INTRODUCTION TO

OCCUPATIONAL
HEALTH & SAFETY

Remy Cadaon
 OBJECTIVES
 Provides participants with general background
information on:

 OHS (Occupational Health and Safety),

 the extent & variety of health and safety

problems , and

 explains the role of the health and safety

representative.
.
 OBJECTIVES
 At the end of this Module, participants will be able to:

 explain that OHS is more than accident prevention — that it

encompasses all aspects of working conditions;

 explain why management's commitment to health and safety is

crucial;

 explain why training is a critical component of any health and

safety programme;

 recognize a number of occupational hazards and some of the

types of work generally associated with those hazards ;

 discuss the range of hazards in their own workplaces

 Republic Act 11058
It “applies to all establishments, projects,
sites, including Philippine Economic Zone
Authority establishments, and all other
places where work is being undertaken in all
branches of economic activity, except in the
public sector.”
 Republic Act 11058
The new law also provided for the creation of
an OSH Committee, which would ensure the
enforcement of the safety and health program
of the covered workplaces.

Itsaid the OSH Committee would be chaired

by an employer or representative while
serving as secretary would be the company’s
or project’s safety officer.
What is occupational health and safety?
 Occupational health and safety is a discipline
with a broad scope and aimed to:

 Promote and maintain the highest degree of physical,

mental and social well-being of workers in all
occupations;

 Prevent adverse effects on health caused by their

working conditions;

 Protect workers in their employment from risks resulting

from factors adverse to health;

 Place workers in an occupational environment adapted

to physical and mental needs;

 The adaptation of work to humans.

 What is occupational health and
safety?
 It requires the participation of both employers and
workers in health and safety programmes, and
consider issues relating to occupational medicine,
industrial hygiene, toxicology, education, engineering
safety, ergonomics, psychology, etc.

 A healthy workplace is also a safe workplace, but

a safe workplace is not necessarily also a healthy
workplace.
 Poor working conditions affect
worker health and safety
 Poor working conditions of
any type have the
potential to affect a
worker's health and
safety.

 Unhealthy or unsafe
working conditions are
not limited to factories
— they can be found
anywhere, whether the
workplace is indoors or
outdoors.
 Poor working conditions affect worker health
and safety
 Occupational hazards can
have harmful effects on
workers, their families, and
other people in the
community.

Overall aim must be

to prevent industrial
accidents and diseases,
and at the same time
recognize the connection
between worker health and
safety, the workplace, and
the environment outside
the workplace.
 Why is occupational health and
safety important?
 Work plays a central role in
people's lives, since most
workers spend at least eight
hours a day, therefore, work
environments should be
safe and healthy.

 Every day workers are faced

with a multitude of health
hazards, such as:
 dusts;
 gases;
 noise;
 vibration;
 extreme
temperatures.
 Why is occupational health
and safety important?
 Unfortunately some employers assume little
responsibility for the protection of workers' health
and safety.

 In fact, some employers do not even know that

they have the moral and often legal responsibility
to protect workers.

 As a result of the hazards and a lack of attention

given to health and safety, work-related
accidents and diseases are common,
Costs of occupational
injury/disease
 Costs of occupational
injury/disease
 Work-related accidents or diseases are very
costly and can have many serious direct and
indirect effects on the lives of workers and their
families. Some of the direct costs of an injury
or illness are:
 the pain and suffering of the injury or illness;
 the loss of income;

 the possible loss of a job;

 health-care costs.
 Costs of occupational
injury/disease

 It has been estimated that

the indirect costs of an accident or
illness can be 4 to 10 times greater
than the direct costs, or even more.

 An occupational illness or accident can

have so many indirect costs to workers
that it is often difficult to measure
them.

 One of the most obvious indirect costs

is the human suffering caused to
workers' families, which cannot be
compensated with money.
 Costs of occupational
injury/disease
The costs to employers of occupational
accidents or illnesses are enormous.

For a small business, the cost of even one

accident can be a financial disaster. For
employers, some of the direct costs are:
 payment for work not performed;
 medical and compensation payments;
 repair or replacement of damaged
machinery and equipment;
 reduction or a temporary halt in
production;
 increased training expenses and
administration costs;
 possible reduction in the quality of work;
 negative effect on morale in other
workers.
 Costs of occupational
injury/disease

Some of the indirect costs for employers are:

 the injured/ill worker has to be replaced;
 a new worker has to be trained and given time to
adjust;
 it takes time before the new worker is producing at
the rate of the original worker;
 time must be devoted to obligatory investigations, to
the writing of reports and filling out of forms;
 accidents often arouse the concern of fellow workers
and influence labour relations in a negative way;
 poor health and safety conditions in the workplace can
also result in poor public relations.
 Costs of occupational
injury/disease
 Overall, the costs of most
work-related accidents or
illnesses to workers and their
families and to employers are
very high.

 In reality, no one really knows

the total costs of work-related
accidents or diseases because
there are a multitude of
indirect costs which are
difficult to measure besides
the more obvious direct costs.
Health and safety programmes
It is crucial that employers and workers are
committed to health and safety and that:
 workplace hazards are controlled - at
the source whenever possible;
 records of any exposure are
maintained for many years;
 both workers and employers are
informed about health and safety risks
in the workplace;
 there is an active and effective health
and safety committee that includes
both workers and management;
 worker health and safety efforts are
ongoing.
 Health and safety programmes
 Effective workplace health and
safety programmes:
 can help to save the lives of workers
by reducing hazards and their
consequences.
 have positive effects on both
worker morale and
productivity, which are
important benefits.
 save employers a great deal of
money.
 POINTS TO REMEMBER :
 Occupational health and safety encompasses the social,
mental and physical well-being of workers in all
occupations.

 Poor working conditions have the potential to affect a

worker's health and safety.

 Unhealthy or unsafe working conditions can be found

anywhere, whether the workplace is indoors or outdoors.

 Poor working conditions can affect the environment

workers live in. This means that workers, their families,
other people in the community, and the physical
environment around the workplace, can all be at risk from
exposure to workplace hazards.
 POINTS TO REMEMBER:
 Employers have a moral and often legal responsibility to
protect workers.

 Work-related accidents and diseases are common in all

parts of the world and often have many direct and
indirect negative consequences for workers and their
families.

 A single accident or illness can mean enormous financial

loss to both workers and employers.
 POINTS TO REMEMBER:
 Effective workplace health and safety
programmes can help to save the lives of
workers by reducing hazards and their
consequences.

 Effective programmes can also have

positive effects on both worker morale
and productivity, and can save employers
a great deal of money.
 Extent of the problem
Accidents
 In general, health and safety in the workplace
has improved in most industrialized countries
over the past 20 to 30 years.

 However, the situation in developing countries is

relatively unclear largely because of
inadequate accident and disease
recognition, record-keeping and reporting
mechanisms.
 Extent of the problem

Accidents
 It is estimated that at least 250 million occupational accidents occur
every year worldwide. 335,000 of these accidents are fatal (result in
death).

 The number of fatal accidents is much higher in developing

countries than in industrialized ones.

 This difference is primarily due to better health and safety

programmes, improved first-aid and medical facilities in the
industrialized countries, and to active participation of workers in the
decision-making process on health and safety issues.

 Some of the industries with the highest risk of accidents worldwide

are: mining, agriculture, including forestry and logging, and
construction.
Identifying the cause of an accident

 In some cases, the cause of an industrial injury is easy to

identify.

 However, very often there is a hidden chain of events

behind the accident which led up to the injury.

 For example, accidents are often indirectly caused by

negligence on the part of the employer who may not have
provided adequate worker training, or a supplier who gave
the wrong information about a product, etc.

 The consistently high fatal accident rates in developing

countries emphasize the need for occupational health and
safety education programmes that focus on prevention..
 Diseases
Exposure to hazards
in the workplace can
lead to serious
illness..
 Diseases
 Some occupational diseases have been recognized for
many years, and affect workers in different ways
depending on the nature of the hazard, the route of
exposure, the dose, etc. Some well known occupational
diseases include:

 asbestosis (caused by asbestos, which is common in

insulation, automobile brake linings, etc.);
 silicosis (caused by silica, which is common in mining,
sandblasting, etc.);
 lead poisoning (caused by lead, which is common in
battery plants, paint factories, etc.);
 and noise-induced hearing loss (caused by noise,
which is common in many workplaces, including
airports, and workplaces where noisy machines, such
as presses or drills, etc. are used).
 Diseases
There are also a number of potentially
crippling health problems that can be
associated with poor working conditions,
including:
 heart disease;
 musculoskeletal disorders such as permanent back
injuries or muscle disorders;
 allergies;

 reproductive problems;

 stress-related disorders.
 Diseases
Many developing countries report only a small number of
workers affected by work-related diseases. These numbers
look small for a variety of reasons that include:
 inadequate or non-existent reporting mechanisms;
 a lack of occupational health facilities;
 a lack of health care practitioners who are trained to recognize
work-related diseases.

Because of these reasons and others, it is fair to assume

that in reality, the numbers of workers afflicted with
occupational diseases are much higher.

In fact,overall, the number of cases and types of

occupational diseases are increasing, not
decreasing, in both developing and industrialized
countries.
 Identifying the cause of
occupational disease

 The cause of work-related diseases is

very often difficult to determine.

 One factor is the latency period (the

fact that it may take years before the
disease produces an obvious effect
on the worker's health).

 By the time the disease is identified, it

may be too late to do anything about
it or to find out what hazards the
worker was exposed to in the past.
Identifying the cause of occupational
disease
 Although more is understood now about
some occupational hazards than in the
past, every year new chemicals and new
technologies are being introduced which
present new and often unknown hazards
to both workers and the community.

 These new and unknown hazards present

great challenges to workers, employers,
educators, and scientists, that is to
everyone concerned about workers'
health and the effects that hazardous
agents have on the environment.
 Points to remember about
the extent of the problem worldwide
 There are at least 250 million occupational accidents every year worldwide, at
least 335,000 (1.34%) of which result in death.

 Developing countries have more fatal accidents than industrialized nations,

emphasizing the need for health and safety education programmes that focus on
prevention.

 Some occupational diseases have been recognized for many years and affect
workers in different ways. Such diseases are still problems in all parts of the world.

 The numbers of work-related diseases in developing countries are much higher in

reality than the numbers that are reported.

 The numbers of cases and types of occupational diseases are increasing in both
developing and industrialized countries.

 It is often difficult to identify the cause of both occupational accidents and

diseases
 The range of hazards
 There is an unlimited number of hazards that can be
found in almost any workplace.

 There are obvious unsafe working conditions, such as

unguarded machinery, slippery floors or inadequate fire
precautions, but there are also a number of categories
of insidious hazards (that is, those hazards that are
dangerous but which may not be obvious) including:
 chemical hazards, arising from liquids, solids, dusts, fumes, vapours
and gases;
 physical hazards, such as noise, vibration, unsatisfactory lighting,
radiation and extreme temperatures;
 biological hazards, such as bacteria, viruses, infectious waste and
infestations;
 psychological hazards resulting from stress and strain;
 hazards associated with the non-application of ergonomic principles,
for example badly designed machinery, mechanical devices and
tools used by workers, improper seating and workstation design, or
poorly designed work practices.
 The range of hazards
 Most workers are faced with a combination of these
hazards at work.

For example, it is not difficult to imagine a

workplace where you are exposed to chemicals,
unguarded and noisy machines, hot temperatures,
slippery floors, etc. all at the same time.

Think about your own workplace. Are there various

hazards there that you can think of?
 The range of hazards
 Hazards are often
built into
workplace.
 The range of hazards
 Work processes can be designed to
prevent accidents and illnesses.
Existing hazards should be removed
from the  workplace
 The range of
hazards
 Workers do not create hazards - in many cases the
hazards are built into the workplace.

 The trade union position on occupational health and

safety is to ensure that work is made safer by modifying
the workplace and any unsafe work processes.

 This means that the solution is to remove the

hazards, not to try to get workers to adapt to unsafe
conditions.

 Requiring workers to wear protective clothing

which may not be suited or designed for the climate of
the area is an example of forcing workers to try to adapt
themselves to unsafe conditions, which is also shifting
the responsibility from management to the worker.
 The range of
hazards
 It is important to maintain this position because
many employers blame workers when there is an
accident, claiming that the workers were careless.

 This attitude implies that work can be made safer

if workers change their behaviour or if employers
only hire workers who never make mistakes.

 Everyone makes mistakes — it is human nature,

but workers should not pay for mistakes with their
lives.
 The range of
hazards
 Accidents do not stop simply by making
workers more safety conscious.

 Safety awareness may help but it does not

remove unsafe work processes or conditions. 

 The most effective accident and disease

prevention begins when work processes
are still in the design stage, when safe
conditions can be built into the work
process.
 Points to remember
about the range of hazards

 There is an unlimited number of hazards that can be

found in almost every workplace.

 These include both obvious unsafe working conditions and

insidious, less obvious hazards.

 Hazards often are built into the workplace. Therefore,

employer must ensure that hazards are removed, rather
than trying to get workers to adapt to unsafe conditions.

 The most effective accident and disease prevention

begins when work processes are still in the design stage,
when safe conditions can be built into the work process.
 Importance of management
commitment
 A successful health
and safety
programme
requires strong
management
commitment and
worker
participation
 Importance of
management commitment

 In order to develop a successful health and

safety programme, it is essential that there be
strong management commitment and strong
worker participation in the effort to create and
maintain a safe and healthy workplace.

 An effective management addresses all work-

related hazards, not only those covered by
government standards.
 Importance of
management
commitment
 All levels of management must make health and
safety a priority.

 They must communicate this by going out into the

worksite to talk with workers about their concerns
and to observe work procedures and equipment.

 In each workplace, the lines of responsibility from

top to bottom need to be clear, and workers
should know who is responsible for different health
and safety issues.
 Points to remember about the
importance of management commitment
 Strong management commitment and strong
worker involvement are necessary elements for a
successful workplace health and safety programme.

 An effective management addresses all work-

related hazards, not only those covered by
government standards, and communicates with
workers.
 The importance of training
 Effective training is
a key component of
any health and
safety programme.
 The importance of Training
 Workers often experience work-related health problems
and do not realize that the problems are related to their
work, particularly when an occupational disease, for
example, is in the early stages.
 The importance of Training
 Besides the other more obvious benefits of
training, such as skills development, hazard
recognition, etc., a comprehensive training
programme in each workplace will help workers
to:

 recognize early signs/symptoms of any

potential occupational diseases before they
become permanent conditions;

 assess their work environment;

 insist that management make changes

before hazardous conditions can develop.
 Points to remember
about the importance of training
 A comprehensive health and
safety training programme in
each workplace benefits:
 help workers to recognize
any early signs/symptoms of
potential occupational
diseases before they become
permanent conditions,
 assess their work
environment, and
 insist that management
make changes before
hazardous conditions can
develop.
 Role of the health and safety
representative
 Health and safety
representative
 Role of the health and safety
representative
 As health and safety representative your role
is to work proactively (this means taking
action before hazards become a problem) to
prevent workers from being exposed to
occupational hazards.

 You can do this by making sure management

eliminates hazards or keeps them under
control when they cannot be eliminated.
 Role of the health and safety
representative
Steps to help you reach your goals are:
 Be well informed about the various hazards in your
workplace and the possible solutions for controlling those
hazards.
 Work together with the employer to identify and control
hazards.

Being a health and safety representative is

not always easy, but helping to protect the
lives of your fellow workers is worth all
the time and effort you put into the job.
 Role of the health and safety
representative
 Use a variety of
sources for
information about
potential or
existing hazards in
your workplace.
 Summary
 Workers in every occupation can be faced with a
multitude of hazards in the workplace.

 Occupational health and safety addresses the broad

range of workplace hazards from accident prevention to
the more dangerous hazards including toxic fumes, dust,
noise, heat, stress, etc.

 Preventing work-related diseases and accidents must be

the goal of occupational health and safety programmes,
rather than attempting to solve problems after they have
already developed.
 Summary
 Hazards in the workplace can be found in a variety of
forms, including chemical, physical, biological,
psychological, non-application of ergonomic
principles, etc.

 Because of the multitude of hazards in most

workplaces and the overall lack of attention given to
health and safety by many employers, work-related
accidents and diseases continue to be serious
problems in all parts of the world.

 Employers must control hazards at the source and

not force workers to adapt to unsafe conditions.
 Summary
 Management commitment to health and
safety and strong worker participation are
two essential elements of any successful
workplace health and safety programme.

 The most effective accident and disease

prevention begins when work processes
are still in the design stage.
Hazard that may be associated with
the following jobs:
 Welder — A welder can be
burnt from the sparks and
there is always the danger of
the work process starting a
fire.

 There is the problem of the

intense light which can cause
permanent eye damage as
well as the fumes given off
by the process which can
damage the lungs.
Hazard that may be associated with
the following jobs:
 Mechanic - Depending on the
precise nature of a
mechanic's duties, there may
be safety problems from cuts
and falls, etc., and exposure
to chemical hazards: oils,
solvents, asbestos and
exhaust fumes.

 Mechanics can also have

back and other
musculoskeletal problems
from lifting heavy parts or
bending for long periods.
 Hazard that may be associated with
the following jobs:
 Port worker - Again hazards depend
largely on the nature of the job and in
particular the cargo being handled.

 Port workers often have no idea of the

dangerous nature of the cargo; there may
be a sign on the side of a box or drum,
but the information may not be in their
language or in words that make much
sense to the average worker.

 The condition of the cargo is also

important as leaking drums or split bags
can be very hazardous for the handlers.

 Other risks include falls, cuts, back and

other musculoskeletal problems as well as
collisions with fast moving vehicles such as
fork-lift trucks or delivery trucks.
 Hazard that may be associated with the following
jobs:
 Textile worker - The textile worker faces a
variety of problems.

 First there is the problem of safety with

many machines around that are often
unguarded, as well as the risk of fire with
so much combustible material in the
workplace.

 Then there are the hazards of noise and

vibration.

 There is also exposure to dust from the

material which can seriously affect the
lungs.
 Exposure to cotton dust can lead to the
occupational disease known as byssinosis.
Hazard that may be associated with
the following jobs:
  Tractor driver - One of the
most serious problems with
tractors is that they often
overturn and, if they have no
safety cab, the driver can easily
be crushed.

 Other problems include noise,

vibration and exposure to
chemical herbicides and
pesticides when being sprayed
by tractor.
 Hazard that may be associated with
the following jobs:
 Agricultural worker - When spraying crops
the worker may be exposed to hazardous
chemicals contained in the spray.

 Many pesticides and herbicides that have

been banned in some countries because
of their toxic effects are still used in many
developing countries.

 If spraying takes place on a windy day,

the spray can be breathed into the lungs
and blown on to the skin where it can
cause damage.

 It can also be absorbed into the body

through the skin.
 Hazard that may be associated with
the following jobs:
 Electronics assembly worker - An
electronics assembly worker can suffer eye
problems from doing close work, often in
poor light.

 Because such workers sit still for long

periods with inadequate seating, they can
also suffer from back and other
musculoskeletal problems.

 For some workers there are the dangers of

solder fumes or solder “flecks” in the eye
when the excess solder is cut off with
pliers.
 Hazard that may be associated with
the following jobs:
 Office worker - Many people may
think that office workers have no
health and safety problems; this is
far from true.

 Stress is one of the most common

complaints, as well as exposure to
chemical hazards from office
machines such as photocopiers.

 Poor lighting, noise and poorly

designed chairs and stools can also
present problems.
 Hazard that may be associated with
the following jobs:
 Construction worker -
Construction workers face a
variety of hazards, particularly
safety problems such as falls,
slips, trips, cuts, and being hit
by falling objects.

 There are also dangers from

working high up, often without
adequate safety equipment,
musculoskeletal problems from
lifting heavy objects, as well as
the hazards associated with
exposure to noisy machinery.
Hazard that may be associated with
the following jobs:
 Miner - The hazards of
mining are well known
and include the ever
present danger of dusts,
fire, explosion and
electrocution, as well as
the hazards associated
with vibration, extreme
temperatures, noise,
slips, falls, cuts, etc.
 Workshop
 Describe the job you do.
 What hazards do you know exist in you
workplace?
 Are there other conditions at work that
you suspect may be hazardous but you
are not sure about?
Thank you!