If you run a business, you’ll know that employee safety is a top priority. Did you know that there are several workplace hazards that can put employees severely at risk?
While it’s impossible to rid the workplace of safety hazards completely, it’s important to know about the most common hazards you should avoid having in your workplace.
Being aware of these hazards will ensure that your employees and business stay out of harm’s way.
In this article, we’ll cover safety hazards, biological hazards, and physical hazards. Keep reading to learn more about these workplace safety hazards and what you can do as a business to avoid them.
Safety Hazards
We’ll first start with safety hazards. These hazards are most commonly present in construction work or other types of manual labor and can be highly dangerous.
Here are three examples of common safety hazards in the workplace.
Falling
Physical injuries like falling are very common in the workplace. For example, an employee may trip over an electrical cord, or they may slip on water or another type of liquid.
Likewise, an employee operating on machinery may also be at risk of falling from dangerously high heights, or an unguarded object may fall on a nearby employee.
It’s important for the business to make sure walkways are clear of loose cords and to clean up any messes or spills.
Employees should also be thoroughly trained in operating machinery and given the proper safety gear to prevent falls. High-risk objects should also be watched over to prevent them from falling on an employee.
Electrocution
Electrocution is another common and often fatal workplace hazard. This is especially common among electrical work but can happen with many types of construction jobs.
Always make sure that electrical equipment is grounded and does not need any repairs. Improper wiring or damaged cords are two big electrocution risks for employees.
It’s also important to make sure the tools for repairing equipment are also working properly with no damage and that metal objects are kept away from electrical equipment.
Machinery
Operating machinery can also be extremely dangerous for employees. Even the most trained employee is still at risk of injuries or fatalities when operating machinery.
It’s vital that machines are up to date in repairs and that employees make use of emergency switches to stop the machine in the case of an emergency.
Employees should also always wear PPE and the proper clothing attire when operating their machines.
Biological Hazards
Those were three common safety hazards in the workplace. Now, let’s move on to the biological hazards in the workplace.
Biological hazards are any type of hazard that results from exposure to a dangerous substance or disease. These types of job dangers typically occur in occupations like schools, hospitals, or jobs with exposure to the wilderness.
Here are three examples of biological hazards in the workplace.
Hazardous Waste
Hazardous waste can put employees at high risk of contamination. Exposure to hazardous waste can lead to a slew of dangerous health issues.
Always make sure that hazardous products are stored away and disposed of safely.
In general, workplaces need to limit the number of hazardous waste products to limit the risk of exposure.
Viruses and Bacteria
Viruses and the spread of bacteria are prevalent among closely confined workplaces with higher volumes of people. This includes places like schools, colleges, hospitals, and nursing homes.
Efficient disinfecting of the workplace and encouraging other cleanliness measures like hand-washing are important in preventing the spread of viruses and bacteria.
Masks and other proper PPE can also protect employees from spreading illnesses like COVID-19.
Animals and Plants
Occupations with animals and plants also come with biological hazards. These hazards can lead to dangerous diseases and other illnesses.
Fecal matter exposure from animals can lead to E. coli infection, hookworm infection, or other infections and diseases.
Dangerous plants like poison ivy or poison oak can also cause severe rashes in employees. In addition, insect bites can cause severe reactions in some individuals, and exposure to fungi and mold can worsen allergies or asthma.
It’s important that employees wear PPE around animal and plant hazards and frequently apply insect repellent.
Physical Hazards
Next, we’ll move on to the physical hazards in the workplace. These hazards are usually environmental factors that affect employees.
Here are three types of physical hazards in the workplace.
Weather
Weather is a huge risk factor in the workplace. Outdoor workers are at the highest risk of weather hazards.
Spending long hours a day in extremely hot temperatures can lead to things like heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
Hypothermia and frostbite can result from long hours in snow or cold temperatures.
To avoid this, employees must wear proper clothing attire to protect them from extreme temperatures and be given efficient breaks. Employees in the heat should also stay hydrated and apply sunscreen to protect against UV rays.
Radiation
Radiation is another workplace safety hazard. Exposure can lead to various cancers or acute radiation syndrome, which is highly fatal.
Employees who work with radiation must wear protective clothing and PPE. Dosimeters should also be used, and any physical contact with radioactive material should be avoided at all costs.
Employees should ultimately limit their time working near radiation as well.
Noise
This may seem surprising, but loud noise can also be a risk factor for employees. Construction workers are usually at the highest risk of this because they are around loud machinery and tools often.
In the short term, constant loud noise can lead to conditions like tinnitus. In the long term, permanent hearing loss can occur and cannot be cured.
It’s a good idea to purchase machines and tools that operate at a lower volume. Loud noises and machinery should also be kept at a distance from other employees.
Employees may also benefit from using earplugs to protect their ears from these loud noises.
Workplace Safety Training
All workplaces need to undergo work place safety through a training program. Workplace safety training is a legal requirement for workplaces by OSHA.
These training programs will make tragic injuries and fatalities much less likely to occur in the workplace.
Prevent Workplace Hazards
Those were some of the most common workplace hazards and safety measures to instill. Workplace safety training is necessary to ensure that these proper safety measures will be followed.
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