First and foremost, conducting an exhaustive safety hazard assessment of all possible environments and machinery is a crucial step in any safety protocol. We strongly recommend that you download a copy of our hazard assessment Guide before beginning with the list below. You can follow the steps required to identify the workplace safety risks and print our provided blank worksheet to conduct your own assessment.
Type of Hazards at Workplace
6 common types of workplace hazards
Workplace hazards can include equipment and chemicals used by employees, as well as the building’s structure and many others. Some of the most common kinds of workplace hazards include:
1. Chemical hazards
Many workplaces use chemicals in some form or another. These substances can include factory fluids, cleaning agents, and hair dye. Understanding the proper handling and storage of chemicals can help avoid incidents that lead to illness, injury, fire, or property damage.
In a workplace, certain chemicals may be risky, but if used and accounted for properly, they may not cause problems:
Making sure that workers are aware of how to properly handle and store chemicals is one way to prevent chemical accidents at work. Employees who work with chemicals frequently or in potentially hazardous environments frequently take safety training that describes the risks involved. Additionally, efficient management personnel frequently makes sure that all workers have access to the right safety gear, such as work glasses, gloves, or other protective wear, to prevent unintentional chemical exposure.
2. Ergonomic hazards
Ergonomic work hazards are dangers associated with an employee’s regular tasks, typically those that have an impact on their physical health. The following are a few examples of workplace activities that could pose an ergonomic risk:
If not properly supervised by management or other responsible employees, manual labor, such as pushing, pulling, holding, or carrying objects, can result in physical harm. Although management staff can help prevent work-related accidents, ultimately preventing accidents also depends on employee behavior.
By placing a weight restriction on the items workers in a warehouse are allowed to lift, for instance, management can prevent accidents caused by lifting objects. However, if a worker lifts items incorrectly, it could lead to an injury. Mandatory and regular training regarding common workplace injuries caused by manual labor is a good way to prevent injury. This might entail instruction in heavy object lifting, recognizing and managing exhaustion, or maintaining proper hydration throughout a workday.
Long shifts or abrupt shift changes can occasionally be stressful for workers, both physically and personally. However, effective management can lessen the stress brought on by lengthy or irregular shifts.
The following are a few things that could lead to employee shift-related work-related stress:
By following shift policies that benefit employees, management can reduce mental stress caused by disruptive shift changes. Preventing unexpectedly long workdays can ease stress and lessen workplace fatigue. Rotational shift work is encouraged because it gives workers more flexibility with their schedules.
Although many employees’ jobs require the use of tools, if management does not post written work instructions nearby or around a worksite, some tools could lead to workplace injuries.
Some workplace tools that might cause injury include the following:
Posting written or digital work instructions close to a location where workers use tools or machines is one way to prevent accidents related to tool use. This encourages employees to check instructions to prevent workplace injury. Additionally, providing instruction for using complicated machines could promote workplace safety in general.
3. Health hazards
Health risks are workplace dangers that could cause internal harm to employees if they are not properly managed by management.
Examples of health hazards include:
Consider implementing workplace mandatory training that instructs employees what to do when they spot mold to prevent illness from a biological hazard, such as mold. Additionally, regular hygiene procedures, such as a cleanup crew that visits a workspace on a regular basis to ensure cleanliness, should completely eliminate most health risks. To stop the spread of potential diseases, it’s crucial to eliminate health hazards from a workspace as much as possible.
By strictly adhering to disease control codes and any health and safety precautions established for specific wildlife removal, management personnel can help prevent any other various biological hazards. Adhering to these principles can help prevent potential workplace-induced conditions.
4. Physical hazards
Physical hazards are substances or conditions that could endanger employee safety if not properly eliminated from the workplace. Physical risks are among the most prevalent risks at work, but management can prevent them by adhering to legal requirements.
Some of the most common physical hazards to avoid include:
Extreme cold or heat can be harmful to an employee’s health. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are risks to avoid in hot environments, and hypothermia and frostbite are conditions to avoid in cold environments, respectively. There are equipment and regulations that management can put in place to ensure workplace safety even though there are no maximum or minimum temperature requirements, such as appropriate clothing and frequent breaks if necessary.
Depending on the quality of the air, problems may arise in the workplace. For instance, if dust isn’t properly ventilated, it can eventually lead to workplace injuries. Another factor contributing to workplace injuries is improperly stored chemicals or improperly sealed gases. Employees may experience harmful symptoms right away or they may need to be exposed for a long time before they start to exhibit symptoms. Poor air quality may result in long-term health problems if it is not corrected.
By following safety regulations regarding temperature, chemical storage, and gas storage, management can ensure proper air quality. When a ventilation system is not working properly, it can be repaired or replaced to help prevent any long-term workplace health problems.
Noise can be produced by a variety of things in a workspace, including machinery or moving vehicles in industrial and manufacturing settings. This is another extremely common workplace health hazard. One of the main issues that arises from a noisy environment is hearing loss, but there are also less common problems that management can help avoid by keeping noise levels under control, such as general annoyance, stress, and communication disruption. Noise issues can be a productivity issue in settings where communication is essential if they are not properly managed.
By providing earplugs to those who work in industrial areas, management can help prevent noise-related hazards.
5. Psychosocial hazards
Workplace risks known as “psychosocial hazards” can harm employees’ mental or emotional health. Examples of workplace psychosocial hazards include:
Poor management, poorly communicated expectations, fluctuating or oppressive workloads, and poor management are all potential sources of stress in the workplace. Management can reduce stress by having employees conduct managerial reviews or by valuing employee input more in the workplace.
Any assault or insult committed at work is included in bullying and workplace violence. The implementation of workplace violence and bullying prevention programs is frequently the responsibility of managers, but other employees can contribute to this effort as well. A system for reporting abuse is frequently implemented by effective management, and helpful staff frequently promptly and accurately report incidents of bullying or violence.
6. Workplace safety hazards
General workplace risks are dangers that affect the actual workplace. This could apply to a building’s features, the equipment or vehicles that employees use, or the overall environment in which they work. These hazards may arise due to the following workplace elements:
Vehicles used at work may put employees at risk if they are operated or driven improperly. Make sure that all operators receive adequate vehicle training and follow any applicable driving regulations to prevent workplace injuries caused by vehicles or machinery. Encourage incident reporting, and take incoming reports seriously and quickly after receiving them to prevent workplace injuries involving vehicles.
Although not all workers operate a vehicle or piece of equipment in every workspace, there are still risks workers may encounter because of their workplace. By regularly mandating safety review training for all employees, management can prevent potential workplace injuries caused by, for instance, ladders, doorways, confined spaces, or weather. Employees who receive safety training are more likely to adhere to the precautions outlined in your company’s safety standards.
What are workplace hazards?
Risks in the workplace that, if not properly managed, could negatively impact or hurt employees are known as workplace hazards. Employees may experience a variety of workplace hazards that are harmful to their physical, mental, and emotional health. Knowing what risks there are and how a manager can successfully manage or contain them is one of the first steps in preventing risks at work. Creating new workplace regulations or mandating that workers complete safety training are two strategies for assisting your employees in avoiding risks.
Tips for managing workplace hazards
Managers and employees may find it difficult to control workplace hazards. To prevent workplace hazards and to effectively handle any workplace issues on a larger scale, some general guidelines can be helpful. You can take the following actions in relation to your employer’s policy on workplace hazards:
FAQ
What are the 7 types of hazards?
- Safety. Any type of substance, condition, or object that could hurt employees is considered a safety hazard.
- Chemical. …
- Biological. …
- Physical. …
- Ergonomic.
What are the 4 main type of hazards?
- Safety hazards.
- Biological hazards.
- Physical hazards.
- Ergonomic hazards.
- Chemical hazards.
- Work organization hazards.
- Environmental hazards.
What are the 6 types of hazards?
- Microbiological hazards. Microbiological hazards include bacteria, yeasts, moulds and viruses.
- Chemical hazards. …
- Physical hazards. …
- Allergens.
