Workplace risk management
-
Upload
dr-faisal-al-haddad -
Category
Health & Medicine
-
view
157 -
download
1
Transcript of Workplace risk management
Risk Assessment and Management
Faisal Al Hadad
Consultant of Family Medicine & Occupational Health
PSMMC
Hazard vs. Risk
Hazard is any source of potential damage, harm or
adverse health effects on something or someone under
certain conditions at work.
Risk is the chance or probability that a person will be
harmed or experience an adverse healtheffect if exposed
to a hazard.
Classification of aerosols
Dusts solid particles made airborne by mechanical disintegration of bulksolid material e.g. cutting, grinding, abrasion, crushing, handling,transportation
Inhalable dust is fraction of total airborne particles that are inhaled throughthe nose and or mouth e.g. wood dust, cement dust, flour dust
Respirable dust is fraction of total airborne particles that penetrate theunciliated airways of the lung (alveolar region) where gas exchange occurse.g. silica, coal dust
Fibres: respirable fibre is defined as a fibre >5 µm in length, with a lengthto width ratio of at least 3:1 and a diameter <3 µm e.g. asbestos, machineMade mineral fibre
Classification of aerosols
Fumes formed when material from a volatilized solid condenses in cool aire.g. rubber fume, diesel fumes, welding fume
Mists are suspended liquid droplets generated by condensation of liquids fromthe vapour back to the liquid state or by breaking up a liquid into dispersedstate e.g. paint spraying mist, oil mist Gases are formless fluids which expand to occupy the space or enclosure inwhich they are confined e.g. CO
Vapours are volatile forms of substances that are normally in the solid orliquid state at room temperature and pressure e.g. toluene
Risk Assessment
Definition:
RA is a structured and systematic procedure, which is
dependent upon the correct identification of hazards and
an appropriate assessment of risks arising from them for
purposes of their control and avoidance
(HSE, 1995)
Risk Assessment
Purpose of risk assessment: to enable a valid decision to bemade about measures necessary to control exposure tosubstances hazardous to health arising in any workplace
Process of risk assessment1. Hazard identification2. Exposure assessment 3. Risk characterization
Hazard identification
Definition: hazard identification is determining the presence andcharacteristics of contaminants that affect human health
Methods: Accident and ill health statistics Investigation of accidents, ill health effects and complaints Audits Workplace inspections (walk-through survey) List of the chemicals purchased and used (MSDS) Understanding the process in order to determine the intermediate and final
products Brain-storming of those who work in specific areas
Exercise: Hazard identification
Exposure assessment
Definition: exposure assessment is determining the
conditions of exposure and the doses received by those
exposed
Methods: Workplace inspections Industrial hygiene surveys (e.g. sampling, noise survey)
Biological monitoring
Risk characterization
Definition: risk characterization estimating the likelihood
of an adverse health outcome in exposed populations
and the uncertainties associated with the estimate
Level of risk intolerable tolerable negligible
Risk Management
Definition: risk management is the eradication or minimization of theadverse effects of the pure risks to which an organization is exposed(Bamber, 1990)
Purpose : to prevent injuries and ill health from hazards
Process: Prevention and control Risk communication Health surveillance
Prevention and control
Organizational solutions
Engineering solutions
Use of personal protective equipments
Organizational solutions
Complete elimination of the process that leads to the exposure
Complete elimination of the substance (s) causing the risk
Substitution by a less toxic substance
Substitution by the same substance, but in a form that reduces the risk of exposure
Designing or redesigning the process so that exposure is minimized
Suppressing the substance
Engineering solutions
Total enclosures under negative pressure
Partial enclosures with extract ventilation
Extracted canopies
Hood or slots
General or dilution ventilation
Use of personal protective equipments
Respiratory protective equipment (e.g. respirator, breathing apparatus)
Hearing protectors (earmuffs/earplugs)
Gloves/sleeves
Protective clothing (e.g. jacket, trousers, aprons, overalls, coveralls, body suits)
Eye and face protectors (e.g. safety spectacles, goggles, face shields or visors)
Risk communication
Risk communication is communicating information
on risks to the stakeholders
Communication on risk should aim to bridge the gap
between perceived risks and real risks
Health surveillance
Definition:The periodic medicophysiological examination of exposed workerswith the objective of protecting and preventing occupationallyrelated diseases (Notten et al, 1986)
Rationale: to detect adverse health effects from occupational exposures at asearly a stage as possible
Indications of health surveillance
Where the RA indicates that it is required or it meets the following criteria:
An identifiable disease or adverse effect is associated with the work activity
Appropriate methods are available to identify such ill effects
It is reasonably likely that the adverse effect will occur giving the prevailing work conditions
HS will offer additional protection to the workforce's health
Methods of health surveillance
Symptom review
Clinical assessment
Medical examination
Special investigations (lung function tests, audiometry, chest x-rays, bladder cytology, periodic eye tests)
Determination of immune status (anti-HBS, tuberculin testing)
Biological monitoring (blood, urine, expired air samples)