Identify Workplace Hazards

We need to learn all we can about workplace hazards. An unanticipated or unknown hazard may cause us a lifetime of suffering, disability or even death. Identifying hazards and sharing information with co-workers would be helpful to avoid most hazardous situations in the workplace.

A prudent way to avoid hazardous exposures is to identify the threats before they become injuries.

Chemical hazards include the presence of acids, solvents, toxic agents, and heavy metals such as lead. These may come in the form of pesticides, cleaning chemicals, smoke from the cutting or welding of metals, and exhaust from gasoline engines.

Mechanical hazards may come from any machine or tool used on the job. Be especially careful of rotating parts, pressurized tanks, grinders, drills and motor vehicles.

Injuries during the use of ladders, scaffolding, hand tools and heavy equipment are also common hazards on job sites.

Lighting fixtures, car batteries and alternators, exposed wiring, and power lines can be dangerous electrical hazards.

Electricity can also be a fire hazard. Other fire hazards include welding tools, sparks from metalworking tools, boilers and heaters, stationary generators, and ashes from cigarette smoking.

To identify and eliminate hazards in the workplace, we need to create safety awareness, as follows:

1. Establish hazard identification and reporting methods.
2. Establish training and communication programs. These are the basic ingredients for any injury-prevention measures in the workplace. In order to have a safe work site, employees have to know what they are doing and know they can call on their supervisor for assistance.
3. Use signs, posters and newsletters as common resources for safety awareness and communication. These aides help workers to visualize hazardous threats and reinforce and remind them of safety procedures from day to day.
4. Involve workers in hazard identification by creating safety committees on every work site. These committees can help to identify new hazards periodically and work toward their elimination.
5. Label all materials and equipment that pose a potential threat to employee safety. For example, label all chemical containers and provide Material Safety Date Sheets (MSDS) on all hazardous chemicals. This is a prudent way to avoid hazardous exposures.