Workplace Hazards & Hazard Identification

What are Workplace Hazards?

Workplace hazards are any situation in the workplace that can potentially cause harm or damage to someone. It can be material or any activity that has the likelihood to cause injuries under specific conditions. Once determined, workplace hazards should immediately be eliminated to prevent work-related injuries, incidents, or fatalities.

Types of Workplace Hazards

Identifying workplace safety issues can help prevent the likelihood of workplace incidents, accidents, or near-misses. OSHA identifies the 6 most common types of workplace hazards which includes safety, physical, ergonomic injuries, organization. chemical, and biological hazards.

1. Safety

Safety Hazards are always present in a construction site. This includes unsafe working conditions that can cause injury, illness, or death. Some examples of workplace safety hazards are :

• Spills on floors or tripping hazards such as blocked aisles or cords running across the floor

• Working from heights including ladders, scaffolds, roofs, and other potential hazards that may cause injuries from a fall

• Unguarded machinery and moving machinery parts; guards removed or moving parts that a worker can accidentally touch

• Electrical hazards like frayed cords, missing ground pins, improper wiring;

• Confined spaces

• Equipment and machinery-related hazards (lockout tagout, boiler safety, forklifts, hand, and power tools, etc.)

2. Biological

Biological hazards associated with working with animals, people, or infectious plant materials. Most at-risk workers include those who work in laboratories, hospitals, emergency response, nursing homes, and outdoor occupations. Examples of biological hazards includes the following :

• Blood, fungi/mold, bacteria, viruses, and other body fluids

• Insect bites, animal and bird droppings

Browse our guide on the specific biological hazard examples along with the biohazard levels associated with them.

3. Chemical

Chemical hazards are present when a worker is exposed to any chemical preparation in the workplace in any form (solid, liquid, or gas). Chemicals can be safer to others, but to some sensitive workers, even the most common solutions can cause illness, skin irritation, or breathing problems. Examples of chemical hazards include :

• Liquids like cleaning products, paints, acids, solvents – especially if chemicals are in an unlabeled container

• Vapors and fumes that come from welding or exposure to solvents

• Gases like acetylene, propane, carbon monoxide, and helium

• Flammable materials like gasoline, solvents, and explosive chemicals; and pesticides.

Browse here for free safety checklists you can use to manage chemical hazards

4. Ergonomic

Ergonomic hazards occur when the type of work, body positions, and working conditions put a strain on the body. They are the hardest to spot since you don’t always immediately notice the strain on the body and the harm that these hazards pose. Short-term exposure may result in “sore muscles” the next day or in the days following exposure while long-term exposure can result in serious long-term illnesses. Ergonomic hazards include the following:

• Improperly adjusted workstations and chairs, frequent lifting, poor posture

• Having to frequently use too much force

• Hand-Arm vibrations.

Learn more about ergonomics in the workplace and 10 simple ergonomic principles to follow. Also, browse for these free ergonomic assessment checklists.

5. Work Organization

Work organization hazards are stressors that cause psychosocial hazards such as tension, anxiety, or strain to workers. These can be experienced in short term (stress) or long term (strain) that is associated with workplace issues such as workload, lack of control and/or respect, etc. Here are work organization hazards examples:

• Workload demands, workplace violence;

• Lack of social support/relations

• Sexual harassment

6. Physical

Physical hazards are factors within the environment that can harm the body without necessarily touching it. Examples of physical hazards include the following:

• Radiation: including ionizing, non-ionizing (EMF’s, microwaves, radio waves, etc.)

• Prolonged exposure to sunlight/ultraviolet rays

• Prolonged exposure to noise (which can be a harmful hazard if not well-managed or mitigated).

• Extreme temperatures

Employers, managers, and safety officials can reduce common workplace hazards by establishing adequate safety protocols, hazard identification procedures, and conducting regular hazard assessments.

One of the most affected parts of the body when it comes to hazards are our hands. In some cases, it is also mostly responsible for triggering hazards in the workplace. Hand safety should be observed by people in the workplace to avoid injuries and accidents.

What is Hazard Identification?

Hazard identification is a risk assessment practice that aims to identify and record safety risks and work hazards to ensure the safety of workers and personnel. Hazard identification is usually done:

• when new processes, equipment, and/or machinery are introduced into the standard workflow;

• before each shift;

• in the performance of work;

• during formal or informal inspections; and

• after incidents occur.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) also developed the hierarchy of controls to guide workplaces in implementing effective hazard control measures.

Benefits

It is the employer’s responsibility to inform, educate, and train their employees about workplace hazards. It is paramount to ensure a safe and healthy environment not just for employees but for clients as well. Early detection of hazards and implementing safety practices will help the business in achieving its goals. It would also help:

• prevent numerous work-related injuries and illnesses;

• improve compliance with laws and regulations;

• reduce costly repairs and unexpected damages;

• improve employee engagement, productivity, and efficiency; and

• boost overall business operations.

How to Identify (with Example of Hazard Identification)

Failure to spot hazards can often lead to serious injuries and dangers in the workplace. All safety and health checklists and programs must consistently identify and assess hazards to ensure that all workers are safe and protected.

A hazard identification procedure is done through a collaborative effort of employers and workers. A step-by-step procedure could be as follows:

1. Gather information about existing hazards that are likely to be present in the workplace. Below is a hazard identification example that can be used serve as a template or reference:

Hazard Identification Example

1. Perform regular site walkthroughs to identify new hazards.

2. Review accidents and near-miss logs to further investigate the root causes and program shortcomings. Browse free incident report templates.

3. Identify similar trends across all incidents, illnesses and hazards recorded. Also, consider hazards that are present on non-routine jobs.

4. Determine the level of risk, significance, and frequency of each hazard to know which needs to be prioritized. Download free risk assessment templates.

Stay Safe at Work with Digital Workplace Hazard Procedures and Instructions

Workplace hazard policies and instructions are like the rulebook for your workers. They show them how to stay safe and keep the workplace hazard-free. But how do you make sure they actually follow these guidelines? The answer is simple: equip them with effective workplace hazards training.

Good training for both employers and employees is the key to reinforcing the best procedures and instructions. Not only does it help your workers be more aware of potential hazards, participate in national observances such as National Safety Month, and be proactive in preventing accidents, but it also improves their quality of work and boosts their productivity.

Creating effective training is now quick and easy, thanks to the increase in Training tools and technology today. With just a click, you can transform your policies and procedures into engaging training that your team will benefit, from start to finish.