NEBOSH Unit B Study Guide
B1 General Aspects of Occupational Health and Hygiene
B1.1 Nature and history of occupational health and hygiene
The discipline of occupational health & hygiene is concerned with the effects of the working environment on the health of the worker and the affect of the worker’s health on their ability to perform workplace tasks.
The purpose of occupational health and hygiene:
To anticipate and prevent health problems caused by the nature and types of work considering both the health of the worker and the hygiene conditions of the work place. To prevent the adverse effects of physical and chemical agents and ensure work is adapted to physiological and psychological needs of the worker. To ensure worker is fit to do the job.
The 4 Stages in Occupational Health and Hygiene Practice:
Recognition / Identification May be well known in the industry / Safety Data Sheets / Employees complaints / Absenteeism and Sickness Records. Measurement Noise levels / Amount of a substance in the air (compare results to WEL’s). Evaluation Nature of hazard / Persons affected / How the agent does damage / Routes into body / Resulting ill-health. Control Consider further controls / Should be workable and not introduce further hazards.
Categories of occupational health hazard:
Physical Heat (cataracts and heatstroke) / Lighting (nystagmus) / Noise (occupational deafness) / Vibration (white finger) / Radiation (radiation sickness, burns and arc-eye) / Pressure (decompression sickness). Chemical Acids and alkalis (dermatitis) / Metals (lead and mercury poisoning) / Non-metals (arsenic and phosphorus poisoning) / Gases (carbon monoxide poisoning) / Organic compounds (occupational cancers) / Dust (silicosis and pneumoconiosis) / Fibres (asbestosis). Biological Animal-borne bacteria (anthrax and brucellosis) / Human-borne viruses (viral hepatitis) / Vegetable-borne fungi, moulds
B1.1 Nature and history of occupational health and hygiene
The discipline of occupational health & hygiene is concerned with the effects of the working environment on the health of the worker and the affect of the worker’s health on their ability to perform workplace tasks.
The purpose of occupational health and hygiene:
To anticipate and prevent health problems caused by the nature and types of work considering both the health of the worker and the hygiene conditions of the work place. To prevent the adverse effects of physical and chemical agents and ensure work is adapted to physiological and psychological needs of the worker. To ensure worker is fit to do the job.
The 4 Stages in Occupational Health and Hygiene Practice:
Recognition / Identification May be well known in the industry / Safety Data Sheets / Employees complaints / Absenteeism and Sickness Records. Measurement Noise levels / Amount of a substance in the air (compare results to WEL’s). Evaluation Nature of hazard / Persons affected / How the agent does damage / Routes into body / Resulting ill-health. Control Consider further controls / Should be workable and not introduce further hazards.
Categories of occupational health hazard:
Physical Heat (cataracts and heatstroke) / Lighting (nystagmus) / Noise (occupational deafness) / Vibration (white finger) / Radiation (radiation sickness, burns and arc-eye) / Pressure (decompression sickness). Chemical Acids and alkalis (dermatitis) / Metals (lead and mercury poisoning) / Non-metals (arsenic and phosphorus poisoning) / Gases (carbon monoxide poisoning) / Organic compounds (occupational cancers) / Dust (silicosis and pneumoconiosis) / Fibres (asbestosis). Biological Animal-borne bacteria (anthrax and brucellosis) / Human-borne viruses (viral hepatitis) / Vegetable-borne fungi, moulds