In this article, we will discuss different workplace hazard examples. Hazards exist everywhere. While the output, profit, and employee motivation are directly related to workplace safety.
It is the responsibility of the organization to provide a hazard and risk-free working environment to their employees.
I work as an engineer in a very big organization. As every workplace we have many hazards and safety issues that I face every day in the work site.
I will start with the common hazards and at the end of the article I will mention some hidden workplace hazards as I see in my organization.
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Fire Hazards
One of the most common types of hazard at the workplace is Fire. Fire can cause injuries and damages to the property.
And it is a threat to both human lives and organization sustainability. Therefore, it is important to educate and train organization employees on fire hazards.
It is important that the workplace and its employees are ready to mitigate any hazard. For fire hazards install smoke detectors and fire alarms. Besides this make sure the availability of fire extinguishers and fire sprinkler system.
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- Electrical Hazards
Next in the workplace hazard examples is electricity. It is one of the important sources on which an organization operates.
The unsafe use of electricity may cause electrocution. Electrical shocks are fatal and it is important to follow safety precautions while working on electric devices.
Make sure that the device is fault-proof and the employees have enough knowledge to operate the device. Always check for the device before start operation.
For more details read our other article: How to avoid electrical hazard at work?
The next Workplace Hazard Examples are Slip, Trips & Fall
The next workplace hazard consists of Slips, Trips, and falls. Sometimes workplace area is slippery and slip occurs when a person walking on it.
Trips occur when a person is hit by an obstacle. Like different types of substances are laying in the workplace, so when the foot collides the falling of person occurs.
To avoid this hazard:
- make sure the surface area is properly dried after cleaning.
- Besides this use safety shoes having a greater fraction ratio between walking surface and shoes.
- Proper housekeeping and placing of tools at the right place can eliminate the risk of trips and falls.
Related: Slip trips and fall hazard How to avoid?
Chemicals
Chemicals may be more hazardous to human health and the workplace. The proper storage and proper handling can eliminate this risk.
Make sure that the employees use relevant PPE while handling chemicals. They have enough knowledge and proper procedure to deal with chemicals. The labeling of chemicals may also be beneficial.
Workplace hazard examples – Noise and Radiations
These two types of workplace hazards have no physical availability. But they exist and are extremely hazardous. Workers working in noisy places often lose their listening ability.
While radiation can affect your skin and have a negative impact on employee’s health.
Both of these workplace hazards must be laminated to promote a safe workplace environment.
6.Driving hazards
Driving cars and heavy trucks is one of the most risky tasks. The shapes of hazards while you are driving are countless, Below are some of the common hazards that you may face.
- Other road users faults.
- Road hazards like snow, rain and dusty weather.
- Driving long distances without rest.
- Being distracted with eating, chatting, making phone calls etc.
For more information about safety driving read our articles:
7.Confined Spaces
A confined space is any area not designed for workers regular work, And has small openings for entrance, and may have no ventilation openings.
Lack of oxygen, poisonous gases, explosive atmosphere and high temperature are common hazards in the confined spaces.
8.Moving Machinery
Moving objects can cause many serious injuries and fatalities. Rotating objects should be properly protected, And in case of maintenance work a LOTO system is essential for both mechanical and electrical power.
9.Careless Workers
This is one of the most common and dangerous hazards at work. This type of workplace hazard is almost a strong source of all other hazards. It can cause fatalities and injuries to him self and to others as well.
Those careless workers should be trained, warned and then punished if they still careless.
10.Bad Weather
Bad weather is a big hazard that can cause injuries and accidents. Bad weather hazard has many shapes like,
- Hot weather can cause fire accidents for combustible material or sunstroke for workers. A good PPE program and good storage for material should prevent these hazards.
- Cold weather affect workers.A proper PPE for cold weather can help.
- Rainy weather affect driving and transportation tasks and also electrical outside work. Never work outside in electrical work under rain.
- Sand storm and high speed wind. Working at height in windy weather is risky. Similarly sand storms makes driving and transportation tasks high risk tasks. This is because the visibility in sand storm become hard and to a short distance.
11.Rush in work – workplace hazard examples
One of the hidden hazards at work is to work faster than usual to finish the work early or to just complete the task in scheduled time. Supervisors and managers can cause a disaster while they are forcing workers to finish.
A good time management can help workers to finish tasks on time and the most important safely.
12.Production First
Almost all organizations have the slogan SAFETY FIRST, but not all of them act according to this big meaning.This is an other hidden hazard.
The slogan means to stop any task if it has uncontrolled hazard. And never start the task until it is safe for both workers and assets.
I worked for a factory with PRODUCTION FIRST slogan. There were no safety culture, PPE program or any kind of safety rules. Once a worker was hit by a forklift because both the worker and the driver has no safety acts.
13.Lack of Safety Culture
Supervisors and top managers have no ability to attend all tasks, specially in large organizations. So to make sure that workers committed to the safety program, workers safety culture only can ensure this.
When workers be aware of the hidden hazards and know their responsibility towards themselves, co-workers and the organization, then and only then they will committed to the safety program.
14.Snakes, Scorpions and Reptiles
Working in a desert is risky. I work in the desert, This desert is the place and home of Snakes, scorpions and reptiles. To these creatures we are the enemies who came to their home and we are destroying it, And also we threatens the lives of these Snakes, Scorpions and Reptiles and their babies.
But to humans we need this work, To do this work we must take care and use our full Personal protective equipment when working around the dangerous creatures.
Every site has its own hazard creatures. An authorized agency can help in dealing safely with these creatures.
14.Driving for long distances
Some organizations, like the one I work for, has long distances that need driving for too long to finish tasks. To complete your driving safely you should stop, get out of your car, stretch your legs and take a rest every two hours.
Its better to assign two experienced drivers for long distances driving tasks.
15.Another hidden workplace hazard example is to get lost
Working in the desert or in the sea has a hazard of getting lost in the sea or the desert.
I work in the desert, The work site is very large enough to get lost if you are new in work, Fortunately I didn’t, But some of my co workers did.
Some tips to overcome this hazard.
- Using smart devices with modern GPS feature can help to protect workers from this hazard.
- Also a good training for new workers about the desert or the sea hazards will keep them safe.
- An emergency plan for lost situation should be ready all the time, and well designed for immediate action in case of some one lost.
- Using satellite based mobile phones is the best choice in these locations.
- Cars should always have enough clean water.
- Before any traveling task, make sure that your supervisor and safety team know about your task, So that they can contact you each 2 hours to make sure you are safe.
16.Unqualified Workers
Unqualified persons are a workplace hazard examples, that can lead to high risk situation.
When performing special tasks like electrical repairs, mechanical repairs, driving cars and trucks, operating rotating machines, etc. These tasks need authorized well trained and qualified workers only to perform. No exception in this.
