On the other hand, Kavlock and Dix (2010) state physiochemical hazard include physical and chemical property of the chemical that develop risk to worker without any biological interaction with the chemical. This can be through inappropriate concentration or use or handling which causes injury or damage to property as well as surroundings.
The study of Low et al. (2013) has highlight that situations that may increased the occurrence of chemicals hazard. The author states that use of welding rods may generate hazardous vapours/fumes and use of chlorine bleach more that directed quantity can lead to generate chlorine gas. Similarly, Hua et al. (2012) put forwards that the use of alkali metals with acid or water can generate flammable gas/vapours. MacDonald and Robertson (2009) remind that breakdown or by-products cab also generate explosive chemical substances.
The author also states the excessive chemical exposure to workers in pharmaceutical companies causes health hazards. According to Gochfield and Laumbach (2011), the chemical hazard is common in chemical industries for battery and pesticides, pharmaceutical companies and in sector of mining and construction. In this context, Niu and Yu (2009) added that the processes of battery making, sandblasting, metal refining, plating and agent or chemical isolation has high possibility of chemical hazard.
Critical Analysis of a cause and effect relationship between the hazard and the associated health impact
For accomplishing the project goals successfully, there is need to understand and identify the relationship between hazard and associated health impact. According to Basner et al. (2014) there are different types of hazards which create impact on the health of the workers working at the project work site or unhealthy working environment.
The number of hazards includes Falls (from heights), Trench collapse, chemical hazard and Repetitive motion injuries, etc. these all hazards have their own causes and effect on the health of working people. Schnall et al. (2018) also mentioned that hazard creates huge impact on the health of the public like falling from height is big drastic damage or hazards which affect the overall life of the people in terms of death of big injuries and this hazard can develop unhealthy environment at the workplace.
The cause of chemical hazard is owing to its intrinsic properties that can affect worker health, damage to property and environment. According to Adane and Abeje (2012), the cause of chemical hazard can be chemical substances use in inappropriate concentration, improper use (not as per given/written direction by manufacturers) or poor handling in both laboratory and industrial setting.
On the other hand, Logue et al. (2011) remind that some chemicals that occur in nature such as arsenic, radon gas, etc. also potentially causes chemical hazard. Galano et al. (2014) mention the effect of cadmium as a chemical hazard on the human health. The author found that workers working with chemical agents such as mercury, chloroform and cadmium and exposure develops acute and chronic renal diseases and in some cases causes renal failure.
The study of Anderson and Meade (2014) mention the human exposure with chemical solvents and ammonia which causes respiratory diseases such as the inflammation of respiratory tract and dermal or eye irritation. The author also mentions the chemical substances (such as chromium) that pose risk of cancer to chemical industries workers.
The common workplace chemical hazard which creates effect on the health of people working in that zone or area as it develops more health diseases such as hair fall, change in health hormones, breathing issues and so on. In respect to this, Meghir et al. (2018) critically analyzed that every minute, there is one child or public is getting dead due to increase in health issues or diseases such as malaria, dengue, Diarrhea. The increase in chemical hazardous is also affecting the environment in terms of pollution which ultimately affecting directly or indirectly to public health.
In addition to this, Biswas et al. (2015) also stated that health hazards are very dangerous for the public such as acute and chronic hazards because these hazards are listed on the basis of symptoms and signs. The relationship between the hazard and heath is negative as this affects the overall efficiency of workers to perform well. In concern to this, Blaikie et al. (2014) illustrated that toxic hazards effects is quite lengthy and harmful effect of substance that impacts highly on the health of public.
In the research study of Adgate et al. (2014) also stated that in order to eliminate the cause and effect relationship between the hazard and associated health then there is high requirement to focus towards the safety requirement at workplace. There are number of uncertain hazards that can occur suddenly and create huge impact on the public health eventually. Thus, the cause and effective relationship among the hazards and health is very high and that affects the overall efficiency and performance of the workers working at a work site.
Priority of addressing the chemical hazard in relation to workplace health and productivity
The concern to address this hazard is more specific for chemical, pharmaceutical and pesticides industry owing to large scale use and exposure to chemical substances in the workplace setting. Gochfield and Laumbach (2011) state that any production of chemical substances that is reactive, irritants, flammable, etc. can be a source of chemical hazard which can has detrimental effects on the workers, organisation assets and property and to nearby surroundings.
Topuz et al. (2011) underlines that in workplace, the work practice or processes with chemical substances are associated with health hazards which cause acute or chronic occupational disease thus, workers in these industries are putting risk to their health and lives. The study of Gochfield and Laumbach (2011) analysed that the ignorance to occupational risks by organisation/employer reflects poor working conditions which results in occupational injuries and diseases and eventually the loss of human resources.
Fthenakis (2017) reminds that it is the moral and legal (in few countries) responsibility of employer to safeguard worker from health and safety hazards. According to Topuz et al. (2011), there is a need to take appropriate control for chemical hazards as the chemical compounds are harmful in gas, liquid and solid states.
In addition to this, it can be said that the toxic effects by these chemical compounds can be experienced through different routes such as breathing for air borne chemical , adsorption or while eating or drinking which cab affect the living tissue and cause occupational diseases. The risky chemicals in the workplace settings pose a risk to workers wellbeing and physicochemical dangers.
Also, many chemical compounds have skin aggravations, cancer-causing agents as well as respiratory sensitizer which pose a serious risk to workers operating under in chemical warehouse, chemical or pharmaceutical companies or in industries where processes involves high use of chemicals. On the other hand, Mamtani et al. (2011) argue that degree of risk to worker from chemical compounds depends on the nature of chemical compounds, exposure duration and strength of toxic effect.
The companies need to undertake a serious obligation to certain the safety and health of the workers and duty holders that are dealing with substances that are potential chemical hazard. The evaluation of chemical health hazard within different chemical based processes and manufacturing plants require measurement of exposure, safe limits for exposure, controls for excessive exposure as a main concern to ensure occupational health and safety of workers.
This is essential as many thousands of workers working in industries or manufacturing plants are being exposed to hazardous chemical substances and agents. The chemical exposure needs to be properly controlled as it leads to different health impacts and in severe cases leads to death.
Chemical Hazard and the related Health Impacts
The presence of chemical hazard is prominent in situation where any worker is being exposed or has risk of exposure to any chemical substance in solid, liquid or gaseous form (Raman et al., 2009). This can be during manual handling (spills, trips, and falls), storing (leakage in container), transport, chemical preparation, waste discharge, etc. Grandjean and Landrigan (2014) viewed that the effects of hazardous or toxic chemicals has both instantaneous and long-standing health impact on brain and body organs.
The author mentions simple skin, eye irritation, nausea, dizziness to breathing issues to chemical burns, poisoning, fever, chills to chronic renal/lung/reproductive disease. On the other hand, Wetmore et al. (2011) argue that the health impacts differs in workers as some workers working directly with chemical during preparation, processing, synthesis of by-products or isolation are more sensitive to chemical exposure than workers involved in storing and transport.
The research of Niu (2010) highlights the safety hazards that arise from chemical hazards in workplace. The author states that unsafe conditions such as chemical spills of floor, unguarded equipments and machinery use, improper storage of chemicals causes physical injury and illness. Irigaray and Belpomme (2009) viewed that chemical hazards has carcinogenic risk to workers.
On the other hand, the study of Li et al. (2013) highlights the non-carcinogenic effects through exposure routes of ingestion, inhalation and dermal contact from chemical pollutants. The study of Kavlock and Dix (2010) analyses that chemical exposure effect is seen in skin sensitization from chemical contact with skin, skin irritation or skin corrosiveness during repeated occupational exposure. Tanyanont and Vichit-Vadakan, (2012) put forward that eye irritation and skin irritation are common health impact in workers from chemical exposure in occupation in petrochemical sector.
Solomon and Janssen (2010) also reminds that the health effects from the gulf oil spill incident from dispersant chemicals and route exposure through inhalation and dermal contact from oil surface. The components of crude oil such as volatile organic compounds (benzene, toluene) cause respiratory irritation, breathing and swallowing difficulties and central nervous system depression and benzene and naphthalene component can cause leukaemia in humans.
Also, the consumption of fishes and oysters from the gulf increased the risk of long term heath risk from the contaminated seafood. From the research of Arif and Delclos (2011), it can be stated that the healthcare professionals workers involved in cleaning chemicals have prevalence of asthma and its symptoms. The research of Meo et al. (2009) underline that health status of workers with high chemical exposure was reported prevalence of throat irritation, eye itching/irritation, frequent headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, coughing, wheezing and chest pain.
The study of Tanyanont and Vichit-Vadakan (2012) mentions that depending of the chemical type, amount and time of the exposure limits he long term health impact occurring in workers are damaged organs, weakened immune system, low mental cognitive and cancer. Irigaray and Belpomme (2009) also states that depending of chemical, the chemical workers reported to pose reproductive problems which resulted in either birth defects or on poor physical development of the children.
Considering the different health impacts arising from the chemical hazards there is a continuous need to assess the chemical compounds and manage the associated safety and health risks. Esswein et al. (2013) recommends following Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines by the petrochemical/ chemical/ pharmaceutical companies for duty holders that poses occupational risk from potentially hazardous chemical substances.
Hsu and Hu (2009) point towards regulate the use of hazardous chemical substances, to define limits on imports and to develop more stringent regulations for the manufacturing sector. On the different side, Steege et al. (2014) emphasised on education and workers awareness about exposure to chemical in workplace. The author also states that worker training is relevant and given with regards to handling the toxic and hazardous chemicals in a safe manner. These measures are essential to protect the workers in from risk of toxic and hazardous chemical risks.
References
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