Types of Chemical Hazards

A chemical hazard is a type of occupational hazard caused by exposure to chemicals in the

workplace. Exposure to chemicals in the workplace can cause acute or long-term detrimental
health effects. There are many types of hazardous chemicals, including neurotoxins, immune
agents, dermatologic agents, carcinogens, reproductive toxins, systemic toxins, asthmagens,
pneumoconiotic agents, and sensitizers.[1] These hazards can cause physical and/or health risks

Definition Examples
Hazard Types

Flammable

Material that will burn or ignite, causing fire or combustion.

Flammables:methanol, acetonitrile,
An ignitable chemical has a flashpoint less than 100 F. A
spray adhesive/mount
combustible material will burn, but require a flame or
Combustible: diesel fuel, mineral
elevated temperature plus a spark to start them; and has a
spirits
flashpoint greater than 100 F but less than 200 F.

Corrosive

Chemical that causes visible destruction of, or irreversible

alterations in, living tissue by chemical action at the site of
contact. acetic acid, sodium hydroxide,
pH < 2 and pH > 12.5 photographic fixer

Reactive

Material that reacts violently or explodes under either

ambient conditions or when in contact with air, water, or
other chemicals.
Oxidizers: nitric acid
Organic Peroxides:benzoyl peroxide,
Oxidizers: materials that react strongly with organic methyl ethyl ketone peroxide
materials, sometimes strongly enough to start fires Water Reactive:sodium metal,
Organic Peroxides: form friction and shock-sensitive sodium borohydride
explosives Air Reactive: silane, t-butyl lithium
Water Reactive: react violently with water Explosive: TNT, picric acid
Air Reactive (pyrophoric): react violently with air
Explosive: designed to ex
plode violently

Toxic

Material that may cause harm to an individual if it enters the

body.
Carcinogen:benzene, carbon
Carcinogen: a substance or agent that may cause cancer tetrachloride
Mutagen: An agent that can induce or increase the Mutagen: bromine
frequency of mutation in an organism Poison: sodium azide, powdered
Poison: any substance that can impair function, cause pigments and inks (may contain toxic
structural damage, or otherwise injure the body metals such as chromium and
Sensitizer: a substance that causes hypersensitivity or barium)
reactivity to an antigen, such as pollen, especially by a Sensitizer:formaldehyde, phenol
second or repeated exposure. Teratogen: PCBs, mercury
Teratogen: An agent that causes malformation of an embryo
or fetus.
Psychosocial hazard
A psychosocial hazard is any occupational hazard that affects the psychological well-being of
workers, including their ability to participate in a work environment among other
people. Psychosocial hazards are related to the way work is designed, organized and managed, as
well as the economic and social contexts of work and are associated with psychiatric, psychological
and/or physical injury or illness

What are some examples of psychological hazards?

1 Answer
Damaging people or environments in a workplace that affect mental health. For example a stressful
environment which creates a hazard for our mental well being. Coworkers can also cause a hazard
when they negatively affect our well being. The list goes on concerning factors in a workplace that
create hazards for mental health.

EXAMPLE OF PSYCHOGICAL HAZARD

Biological Hazards
Sources of biological hazards may include bacteria, viruses, insects,
plants, birds, animals, and humans. These sources can cause a variety
of health effects ranging from skin irritation and allergies to infections
(e.g., tuberculosis, AIDS), cancer and so on
Biological hazards, also known as biohazards, refer to biological substances that pose a threat to
the health of living organisms, primarily that of humans. This can include medical waste or samples
of a microorganism, virus or toxin (from a biological source) that can affect human health. It can also
include substances harmful to other animals
Physical hazard
A physical hazard is a type of occupational hazard that involves environmental hazards that can
cause harm with or without contact. Physical hazards include ergonomic hazards, radiation, heat
and cold stress, vibration hazards, and noisehazards.[1] Engineering controls are often used to
mitigate physical hazards.[2]
Physical hazards are a common source of injuries in many industries.[3] They are perhaps
unavoidable in certain industries, such as construction and mining, but over time people have
developed safety methods and procedures to manage the risks of physical danger in the
workplace. Employment of children may pose special problems.[4]
An engineering workshop specialising in the fabrication and welding of components has to follow the
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at work regulations 1992. It is an employers duty to provide
all equipment (including clothing affording protection against the weather) which is intended to be
worn or held by a person at work which protects him against one or more risks to his health and
safety. In a fabrication and welding workshop an employer would be required to provide face and
eye protection, safety footwear, overalls and other necessary PPE.

Contents
Falls are a common cause of occupational injuries and fatalities, especially in construction,
extraction, transportation, healthcare, and building cleaning and maintenance. [5]

Machines

A nail gun-related injury

Machines are commonplace in many industries,

including manufacturing, mining, construction and agriculture,[6] and can be dangerous to workers.
Many machines involve moving parts, sharp edges, hot surfaces and other hazards with the
potential to crush, burn, cut, shear, stab or otherwise strike or wound workers if used unsafely.
[7]
Various safety measures exist to minimize these hazards, including lockout-tagout procedures for
machine maintenance and roll over protection systems for vehicles.[7]According to the United
States Bureau of Labor Statistics, machine-related injuries were responsible for 64,170 cases that
required days away from work in 2008. More than a quarter of these cases required more than 31
days spent away from work. That same year, machines were the primary or secondary source of
over 600 work-related fatalities.[8] Machines are also often involved indirectly in worker deaths and
injuries, such as in cases in which a worker slips and falls, possibly upon a sharp or pointed
object. Power tools, used in many industries, present a number of hazards due to sharp moving
parts, vibrations, or noise. The transportation sector bears many risks for the health of commercial
drivers, too, for example from vibration, long periods of sitting, work stress and exhaustion. These
problems occur in Europe but in other parts of the world the situation is even worse. More drivers die
in accidents due to security defects in vehicles. Long waiting times at borders cause that drivers are
away from home and family much longer and even increase the risk of HIV infections. [9]

Confined spaces

Sewer trench with device to protect workers from failure of the sidewalls

Confined spaces also present a work hazard. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH) defines "confined space" as having limited openings for entry and exit and
unfavorable natural ventilation, and which is not intended for continuous employee occupancy.
Spaces of this kind can include storage tanks, ship compartments, sewers, and pipelines. [10]Confined
spaces can pose a hazard not just to workers, but also to people who try to rescue them.

Noise
Noise also presents a fairly common workplace hazard: occupational hearing loss is the most
common work-related injury in the United States, with 22 million workers exposed to hazardous
noise levels at work and an estimated $242 million spent annually on worker's compensation for
hearing loss disability.[11] Noise is not the only source of occupational hearing loss; exposure to
chemicals such as aromatic solvents and metals including lead, arsenic, and mercury can also
cause hearing loss.[12] Naturally, noise is more of concern for certain occupations than
others; musicians,[13] mine workers,[14] and construction workers [15] are exposed to higher and more
constant levels of noise and therefore are at a higher risk of developing hearing loss. Since noise-
induced hearing loss, while entirely preventable, is permanent and irreversible, it is vital that
companies and their employees are aware of limits and prevention methods available. [16]

A man wearing ear and eye protection while using a jackhammer

In the United States, noise is recognized as a hazard in the workplace by the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA). Both organizations work to set and enforce standards for occupational noise
exposure and ultimately prevent hearing loss.[17][18] Examples of initiatives made by NIOSH to prevent
the negative effects of noise exposure include the Buy Quiet program, which encourages employers
to purchase machinery that produces lower noise levels, and the Safe-In-Sound Award, which was
created to recognize organizations that excel in noise control.[19][20]

Temperature
Temperature extremes can also pose a danger to workers. Heat stress can cause heat
stroke, exhaustion, cramps, and rashes. Heat can also fog up safety glasses or cause sweaty palms
or dizziness, all of which increase the risk of other injuries. Workers near hot surfaces or steam also
are at risk for burns.[21] Dehydration may also result from overexposure to heat. Cold stress also
poses a danger to many workers. Overexposure to cold conditions or extreme cold can lead
to hypothermia, frostbite, trench foot, or chilblains.[22]

Electricity
Electricity poses a danger to many workers. Electrical injuries can be divided into four types: fatal
electrocution, electric shock, burns, and falls caused by contact with electric energy.[23]

Other hazards
Vibrating machinery, lighting, and air pressure (high or low) can also cause work-related illness and
injury. Asphyxiation is another potential work hazard in certain situations. Musculoskeletal
disorders are avoided by the employment of good ergonomic design and the reduction of repeated
strenuous movements or lifts. Ionizing(alpha, beta, gamma, X, neutron), and non-ionizing radiation
(microwave, intense IR, RF, UV, laser at visible and non-visible wavelengths), can also be a potent
hazard.
List of hazard symbols
Unicode
Type of hazard Unicode Image
glyph

Generic caution
U+26A0

Poison
U+2620

Ionizing radiation
U+2622

Radiation high-level
source
? ?

Non-ionizing radiation ? ?

Biological hazard
U+2623

Carcinogen ? ?

High voltage
U+26A1
 Laser hazard ? ?

Chemical weapon ? ?