Table of Contents
Glossary of Key Terms
- Administrative Controls: Policies, procedures, or schedules designed to reduce exposure to hazards by altering the way work is performed.
- Air Sampling: A process in which air is collected to measure the concentration of airborne contaminants, such as dust, gases, or vapors.
- Biological Monitoring: The measurement of chemicals or their metabolites in biological samples such as blood or urine to assess exposure to hazardous substances.
- Chemical Hazard: A chemical substance that poses a risk to health or safety due to its physical, chemical, or toxic properties.
- Control Measures: Actions taken to reduce the risk of exposure to workplace hazards. These include engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Ergonomic Hazards: Physical factors in the environment that may cause musculoskeletal injuries, such as repetitive motions or improper workstation design.
- Exposure Limit: The maximum concentration of a hazardous substance that workers can be exposed to without experiencing adverse health effects.
- Hazard Communication (HazCom): The process of informing workers about the hazards they may encounter in the workplace, including proper labeling and Safety Data Sheets (SDS).
- Ionizing Radiation: Radiation with enough energy to remove tightly bound electrons from atoms, potentially causing DNA damage and increasing the risk of cancer.
- Non-Ionizing Radiation: Lower-energy radiation, such as ultraviolet (UV), infrared (IR), and radiofrequency (RF) radiation, that does not have enough energy to ionize atoms but can cause other health effects like burns or tissue damage.
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Equipment worn by workers to protect against hazards, such as gloves, masks, earplugs, goggles, and protective clothing.
- Risk Assessment: The process of evaluating the likelihood and severity of harm arising from a hazard, as well as determining appropriate control measures to reduce risk.
- Threshold Limit Value (TLV): A guideline established by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) that indicates the level of exposure to a substance that most workers can experience without adverse effects.
- Vibration: A physical hazard caused by the oscillation of tools or machinery, which can lead to health issues such as Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) or Whole-Body Vibration (WBV).
Sample Forms and Templates
Template 1: Risk Assessment Form
Workplace Hazard Assessment | |
---|---|
Hazard | |
Location | |
Date of Assessment | |
Assessed by | |
Potential Exposure Routes | |
Inhalation | |
Skin Contact | |
Ingestion | |
Injection | |
Current Control Measures | |
Engineering Controls | |
Administrative Controls | |
PPE | |
Risk Assessment | |
Likelihood of Exposure | |
Severity of Exposure | |
Risk Rating | |
Proposed Control Measures | |
Elimination/Substitution | |
Additional Engineering Controls | |
Additional Administrative Controls | |
Additional PPE |
Template 2: Incident Report Form
Incident Report | |
---|---|
Incident Type | |
Near Miss | |
Injury | |
Property Damage | |
Environmental Impact | |
Incident Details | |
Date of Incident | |
Time of Incident | |
Location | |
Description of Incident | |
Injury Details (if applicable) | |
Injured Worker Name | |
Nature of Injury | |
First Aid Provided | |
Follow-Up Required | |
Root Cause Analysis | |
Immediate Cause | |
Underlying Cause | |
Corrective Actions | |
Proposed Action | |
Assigned To | |
Completion Date |
List of Industry Standards and Guidelines
- ISO 45001: Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems: A global standard that outlines requirements for implementing an occupational health and safety (OHS) management system.
- ILO Convention 155: Occupational Safety and Health: A framework adopted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) to promote workplace safety and health across industries worldwide.
- ACGIH Threshold Limit Values (TLVs): Guidelines for exposure limits to chemical substances and physical agents, provided by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations covering general industry standards for workplace safety in the U.S.
- NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods (NMAM): A guide published by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) that includes methods for sampling and analyzing workplace contaminants.
- European Union Directives on Occupational Safety and Health: Regulations from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) that provide guidelines for improving workplace conditions across EU member states.
Further Reading and Resources
- Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene by Barbara A. Plog: A comprehensive guide to the principles of industrial hygiene, covering hazard identification, risk assessment, and control measures.
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Website: Provides resources, guidelines, and regulatory updates on workplace safety and health in the U.S. (www.osha.gov).
- World Health Organization (WHO) Global Plan of Action on Workers’ Health: A resource for global occupational health strategies and policies aimed at protecting workers’ health.
- International Labour Organization (ILO) Safety and Health at Work Resources: A collection of guidelines, conventions, and publications related to global occupational safety standards.
- ACGIH Industrial Ventilation: A Manual of Recommended Practice: A detailed resource on the principles and application of industrial ventilation systems for controlling workplace air contaminants.
- NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards: An essential resource for identifying and managing chemical hazards in the workplace, provided by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
Review Questions:
- What is the difference between engineering controls and administrative controls? Provide an example of each.
- What are the four main routes of exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace?
- How does biological monitoring differ from air sampling in assessing worker exposure to hazards?
- Explain the importance of threshold limit values (TLVs) in occupational hygiene and how they are applied.
- Why is risk assessment important in managing workplace hazards, and what are the key components of a risk assessment form?
Further Notes:
This chapter serves as a practical resource for occupational hygienists, providing a glossary of terms, sample forms, and industry standards. It also offers additional reading materials for those seeking to expand their knowledge of industrial/occupational hygiene and its applications in various industries.
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