Inhalation and Skin Absorption Are The Key Routes of Entry For Chemical Hazards. Figure 1, Shows The Factors

INDUSTRIAL HAZARDS AND SAFETY MEASURES
Introduction
Hazard is a term associated with a substance that is likelihood to cause an injury in a given environment or
situation. Industrial hazard may be defined as any condition produced by industries that may cause injury or
death to personnel or loss of product or property. Safety in simple terms means freedom from the occurrence of
risk or injury or loss. Industrial safety refers to the protection of workers from the danger of industrial accidents.
Accidents
Human factor is the contributing cause of accidents in most situations. For people who are likely to have
accidents, the treatment is divided into three main categories:
1. Medical assistance- in 13 percent cases
2. Personality readjustment- in 22 percent cases
3. Operating defects- the remaining 65 percent cases
Accident reduction
Accident proneness is acceptable to a certain extent; it does not mean that nothing can be done to reduce the
number of accidents
Accidents can be reduced by two approaches:
a. Actuarial approach – involves studying the statistics to determine accidents based on actual data. The
factors related to the accident frequency should be identified. The violations of safety rules must be clearly
identified.
b. Safety educational campaign – Safety education must be conducted by management to the employee
groups.
Types of Industrial Hazards

Pharmaceutical workers face a broad spectrum of workplace hazards, which can be categorized as follows:
1. Chemical and Mineral (e.g., dusts, gases, vapors, solids, mists)
2. Biological and Communicable (e.g., viruses, bacteria, blood-borne pathogens, molds)
3. Ergonomic Design (repetition, force, awkward and static posture, environmental factors/physical
hazards and stressors)
4. Work-related Stressors (often framed by high physical and psychological demands, poor levels of
support and respect, low control/latitude)
5. Safety and Mechanical (e.g., poor maintenance/housekeeping, moving gears and parts on equipment,
use of heavy machinery or hand tools)
6. Physical (e.g., lighting, temperatures, humidity, radiation, electricity, noises from loud machines)
Chemical and mineral hazards and their effects

Inhalation and skin absorption are the key routes of entry for chemical hazards. Figure 1, shows the factors
increasing the likelihood of exposure to hazardous chemicals in pharmaceutical activities. Effects of chemical
exposures range from acute skin rashes and breathing difficulties to chronic diseases and illnesses, such as
reproductive health problems, cancer, and diseases of the respiratory system, liver, etc.
Reported outcomes from exposure to APIs* (using names or phrases from the original reports) include:
 Chloramphenicol: affects blood and bone marrow (Jeebhay, Mbuli, & Uebel, 1993);
 Cortisone: suppressed adrenocortical hormones (Newton et. Al., 1978, as cited in Newton, Browning,
Nicholson & Mowat, 1982);
 Glucocorticoids: fat deposits on the back of the neck, rotator cuff and face while losing it on the
extremities, skeletal muscle wasting, weight gain, fatigue, hypertension, personality changes, edema,
hemoglobin and red cell count increases, loss of menstrual period (Woolrich, 1988);
 Penicillin: immunological reactions, changes in intestinal microflora (Shmunes, et al., 1976 and
Vilanskaja and Steinberg, 1970, as cited in Naumann & Sargent, 1997)
*API (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients)
/fgs2019
Management of over-exposure
Management of over-exposure to chemicals performed by:
a. Removal from exposure – Prompt removal of person to exposure site, air respirators and lifelines are
mandatory first aid.
b. Decontamination – A victim whose skin or clothing has been contaminated requires immediate removal
of garments and shoes.
c. Symptomatic treatment
Biological and communicable hazards and their effects

This category of hazards includes viruses, molds, bacteria, and blood-borne pathogens. Difficult to see, their
effects can be both acute and chronic. They are quite common in R&D work, where you can find “virtually any
human pathogen or organism” other biologists study, whether genetically engineered or unaltered (Klees &
Joines, 1997). In one example, porcine pancreatic dust was connected to a 40 to 50 percent bronchial
hypersensitisation rate among pharmaceutical workers during the 1980s (Weissmann & Baur, 1985, in Teichman
et al., 1988).
Laboratory-acquired allergies to animals are common, although communicable diseases spread by animals are
less likely. Other reported hazards in this category include brucellosis, encephalitis, Escherichia coli, hepatitis,
herpes viruses, HIV, lab-acquired infections, leptospirosis, (mammalian and insect), Q fever, tissue culture cell
lines, rabies, rat bite fever, shigellosis, Streptomyces, tuberculosis, and vaccinia (Klees & Joines, 1997).
Recently, there has been evidence of genetically modified organisms in some facilities (e.g., AstraZeneca, 2008).
Ergonomic design hazards and stressors

Ergonomics is about fitting jobs to workers’ physical and psychological needs. While musculoskeletal disorders
(MSDs) get most attention, ergonomics also deals with cognitive functions and understandings about the use of
controls (e.g., on/off switches), colors (e.g., on computer monitors and other displays), and similar design
features. Poor ergonomic design can increase exposures to other hazards (e.g., awkward posture can affect
exposure to a chemical, poor signals can lead to process safety situations).
/fgs2019
Work-related Stressors
Common effects of work-related stress include increased blood pressure and related cardiovascular disease,
immune response changes, gastrointestinal diseases, depression, apathy, anxiety, and poor relations with
others. One effect of particular interest to women is the relatively recent connection made between working night
shifts and breast cancer. International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) announced findings that long-
term shift work, which disrupts circadian rhythm, appears to be carcinogenic (IARC, 2007).
Safety and Mechanical hazards

Dust explosion
The term dust is used if the maximum particle size of the solids in the mixture is 500 mm. Dust explosion is a
rapid combustion of a dust cloud. Avoiding the development of explosive mixture.
Control of dust explosion

Filter
CYCLONE SEPARATORS
ELECTROSTATIC PRECIPITATORS
/fgs2019
FIRE HAZARDS
It is the most dangerous hazards in industrial point of view.
CONTROL OF FIRE AND EXPLOSION

a. Government regulations are available for safety and fire protection
b. Careful plant layout and judicious choice of constructional materials can reduce fire and explosion
hazards.
c. Hazardous operations should be isolated by conducting them in separate buildings.
d. The roof is designed to lift easily under an explosive force.
e. Possible sources of fire are reduced by eliminating the unnecessary ignition sources
f. The installation of sufficient fire alarms, temperature alarms
g. Fire resistance brick-walls can limit the effects of an explosion
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
a. Building construction
b. Exit point
c. Fire Alarm equipment
d. Sprinkler system
Special safety protection equipment

Protection of head and eyes---goggles, helmets, hooks, masks
Protection of hand, arms, legs and feet---rubber gloves, rubber boots, aprons, shoes, other clothing
Prevention of breathing of poisonous gases---respiration protective devices
Safety Program
The basic principles are:
1. To identify potential hazards, provide effective safety equipment and facilities.
2. To develop safety policies
3. To train in safe method of working and provide continuing education and guidance on eliminating safety
hazards and prevention of accidents
/fgs2019

Inhalation and Skin Absorption Are The Key Routes of Entry For Chemical Hazards. Figure 1, Shows The Factors

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Inhalation and Skin Absorption Are The Key Routes of Entry For Chemical Hazards. Figure 1, Shows The Factors

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

INDUSTRIAL HAZARDS AND SAFETY MEASURES

Types of Industrial Hazards

Chemical and mineral hazards and their effects

Biological and communicable hazards and their effects

Ergonomic design hazards and stressors

Safety and Mechanical hazards

Control of dust explosion

CONTROL OF FIRE AND EXPLOSION

Special safety protection equipment

You might also like