Free OSHA Course- Health Hazards in Construction- Physical Health Hazards
In pervious article(Free OSHA Course- Health Hazards in Construction- Chemical Hazards) we explained chemical hazards. In this article we will continuo health hazards in construction and will explain physical health hazards.
-Physical Health Hazards.
Physical hazards are different types of energy which may be hazardous to workers. They include:
When Noise is Dangerous.
Excessive short-term and long-term exposure to noise can cause hearing loss.
Prolonged noise over days, weeks, months and years above OSHA’s action level of 85 dBA (averaged over an 8 hour workday) may cause hearing loss.
Single exposure above 115 dBA may cause hearing loss.
Studies have shown that the highest percentages of overexposed workers occur in highway and street construction, carpentry, and concrete work.
- Factors Affecting Noise Levels.
Several factors influence the noise levels to which workers are exposed:
- Type of equipment being operated
- Condition/maintenance of the equipment
- Other equipment running at the same time
- Enclosed or partially enclosed spaces
- High noise levels can be sporadic in construction. Damage to hearing is cumulative and exposure limits are based on 8-hour averages. Workers not using or operating equipment are often exposed to excessive noise as much as the operators.
TIP: Damage to your hearing is nearly always irreversible.
- Hearing Protection.
Designed to block out damaging noise from reaching your ear drum.
There are two basic types of hearing protection: Earmuffs and ear plugs.
– Ear Plugs.
Some earplugs are designed to reduce or attenuate the most harmful frequencies of noise.
Many different types of earplugs. Some are pre-molded and some are foam designed to be disposable.
Ear plugs must be inserted correctly.
Always use approved ear protection.
TIP: The human ear has no natural defense to block out excessive noise. Exposure to
excessive noise without protection will damage, and in some cases, destroy your ability to
hear.
- Earmuffs.
- Generally afford the most protection.
- Have a headband, ear caps, and ear cushions.
- Require a good seal.
- Provide additional protection when worn with ear plugs in high noise environments (e.g. flight lines, boiler rooms, rattling of bolts).
- In hot weather/tight working conditions, earmuffs can be uncomfortable. Since ear protection
- reduces noise, be careful around mobile equipment.
Noise is dangerous:
- Excessive short term and long-term exposure.
- Prolonged noise over days, weeks, months and years above OSHA’s action level of 85 dBA (averaged over an 8-hour workday)
- When you can carry on a normal conversation.
- Single exposure to very high noise exceeding 115 dBA and higher.
- Vibration.
Two basic types of work-related vibration. Whole Body Vibration and Hand – Arm Vibration.
Whole-body vibration (WBV) can occur from operating large mobile equipment, such as drillers, air hammers, pile drivers, tractors, graders, excavators, earth-moving equipment, and other large machinery.
Whole-body vibration is transmitted through the seat or feet of employees who drive mobile machines, or other work vehicles, especially over rough and uneven surfaces.
Large shocks and jolts may cause health risks including back-pain.
WBV Control.
Tips to prevent / minimize exposure to WBV include:
- Introducing working methods which eliminate or reduce exposure.
- Choosing work equipment of appropriate ergonomic design,
- Considering the choice of seat (including suspension seats) and the choice of tires
- Regular maintenance of vehicles (including their seats and suspension) and maintenance of unmade roads and ground conditions throughout sites to suit the machines that use them will greatly reduce shocks and jolts.
- Limiting the duration and magnitude of exposure.
- Ensuring the work schedules have adequate rest periods.
Hand-arm vibration (HAV) can result from:
- Using hand-held power tools, such as pneumatic drills and hammers, and disc grinders.
- HAV may cause carpal tunnel syndrome, a disease that affects the fingers and hands.
- In the long run, permanent damages to the nerves will result in a loss of the sense of touch and dexterity.
- Working in a cold and damp environment can aggravate the harmful effects of hand-arm vibration.
TIP: Hand-arm vibration comes from the use of hand-held power tools and is the cause of
significant ill health (painful and disabling disorders of the blood vessels, nerves and joints)
- HAV Risk Controls.
- Alternative work methods.
- Mechanize or automate the work. Make sure that equipment selected can do the work efficiently.
- Select the lowest vibration tool that is suitable and can do the work efficiently.
- Limit the use of high-vibration tools wherever possible.
- Introduce appropriate maintenance programs for your equipment.
- Limit the time that your employees are exposed to vibration.
- Wear protective clothing when necessary to keep hands warm and dry.
Tip: Although some manufacturers sell vibration-dampening gloves which may minimize HAV, gloves should be used to keep hands warm, but should not be solely relied upon to provide protection from vibration.
- Temperature Extremes.
A change in body temperature due to:
- Extreme work environmental conditions can lead to stress or illness from heat or cold.
- Heat and cold stress/illness can develop into life-threatening situations.
- Heavy work in high temperatures can cause muscle cramps, dehydration, sudden collapse, and
- unconsciousness.
- Cold temperatures can lead to fatigue, irregular breathing, confusion, and loss of consciousness (hypothermia).
- Heat.
Hot conditions can occur from:
- Prolonged work under direct sunlight in summer (e.g., asphalt paving or roofing in summer).
- Wearing impermeable protective clothing when doing heavy work.
- Working in an enclosed area with a strong heat source, poor ventilation, and high humidity (e.g., heavy equipment operators in an enclosed cab with without sufficient ventilation).
- Energy Dangers.
Four different types of energy that may be dangerous to workers are:
- Noise
- Vibration
- Temperature extremes
- Radiation
- Heat Illnesses.
- Heat rash
- Fainting
- Heat cramps
- Heat exhaustion
- Heat stroke
TIP: HEAT ILLNESS CAN BE DEADLY. Every year, thousands of workers become sick from
exposure to heat, and some even die. These illnesses and deaths are preventable.
- Symptoms of Heat Illness.
• Early symptoms
– Fatigue
– Heavy sweating
– Headache
– Cramps
– Dizziness
– High pulse rate
– Nausea/vomiting
• Life-threatening symptoms
– High body temperature
– Red, hot, dry skin
– Confusion
– Convulsions
– Fainting
TIP: Watch for symptoms in yourself and your coworkers. If you feel any symptoms, tell
your coworkers and supervisor immediately because you may need medical help.
Know who to talk to and how to get help before you start each workday.
- Prevent Heat Illness.
• Tell your supervisor if you are new to working in the heat or have had heat illness before.
– Stay alert to the weather. During a heat wave you are at greater risk of getting sick. You need to watch yourself and coworkers more closely, and may need to drink more water, take more breaks, and use other measures.
– Drink enough cool, freshwater Drink at least one 8-ounce cup (3 cones) every 15 minutes
during your entire work shift. Do not wait until you are thirsty to drink water.
• Do not drink alcohol.
• Avoid coffee.
• Choose water over soft drinks.
• Take rest breaks in the shade to cool down.
• Wear proper clothing
– Loose fitting, light-weight and light-colored cotton clothes, a wide-brimmed hat or cap, and a
bandana if appropriate.
• Talk to your doctor if you have illnesses like diabetes, are taking medicines or are on a low salt diet.
- Heat Illness.
• The following are forms of heat illness:
– Heat rash
– Fainting
– Heat cramps
– Heat exhaustion
– Heat stroke
- Cold Stress.
• Cold conditions can result from:
– cold air temperatures
– rain, snow, sleet, or other wet weather conditions
– windy conditions
– underground construction work
– working over water and falling in
- Cold Stress Injury.
• Cold illnesses and injuries include:
– Immersion injury (trench foot)
– Frost nip
– Frost bite
– Hypothermia
- Prevent Cold Stress.
• Avoid exposure to extremely cold temperatures when possible.
– Wear appropriate clothing.
• Wear several layers of loose clothing.
• Tight clothing reduces blood circulation.
– Make sure to protect the ears, face, hands and feet.
• Boots should be waterproof and insulated.
• Wear a hat; it will keep your whole body warmer. ()
– Move into warm locations during work breaks.
– Carry cold weather gear, such as extra socks, gloves, hats, jacket,
blankets, a change of clothes and a thermos of hot liquid.
– Include a thermometer and chemical hot packs in your first aid kit.
– Avoid touching cold metal surfaces with bare skin.
– Monitor your physical condition and that of your coworkers.
- Radiation.
• Radiation may be defined as:
– energy traveling through space.
– Non-ionizing radiation is essential to life, but excessive exposures will cause tissue damage.
– All forms of ionizing radiation have sufficient energy to ionize atoms that may destabilize molecules within cells and lead to tissue damage.
– Radiation sources are found in a wide range of occupational settings.
– If radiation is not properly controlled it can be potentially hazardous to the health of workers.
- Ionizing Radiation.
• Ionizing radiation sources may be found:
– In a wide range of occupational settings to include construction, health care facilities, research institutions, nuclear reactors and their support facilities, nuclear weapon production facilities, and other various settings, just to name a few.
– These radiation sources can pose a considerable health risk to affected workers if not properly controlled.
– X-rays and gamma rays from equipment used to gauge the density and thickness of pipes, to inspect welds, or for detecting weakness of metal structures and radioactive isotopes from flow meters.
- Affects / Effects.
• Radiation affects people by depositing energy:
– In body tissue, which can cause cell damage or cell death.
– In some cases there may be no noticeable effect. In other cases, the cell may survive but become abnormal, either temporarily or permanently.
– An abnormal cell may become malignant.
– Both large and small doses of radiation can cause cellular damage.
– The extent of the damage depends upon the total amount of energy absorbed, the time period and dose rate of the exposure, and the particular organs exposed.
- Radiation Protection.
• Three basic concepts apply to protecting yourself from all types of ionizing radiation: time,
distance, and shielding.
– Time: The amount of radiation exposure increases as the time spent near the source of radiation increases.
– Distance: The farther away people are from a radiation source, the less their exposure
– Shielding: The greater the thickness and density of shielding around a radiation source, the smaller the exposure.
TIP: The two types of ionizing radiation are particulate (alpha, beta, neutrons) and electromagnetic (x-rays, gamma rays) radiation.
- Non-ionizing Radiation.
Non-ionizing radiation is described as:
- A series of energy waves composed of oscillating electric and magnetic fields traveling at the speed of light.
- Includes the spectrum of ultraviolet (UV), visible light, infrared (IR), microwave (MW), radio frequency (RF), and extremely low frequency (ELF).
- Lasers commonly operate in the UV, visible, and IR frequencies.
- Non-ionizing radiation is found in a wide range of occupational settings and can pose a considerable health risk to potentially exposed workers if not properly controlled.
Health effects:
– skin cancer
– eye damage
– premature skin aging
– Burns
• The best protection to nonionizing radiation is to avoid exposure when able.
• Protective equipment should be worn when potentially exposed and dependent upon the type of non-ionizing sources.
- Radiation Protection.
• The three basic ways to protect yourself from all types of ionizing radiation are:
– Reduce the time of exposure
– Increase the distance from the exposure
– Use shielding