Environmental & Occupational

Health Hazards; Industrial

Hygiene & Ergonomics
(Rev.10.b)
 Occupational Health Definition
(WHO/ILO)
 Promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of
physical, mental & social well-being of workers of all
occupations

 Prevention among its workers of departures from health

caused by their working conditions

 Protection of workers in their employment from risks

usually from factors adverse to health

 Placing & maintenance of the worker in an occupational

environment adapted to his/her physiological ability.
2
Source: OSHC June 2015
ILO Estimates (2015 Data)
Work-related accidents: 270 million/year

Work-related illnesses: 160 million/year

Deaths: 2.2 million/year

Source: OSHC June 2015 3

Global Estimates: Deaths due to
Work (ILO 2015)

4
Source: OSHC June 2015
 Data on Occupational Illnesses and
Injuries in the Philippines
Type of Disease Number Percent
Total 43,235 100.0
Work-related musculoskeletal diseases 13,296 31.0
Bronchial asthma 8,759 20.0
Infections 6,517 15.0
Essential hypertension 6,152 14.0
Occupational dermatitis 5,965 14.0
Peptic ulcers 4,135 10.0
2007/2008 BLES Integrated Survey (BITS) Non-agricultural establishments employing 20 or more workers

Source: OSHC June 2015 5

Surveillance of Occupational Illnesses
and Injuries in NCR
No. of Reporting Estab with
DISEASES Occurrence of Disease
Low back pain 32 (97%)
Hypertension 30 (91%)
Allergic dermatitis 16 (48%)
Neck/Shoulder Pain 13 (39%)
Other kidney disease* 9 (27%)
Other lung disease 9 (27%)
Carpal tunnel syndrome 8 (24%)
Anemia 7 (21%)
Hand-wrist tenosynovitis 5 (15%)

Other due to physical hazards** 1 (3%)

 Survey of Company Physicians affiliated with PCOM, 2010 6

Source: OSHC June 2015

 Contents
 Definitions
 Environmental Stresses or Hazards
A. Chemical Hazards
B. Physical Hazards
C. Biological Hazards
D. Ergonomic Hazards
 Industrial Hygiene Control Methods
 Work Environment Measurements (WEM)
7
 Occupational Health Hazard
 Conditions that cause
legally compensable
illnesses
 Any condition in the
workplace that:
– impairs the health of
employees
– enough to make them loss
time from work or to work at
less than full efficiency
8
 Occupational Health
 Is the division of Occupational
Safety and Health that deals
with the control of health
hazards in the workplace.
 Two very important
terminologies are:
 Occupational Medicine
 Industrial Hygiene

9
Occupational Medicine
 Is practiced by the Occupational Health Physician:
 who has special training in industrial and preventive
medicine
 and whose industry professional partners are the:
• occupational health nurses,
• the industrial hygienist and
• the ergonomist.
 Part of the major focus is on diseases and health
disorders that are acquired relative to doing a
particular occupation
 (examples: silicosis, ergonomic ailments, etc.) 10
 Industrial Hygiene

 Science and art devoted to the anticipation,

recognition, evaluation and control of:
 environmental factors or stresses arising in or
from the workplace which may cause
 sickness, impaired health and well being or
 significant discomfort among workers or among
citizens of the community.
 Remember the acronym: A – R – E – C
11
 ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSES
OR HAZARDS
A. Chemical Hazards
B. Physical Hazards
B.1 Noise
B.2 Temperature Extremes
B.3 Vibration
B.4 Radiation
C. Biological Hazards
D. Ergonomic Hazards
Note: SV S15
OHSAS 18001:1999 mechanical, psychological & fire hazards.
12
 A. CHEMICAL HAZARDS
 Arise from excessive airborne concentration
of mists, vapors, gases or solids that are in
the form of dusts or fumes.
 The hazard of inhalation,
 Skin irritants
 Toxic by absorption
through the skin
13
 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS – 1
AIRBORNE HAZARDS
 Dusts:
– solid particles suspended in air such as generated
by crushing, drilling, grinding or explosions
 Mists:
– airborne liquid droplets generated when a liquid is
broken up by atomizing, splashing or foaming
 Gases:
– formless fluids that disperse to occupy space; not
in the solid and liquid state at normal temperature
14
and pressure
 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS – 2
AIRBORNE HAZARDS
 Vapors:
– gaseous form of substances usually in the liquid or
solid phase at normal temperature and pressure
 Smoke:
– extremely small particles of carbon/soot that result
from incomplete combustion of materials
 Fumes:
– very fine solid airborne particles condensed from
the vapors of materials or formed as a result of
SV S20
chemical reaction 15
 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS – 3
AIR CONTAMINANTS EFFECTS
 Irritation:
– aggravation of whatever tissue the material comes
in contact with:
• Affecting mainly URT = NH3, HCl, Formaldehyde,
Acetic Acid and soluble gases
• Affecting URT and deeper structure = SO2, Cl2, Br2,
Phosphorous, Pentachloride
• Acting primarily in the depths of the lungs = Ozone,
NO2, Phosgene

16
 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS – 4
AIR CONTAMINANTS EFFECTS
 Asphyxiants:
– interfere with oxygenation of the tissue and the
affected individual may literally suffocate
 Simple – inert gases that dilute or displace
atmospheric oxygen e.g. N2, CO2, argon,
helium, hydrogen
 Chemical – prevent the uptake of oxygen by the
blood or interfere with the transporting of
oxygen from the lungs e.g. carbon monoxide,
17
hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen sulfide
 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS – 5
AIR CONTAMINANTS EFFECTS
 Narcotics:
– produce unconsciousness and anesthetics; prevent
the nervous system from doing its normal job

 Solvent examples: alcohols, esters, ketones,

ethers, chloroform

18
“Industrial Toxicity”
is the key to
understanding the
effects of chemicals

SV S23
19
 Toxicology
Science that deals with the poisonous or
toxic properties of substances.
Everyone is exposed on and off the job to
a variety of chemical substances.

20
 Toxic Effect
 Any noxious effect on the body – reversible or
irreversible,
 Any chemical that cause tumor, whether
benign or malignant,
 Any mutagenic or teratogenic (malformation)
effect or death – as a result of contact with a
substance via the respiratory tract,
skin, eye, mouth or any other route.

21
 Toxicity

The ability of a substance to produce an

unwanted effect when the chemical reached
a sufficient concentration at a certain site in
the body.

SV
22
S25
 Hazard

 The probability that

such concentration in
the body will occur

23
Contributing Factors to Determine the
Degree of Hazard of a Chemical
 Routes of entry  Toxicity
 Dosage  Chemical properties
 Physiological state  Physical properties
 Environmental  Warning properties
variables

24
 Routes of Entry

Inhalation
Ingestion
Dermal contact –
skin or eye absorption
Injection (new addition
due to blood-borne pathogens)
25
 Action of Toxic Substance
 Acute toxicity
– Short-term exposure to a high concentration
with an immediate effect
 Chronic toxicity
– Effects manifests over a period of time

SV
26
S29
 Exposure
 The contact between a person/test animal
and a substance such as gases, vapors, dust,
etc.

27
Factors Affecting Exposure
• Concentration
• Duration of Exposure
• Route of Entry
• Individual
Susceptibility

SV S31
28
 Factors Affecting Human
Susceptibility
 Age
 Sex
 General health
 Genetic variability
 Anatomic variability
 Nutrition
 Previous exposure
29
Classification of Toxic Effects
Local
– When a certain chemical harms only the part
of the body it comes in contact with.
(Ex: acid burns on skin)
Systemic
– When a certain chemical harms other related
organs operating as a system. (Ex: Carbon
Monoxide – affects the blood and the CNS.)
VSV S34
30
Specific Organ Toxicity

Skin
Liver
Respiratory tract
Nervous system
Kidneys
Blood

31
 B. PHYSICAL HAZARDS
B.1 Noise
B.2 Temperature Extremes
B.3 Vibration
B.4 Radiation
Note: Other physical hazards per OHSAS 1800:1999
category namely slips, trips and falls are not covered by
under this topic.
SV
32
S45
 Sound
Is any pressure variation (in air, water
or some other medium) that the human
ear can detect. It is a stimulus that
produces a sensory response in the
brain.

33
 Facts on Sounds
 Decibels (db) – used to express the sound
level associated with noise measurements.

 Normal hearing 20 hz – 20,000 hz.

 Loudness depends primarily on sound

pressure and frequency (pitch).
34
35
 B.1 Noise
Is an unwanted sound because it is
unpleasant.
It interferes with the perception of
wanted sound, and is likely to be
physiologically harmful.

SV
36
S50
 Occupational Noise
• Noise is a common problem found in many
workplaces.
• Research has shown that high levels of noise can
damage your hearing.
• Losing your hearing is a gradual process, and is
less noticeable than other types of workplace
injuries.
• It is, however, a permanent handicap for those
who are affected.
37
 SV S54

Noise Standards
Philippine OSHA - 90 dB (A)
US OSHA - 90 dB (A)
US NIOSH - 85 dB (A)
Env. Qual. Stds. for Noise in Gen. Areas (dbA)
Category of Area Daytime: A.M.: 5 to 9 am Night time:
9am – 6pm P.M.: 6 to 10 pm 10pm – 5 am
AA – hospitals, etc. 50 45 40
A – residential 55 50 45
B – commercial 65 60 55
C – light industrial 70 65 60
38
D – heavy industrial 75 70 65
Permissible Noise Exposure*
Duration/day, hrs. Sound levels, dBA
8 90
6 92
4 95
3 97
2 100
11/2 102
1 105
1/2 110
1/4 115
Ceiling value: no exposure in excess of 115 dBA is allowed SV S56
* Without need of hearing protection 39
 Why Hearing Protection is
Important
 The ears are composed of very delicate
structures
 Sound waves travel through the air into
the ears
 Sound is collected in the outer ear and
funneled to the eardrum.
 The eardrums vibrate and send sound
to the middle ear.
 The middle ear amplifies the vibrations
and sends them to the inner ear.
 The vibrations stimulate hair cells in
the inner ear and create an electrical
impulse.
 This impulse travels to the brain along
the auditory nerve, causing the
sensation of sound.
40
B.2 TEMPERATURE EXTREMES

Coldness
A condition suffered by workers exposed to
extremely cold temperatures.
Heat Stress
It is a combination of physiological environmental
forces or loads, which exert a strain upon the human
body as our systems try to compensate.

41
TEMPERATURE vs. HUMAN BODY
 Boiling point of water:
HIGH
Degrees C and Degrees F?
100 deg. C or 212 deg. F 
 Normal body temperature:
TO
Degrees C and Degrees F?
36.5 deg. C or 97.7 deg. F 
 Freezing point of water:
Degrees C and Degrees F?
LOW
0 deg. C or 32 deg. F  SV S62
42
 The Physiology of Heat Stress
 Prevention of the body’s heat – regulating
mechanisms from working efficiently.
 Excessive heat gains within the body.
Fahrenheit Celsius Notes

Caution — fatigue is possible with

80–90 °F 27–32 °C
prolonged exposure and activity

Extreme caution — sunstroke, heat

90–105 °F 32–41 °C
cramps, and heat exhaustion are possible

Danger — sunstroke, heat cramps, and

105–130 °F 41–54 °C heat exhaustion are likely; heat stroke is
possible

Extreme danger — heat stroke or

over 130 °F over 54 °C sunstroke are likely with continued
exposure 43
 Two Sources of Heat
 Metabolic Heat - is a by–product of the
chemical processes that occur within cells,
tissues and organs.
 Environmental Heat - influences the rate
at which body heat can be exchanged with
the environment and consequently, the ease
with which the body can regulate and
maintain a normal temperature
44
 B.3 VIBRATION

Refers to mechanical
oscillations about an
equilibrium point.
Use of vibrating power tools
can place stress on the tissues
of the fingers, hand and arms
or even the whole body.
45
 Vibration Ailments
& Controls
 Vibration can cause:
white finger (VWF) and can affect nerves,
joints, muscles, blood vessels and also
connective tissues of the hand and forearm.
 D.O.13 specifies maximum of 2 hours
work in an 8-hour workday or 1:4 work
cycles
 UK HSE - max. work hours according to
type of vibration (manufacturer-specified)
46
Sample Recommended Illumination Levels

Illumination Level Area to be Illuminated

50 lux minimum passageway, corridor, warehouse
100 lux minimum engine and boiler rooms; toilets and
washrooms
200 lux minimum canning and preserving; planing of
lumber and veneering
300 lux minimum medium inspection; office deskwork
with intermittent reading and
writing for filing and mail sorting
500 lux minimum fine inspection, fine woodworking,
accounting, drafting, stenographic
work
1000 lux minimum extra fine assembling; jewelry and
watch mfg; proofreading in printing
47
plants
C. BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS

48
 C. BIOLOGICAL
HAZARDS
 A biological hazard or biohazard is an
organism, or substance derived from an
organism, that poses a threat to (primarily)
human health.
 This can include medical waste or samples of
a microorganism, virus or toxin (from a
biological source) that can impact human
health or those harmful to animals.
 It may also pertain to hazards due to insects,
49
animals or hazardous plants.
BIO-HAZARD LEVELS
 1: Bacteria and viruses including Bacillus
subtilis, canine hepatitis, Escherichia coli,
varicella (chicken pox), as well as some cell
cultures and non-infectious bacteria.
 2: Bacteria and viruses that cause only mild
disease to humans, or are difficult to contract
via aerosol in a lab setting, such as hepatitis
A, B, and C, influenza A, Lyme disease,
salmonella, mumps, measles, scrapie, and
HIV. 50
BIO-HAZARD LEVELS
 3: Bacteria and viruses that can cause
severe to fatal disease in humans, but for
which vaccines or other treatments exist,
such as anthrax, West Nile virus,
Venezuelan equine encephalitis, SARS
virus, variola virus (smallpox), tuberculosis,
typhus, Rift Valley fever, Rocky Mountain
spotted fever, yellow fever, and malaria.
51
 BIO-HAZARD LEVELS
 4: Viruses and bacteria that cause severe to
fatal disease in humans, and for which
vaccines or other treatments are not available,
such as Bolivian and Argentine hemorrhagic
fevers, H5N1(bird flu), dengue fever,
Marburg virus, Ebola virus, hantaviruses,
Lassa fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic
fever, Y. pestis, and other hemorrhagic
diseases. SV
52
S76
 What is ERGONOMICS?
 The study of human characteristics for the appropriate
design of the living and work environment
 Human factors engineering (not necessarily ergonomics) is
the application of the understanding of the user’s role in
the overall system performance
 The objective of ergonomics is to design a system in which
the workplace layout, work methods, machines and
equipment, and work environment (such as noise &
illumination) are compatible with the physical and
behavioral limitations of the worker (s). The better this fit,
the higher the level of safety and work efficiency.

53
 D. ERGONOMIC HAZARDS
 These include
improperly designed
tools or work areas.
 Improper lifting or
reaching, poor visual
conditions or repeated
motions in an
awkward position .

54
Ergonomic Related Disorders

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Tendonitis

Low back problems

55
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

56
 Class Exercise: Ergonomics
 This will prove to you the
SECRET of ergonomics
 Follow these instructions....
 That is the key to
ergonomics:
 The closer to the “dead-
man’s position” the better!

57
 Industrial Hygiene
Control Methods

Engineering Controls
Administrative Controls
Personal Protective
Equipment

VSV S89
58
 Engineering Controls – 1
 Substitution - involves the substitution of
hazardous materials with one that is less
hazardous.
 Isolation and/or enclosure – involves the
physical isolation and/or enclosure of the
process from the worker thereby having no
direct exposure
 Process change or alteration – involves the
switching of an operation to a less59
hazardous operation; ex: dry to wet process
 Engineering Controls – 2
 Ventilation - involves the introduction of
fresh air to dilute, exhaust or remove the
contaminated air.
A. General or Dilution Ventilation

60
Natural Ventilation Mechanical Ventilation
 Engineering Controls – 3
B.1 Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV)
Duct Air Cleaning Device Exhaust Stack

Hoods Fan
61
 Engineering Controls – 4
B.2 Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV)

Enclosure Exterior Receiving 62

 Administrative Controls – 1
Rotation of personnel at hazardous
work stations
Limiting the time spent (of personnel)
in the hazard areas
Good housekeeping and maintenance
including cleanliness in the workplace,
proper waste disposal and adequate
washing, toilet and eating facilities.63
 Administrative Controls – 2
Special control methods for specific hazards,
such as shielding, monitoring devices and
continuous sampling with preset alarms.
Medical controls to detect evidence of
absorption of toxic materials.
Training and education to supplement
engineering controls.
Emergency response training and education.
64
 Personal Protective Equipment
 Eye and face
protection
 Protective
clothing/gloves
 Hearing protective
devices
 Protective creams and
lotions
 Respiratory protective
devices
65
Work Environment Measurements
(WEM) vs. Instruments Used
 Chemicals & TLV = detector tubes, TLV meter
 Gases = specific gas detector equipment (H2S)
 Dusts = particle counter (0.5micron, 0.5 CFM)

66
Work Environment Measurements
(WEM) vs. Instruments Used
 Noise = noise level meter & dosimeter
 Temperature = thermometer; sling psychrometer;
humidity-temperature meters
 Ionizing Radiation = Geiger Muller radiation meter;
film badges; others

67
Work Environment Measurements
(WEM) vs. Instruments Used
 Light/luminance = light meter (lux, footcandles, etc.)
 Vibration = vibration meter
 Weight/load = various forms of weighing scales

68
 TYPES OF
MONITORING SYSTEMS
 PERSONAL – measurement of a particular
employees’ exposure to the airborne contaminants
 ENVIRONMENTAL – measurement of
contaminant concentration in the work area
 BIOLOGICAL – measurement of changes in the
composition of body fluid, tissues or expired air in
order to determine excessive absorption of the
contaminant
 MEDICAL – examination by medical personnel
of the worker’s response to a contaminant
69
70