WORKPLACE HAZARDS

AND SAFETY
 SAFETY IN THE WORKPLACE

• The main goal of safety and health programs is to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses,
and deaths, as well as the suffering and financial hardship these events can cause for
workers, their families, and employers.
• The recommended practices use a proactive approach to managing workplace safety
and health.
• Traditional approaches are often reactive –that is, problems are addressed only after a
worker is injured or becomes sick, a new standard or regulation is published, or an
outside inspection finds a problem that must be fixed.
• These recommended practices recognize that finding and fixing hazards before they
cause injury or illness is a far more effective approach.
 IMPORTANCE OF SAFETY AND HEALTH
PROGRAMS

Safety and health programs help businesses:

 Prevent workplace injuries and illnesses

Improve compliance with laws and regulations
Reduce costs, including significant reductions in workers' compensation premiums
Engage workers
Enhance their social responsibility goals
Increase productivity and enhance overall business operations
 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH HAZARDS
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), employers and employees
must take the following actions to identify and assess occupational health hazards:

 Collect and review information about hazards and potential hazards in the workplace.
 Conduct initial and periodic workplace assessments to identify hazards.
 Determine the underlying hazards that caused accidents, injuries, and illnesses in the
workplace.
 Identify trends in injuries and illnesses by grouping similar workplace incidents
together.
 Once hazards become identified, determine the severity and likelihood of incidents
resulting from these hazards.
 Employers should also consider hazards from non-routine and emergency situations.
 FOUR TYPES OF HAZARDS

A. CHEMICAL HAZARDS
• Chemical hazards occur when employees are exposed to solid, liquid, or gas
chemicals. These include cleaning products, vapors, fumes, flammable
materials, and pesticides.

B. BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS
• Biological hazards are usually associated with industries that work with people,
animals, or infectious plant materials. These industries include healthcare,
schools, daycares, nursing homes, outdoor occupations, correctional facilities,
and emergency medical services. Biological exposures include blood, bacteria,
viruses, mold, bodily fluids, animal droppings, plants, and insect bites.
 FOUR TYPES OF HAZARDS

C. ERGONOMIC HAZARDS
• Ergonomic hazards occur when strain is put on the body from working, whether
from working conditions or body positions. It’s often difficult for employers to
identify this occupational hazard type since body strain usually remains
unnoticed until an injury occurs or becomes a long-term illness.

D. PHYSICAL HAZARDS
• Physical hazards are anything within the environment that can cause harm to the
body, even if it doesn’t touch it. This occupational hazard type includes excessive
exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet rays, extreme temperatures, radiation
exposure, and excessive noise.
 OTHER TYPES OF OCCUPATIONAL
HAZARDS
Other common workplace hazards like dangers that cause trips, slips, and falls. These include
spills, ice, snow, rugs, cleaning products that cause slippery floors, cords, wires, and anything
else that might cause someone to fall, slip, or trip. To avoid these types of hazards, employers
and employees must:
• Immediately clean spills without using cleaning products that make the floor slippery.
• Ensure stairs, hallways, and walkways are free from hazards, and floor mats and rugs lay
flat.
• Don’t go over the load limit on ladders, and ensure ladder extensions fully lock before
using.
• By identifying these common workplace hazards and developing an occupational health
program, employers can avoid workplace accidents, injuries, and illnesses.
 SAFETY SIGNS AND SYMBOLS

Safety signs and symbols are easily recognizable graphic labels that
represent the general protocol and safety instructions in either workplaces,
establishments, or public spaces. The appearance of safety signs and
symbols can sometimes vary depending on the country or region, but their
general goal is to communicate safety information which transcends
language barriers and can be interpreted globally.
 WHY USE SAFETY SYMBOLS

• According to the ISO standard on safety colors and signs (ISO 3864-1:2011),
“there is a need to standardize a system of giving safety information that relies
as little as possible on the use of words to achieve understanding.”

• Safety signs and symbols are used as safety communication tools—they help
send clear messages, instructions, and warnings without the use of too many
words. They speed up the level of understanding of individuals, and are useful
especially in scenarios where a quick response is needed.

• With the use of visual aids, safety signs and symbols reduce the risk of
accidents and create awareness on hazards present in specific areas or
materials.
 4 MAIN TYPES OF SAFETY SYMBOLS
A. PROHIBITION

• The prohibition sign, also known as the No symbol or “Do Not” sign, is a type of symbol
that indicates an instruction of forbidding an activity. It aims to prevent a behavior that
could pose a potential risk not just to an individual, but to the area and its other
occupants as well. This can also sometimes be just direct commands for prohibited
activities.

• These signs are characterized by a circular red band with a diagonal line descending
from left to right in a 45 degree angle. Examples of these are do not smoke or do not enter
commands..
 4 MAIN TYPES OF SAFETY SYMBOLS

B. WARNING

• Warning signs, as the name suggests, are symbols that communicate warnings and
notify individuals of the presence of hazards or dangers in an area. These dangers may
not initially be apparent so usage of these types of signs helps ensure that special
attention is gained from the people in the vicinity.

• This can vary but the common characteristics of this symbol is a yellow or amber band
in a triangle form and black text that specifies why it’s a hazard. Examples of these are
deep excavation signs and high voltage warnings.
 4 MAIN TYPES OF SAFETY SYMBOLS

C. MANDATORY

• The mandatory sign is a symbol that orders a specific action to help comply with
statutory requirements involving a business or industry. It aims to protect individuals
from dangers that could arise, should these orders be disregarded, and is commonly
used in isolated areas where a particular precaution is required.

• These signs usually feature a circular shape with a blue background and white
pictogram.
 4 MAIN TYPES OF SAFETY SYMBOLS

D. EMERGENCY

• Emergency signs are one of the most common types of symbols used generally and
understood fairly easily. These are symbols that indicate emergency exits and doors,
escape routes, and signs that direct to first aid or emergency equipment.

• These signs are characterized with rectangular or square shapes, green background,
and white pictogram. Most common examples of these are fire exits and other
secondary routes used for emergencies.
 WHAT ARE GHS PICTOGRAMS?
• GHS pictograms are part of the
Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals—an
internationally agreed-upon standard of labeling scheme and hazard
classification in relation to hazardous chemicals.

• GHS pictograms are graphic labels that communicate the potential risk
associated with a specific chemical and unprotected exposure to its elements. It
is characterized by a symbol on a white background, framed with red borders,
and an imagery that distinctly presents the classification or type of potential
hazard it is related to.
• According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), and in
compliance with the updated Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), it is
required that all chemical labels have a standardized signal word, precautionary
statement, and pictograms attached for each hazard class and category.
 LISTS OF GHS PICTOGRAMS UNDER HCS
A. Health hazard – This symbol shows a person with damage and pertains to chemicals
that can cause serious and long-term negative impact to health.

B. Flammable – The symbol for this is a flame and it pertains to chemicals or highly
flammable gases that may catch fire once exposed with air or other ignition sources.
 LISTS OF GHS PICTOGRAMS UNDER HCS
C. Irritant/hazardous/hazardous to ozone layer – This is symbolized by a big
exclamation point and refers to chemicals that can either cause irritation or harm to
individuals, or pose a threat to public health by harming the ozone layer.

D. Gas under pressure – The symbol for this is a gas cylinder and it pertains to gases
that are stored under pressure and may explode if heated, or refrigerated gases that may
cause burns or injury.
 LISTS OF GHS PICTOGRAMS UNDER HCS
E. Corrosion – This pictogram shows corrosion of material and skin. It refers to
chemicals that can cause severe skin burns and damages in tissue once
contacted with.

F. Explosives – This is symbolized by an exploding bomb and pertains to chemicals that

may explode or can cause a mass explosion.
 LISTS OF GHS PICTOGRAMS UNDER HCS
G. Oxidizers – This pictogram shows a flame over a circle and symbolizes chemicals
that can cause fire or explosion when exposed with other elements or chemicals.

H. Hazardous to the environment – The symbol for this is of a dead tree and fish. It
refers to chemicals that can cause lasting damages to the environment.
 LISTS OF GHS PICTOGRAMS UNDER HCS

 Toxic – This pictogram shows a skull and crossbones, and symbolizes chemicals that
even at a very low exposure can cause damage to health or even fatality.
 OSHA’S SAFETY COLORS

• The term “safety color” is used to describe the regulated or best practice method use of
colors for safety purposes in the workplace. There are many standards in place
concerning the proper use of safety colors from a variety of organizations, including
OSHA and ANSI.
• While there are many organizations and agencies that assign safety colors different
meanings, a lot of them have significant overlap. This is done intentionally to help
ensure standards apply across as wide a range of situations as possible.
• These color-coded signs and markings allow people to immediately determine the type
of safety hazard in the area, even if they are too far away to read any actual writing.
 BASIC COLOR-CODING REQUIREMENTS
FROM OSHA
1. Danger – Danger signs are only used when there is an immediate risk to the life and health of
an employee. OSHA requires these signs to be red or predominantly red. Any
lettering or symbols must be a contrasting color to ensure maximum visibility.

2. Warning – The warning category is for when there is a risk, but it is not as severe or immediate as
when danger is used. The safety color associated with warning is orange or predominantly
orange. As with the red, any lettering or symbols must be a contrasting color.
 BASIC COLOR-CODING REQUIREMENTS
FROM OSHA
3. Caution – This category is for alerting people to a potential risk. Caution signs must use the
color yellow.

4. Biological Hazards – Biohazard dangers have gotten their own category because of the
unique risks they present. When issuing a safety alert about biohazards, the color to use
is fluorescent orange or an orange-red color.
 WHERE SHOULD SAFETY COLORS BE
USED?

• A facility should use safety colors anywhere they have been deemed necessary to
protect workers or are required by law. In most cases, however, there are common ways
these colors are used across multiple facilities, and even in multiple industries.
• One of the best ways to ensure a facility gets the best benefits from safety colors is to
learn from the proven strategies of other companies.
• There is always more than one way to improve visual safety, and the best solution
depends on the unique situation of the company.
 IMPLEMENTING SAFETY COLORS IN THE
WORKPLACE

 Labels – Safety labels are very common in most facilities. These labels can be
ordered pre-printed, or custom made in a facility with an industrial label printer.
One important thing to remember when creating custom labels is to ensure the
proper shade of a color is used so people aren't confused about the safety
message being conveyed. Consistency is key!

 Signs – Safety signs are found in virtually every facility. These signs can be
made by applying labels to sign backings or by ordering custom signs that are
on metal or other materials. Signs are typically larger than labels and are easier
to see from most places in the facility.
 IMPLEMENTING SAFETY COLORS IN THE
WORKPLACE
 Floor Marking Tape –A facility can quickly convey a lot of information quickly
with the help of floor marking tape. For example, areas where there are fire
hazards may be marked with red floor marking tape. This is an easy and
affordable way to convey a clear message throughout a facility.

 Floor Marking Paint – Like floor marking tape, this paint can come in any color
and will convey a clear message.

 Posters - Putting up posters in the facility is another way to convey a safety

message. Some facilities even install posters that identify the specific safety
colors and what they mean as a reminder to employees.
 SAFETY COLORS FOR VISIBILITY

• Safety colors are widely used in facilities and their use is often mandated by
industry regulations.

• Conveying information to people using visual communications is very important

in the often-loud environments of the workplace.
• It is even possible to get glow-in-the-dark printed signs that will be visible during
a power outage. Taking the time to figure out which color combinations are the
most visible in a facility is worth the effort.
• However, we must emphasize that you must make sure to avoid using the
already established safety colors listed above for anything other than their
designated uses.
 5S IN THE WORKPLACE

 It is a methodology in a workplace that is clean, uncluttered, safe and well organized to help
reduce waste and optimize productivity.

 It is designed to help build a quality work environment, both physically and mentally.

 The 5S philosophy applies in any work for visual control and lean production.

 The 5S condition of a work area is critical to employees and is the basis of customers first
impressions.
 THE 5S
Japanese Translated English Definition

Eliminate whatever is not needed by separating needed tools,

Seiri organize Sort
parts and instructions from unneeded materials

Organize whatever remains by neatly arranging and

Seiton orderliness Set in order
identifying parts and tools for ease of use

Seiso cleanliness Shine Clean the work area by conducting a cleanup campaign

Schedule regular cleaning and maintenance by conducting

Seiketsu standardize Standardize
seiri, seiton and seiso daily

Make 5S a way of life by forming the habit of always

Shitsuke discipline Sustain
following the first four S’s
 5S PROGRAM BENEFITS
• Improved safety
• Higher equipment availability
• Lower defect rates
• Reduced costs
• Increase production agility and flexibility
• Improved employee morale
• Better asset utilization
• Enhanced enterprise image to customers, suppliers, employees and
management