PRACTICE OF OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HELTH PROCEDURES

TECHNICAL TERMS:

Contingency Measures – something you do, or are prepared to do, in case something wrong happens.

Hazard – any source of potential Damage, harm and adverse health effects on something or someone
under certain condition at work.

Risk - the chance that a hazard will cause harm to people.

Symbol - a representation of something

HAZARD AND RISKS IN THE WORKPLACE

Occupational safety and health (OSH) is a cross – disciplinary area concerned with protecting the safety,
health and welfare of people engaged in work employment.

Safety and Healthy procedures is the responsibility of all persons in the work place.

The following are important concepts applied to OSH.

1. A hazards is something currently in, or may in future be in the workplace that has the potential to cause harm
to people.
2. A risk is the chance that a hazards will cause harm to people.
3. Harm is death, injury, illness (including psychological illness) or disease that may be suffered by a person
from a hazard or risk.
4. A control is work process, system of work, procedures or regulations that eliminates or reduces an OSH
hazard or risk.

SAFETY SYMBOLS AND CONTINGENCY MEASURES

Once hazards have been identified, work safety symbols should be posted by the company in the
workplace to give specific message to those who may be exposed to hazards. They are used across the
world to prevent accident, signify health hazards, indicate the location of safety and fire protection
equipment, or for giving guidance and instruction in case of emergency to their employees.

Workplace safety and health in the Philippines is regulated by a wide range of laws, policies and programs.
1. The Philippine Constitution 1987 stipulates that the “LABOR shall be entitled to HUMANE CONDITIONS
OF WORK….. which in turns translates to social and economic benefits.
2. The Philippine Labor Code devotes BOOK IV on prevention and compensation of work related injuries and
 illnesses.
3. The OCCUPATIONAL Safety and Health Standards (OSHS) was developed in 1978 as a set of specific rules
on OSH.

Consumer products are also required to be marked with or accompanied by clear and adequate safety
warnings or instructions as mandated by republic Act No. 7394 better known as Consumer Act of the
Philippines.

The Prohibition Symbols:

These are normally denoted by a red circle with a diagonal line running through it with the black symbol
in the middle (sometimes accompanied by words) signifying what you must not to do or is prohibited.

Examples:
1. No metal articles or watches
2. No food or drinks
3. No smoking.

CAUTION SYMBOL

It is used to signify potential danger and is usually identified by a triangle with a yellow background and a
black symbol in the middle signifying the danger.
1. Exclamation mark - I used to draw attention to warning of danger, hazards, and potential dangers in the
vicinity. It is also sometimes accompanied by words.
2. ELECTRICAL SAFETY OR HIGH VOLTAGE CAUTION SYMBOL – it is used to tell us that electrical
machines and / or equipment in the vicinity should be regarded with utmost care as there can be a danger of
getting an electric shock, which can cause severe injuries or even death.
3. LASER RADIATION – It is also known as laser symbol, meaning do not stare into beam or avoid direct eye
exposure.
4. CLOSED – CIRCUIT TELEVISION – closed – circuit television, or a surveillance camera, is a sign to let
people know that they are in an area where CCTV surveillance is being implemented.

5. SKULL AND CROSSBONES – It has long been a standard symbol for poison. It indicates that a substance
can cause severe illness or even death,

Mandatory Symbols:

HARD HAT AREA SYMBOL

- To avoid injury from falling objects or debris, hard hats or bump caps must be worn in this area.

EYE PROTECTION SYMBOL

- This sign or symbol means that proper e-ye protection must be worn. It comes in many types depending upon
the threat that is to be reduced. The threats can be particles, light , wind blast, heat, and spray.
SAFETY GLOVES SYMBOLS
- This sign or symbols means that safety gloves must be worn. Gloves act as skin protection, because a lot of
work is done with the hands, gloves are essential items in providing skin protection. Some examples of gloves
commonly used as PPE include rubber gloves, cut – resistant gloves, chainsaw gloves, and heat – resistant
gloves.

CONTINGENCY MEASURES

For employees, it is an essential part of their duties and obligations not just to their organization but also
to themselves and their coworkers to act upon and report any potential or eminent workplace hazard. If
during the cause of your work you think found hazard, then the following contingency measures should
have followed.
1. Identify the hazard.
2. Clear the area close to the hazard.
3. Partition the hazard off or clearly identify the area to protect other people from harm.
4. If the hazard can easily and safely have cleared, then do so.
5. Report the hazard, to the appropriate person to obtain assistance
6. After clearing the hazard, fill out the correct documentation to assist in identifying improved practice to
reduce further incidence of hazards.

All hazards and accidents must be reported using Hazzard or Accident Report Form.

Hazard or Accident Report Form:

It is used to give specific details with regard to the hazard or accident happened in the workplace.
1. Name if the person reporting the hazard or accident
2. Date and time (when the hazard was found or when the accident happened)
3. Description of hazard (includes area, name of the person injured, task involved, tools, etc.)
4. Immediate action taken (first aid, action taken to prevent further accidents clearing and partitioning of hazards
area, etc.)
5. Suggested further action (list any suggestion you have for eliminating or reducing the problem).

EVALUATING HAZARDS AND RISKS.

Technical Terms:

ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECT – any change in body function or the structures of cells that can lead to disease
or health problems.

HARM – physical, metal, or moral damage or deterioration

PHYSICAL – relating to the body, rather than to the mind or feelings

PSYCHOLOGICAL – affecting or intended to affect the mind or mental processes

RADIOACTIVE - a type of energy that can be damaging or fatal to the health of people exposed to it.

EFFECTS OF HAZARDS AND RISKS

Workplace incidents can have a dramatic impact on workers lives and their families and friend, and they
too, can have significant financial impacts on organization through lost production of goods or services
and worst, loss of skilled staff.

ADVERSE Health effect or harm include:

1. Physical injury
2. Illness and disease
3. Change In the way the body function, grows, or develops,
4. Effect on children, grandchildren, etc. (inheritable genetic effects).
5. Effects on a developing fetus of pregnant workers.
6. Decrease in life span.
7. Change in mental and psychological condition resulting from stress traumatic experience, exposure to
solvents, and so on and
8. Effect on the liability to manage stress.

Nature of the harm can range from, slight to extremely harmful level:

1. Slight Harmful – minor cuts and bruises, or eye irritation from dust
2. Harm – laceration, burns, concussion, serious sprains, minor fractures, deafness, dermatitis, asthma, work
related upper limb disorders ill health.
3. Extremely harmful – amputation, major fractures, poisonings, multiple injuries, fatal injuries, occupational
cancer, other severely life shortening diseases, acute fatal diseases.

TYPES OF HAZARDS AND RISKS

1. PHYSICAL HAZARD – activities that cause stress to the muscles and or skeleton, like handling or lifting of
heavy tools and materials extension cords or cables running across the floor.
2. MECHANICAL HAZARD – the work area, tools, equipment and their parts that have the potential to cut,
rip, tear, scratch, crush, penetrate produce projectile or cause sudden impact.
3. CHEMICAL HAZARD – chemicals, compounds, material, powders, dust and vapors that have the potential
to damage health, have bad effects on human reproduction, cause disease or have explosive flammable, toxic,
 or corrosive properties.
4. Psychological Hazard
5. Energy source Hazard