Occupational Health Hazards
- Involve exposure to substances or conditions that can cause illness, disease, or other health problems.
- Examples: chemical exposure, noise, vibration, radiation, biological agents.
- Can have long-term or short-term effects on health, including respiratory problems, skin irritation, hearing loss, or cancer.
- Typically require measures such as personal protective equipment (PPE), ventilation, and health monitoring.
Occupational Safety Hazards
- Involve physical hazards that can cause immediate or delayed physical injury.
- Examples: falls, slips, trips, cuts, crushes, burns, electrocution.
- Can lead to serious injuries or even death.
- Typically require measures such as machine guarding, hazard identification, and training.
Key Differences
- Nature of Hazard: Health hazards focus on substances or conditions that can harm health, while safety hazards focus on physical threats.
- Effects: Health hazards can have long-term health consequences, while safety hazards typically cause immediate or short-term physical injuries.
- Prevention Measures: Health hazards require emphasis on exposure reduction and health surveillance, while safety hazards require physical barriers and hazard elimination.
Overlap
Some hazards can pose both health and safety risks. For example, exposure to hazardous chemicals can cause respiratory problems (health hazard) and also pose a risk of explosion (safety hazard). Therefore, it's important to consider both health and safety aspects of occupational hazards.