Workplace Hazards: Types, Risks, and Prevention

Understanding How Work Affects Health

Work can impact health in several ways:

• Exposure to hazardous or toxic agents can lead to health issues in the short, medium, or long term.
• The physical and psychological demands of work, such as workload and stress, can increase the risk of developing diseases or illnesses.

Occupational Risk Factors

Occupational risk factors refer to the possibility of a worker suffering harm as a result of their work.

Sources and Types of Risks

• Security Risks: Arising from the workplace structure, production processes, machinery, and equipment.
• Physical Agent Risks:
  • Mechanical hazards.
  • Heat or cold-related risks.
  • Risks from different types of energy.
• Chemical Agent Risks
• Biological Agent Risks
• Organizational and Workplace Adaptation Risks:
  • Psychological factors.
  • Human factors.

Risk Severity

The severity of a risk is determined by the probability and the potential severity or significance of the damage.

Working Conditions

Working conditions encompass various factors, including:

• General characteristics of local facilities and equipment.
• The nature of physical, chemical, and biological agents.
• Procedures for using and handling the aforementioned agents.
• All features of work, including its organization and management.

Main Work-Related Harms and Accidents

Main Work-Related Harms

• Industrial injury.
• Occupational disease.
• Fatigue.
• Stress.
• Job dissatisfaction.

Accident at Work

An unexpected event that interrupts the continuity of work and may pose a danger to persons or property.

Criteria for an Accident to be Considered Work-Related

• The worker has been injured as a consequence of work performed while employed.
• There is an internal or external injury.
• There is a causal link between the work and the injury.

Legally Considered Work Accidents

• Accidents suffered while going to or returning from the workplace.
• Accidents occurring during or as a consequence of assigned tasks.
• Accidents occurring during acts of rescue or similar activities.
• Illnesses or pre-existing conditions aggravated by work.
• Consequences of an accident altered by its nature.
• Accidents due to force majeure unrelated to work.
• Excluded: Accidents due to deliberate action or reckless behavior of the worker.

Occupational Disease

A disease contracted as a result of work performed for an employer.

Necessary Conditions for Occupational Disease

• The disease is contracted while performing work activities as an employee.
• The disease is exclusively related to activities capable of producing it.

Fatigue

Involves the exhaustion of the worker.

Stress

Occurs when the workload is excessive. Causes: Environmental, psychological, and personal factors. Consequences: Decreased performance, exhaustion, insecurity, and increased risk of accidents.