Occupational health

• Occupational Health - Field of practice concerned with the prevention of health of the employed population
• occupational health

  Main aim: 

  • To prevent, rather than cure, ill health from wherever it arises in the workplace
• Occupation - A person’s usual or principal work or business, especially as a means of learning a living
• Occupational Disease - Any abnormal condition, illness, or disorder caused by factors associated with employment
• Occupational Injury - Any injury, such as a cut, fracture, sprain, or amputation, which results from a work-related event or from a single, instantaneous exposure in the work environment 
• Occupational Hazard - Anything or anyone in the working environment that can potentially cause harm
• Risk - The likelihood that a hazard will cause harm
• Accidents - An occurrence or event that is unexpected, unforeseen, unplanned and unwanted that causes damage, injury, and loss. 
• Unsafe Acts 

  • The human action that departs from a standard or written job procedure or common practice, safety rules, regulations or instructions
• Unsafe conditions

  • The physical or chemical property of a material, machine or the environment which could result in injury to a person, damage or destruction to property or other forms of losses
• Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970

  • The goal of this federal regulation was to provide all employees (clinical laboratory personnel included) with a safe work environment. 
• • Philippines: an act strengthening compliance with occupational safety and health standards and providing penalties for violations of 2018 (RA 110581)
• Scope of OSHA:

  – Manufacturing

  – Construction

  – Transportation

  – Hotels and restaurants

  – Health and laboratory

  – Forestry and Fishing
• Occupational safety and health administration (OSHA)

  Government agency in charge of creating guidelines and protocols about ensuring occupational safety
• health hazard - Any existing or potential condition in the workplace which by itself or by reacting with other variables, can result in the unwanted effects of injuries, property damage, deaths and other losses
• Physical Hazards– Environmental condition in the workplace
• Biological Hazards– Agents or organisms which transmit diseases to man and affect his/her health adversely
• Chemical Hazards– Substances used and/or generated as raw materials, intermediate products, finished products and waste materials
• Ergonomic Stressor

  – Factors that result in worker’s discomfort, in relation to his/her job

  – Results in inability to attain optimum efficiency and productivity
• The MSDS is a major source of safety information for employees who may use hazardous materials in their occupations.
• MSDS - material safety data sheet
• Liquid nitrogen – one of the most widely used cryogenic fluids in lab
• An unstable atom – “radioactive"
• Types of ionizing radiation – Include alpha, beta, and neutron particles; gamma rays; and X-rays.
• Non-ionizing radiation has a lower energy that is not capable of ionizing other atoms.– Examples include radio waves, microwaves, and visible light.
• fire hazards - Includes anything which impedes the function of fire protection material or equipment, as well as anything that inhibits fire safe behavior
• Fire Triangle

  – Show the 3 basic elements of Fire

  – Fuel, Heat or Ignition source, and Oxygen (air)

  – Fourth element: Chain of reaction
• Class A fire - ordinary combustibles such as wood, paper, cloth, etc.
• Class B fire - flammable liquids such as grease, oil, paint, solvents
• Class C fire - live electrical equipment such as electrical panel, motor, wiring, etc.
• Class D fire - combustible metal such as magnesium, aluminum, etc.
• Class K fire - commercial cooking equipment such as cooking oils, animal fats, vegetable oils
• RACE- rescue, alarm, contain, extinguish
• using the fire extinguisher (PASS) - pull the pin, aim low at the base of flames, squeeze the handle, and sweep side to side
• Electrical hazards - Includes anything which that can cause electrocution, electric shock and burns, explosions, and fires
• electrical hazards Can happen with the following scenarios:|

  – Contact with energized sources

  – Contact with power lines

  – Improper use of extension and flexible cords
• mechanical hazards - Mechanical hazards include just about anything inorganic that moves or can injure you.
• mechanical hazards Can be caused by:

  – Controlled moving unprotected parts

  – Dangerous surfaces

  – Mobile work equipment

  – Uncontrolled moving parts

  – Slippery surfaces and tripping hazards

  – Crash
• ergonomic hazards - Related to the “fit” between a worker and his job, to achieve optimum efficiency and productivity
• Basic principles of OH control and prevention - elimination, substitution, engineering controls, administrative controls, PPE