GLOBAL AND LOCAL UPDATES • Chemical hazards (acids, bases, petroleum, asbestos,
fumes)
THERE IS AN AVERAGE OF 6,000 PEOPLE WHO DIE EVERYDAY
EQUIVALENT TO 1 EVERY 15 SECONDS. • Psychological and social hazards (stress, violence, bullying,
sexual harassment, burnout)
2.3 MILLION DEATHS PER YEAR INCLUDING 651,000 DEATHS FROM
HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES AND 160 MILLION WORK CONNECTED • Other hazards (alcoholism, substance abuse, violence at
DEISEAS EVERY YEAR. work)
Risk – the probability that a community’s structure or geographic area
is to be damaged or disrupted by the impact of a particular hazard, on
account of their nature, construction, and proximity to a hazardous
area.
Disaster – the serious disruption of the functioning of society, causing
widespread human, material or environmental losses, which exceed
the ability of the affected people to cope using their own resources.
An event, either man-made or natural, sudden or progressive, causing
widespread human, material or environmental losses.
Vulnerability - is a condition or sets of conditions that reduces
people’s ability to prepare for, withstand or respond to a hazard.
Capacity - those positive conditions or abilities which increase a
community’s ability to deal with hazards.
EEC- EMPLOYEES COMPENSATION COMMISSION DATA
Prevention - measures taken to avert a disaster from occurring, if
347,310 WORK CONNECTED SICKNESS, INJURY, DEATH
possible (to impede a hazard so that it does not have any harmful
CLAIMS (2000-2010) OR AN AVERAGE OF 141,099 CASES PER YEAR,
effects).
386 PER DAY.
Mitigation - measures taken prior to the impact of a disaster to
What is OSH?
minimize its effects (sometimes referred to as structural and non-
Occupational safety and health is a discipline with a broad scope structural measures).
involving three major fields – Occupational Safety, Occupational
Preparedness - measures taken in anticipation of a disaster to ensure
Health and Industrial Hygiene.
that appropriate and effective actions are taken in the aftermath.
Occupational safety deals with understanding the causes of accidents
at work and ways to prevent unsafe acts and unsafe conditions in any
workplace. Safety at work discusses concepts on good housekeeping,
proper materials handling and storage, machine safety, electrical
safety, fire prevention and control, safety inspection, and accident
investigation.
Occupational health is a broad concept which explains how the
different hazards and risks at work may cause an illness and
emphasizes that health programs are essential in controlling work-
related and/or occupational diseases.
Industrial hygiene discusses the identification, evaluation, and control
of physical, chemical, biological and ergonomic hazards.
In its broadest sense, OSH aims at:
• the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical,
mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations;
• the prevention of adverse health effects of the working conditions
• the placing and maintenance of workers in an occupational
environment adapted to physical and mental needs;
• the adaptation of work to humans (and NOT the other way around).
In other words, occupational health and safety encompasses the
social, mental and physical well-being of workers, that is, the “whole
person”.
Occupational health issues are often given less attention than
occupational safety issues because the former are generally more
difficult to confront. However, when health is addressed, so is safety -
a healthy workplace is by definition also a safe workplace. The reverse,
though, may not be true - a so-called safe workplace is not necessarily
also a healthy workplace.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Hazard – phenomenon or situation, which has the potential to cause
harm, disruption or damage to people, their property, their services
and their environment.
Different Hazards:
• Physical and Mechanical Hazards (fall, burn, cut, shear, stab,
wound, noise)
• Biological Hazards (bacteria, fungi, virus, tuberculosis)
CONTROL MEASURES
UNSAFE CONDITIONS
WHAT DO WE BELIEVE OR PERCEIVE
UNSAFE PRACTICES/ACTS
WHAT IS REALLY HAPPENING
PHILOSOPHY OF ACCIDENT PREVENTION
WHAT WE HAVE TO DO
- W. Edward Deming author of Total Quality Management
The hazards affecting the workplace under each major area should be
detected, identified, controlled and, at best, prevented from occurring
by the safety and health officer of the company.
Occupational safety and health should be integrated in every step of
the work process, starting from storage and use of raw materials, the
manufacture of products, release of by-products, use of various
equipment and ensuring a non-hazardous or risk-free work
environment.
