Occupational Health is the promotion and maintenance of physical and mental wellbeing of all staff. Health problems directly related to a person’s job are defined as an occupational illness.
Some hazards, such as skin contact with chemicals causing short-term irritation and/or rashes are known as acute illnesses. For more information try our fully online Chemical Safety course. Chronic illnesses develop gradually and their effects may be irreversible, e.g. loss of hearing. Some may even appear years after the time of employment, e.g. asbestosis. For more information try our fully online Asbestos Awareness course.
As well as specific health hazards there are some general things that may affect all workplaces:
Smoking
Smoking and passive smoking have been linked to lung cancer, irritation to the respiratory system and other harmful effects. The Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Act 2004 (No. 6 of 2004) placed a ban on smoking at all enclosed places of work from 29/03/04 to protect persons at work from exposure to environmental tobacco smoke. This includes office blocks, aircraft, trains, company vehicles, health premises, schools, colleges, cinemas, theatres, licensed premises and clubs, if any of these places is your place of work. The smoking ban also applies to common areas within buildings. This means, for example, that corridors, lobby areas and reception areas of buildings such as apartment blocks and hotels are also covered. For more information, please consult Citizens Information service. In addition, try our fully online Workplace Safety course.
Alcohol
Alcohol increases the time it takes to react to situations, affects behaviour and reduces performance. For more information try our fully online Behavioral Safety course.
Drugs
Substance abuse may cause health problems and can cause safety hazards in the workplace. Many drugs are particularly dangerous because they cause mood changes and alter people’s perceptions. Even prescribed drugs may have a detrimental effect. As with alcohol, the condition must be addressed. For more information try our fully online Behavioral Safety course.
Violence
Verbal abuse, threats, bullying or assault can cause stress and concern as well as physical injury. Staff should be encouraged to report all occurrences to their supervisors who should record and objectively investigate the details and if necessary report to the relevant authority. For more information try our fully online Bullying Awareness course.
Stress
A large percentage of sick leave is due to stress, either due to personal reasons or the physical or emotional pressure of the job. Stomach and skin conditions, heart disease and depression have been linked to stress. Factors influencing stress in the workplace include poor working conditions, overwork, job insecurity, peer pressure including harassment, unrealistic targets and poor management.
Employees should be encouraged to report stress and management should be trained to recognise the symptoms and causes of stress such as inability or reduced ability to cope with normal tasks and situations, increased sick leave and/or poor time-keeping. For more information try our fully online Workplace Stress Awareness course.
It is very important to have an effective occupational health management system in place. There are sound economic reasons for reducing work-related accidents and ill-health, as well as ethical and regulatory reasons. Businesses that manage safety and health successfully invariably have a positive safety culture. Health and Safety training helps establish a culture in which employees themselves help promote proper safety procedures while on the job. It is important that new employees be properly trained and embrace the importance of workplace safety. The role of training in developing and maintaining effective hazard control activities is a proven and successful method of intervention.
Myelearnsafety offers fully online Health and Safety courses.
To find out more, please check our Courses page.
Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie
According to OSHA, falls are the leading cause of death in construction. Think about the exposed high-rise buildings or buildings with scaffolding around them. Even falls from ladders cause a significant amount of on-the-job industries. Injuries occur when workers do not install scaffolds securely or use ladders incorrectly which is the leading cause of accidents.
A concerning rising safety hazard in the construction industry is the mishandling and misuse of hazardous materials.
The use of hazardous materials and chemicals is commonly identified as a key hazard in manufacturing industries but can often be overlooked in construction. Perhaps unknowingly, construction workers are handling, using and emitting hazardous materials every day on site.
Access all hazardous materials and Chemicals that will be on the construction site before the work begins and make sure the workers know the safety procedures around them. For more information on how you can educate your employees on hazardous materials and chemicals please click here.
Electricity is one of the great inventions of the past century, but there’s no getting around the fact that it can be extremely dangerous if it’s not handled properly. Any construction site has the potential to expose construction workers to electricity. Many tools and pieces of equipment require electricity to operate. This is why it’s so critical for any type of construction worker to receive appropriate safety training for the use of electricity on a job site.
It’s also important for construction workers to have access to appropriate safety gear and equipment if they are required to work with or around electricity.
The greatest hazards posed by hand tools result from misuse and improper maintenance. The employer is responsible for the safe condition of tools and equipment used by employees. Employers shall not issue or permit the use of unsafe hand tools. Employees should be trained in the proper use and handling of tools and equipment.
These tools also often cause hand-arm vibration. According to the HSE; By law, as an employer, you must assess and identify measures to eliminate or reduce risks from exposure to hand-arm vibration so that you can protect your employees from risks to their health.
Dermot Carey, Director Safety and Training, Construction Industry Federation (CIF) said;
“Research shows that 10 people a week in Ireland take their own lives – 8 out of these ten are men. The construction sector is 96% male. We know from feedback we have received that workers in the construction sector are part of these statistics. As an industry we have focussed a lot of our effort in the past at managing safety issues – recently we have realised that we need to give time to managing people’s wellbeing…. the slogan for the day is “ Mind Your Head”.
For more information on how you can educate your employees on Mental Health please click here.
The fundamental principle is that personal protective equipment (PPE) should only be used as a last resort. The safety and health of employees must be first safeguarded by measures to eliminate workplace risks at source, through technical or organisational means (e.g by substituting hazardous chemical ) or by providing protection on a collective basis (e.g providing scaffolding instead of harnesses).
The employer has to make an assessment of the hazards in the workplace in order to identify the correct type of PPE to be provided and to ensure that PPE is appropriate to the risk. Care must be taken in selecting PPE as certain types give reasonably high levels of protection while others, that may appear almost the same, give relatively low levels of protection. Source – Health and Safety Authority
If you would any further information on how you can be more safe or have questions please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us either by mailing Shane@elearn.ie or calling Tel +353 1 693 1421.
We at My Elearn Safety are always looking to share valuable information with our followers. The UK company Papertrail have written a very informative blog on the 10 Most Common Health and Safety Risks in Construction.
Accident fatality rates in the construction industry are double that of the sector average, with rates of minor accidents almost incalculably more.
In such an ever-changing working environment this is hardly surprising. But many employers are still unaware of their duty of care to employees, visitors, and even those not directly related to their activities.
We’ve compiled a list of the top 10 most common risks associated with working on a typical construction site, and highlighted the steps you can take today to effectively manage those risks. Read on to find out more.
The construction and/or demolition of buildings frequently requires tradesmen to work at height. In 2014, falls from height were the most common cause of construction site fatalities, accounting for nearly three in ten fatal injuries to workers.
The risks associated with working at height are often increased by added access and mobility restrictions. Training, including safety awareness training, is essential for employees required to work at height.
Clearly, working at height should be treated with added caution, so be sure to follow these guides from the HSE:
…The blog goes on to include some of the following risks and also some risks you wouldn’t think of;
and more, to continue reading this blog please click here.
Have a look at our Construction Health and Safety Courses here.
Do you have workers or are a worker yourself exposed to Chemicals, Silica Dust or Asbestos? It is the responsibility of the employer to make sure workers are protected and are informed of the best practices on how to work safely in a safe environment.
Doing a course is the easiest and most practical way to make sure your employees are educated. However taking a course can be expensive and time consuming for both the employer managing it and the employees taking the courses.
That is why many construction companies around Ireland have opted for Online Safety Training as a solution. Online training is a cost effective alternative to traditional class based learning. Courses can be taken with in a few hours of study time with 24/7 accessibility which your employees will prefer.
Below we have listed the most common health risks for workers in construction.
Crystalline silica is a basic component of soil, sand, granite, and many other minerals. Quartz is the most common form of crystalline silica. Cristobalite and tridymite are two other forms of crystalline silica. All three forms may become respirable size particles when workers chip, cut, drill, or grind objects that contain crystalline silica. Inhalation is the primary route which can penetrate deep into the lung
The respirable fraction of the dust is invisibly fine and the OELV for Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) is 0.1mg/m3 averaged over 8 hours, as set down in the HSA Chemical Agents Code of Practice under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Chemical Agents) Regulations 2001. A risk assessment under these regulations is required where exposures to RCS can occur. The Safety, Health And Welfare At Work (General Application) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 S.I. No. 36 of 2016 contains a Prohibition on silica – Regulation 128 “An employer shall ensure that no sand or other substance containing free silica is introduced as an abrasive into any blasting apparatus. Source – HSA
Did you know that Silica Dust has been classified as a human lung carcinogen? Additionally, breathing Silica Dust can cause silicosis, which in severe cases can be disabling, or even fatal. When Silica Dust is inhaled, it enters the lungs and causes the formation of scar tissue, thus reducing the lungs’ ability to take in oxygen which causes many issues including silicosis. Since silicosis affects lung function, it makes one more susceptible to lung infections like tuberculosis.
See Course overview here – Silica Dust Awareness
Asbestos a mineral that exists naturally in a fibrous form, what makes it so dangerous is that it is resistant to heat, water, chemicals and electricity. There are many products that have asbestos in them including; fireproof coatings, concrete and cement, bricks, pipes, gaskets, insulation, drywall, flooring, roofing, joint compound, paints and sealants. Asbestos also exists in electrical appliances, plastics, rubber, mattresses, flowerpots, lawn furniture, hats and gloves. Working with asbestos products puts your health at risk.
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Exposure to Asbestos) Regulations, 2006 (S.I. No. 386 of 2006) , aim to protect the health and safety of all employees who may be exposed to dust from asbestos containing materials, during the course of their work activities. The regulations apply to all work activities and workplaces where there is a risk of people inhaling asbestos dust. Source – HSA
Asbestos is a Category 1 carcinogen and all six types can cause cancer. Blue and brown asbestos are known to be more dangerous than white asbestos. There is no cure for asbestos-related disease. Following exposure to asbestos, a person may develop one of the following three fatal diseases: Asbestosis: fibres penetrating deep into the lung causing scarring of the tissue. Asbestos-related lung cancer and Mesothelioma, a cancer of the cells that make up the lining around the outside of the lungs.
See Course overview here – Asbestos Awareness
Chemical safety is an important consideration on construction sites. There are also many hazards that may not be obvious, but they can still present a health hazard if they aren’t handled properly. Some of the most common chemicals that workers are exposed to include: Zinc, Cadmium, Beryllium and Mercury. There is a wide range of expose including, contact with the skin, inhalation and ingestion and injection.
Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. The Code of Practice contains the following elements: – Schedule 1 to this Code of Practice stipulates the OELVs, which are currently legally binding under the Chemical Agent Regulations. – Schedule 2 to this Code of Practice provides a list of substances which are under review by the Health and Safety Authority. – Schedule 3 contains a Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Number index of all substances included in the Code of Practice. Source – HSA
As there are a vast amount of different types of chemicals used and each have their own health effects it’s not possible to list them however what we can say is that exposure, especially prolonged exposure is very dangerous to your health. Some chemicals may also have physical chemical hazards, e.g. flammable, explosive or have additional hazards if they are mixed or stored with incompatible chemicals. Chemicals can also have an adverse effect on the environment if they are used, stored or disposed of incorrectly.
See Course overview here – Chemical Safety
