Module 3

Basic Concept of Hazard

Objectives: At the end of this module, you are expected to:

1. define hazards;
2. give examples of the types of hazards; and
3. explain the impact of various hazards on different exposed elements.

Discussion

What is Hazard?

A hazard is defined as a dangerous phenomenon, substance, human activity or

condition that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage,
loss of livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption, or environmental
damage. They are classified into eight categories: Hazards can also be classified into
natural and human-made. Natural hazards are caused by the environment and thus
cannot be prevented by human intervention, but the effects and impact can be
mitigated. Man-made hazards, as its name implies, is the result of human activities.

A hazard is a natural event that has the potential to cause harm or loss. –ADPC

It is a threat and future source of danger. It has the potential to cause harm to:

a. People - death, injury, disease, and stress

b. Human Activity – economic, educational, etc.
c. Property – property damage, economic loss
d. Environment – loss of fauna and flora, pollution
Categories of Hazards

1. Biological Hazards (Biohazards)

These are agents that may cause potential harm to human health and other
organisms. They are comprised of microorganisms, pathogens, fungi, and other
substances that produce biological effects (as cited in Driscoll et al., 2005; OSHA,
2007).

The sources that transmit biological hazards, known as biological vectors, can
be classified into six groups, namely: bodily matters (such as infectious blood, sweat,
urine, feces, and saliva, etc.; living animals and their products that include meat either
cooked or raw, eggs, and milk; plant, fungi, molds and plant products; microbiological
cultures (such as tissue, bacterial and cell cultures; and biohazard waste and sewerage
(Safe Work Australia, 2011).

The Health and Safety Professionals Alliance (HaSPA, 2012) divides the means
of transmission into direct and indirect. Direct transmission involves physical contact
between an infected and a vulnerable person. Workers who have exposure to blood and
bodily secretions, such as medical staff, are prone to the first category. Indirect
transmission involves exposure to contaminated food and water due to improper
handling and storage and unhygienic practices; contaminated substances and surfaces
wherein viruses remain; infections spread through air by coughing or sneezing; and
vectors or carriers of the viruses that causes the disease (e.g. flies and mosquitoes)

Fig. 2 Universal biohazard symbol

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 The physical impact of biohazards concerns with the health of the people.
Factors to be considered are not only the nature but also the infectivity and virulence of
the hazard, and resistance of the susceptible person. Virulence is the ability of a
parasite to situate the human body and thereby increasing the likelihood of infection.
However, virulence and infectivity are unnecessarily dependent on each other.
Interaction plays a great role in spreading the impact of biohazards. Air-borne
diseases can be controlled through less contact with people, and preventive habits such
as covering one’s mouth while coughing.
The number of biohazards varies in occupation types and the workplace.
Meltdown of nuclear plants decreases the distribution of energy and generation of
electricity that will affect the flow of economy of a country. Furthermore, the high levels
of emission of radioactive substances are detrimental to the body that leads to cancer.
Food-, water- and vector-borne diseases mainly depend on the location and
environment. They can range from common to epidemic. The endemic dengue virus in
the Philippines is caused by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes which breed in stagnant waters,
such as in old tires and pots. Proper management and maintenance of cleanliness
of the surroundings is the primary solution. Moreover, strengthening the
resistance and health of the human body significantly prevents and curbs
infection. Benefits are not only enjoyed by the people practicing these but also their
neighbors and other members in the community.

2. Radioactive Hazards

Figure 4 Radioactive Hazard Symbol

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 The term “radiation is frequently associated to something dangerous or
hazardous, although in reality not all kinds are harmful similar to orderly performed
medical examinations like X-rays (an electromagnetic radiation). Henceforth, it is
commonly defined as the “transfer of energy through space away from a source”. In
relation to the several kinds of hazards, radiation hazards define the risks produces
upon exposed elements (living and non-living), may it be of long-term exposures or
short contact in minute quantities (Radiation Hazards, n.d.)
According to Kirschenbaum (2012), these harmful types of radiation are derived
from “ionizing radiation” that are produced due to nuclear reactions. Ionizing radiations
include two energetic particles: alpha and beta particles that may cause
disadvantageous health effects like body cells impairment.
Radiation hazards caused by these types of radiations include: Deoxyribonucleic
acid (DNA) destruction or fragmentation, hazards to biological systems, electrical
hazards and fire hazards. Exposure to ionizing radiation causes DNA strands to break
that is why it is called DNA fragmentation.
This has become one of the reasons why pregnant women are prohibited to any
types of radiation exposures, most especially during the first two months when the fetus
is undergoing organogenesis (development of organs). Radiation interruption during the
organogenesis will halt the development of certain affected organs that are currently
developing during the occurrence of the interruption (Embryonic Phase). In addition,
radiation exposure may also lead to mutations (modification of the organisms‟ DNA
sequence), cancer and cell killings denoted as clear hazards to biological systems like
organs (Rosemann, 2005).
Furthermore, due to the variation of frequency from one type to another, radiation
exposure, like microwave, generates a heating effect that leads to “dielectric heating”,
which allows the transfer of electric force without the use of conduction, that cause
burns to elements in contact. Moreover, excessive amount of radiation being stimulated
with a high amount of voltage could result to electric sparks and an anticipation of fire
when inflammable materials create direct contact with the produced sparks (Mandal,
n.d.)
 3. Chemical Hazards

Figure 6 Chemical Hazard Symbols

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Aside from radiation, there are also existing chemical hazards within the
workplaces and are categorized depending on their effects (risks): health and
physiochemical. According to Comcare (2016), health risk from chemical substances is
an outcome from direct contact with a particular chemical, through inhalation or
consumption while physiochemical risks are solely reliant on the physical and chemical
properties of the substance or material. Health hazards include problems on vital organs
(asthma and bronchitis), immune system deterioration, poisoning, birth deficiencies and
cancer similar to radiation exposure. However, these effects vary due to factors as the
quantity of the chemical substance, its nature (properties), exposure duration and the
overall condition of the person including age. In addition to risks on living organisms,
these hazards as well affect the environment and mainly as a result of industrialization
in the current modern world. Examples of these effects are air pollution that occurs by
reason of numerous factories, combustion of fuels and gases, and presence of carbon
dioxide; and water pollution due to various contaminants or spillage of unwanted
substance (Agius, 2007).
On the other hand, physiochemical risks are associated with properties such as
flammability, corrosiveness, oxidizing property, and explosiveness of a substance or
material. Flammable substances are substances, including all states of matter (solid
and fluids), that are subjected to change easily and evaporate rapidly. Due to a large
amount of vapor from the vaporization process, these vapors mix with the atmosphere
causing it to kindle and burn. Subsequently, corrosives are materials that can ruin
unprotected elements like body tissues. Damage caused by corrosives begins as soon
as the contact occurs. Furthermore, oxidizing materials are materials that freely release
oxygen that aggravate a present occurrence of burning or enlarge the possibility of fire
or explosion. In comparable to the latter type of materials, explosive materials or
substances are materials (or substances) that are actively unbalanced and emit an
abrupt expansion of a certain element complemented with a presence of heat
(Explosive, 2013).

4. Physical Hazard

Figure 7 Physical Hazards

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Physical hazard, as defined by Business Dictionary, is a hazard originating from the

operational, occupational, or even material characteristics of an insured property; or, it
may be a substance or any material for which there are valid evidences that is
flammable, compressed, explosive, combustible, oxidizing, pyrophoric, self-reactive,
self-heating, unstable, or reacts to moisture.
 Physical hazard is any condition- a substance or an activity-having the potential
to cause harm or adverse effect to the body. It is any factor from the environment that
can cause the body to become physically stressed. Causing the body to be physically
stressed does not necessarily mean through direct contact. This type of hazard involves
the release of energy in different forms such as vibration, noise, temperature, pressure
and ionizing or non-ionizing radiation.

Physical hazards are usually the primary source of harm in the workplace. It is a
common source of detrimental effects such as, illness, injury, or in some cases, leads to
death, in many industries. This type of hazard includes but is not limited to pressure,
electricity, radiation, temperature, confined spaces, falls, and machines amongst many
others.

Noise

Noise is inescapable. It is often present in our environment and workplaces.

Noise is considered a physical hazard for too much of it can have negative impacts to
the physical body. Temporary hearing loss is one of the impacts and risks of too much
noise. Chronic exposure to loud noises can also cause permanent deafness or
permanent loss of hearing. Another impact is the condition called Tinnitus. It is a
condition wherein the person hears sound or ringing in the ear without external sound
present.

Temperature

Sudden changes in temperature also have crucial effects on the human body.
For example, when the air temperature rose from -43.6C to +6 C on a span of one night
sometime in January 1780 in Saint Petersburg, 40,000 people had flu (Assman, 1966).
The risk of extreme temperature includes fatigue, nausea, dizziness and headache, or
difficulty in staying alert.

Confined Spaces

Confined spaces are also considered as physical hazards. It refers to a space or

area which by design has limited or small opening for entry and exit; the space is not
good and not designed for long-time occupancy due to its unfavorable natural
ventilation. This might contain or produce nasty air contaminants which might be
harmful and life-threatening (Pettit, et. al., 1979).

Other Hazards

Other hazards include high or low air pressure, electricity, vibrating machineries,
lighting, falling objects, hazardous manual tasks, smoking, and many others.

5. Ergonomic Hazard

Ergonomic hazards are physical factors in the environment that occur when the
kind of work, positioning of the body and working conditions put tension and stress on
your body which causes adverse effects on the body‟s musculoskeletal system. This
type of hazard is the hardest to spot since you do not immediately notice the strain on
your body when working or the harm that these hazards cause. Ergonomic injuries
include sprains, strains, and other related problems as well. Other impacts of this type
of hazard are a number of Cumulative Trauma Disorders ICTD) which affects the
cervical spine area, the lower back, arms, hands, wrists, elbows, and shoulders.

Ergonomic Hazard includes:

 Poor posture or body mechanics

 Carrying out tasks in the same motion for a long period of time
 Using physical force to lift heavy objects
 Being in an gawky position such as twisting your body to accomplish a certain
task, especially if repetitive
 Improperly adjusted workstations and chair
 Poor physical design of workspaces, workstations, and stools/chairs.
 6. Psychosocial Hazard

Figure 8 Psychosocial hazard

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A psychosocial hazard is a type of occupational hazard that influences the

mental health of workers, including their capability to partake in a work environment
among other people. Psychosocial hazard would be identified with those work designed,
composed and managed, and also those financial and social contexts of work and are
co-partnered with psychiatric, mental or physical damage alternately ailment.
Connected to psychosocial dangers would be issues for example, of stress and work
environment savagery, which is distinguished internationally as major tests to job-
related well-being and security.

As stated in a study by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, the
practically significant rising psychosocial dangers are: unreliable job contracts,
heightened laborer susceptibility because of globalization, new manifestations of
livelihood contracts, awareness of work insecurity, aging workforce, long work hours,
job intensification, inadequate production and outsourcing, high emotional enthusiastic
requests and poor-work-life equity (Brun, 2007).

The impacts of psychosocial hazards in the workplace not only produce

psychological and physiological damage to the individual employees, but also within the
society-reducing productivity in local/state economies, corroding familial/interpersonal
relationships, and producing negative behavioral outcomes.
 There are four types of impacts of this hazard. It can be psychosocial,
physiological, social, and behavioral or economic.

The physiological impact can be attained by having occupational stress, angst

and depression, which might be specifically associated to psychosocial hazards in the
working environment.

Physiological impact may be supported by solid confirmation stating from the

plethora of meticulous cross-sectional and longitudinal studies; a contact has been
shown between the psychosocial work environment and results on employees‟ physical
well-being. Expanding proof demonstrates that four primary physiological frameworks
are affected; hypertension and heart disease, wound healing, musculoskeletal
disorders, gastro intestinal disorders, and impeded immune-competence. Further
disorders generally distinguished as stress-induced include: bronchitis, coronary heart
disease, mental illness, thyroid disorders, skin diseases, specific sorts of rheumatoid
arthritis, obesity, tuberculosis, migraines peptic ulcers and ulcerative colitis, and
diabetes (Marmot, 1997).

Exposure to work environment psychosocial hazards have been determinedly

associated for a wide range of unhealthy practices such as physical inactivity, excessive
liquor and drug consumption, dietary shortcomings and rest disturbances. On 2003,
cross-sectional studies about 12,110 representatives from 16 different working
environments have been created to analyze the relationship between subjective working
environment anxiety and health activity. The overview quantified the estimation of
anxiety basically through assessment of an individual„s recognized locus of control in
the work environment. The results concluded that self-reported large amounts of stress
were correlated with, across both sexes: diets with a higher fixation of fat, less exercise,
cigarette smoking (and increasing use), and less self-efficacy to control smoking habits
(Jeffrey, 2003).

Lastly, its economic impact cross the European Union, work-related stress alone
influences through 40 million individuals, costing n assessed 20 billion Euro a year in
lost productivity (EU-OSHA, 2002).
Safety Hazards

Safety hazard is the most common and will be current in uttermost work
environments at one time or another. They incorporate perilous states that may cause
injury, illness and death.

Figure 9 Safety Hazards

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Safety hazards consists of:

 Spills with respect to floors or tripping hazards, such as blocked aisles or ropes
running crosswise over the floor.
 Working from heights, including ladders, scaffolds, roofs, or other high risks
areas
 Unguarded technologies and moving machinery parts; removed guards or
moving parts that a laborer might inadvertently touch.
 Electrical dangers like frayed cords, missing ground pins, inappropriate wiring.
 Machiner-related dangers (lockout/tag out, heater safety, forklifts, and so on.
(2015).
Natural Hazards

The term “natural hazard” is often used interchangeably with “natural disaster”
and ”natural phenomena”. A natural phenomenon is naturally an occurring physical
event that may not affect humans. Earthquakes, volcanic activity, storms are all natural
phenomena. When these phenomena occur in populated areas, then they become a
natural hazard. A hazardous event that yields a devastating amount of casualties and
injuries, and/or property damages is then called a natural disaster.

As defined by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent

societies (IFRC), natural hazard is a “threatening event, or probability of occurrence of a
potentially damaging phenomenon within a given time period and area.” Simply put, a
natural hazard is a naturally occurring physical event that is a threat to society. Tobin
(1997) explains that hazards occur due to humans and their activities being exposed to
the forces of nature.

Natural hazards are classified as geological, hydrological atmospheric or

meteorological and climatological.

7. Geological

Seismic Hazards

Figure 10 San Andreas Fault line

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 This refers to hazards that are caused by the shifting of the Earth‟s crust due to
the movement of the magma underneath. These sudden shifts in the crust create waves
of energy like ripples in a pond, called seismic waves. Hazards included are fault
ruptures, ground shakes, lateral spreading, liquefaction, and tsunamis.

Ground shakes are direct hazards especially to structures near the epicenter of
the quake. This poses a huge risk in densely populated areas in the event of structure
failure. Fault ruptures are also a danger to infrastructures, especially those along the
fault line. Coastal areas on the other hand, are more susceptible to flooding due to
tsunamis, otherwise known as seismic waves, which are created by seismic activity
under the ocean floor.

Volcanic Activity

Figure 11 Mt Pinatubo Eruption

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Volcanoes, which are ruptures in the earth‟s crust, usually formed because of the
fault ruptures; these are also vents that release lava, gases, and molten rocks from the
magma chambers beneath the Earth‟s crust.
 Hazards are dependent on the kind of eruption of volcano exhibits. In effusive
eruptions, the debris being spewed out by the volcano, usually in the form of lava and
lahar flows are the major hazard. These debris flows crush, bury, and incinerate
everything in its path. While in explosive eruptions, the energy of the explosion poses a
huge hazard. Explosions scatter rock fragments and lava at varying distances.
Pyroclastic flows also come from explosive eruptions. These pyroclastic flows and
surges are highly destructive due to the high temperatures and velocities, and have vast
mobility. Anything caught in pyroclastic flow are buried, incinerated, or crushed. People
caught in the flow or surge usually dies of asphyxiation, or one of the aforementioned
effects.

Landslides

Rock, earth, and debris movement are going down a slope, with the occurring
speed varying from abrupt to gradual. Landslides are triggered by natural force, usually
earthquakes or a large amount of rainfall, or human activities, like mining, deforestation,
a construction of structures on the slopes. The amount of material that comes down is
ranging from small rocks and mudflow, to huge boulders. These catastrophic events
cause many fatalities, especially to people living on the mountainsides and slopes,
damage to infrastructures, and environmental deterioration.

8. Hydrological

Figure 12 Hydrologic hazard

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 Hydrological hazards include tsunamis, flooding and other related events that
may occur after the disaster (landslides), and drought. A storm surge is an unusual rise
in the sea level which usually occurs because of typhoons and storms. Flooding is
caused by the overflow of rivers, heavy rain fall, and tsunami aftermath. Flooding
damages structures, especially those in low-lying areas.

Guide Questions

1. What are hazards?_______________________________________________

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2. How can these hazards affect humans and other living creatures?
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Learning Activity

1. In groups of 6 members, go around the immediate vicinity of your house or

your community and take pictures of hazards that you observed. Be able to
label what type of hazard it is.
2. Conduct a research and do an interview with regards to the effects or impacts
of these hazards to the community. In 10 minutes per group, report your
findings to the class with corresponding recommendations as to what can be
done to mitigate the effects of these hazards.