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Safety hazards usually exist in a workplace. However, do you know which are the ones that harm workers? Identifying hazards in a workplace can be tricky, but you can always be prepared to eliminate and control injuries, accidents, downtime, and property damage.
There’s always a key step in safety protocol to develop a thorough assessment of all equipment and environmental safety hazards. That’s why companies must have their staff and workers undergo 40-hour HAZWOPER training to know workplace safety and work on the assessment.
In this article, you will learn and understand workplace safety hazards. So, without further ado, let’s get started and find out these safety hazards.
Understanding a Workplace Hazard
In safety risk and hazard assessment, it’s very important to be very thorough at all costs. Why? Because, after all, you can’t always protect workers against possible hazards. You’d be unprepared and unaware of it.
Other than 40-hour HAZWOPER training, general safety hazards include trips, slips, and falls. But then again, it would be up to the employer to conduct regular hazards in identifying the unique risks and hazards. As stated in Protex AI’s hazards tracking glossary, implementing a well-structured system for tracking hazards simplifies the process of recognizing new or emerging risks.
List of Workplace Safety Hazards
Despite where you work or which industry you work with, workplace hazards may be categorized into 7 sections. This will make it a lot easier to mitigate and remain organized. Check out these workplace safety hazards every worker and management should know.
1. Safety Hazards
Safety hazards are among the list of workplace hazard types. The hazards affect workers who work directly on construction sites or machinery. Always remember that the safety hazards are not safe in any working conditions. It could cause illnesses, injuries, or even death.
2. Physical Hazards
Of all hazards in a workplace, the physical hazards could be the least obvious. Despite its name, the physical hazards are not always what you touch or see. Instead, it affects workers, especially in extreme weather conditions or harmful working environments.
The workers exposed to the sun for long periods may suffer physical hazards, and it may have a long-term effect on the worker’s health. However, physical hazards can also be any environmental factor that could harm the body without touching it.
3. Biological Hazards
Biological hazards definition is usually known as biohazards. It may be a biological substance that may cause harm to humans. It includes exposure to disease or harm from working people, animals, or even infectious plant materials.
4. Chemical Hazards
Chemical hazards are also present when the worker is exposed to chemical preparation in a workplace. Some may be safer than others, but some workers who tend to be sensitive to chemicals could cause illness, irritation to the skin, or even breathing problems.
5. Ergonomic Hazards
These safety hazards usually occur when the type of work, working conditions, and body positions strain the body. Unfortunately, strains are not always noticeable in your body.
Yet short-term exposure may result in “sore muscles” the next day or the days that follow the strain. With that, extended exposure may end up having serious long-term issues.
6. Environmental Hazards
Environmental hazards are constantly changing, and it’s usually unpredictable. The bad news is that these hazards are usually out of our control. However, on the bright side, it’s somewhat predictable when seasons change and even advances in meteorology.
7. Work Organization Hazards
Stressors or safety hazards may cause stress and strain. These are the hazards associated with workplace issues, like workload, respect, or even lack of control.
The workload hazards could be experienced in any job role. But, workers may have a hard time voicing their concerns because of their isolated working environment. As a result, they may even find themselves a target for anti-social behavior.
Preparing for Workplace Hazards
One of the best ways to prepare for any hazards in a workplace is having extensive professional safety training such as the 40-hour HAZWOPER training.
When you have these training courses, it will help you determine the risks before they can even occur. You will also be able to navigate different situations where hazards are always present in achieving the safest and best outcome.
With that, workers will have the ability and knowledge to attend to hazards and return to the workplace safely. In addition, they know how to prevent or even care for themselves if such circumstances happen.
Wrapping Up
If you are completing a hazard assessment in a workplace, you should always take into account that there are different types and categories to think about the factors that could affect the workers in particular circumstances.
In the end, what’s important is that everyone in the workplace is safe and trained to handle risky situations when they work. Because life is more precious and important, and with the right training, workers will know how to handle such situations.
