OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH HAZARDS

  

Occupational health hazards may be divided into five types:

   (i) Physical hazards

   (ii) Chemical hazards

   (iii) Biological hazards

   (iv) Mechanical Hazards, and

   (v) Psychological hazards

A.    Chemical hazards

Arsenic	Skin disorders, Lung cancer Peripheral neuropathy
Beryllium	Beryllium can cause pneumonitis and inflammation of : conjunctive, nasal pharynx, trachea, bronchi.
Cadmium	Pneumonitis, pulmonary oedema,lung disease, renal tubular damage.
Lead	Nervous system abnormalities , anaemia , Nephropathy
Mercury	Neurological disturbances, renal abnormalities, skin and mucous membrane abnormalities.

B.     Physical hazards

Heat	Burn, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, heat cramps
Cold	Change in skin, erythrocyanosis, frostbite, general hypothermia.
Vibration	Dead hand, finger tremor
Ultraviolet radiation	Intense  conjunctivitis, keratitis
Light	Lacrimation, congestion around cornea, eye fatigue.
Noise	Auditory, fatigue, deafness
Physical agents	Hazards
Lonizing radiation	Genetic changes, malformation, cancer, leukaemia
Altitude n   High altitude n   Low altitude	Pulmory oedema Air embolism

Biological Hazards

 1. Bacterial diseases:

    a. Brucellosis

    b. Leptospirosis

    c. Anthrax

    d. Tetanus

    e.Tuberculosis.

 2. Rickettsial and chlamydial diseases:

    a. Rocky mountain spotted fever,

    b. Q fever

3. Viral diseases:

    a. Hepatitis

    b. Rabies

4. Fungal diseases:

    a. Coccidioidomycosis

    b. Histoplasmosis

    c. Candidiasis

    d. Aspergillosis

  5. Parasitic diseases

     a. Hook worm infestation

     b. Ascariasis

D. Mechanical hazard due to machineries in the industry

    1. Crushed injury

    2. Different types of accident.

E. Psychological hazards

    1. Psychosis

     2. Hypertension

     3. Peptic ulcer

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