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Repetitive strain injuries
Being struck by an object
Noise induced hearing loss
Chemical hazard:
Contact with acids or alkalis
Contact with asbestos
Biological hazard:
Contagious disease
Psychological hazard:
Fear of unemployment
Lack of motivation
Harassment
Disaster at home or at work
Under each heading - physical, chemical, biological, psychological - we have given
example(s) which would manifest themselves in the long term and example(s) which
would become manifest in the short term. Which are which?
Hazards which represent an immediate danger:
Physical: being struck by an object
Chemical: from contact with acids or alkalis
Biological: contagious disease
Psychological: disaster at home or at work
Hazards which could manifest themselves in the long term are:
Physical: repetitive strain injuries
Chemical: from contact with asbestos
Biological: weil’s disease from rats urine in water sources
Psychological: fear of unemployment, lack of motivation harassment
Other terms that we will discuss further in this course, include:-
Dangerous Occurrences - these are events or situations that could harm
employees at work in such a way that there is a legal requirement to report
them. If something happens which does not result in a major injury, but clearly
could have done, it may be classed as a dangerous occurrence.
Near Misses - these are any form of accident which could result in injury or loss
but do not.
Work-related ill-health - The definition of work-related ill-health used by the
Health and Safety Executive is "any illness, disability, or other physical problem
which reduces, either temporarily or permanently, the functioning of an
individual and which has been caused, in whole or part, by the working
