Photo of the day: What are the hazards
4 min read
There are many definitions for hazard but the most common definition when talking about workplace health and safety is “A hazard is any source of potential damage, harm or adverse health effects on something or someone.”
The CSA Z1002 Standard “Occupational health and safety – Hazard identification and elimination and risk assessment and control” uses the following terms:
- Harm – physical injury or damage to health.
- Hazard – a potential source of harm to a worker.
Basically, a hazard is a potential for harm or an adverse effect (for example, to people as health effects, to organizations as property or equipment losses, or to the environment).
Hazard identification is part of the process used to evaluate if any particular situation, item, thing, etc. may have the potential to cause harm. The term often used to describe the full process is risk assessment:
- Identify hazards and risk factors that have the potential to cause harm (hazard identification).
- Analyze and evaluate the risk associated with that hazard (risk analysis, and risk evaluation).
- Determine appropriate ways to eliminate the hazard, or control the risk when the hazard cannot be eliminated (risk control).
Overall, the goal of hazard identification is to find and record possible hazards that may be present in your workplace. It may help to work as a team and include both people familiar with the work area, as well as people who are not – this way you have both the experienced and fresh eye to conduct the inspection.
What types of hazards are there?
A common way to classify hazards is by category:
- biological – bacteria, viruses, insects, plants, birds, animals, and humans, etc.,
- chemical – depends on the physical, chemical, and toxic properties of the chemical,
- ergonomic – repetitive movements, improper set up of workstation, etc.,
- physical – radiation, magnetic fields, temperature extremes, pressure extremes (high pressure or vacuum), noise, etc.,
- psychosocial – stress, violence, etc.,
- safety – slipping/tripping hazards, inappropriate machine guarding, equipment malfunctions or breakdowns.
Download the photo
More photos:
- Photo of the day: Identify the Hazards
- Photo of the day: Hand safety Facts
- Photo of the day: What are the hazards
- Photo of the day: Outline Safety observations
- Photo of the day: Safety Leader
- Photo of the day: Unsafe Conditions
- Photo of the day: Why is PPE important?
- Photo of the day: DO’S and DON’TS of Working At Heights
- Photo of the day: 5 Tips to keep your Crew Healthy and safe at work
- Photo of the day: What Doesn’t kill you makes you stronger
- Photo of the day: Tracking Near Miss Incidents
- Photo of the day: 10 Elements of Successful Behavior-Based Safety Program
- Photo of the day:5-Signs your Near-Miss Reporting is failing
- Photo of the day:7 Ineffective Safety Practices (And What To Do Instead)
- Photo of the day:5 keys for effective Self-Management in lone worker safety
- Photo of the day: FrontLine supervisors are the LINCHPINS of safety
- Photo of the day: Fostering Engagement at the front line
- Photo of the day: workplace Hazards
- Photo of the day: What is the line of fire
- Photo of the day: How to Avoid the Fatal Four
- Photo of the day: Fire Safety checklist for workplace
- Photo of the day: Most common safety incidents in the workplace
- Photo of the day: A mistake you see your mistake too
- Photo of the day: Glove Safety
- Photo of the day: Fire Emergency
- Photo of the day: Ladder Safety Tips
- Photo of the day: 8 Basic steps to wear a safety harness
- Photo of the day: You can prevent workplace Falls
- Photo of the day: Top10 Injuries in office work
- Photo of the day: Overhead powerline safety
- Photo of the day: Eyes on the Road The challenges of safe driving
- Photo of the day: 5 Ways to Reinforce Commuting With Positive Reinforcement
- Photo of the day: Safe Lifting at work
- Photo of the day: 5 Essential outcomes of an effective leadership survey process
- Photo of the day: Conveyors Safety Tips
- Photo of the day: Confined Space rescue
- Photo of the day: Construction Site fire Safety
- Photo of the day: Chemical Spill Emergency Response
- Photo of the day: Electric shock survival
- Breath Safely: The Proper Use of Respiratory Protection
- Photo of the day: Confined space safety Precautions
- Photo of the day: Choosing the Right Face Mask and the difference between a respirator and face mask
- Photo of the day: Importance of Mock drill and Fire Action Emergency Procedure
- H2S Gas and how to handle its Emergency
- Your steps to chemical safety
- Photo of the day: hierarchy of controls
- Photo of the day: Tips to reduce Heat stress in the workplace
- Photo of the day: Safe work practices when using MEWPs
- Photo of the day: Safety Equipment for Confined Spaces
- Photo of the day: Dangerous Goods Classes
- Photo of the day: Trenching Safety Tips That Can Save a Life
- Photo of the day: Mental health in the workplace
- Photo of the day: Emergency preparedness in the workplace
- Photo of the day: musculoskeletal disorders
- Photo of the day: Workplace Inspection
- Photo of the day: New worker Orientation & Safety Orientation checklist
- Photo of the day: Effective Health and Safety Committees
- Photo of the day: 10 Scaffold Safety Essentials
- Photo of the day: Incident Investigations
- Photo of the day: Preventing the spread of contagious illness
- Photo of the day: 5 ways to reduce the risk of Slipping and Tripping
- Photo of the day: Sitting at work
- How to use Plate Clamps Safely: Safety Moment#34
- Photo of the day: working in heat and Humidex Rating
- Photo of the day: Don’t be Driven to Distraction
- Photo of the day: Fatigue at Work
- Photo of the day: Noise in the affected workplace
- Photo of the day: Indoor Air Quality
- Photo of the day: WHMIS 2015 – Pictograms
considering housekeeping and safety cultures of the workers
Majority of hazards are related to falling persons and/or objects due to unsecure working platform and/or materials.