Posted By Cas
Hi all

Please can someone give me clear examples of ergonomic hazards to health as opposed to ergonomic hazards to safety.

Likewise, chemical hazards to health as opposed to chemical hazards to safety.

Thanks in advance

Posted By David Bannister
Sorry, you did say chemical risks, my brain introduced COSHH. Corkscrew time.

Posted By Cas
Hi

Thanks for the input, would you agree with the following? -

Examples of chemical substances hazardous to health:

Asbestos
Siliceous dust
Caustic soda
Cement dust
Creosote
Wood dust

Examples of chemical safety hazards:

Contact/inhalation of chemical in form of solid, liquid, gas resulting in -

Immediate allergic reactions
Contact dermatitis
Slips resulting from spillage
Damage to respiratory tract
Chemical burns – corrosive substances
Damage to eyes – fumes, particles, splash eg: ammonia
Asphyxiation
Being overcome by fumes/gas – unconscious and dangers from falling etc

Fire and explosion – flammable/explosive nature of substance, reactivity with other chemicals/atmosphere


Health effects as a result of poor ergonomic consideration -

Repetitive strain injury
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Musculoskeletal effects such as
damage to the bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons (including damage to the spine and discs)
Increased levels of stress
Possible eyestrain
*Excessive manual handling may result from poor ergonomics and lead to some of the health effects above
*Poor ergonomics may force operator to adopt unsuitable postures and this can create health issues

Possible effects on safety as a result of poor ergonomic consideration -

Increase in slips, trips, falls
Bumps to head etc (badly designed workarea, manual handling above head height)
*Excessive manual handling may result from poor ergonomics and can effect safety if operator sustains crush injuries to fingers, toes etc also cuts, burns from contact with product
(Cant come up with any more effects on safety)

What are your thoughts??

Posted By David Bannister
Hi Cas, I'm not sure why you need to differentiate between the two concepts (H&S) unless this is for an exam question. In reality if a significant risk is found to exist it needs to be effectively controlled, regardless of whether it is a safety risk or a health risk.

I am not convinced that satisfactory definitions exist that clearly set out the differences.

Whilst losing a finger to a bandsaw blade is the result of exposure to a safety risk and mesothelioma is the result of inhaling asbestos fibres (health risk), what is falling off a badly designed work platform resulting in a broken pelvis and a long-term back injury?

One can argue that the fractured pelvis is the acute symptom whilst the back injury may be chronic but to the sufferer it does not make one jot of difference whether it is a safety issue or a health issue. The pain & suffering stays the same and the potential liability is the same.

Looking at your list I would however disagree with some of your chemical safety hazards: allergic reactions, dermatitis, respiratory tract damage seem to me to be more health issues but perhaps this is merely opinion and I still don't see that it matters.

Open to criticism!

Posted By David Bannister
Guessed there had to be some element of academia there somewhere!

Safety issues due to poor ergonomics can include driving: different vehicles can have different placements for controls. Whilst a car is likely to have the major controls standardised, heavier plant may not. Minor control will also differ (wipers, horn, lights etc).

My first example of a control panel is still valid: gauges reading high may indicate either danger or safe condition = confusion. Hard to see or reach controls = delay or incorrect operation. On/off/rate switches may be vertical, horizontal or rotary, often all 3!

For a production example, having to reach under/over or around operating machinery can introduce entanglement or contact with moving parts or hot parts (is burning a health issue?).

Your observation that safety = immediate result, health = delayed result is a useful indicator but not an absolute differentiator. I seem to remember having to draw up a 2-row, 2 column chart showing immediate and delayed results from both heath and safety failures although I can't now find it. Maybe a current student can help here...

Posted By Adrian Watson
Cas,

The reality is that safety and health is a false dichotomy. All injuries are health effects and all health effects are injuries.

The distinction between the two is that safety practitioners deal with the management of traumatic injuries resulting from single events, whilst health practitioners deal adverse health effects (disease and chronic injuries) resulting from repeated, prolonged or continuous events.

David's example of falling off a badly designed work platform resulting in a broken pelvis and a long-term back injury is a safety issue in that the preventative measures aim to prevent a traumatic injury.

Regards Adrian