Occupational illnesses health hazards

Before embarking on tests involving the use of solvents or other chemicals, some of which are described in this chapter, it is important to consider the health and safety risks associated with such materials and how to minimize them. In the UK, the use of hazardous materials is regulated by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (CoSHH). The main objective of the Regulations is to reduce occupational ill health by setting out a simple framework for controlling hazardous substances in the workplace (Health and Safety Executive, 2007). 

Programmed High Hazard Inspections OSHA establishes programs of inspection aimed at specific high hazard industries, occupations, or health hazards. Workplaces are selected for inspection on the basis of death, illness and injury rates, employee exposure to toxic substances, etc. 

Where, at work, an employee is subjected to certain conditions or materials there could be a reaction resulting in ill-health. In many of these cases the hazards are known and the symptoms recognized. This section considers some of the main causes of occupational ill health. 

Thus, there is a clear need to establish the relationship between the health effects of hazardous chemical agents in the environment and the level of occupational exposure to the body by means of an occupational exposure limit, in which a reference figure for the concentration of a chemical agent is set. In fact, occupational exposure limits (OELs) have been a feature of the industrialized world since the early 1950s. They were introduced, primarily in the United States, at a time when measures to prevent occupational diseases were considered more beneficial than compensating victims, and in this sense OELs have played an important part in the control of occupational illnesses. 

Hydrocarbon based solvents have a valuable role in many industrial processes. However, a well-known hazard of many hydrocarbon solvents is their flammability, but they can also have damaging effects on the environment and harm human health. Emphasis is placed on the latter. Some of the ill health effects are described together with how solvents users can get information on these the UK approach to control, including the role of occupational exposure limits a comparison of UK limits with those in other EU Member States and finally a new approach taken by the UK Health Safety Executive to help companies control health risks. 6 refs. 

This agency can also provide you with information on the location of occupational and environmental health clinics. These clinics specialize in the identification, evaluation, and treatment of illness health clinics. These clinics specialize in the identification, evaluation, and treatment of illness resulting from exposure to hazardous substances. 

The Targeted Hazard Identification System (THIS) is specifically designed to enhance employees ability to recognize and target safety and health hazards in the workplace, which in turn enhances the company s proactive approach to the prevention of costly occupational injuries and illnesses. The THIS also provides an easy and cost-effective way for employees to communicate their observations of safety and health hazards in the workplace to other employees and management. 

The THIS program is specifically designed to permit the Philips Lighting Company (Danville facility see Figure A3.1) to focus all employees attention on the top three safety and health hazards that are the root cause of the vast majority of their occupational injuries and illnesses. The three identified or targeted hazards for the initial training are... 

The occupational safety and health community uses various names to describe systematic approaches to reducing injuries and illnesses in the workplace. Consensus and international standards use the term Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems OSHA currently uses the term Injury and Illness Prevention Programs and others use Safety and Health Programs to describe these types of systems. Regardless of the title, they all systematically address workplace safety and health hazards on an ongoing basis to reduce the extent and severity of work-related injuries and illnesses. 

Section 8(c) of the OSHA Act requires employers to maintain a record of work-related illnesses and injuries in an OSHA 300 Log. Upon request, this record must be made available to employees, former employees or their representatives. Section 2 (b) also places responsibility on workers by encouraging them to (1) reduce the number of occupational safety and health hazards in their workplace, and (2) to strive to achieve safe and healthful working conditions. 

The wide variety of chemicals produced and very poor overall health and safety statistics, make the assessment of occupationally determined disease and ill-health particularly difficult. Taking this a stage further, other than disasters or accidents, where the effect on workers and the environment can be relatively easy to observe, the long-term impact, particularly from low levels of new or poorly studied materials, is a particular problem. Epidemiology, (the study of social groups and patterns of disease as a means of determining causes ) is difficult due to the varied exposure conditions and the varied significance of other factors. Exposure to chemicals at work is one hazard that can be controlled. 

Programmed high-hazard inspections are given the next priority. These are aimed at specific high-hazard industries, occupations, or health substances. Selection is based on factors such as death, injury, and illness incidence rates and employee exposure to hazardous substances. 

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is the third category of health hazard control available to the IH or occupational health and safety professional. It is considered the last line of defense because the barrier separating the employee from the health hazard must be worn correctly and consistently. If the employee does not wear the PPE or it fails, they will be at greater risk for illness or injury. It is an unfortunate fact that for many occupational safety and health programs, PPE is the symbol of the safety program rather than a last resort. 

Health hazards that cause occupational illnesses present a more complex issue than safety hazards. Health-related hazards must be identified (recognized), evalnated, and controlled in order to prevent occupational illnesses, which come from exposure to them. Health-related hazards come in a variety of forms, snch as chanical, physical, ergonomic, or biological ... 

Health hazards also present a problan in that some can cause acute effects, while others can lead to chronic disease at some time much later. This chapter cannot cover all the potential causes and risks of occupational illness, but it does review some of the most common health-related risks in the workplace. 

Occupational health takes a multidisciplinary approach to providing a positive work environment that minimizes work-related illness and hazards so that workers can perform their jobs safely. In the past, businesses focused on controlling the spread of disease however, the chief goal of occupational health and safety has become the prevention of illness in workers. Prevention of work-related illness helps minimize worker absenteeism, enhances productivity, and promotes economic stability for both the worker and the business. Healthy and safe workers lead to productive businesses, healthy communities, and healthy families. 

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Another agency that provides support for workplace health and safety is the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, housed under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This group provides health hazard evaluations to determine if workers have been exposed to hazardous materials in the workplace. Workers can request an evaluation be made at their workplace if, for example, workers acquire an illness from an unknown source or epidemiological studies demonstrate an inappropriately high incidence of an occupational disease among a particular group of workers. 

It is most important that TLV data be correctly used. Misuse can occur when uninformed individuals view these levels as magic numbers, below which workers are safe and above which they become ill. It should be remembered that there is wide variation in individual susceptibility to air contaminants and physical agents. Some workers may experience some discomfort from expo.sures at or below the TLV, and a much smaller number may be affected more. seriously by aggravation of a pre-existing condition or by development of an occupational illness. Therefore, the TLV s as published were intended to be used only as guides in the control of health hazards and not as levels which separate safe from dangerous exposures. In addition, a TLV is not intended as a relative index of hazard or toxicity, nor to be mathematically manipulated by applying foysical con.stants to derive a relative hazard. 

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