Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Health Hazards

Questions and Answers

What is the focus of industrial hygiene?

Recognizing, evaluating, and controlling environmental factors in the workplace that may cause sickness, impaired health, or discomfort among workers or citizens of the community

Which of the following is NOT a classification of occupational health hazards?

Psychological

What are some examples of chemical hazards in the workplace?

Gases, vapors, mists, dust, and fume

Which of the following is NOT a physical hazard in the workplace?

Biological agents Signup and view all the answers

Who are some workers at risk of heat stress?

Outdoor workers and those in hot environments such as firefighters, bakery workers, farmers, construction workers, miners, boiler room workers, and factory workers Signup and view all the answers

What are some factors that can generate heat in the workplace?

Radiation and hot surfaces of equipment and tools Signup and view all the answers

How can industrial hygiene practices help in the workplace?

Minimize occupational accidents and diseases and enhance productivity Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Industrial hygiene focuses on recognizing, evaluating, and controlling environmental factors in the workplace that may cause sickness, impaired health, or discomfort among workers or citizens of the community.
Occupational health hazards can be classified as chemical, physical, biological, or ergonomic.
Chemical hazards include gases, vapors, mists, dust, and fume.
Physical hazards include extreme temperatures, heat stress, vibration, radiation, abnormal air pressure, illumination, and noise.
High temperatures are a common problem in industry, affecting the amount and manner of work that people can do.
Heat stress may be experienced by workers exposed to excessive heat arising from work.
Workers at risk of heat stress include outdoor workers and those in hot environments such as firefighters, bakery workers, farmers, construction workers, miners, boiler room workers, and factory workers.
Heat can be internally generated or externally generated from work factors such as radiation and hot surfaces of equipment and tools.
It is important for employers, supervisors, and those responsible for safety and health to be aware of physical hazards due to their possible immediate or cumulative effects on the health of employees.
Industrial hygiene practices, such as exposure assessment and control measures, can minimize occupational accidents and diseases and enhance productivity.