Safety At Workplace (Helpful Tips & Tricks)

In most cases, workplace safety issues depend on the work environment and the kind of activities that are carried out in that environment. Interactions in a work environment may basically be categorized into three viz;¹

1. Man and physical, chemical, and biological agents
2. Man and machine
3. Man and man

Making these interactions safe, will translate to making the work environment safe. It is therefore very important that people observe their work environment well, with the aim of detecting any hazards. Detecting workplace hazards early, will make it possible that they are dealt with, and prevented from causing adverse health effect to the worker.

Types of Workplace Hazards

Workplace safety involves creating a safe working environment, securing and safeguarding the lives of the workers. Initially, workplace hazards were classified as;¹

1. Physical hazards
2. Chemical hazards
3. Biological hazards
4. Mechanical hazards
5. Social/Psychosocial hazards

Physical hazards

These hazards include; heat/cold, poor illumination/excessive brightness, excessive noise which may lead hearing loss or increased stress level, vibration which may affect the fingers and limbs generally, ultraviolet radiation which may affect the eyes as seen in arc welders, and ionizing radiation which may cause cancers as seen in Radiology workers.

Chemical hazards

They arise from chemical substances used in industries and other work environments. Examples include; pesticides, gases, acids, petroleum products, etc. The hazards may cause local injuries such as burns, or may cause more severe systemic problems if ingested or inhaled. Long term exposure to some of those chemicals could lead to development of malignant diseases.

Biological hazards

Depending on the nature of their job, people could be exposed to biological hazards such as infective or parasitic agents. These agents could be viral such as Ebola, Hepatitis B&C, and HIV viruses; bacterial such as Tuberculosis, Anthrax, or Tetanus; or fungal such as Tinea unguiun (nail), Tinea corporis (body), etc.

Other biological hazards include Snake bite and Scorpion sting that could occur in farms.People who work in livestock farms, or are working with animal products are particularly exposed to biological hazards such as anthrax and hydatid disease.

Mechanical hazards

These hazards mostly arise from interactions with machines used in the workplace. About 10% of accidents in industries are said to arise as a result of mechanical hazards. They frequently occur from accidents and injuries caused by tools and machines. Persistent posture adopted during work, such as kneeling down could lead to injuries such as callosities and blisters.

Social/Psychosocial hazards

These hazards arise from the situations in the organization, and how the workers interact with co-workers and management; as well as the economic and social contexts of work. Unhealthy and non-beneficial interactions may lead to both physical and mental health problems.

Physical problems may manifest as peptic ulcer, hypertension, etc; while mental health problem may manifest as anxiety, depression, etc. in some situations, some of these hazards may ultimately precipitate occupational stress, and workplace violence.

In addition to the above five groups of workplace hazards, the following are also recognized as workplace hazards, though some of these additional groupings can arguably be part of the previous grouping. The additional grouping includes;²

1. Electrical hazards
2. Workplace Harassment
3. Fire Hazards

Electrical hazards

Faulty electrical connections, naked wires, and broken/exposed electrical outlets pose grave danger to people who work in environments where such situations are found. These could lead to electric shock, burns or fire outbreak. Severe electric shock could lead to electrocution. Inspecting the workplace frequently to detect, and deal with electrical hazards early is a good workplace practice.

Workplace harassment

It is also known as workplace aggression. In many cases, this is perpetrated by superiors in the workplace against their subordinates; maybe because of gender, race, ethnicity, social status, etc. Co-workers of the same rank, in many cases can be the harasser.

This workplace harassment can take different forms such as; bullying, sexual assault, psychological abuse, discrimination, etc. It is advised that management of organizations where workplace harassment is practiced, take determined steps to eliminate it. Such steps may include formulating workplace harassment policy and training staff on prevention of workplace harassment.

Fire hazard

Workplace fire outbreak tend occur more in organization that use combustible materials for production, do not promptly repair faulty electrical equipment, and keep untidy work environment with combustible materials littering the place. Towards workplace fire prevention, it is good step for the management of the organization to prohibit risky practices by workers, such as indoor cigarette smoking and use of naked light.

The management should also ensure that functional fire extinguishers are placed with buckets of dry sand, at strategic points inside the building. There should also be designated muster point outside the building, where workers assemble in cases of emergency such as fire outbreak. Workers also ought to be properly trained on how to respond to fire outbreak.

Portal of Entry of Workplace Hazards into the Body

With the exception of psychosocial hazards, the other classes of workplace hazards gain entry into the body through certain portals. These include;³

• Inhalation: Hazardous substances such as fumes, gas, vapour, dust, sprays or mist in the work environment; get into the lungs through inhalation and can constitute serious health problem.

• Ingestion: Touching hazardous substances in the workplace and inadvertently putting the fingers in the mouth, or using it to eat could lead to workplace poisoning.
• Skin contact: This is particularly seen in case of solvents that can be absorbed through skin contact leading to systemic poisoning. Contact with the skin can also lead to local irritation. In cases of mechanical injuries, or accidents, the impact is usually on the skin.
• Injection: This portal of entry is seen among health workers that sustain needle puncture wound. This exposes them to infections such as HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis.

Broad Approaches to Making the Workplace Safe

There are general methods that can be applied in making the workplace safer, depending on identified potential risks. These include;³

• General Ventilation: Control of mildly toxic substances in the workplace can be achieved through good natural ventilation, so long as the substance is of very low concentration. This is achieved through provision of enough windows to allow for cross-ventilation.
• Personal Protective Devices: These devices are used in specific situations to protect the worker from identified hazards in the workplace. These are frequently used in health care institutions. Examples of devices used in health facilities are hand gloves, face masks, apron, eye goggles, face shield, head cover, and shoe cover. Devices used in industries and factories include helmet, ear muff, dusk masks, overalls and respirators.
• Elimination or Substitution of Hazardous Production Inputs or Processes: The work environment can be made safer by replacing identified toxic materials by harmless ones that serve the same purpose. An example is seen in replacing yellow phosphorus that caused phossy jaw among workers in matches production industries with phosphorus sesquisulphide; leading to disappearance of phossy jaw among the workers. Benzene as industrial solvent has been substituted with xylene and toluene because of the toxicity of benzene. Methylbromide has been substituted with Freon as a refrigerant, to make the industry safer for workers. Occasionally machines and processes may be modified or redesigned to make it safer for workers. This is what has now been done in the production of sound-proof generators to protect hearing.
• Isolation of Harmful Processes or segregation: This entails restricting access to toxic substances in a workplace to only very few workers who have been specially trained to handle such substances when using them for work processes. Few specially trained workers are also allowed to performed certain hazardous processes.
• Suppression or Wet Method: Water may be sprinkled in dusty hazardous work environment, such as drilling or coal mining sites. The aim is to reduce the quantity of hazardous dust that get inhaled by workers. This practice is also frequently applied before sweeping dusty offices and worked environment. It protects those workers who are allergic to dust.
• Local Exhaust Ventilation: This is used to remove toxic fumes, vapours and dusts at source. The exhaust is usually placed close to the source of generation, so that the toxic material is removed before it is dispersed, thus making the environment safer.
• Personal Hygiene: Workers must be made to practice proper personal hygiene. Eating or drinking in the workplace should be done in designated areas that are free of contaminants. Workers should also wash their hands and properly clean their overall cloths before leaving the work environment. It is a good practice to provide facilities for bathing and changing cloths before leaving the workplace.
• Limitation of Time of Exposure: Efforts should usually be made to limit the time a work spends in a section of the work environment harbouring additional toxic substances, such as radiology unit. Workers are advised to quickly perform any task they are supposed to carry out there and move away. That way, exposure to the toxic materials are limited.
• Enclosure: In this approach of ensuring workplace safety for workers, the section of the workplace where hazardous activities are conducted; is completely enclosed. This is done in such a way that the toxic materials are not allowed to leak into the other sections of the work environment. A classic example is seen a good radiology unit.
• General cleanliness: Keeping the general work environment clean and tidy, helps in making the workplace safer. This greatly reduces the chances of getting infected with communicable diseases, and coming in contact with toxic materials.
• Pre-employment Medical Examination: It is advised that intending employees are medically examined, before being hired and assigned to specific duties. This way, people who probably have health challenges that could endanger them if allowed to work in certain sections of the organizations, are prevented from doing so. For example, persons who are asthmatic should not be allowed to work in dusty environment.
• Environmental Monitoring and Scheduled Personnel Screening: There are some equipment that can be used to monitor the level of toxic materials in the work environment. An example is seen with the use of dosimeter to monitor the level of ionizing radiation in the workplace. Steps are taken to correct rising levels if detected. People who work in certain hazardous sections of an industry or factory should be screened intermittently, to ensure that dangerous levels of the implicated toxic substances are not reached before such persons are removed from that section. Checking the blood level of lead in workers who are exposed to lead poisoning is a good example.
• Health Education, Training and use of Workplace Safety Reminders: Organising, at least yearly health education and training sessions for workers; with the aim of keeping them abreast essential steps need to make the workplace safe, will go a long way in making the workplace safe. It is also a good practice to produce and place workplace safety reminders at strategic points in the workplace.

Workplace hazard is certainly a public health problem. It was estimated by World Health Organization and International Labour organization in 2021, that about 2 million people die each year as a result of exposure to workplace hazards.⁴ It is important that employers of labour, and workplace managers take extra steps to ensure safety at the workplace. Work environment should be made safe, and workers ought to be trained on keeping the work environment safe, and essential steps required to protect themselves from workplace hazards. This training ought to be conducted at least once every year.

ESSENTIAL TIPS TOWARDS MAKING THE WORKPLACE SAFE

• Health Education and awareness creation activities. This could be done through the use of workplace reminders, seminars, etc
• Deliberate effort could be made towards reducing the noise level, through replacing archaic machinery and noisy gadgets in the work environment.
• Ensuring proper ventilation of the workplace. This will make the environment more conducive for the workers, and prevent health hazards associated with poorly ventilated environments.
• Good illumination of the offices to avoid straining the eyes, and glare.
• Promote personal hygiene, and environmental cleanliness. This can be done by providing handwashing stations, and ensuring adequate water supply within the workplace. 
• Installing early hazard warning gadgets such as smoke detector, and educating employees on when, and how to raise alarm at the early stage of hazard.
• Consistent use of personal protective items such as helmets or gloves.
• Keep work environment clear of clutter.
• Be conscious of your posture when working. For instance, do not sit on a very high chair, while consistently leaning forward to work on a computer.
• Avoid sitting at a particular point for upwards of two hours, without getting up to stretch your limbs.
• Insist on following organizational laid down workplace procedures and protocols.
• Do not meddle with unfamiliar machinery and gadgets.
• Avoid eating or drinking randomly in the workplace
• Promote enhanced working conditions such as improved remuneration and reduction in working hours usually assist in addressing psychosocial hazards that affect workers.

Workplace hazards reasonably contribute to global mortality and morbidity. Workplace safety is largely dependent on the actions or inactions of the employer/management of the organization. Governments and workplace regulatory bodies ought to pay more attention to workplace safety for all cadre of workers in both public and private sectors, while each worker must be very conscious of his/her safety at the workplace; and consistently make determined efforts to avoid hazards.

REFERENCES

1. Park K. Park’s Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine. 21^st Edition, M/s BANARSIDAS BHANOT PUBLISHERS, Jabalpur, India; 2013.
2. https://www.formpl.us/blog/workplace-safety-hazard (Accessed, 02/05/2024)
3. Obionu CN. Synopsis of Occupational and Environmental Health. 3^rd Edition. EZU BOOKS LTD, Enugu, Nigeria; 2015.
4. World Health Organization, International Labour Organization. WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury, 2000-2016: Global Monitoring Report. Genève, Switzerland; 2021  (Accessed, 02/05/2024)