Occupational safety and health Study Guide

📖 Core Concepts Occupational Safety & Health (OSH) – multidisciplinary field protecting workers’ physical, mental, and social well‑being while they work and protecting the public from workplace‑related hazards. Hazard vs. Risk – Hazard: something that can cause harm. Risk: probability × severity of the harm if the hazard is uncontrolled. Occupational Health vs. Occupational Safety – Health focuses on disease‑causing hazards (e.g., carcinogens, chronic exposures); Safety focuses on injury‑causing hazards (e.g., falls, machine cuts). Management System (Plan‑Do‑Check‑Act) – Structured cycle that identifies hazards, implements controls, monitors performance, and drives continual improvement. Legal Duty of Care – Employers must take reasonable steps (common‑law) and meet statutory duties to ensure a safe workplace. ISO 45001 / OHSAS 18001 – International standards for OSH management; ISO 45001 adds risk‑based thinking, leadership commitment, and worker participation. --- 📌 Must Remember Global Impact: ≈2 million deaths & 374 million non‑fatal injuries/year; 4 % of world GDP lost to OSH problems. Top Global Causes of Death (2019) – Circulatory disease 31 %, cancer 29 %, respiratory disease 17 %, injuries 11 % (≈319 k fatalities). Most Common U.S. Injury – Occupational hearing loss from hazardous noise. Key Legal Acts – U.S. OSH Act 1970 (OSHA), U.K. Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, EU Framework Directive 89/391/EEC, Canada Occupational Health & Safety Act. ISO 45001 Core Elements – Leadership, worker participation, risk‑based thinking, high‑level structure compatible with ISO 9001/14001. Risk Scoring – Likelihood (1 = low, 2 = medium, 3 = high) × Severity → risk factor; aim to drop at least one category after controls. Hierarchy of Controls – Eliminate → Substitute → Engineer controls → Administrative controls → PPE (most to least effective). --- 🔄 Key Processes Hazard Identification Interview experienced workers, review incident reports, consult hazard inventories. Record hazard source, location, and potential outcomes. Risk Assessment List affected persons. Estimate likelihood and severity → calculate risk factor. Prioritize hazards (high → low). Control Selection & Implementation Apply hierarchy of controls; document chosen measures. Re‑assessment Re‑calculate risk after controls; confirm reduction ≥ 1 risk‑category. Management System Cycle (PDCA) Plan: policy, objectives, hazard identification, risk assessment. Do: implement controls, train workers, communicate. Check: inspections, audits, performance metrics. Act: corrective actions, policy revision, continuous improvement. --- 🔍 Key Comparisons Occupational Health vs. Safety – Health: disease/long‑term effects; Safety: acute injuries/accidents. ISO 45001 vs. OHSAS 18001 – ISO 45001: risk‑based thinking, stronger leadership & worker participation; OHSAS 18001: older, less integrated with other ISO standards. Quantitative vs. Qualitative Risk Scoring – Quantitative uses numeric scores (e.g., 3 × 4 = 12); Qualitative uses descriptive terms (low/medium/high). Physical vs. Chemical Hazards – Physical: noise, falls, machine motion; Chemical: toxic, carcinogenic, sensitizing agents. --- ⚠️ Common Misunderstandings “All hazards are equally dangerous.” – Severity and likelihood vary; use risk scoring to prioritize. “PPE is the primary control.” – PPE is the last line of defense; always start with elimination/substitution. “ISO 45001 automatically guarantees compliance.” – It provides a framework; actual compliance depends on effective implementation and audits. “Only large firms need a formal OSH management system.” – Even small workplaces benefit from structured hazard identification and control. --- 🧠 Mental Models / Intuition “Risk = Likelihood × Consequence” – Visualize a 2‑D grid (likelihood on x‑axis, severity on y‑axis); high‑risk items sit in the top‑right corner. “Hierarchy as a ladder” – Climb from eliminating the hazard at the bottom rung up to PPE at the top; the higher you go, the weaker the protection. “PDCA as a feedback loop” – Think of it as a thermostat: you set the target (plan), turn on heating/cooling (do), monitor temperature (check), and adjust settings (act). --- 🚩 Exceptions & Edge Cases Synergistic Chemical Effects – Some chemicals become more toxic when mixed; standard exposure limits may underestimate risk. Nanoparticles – Traditional PPE and ventilation may be ineffective; require specialized filtration and containment. Human‑Robot Collaboration (Cobots) – Traditional isolation barriers don’t apply; need real‑time sensor‑based safety systems. AI‑Driven Surveillance – May trigger psychosocial stress despite safety benefits; requires privacy safeguards and transparent policies. --- 📍 When to Use Which Choose ISO 45001 when you need integration with ISO 9001/14001 and want a risk‑based, globally recognized system. Use OHSAS 18001 only if your organization is already certified and migration resources are unavailable. Apply quantitative risk scoring for high‑hazard industries (mining, construction) where precise prioritization is critical. Use qualitative scoring for low‑resource settings or when data for numeric likelihood/severity are scarce. Select VR training for high‑consequence, low‑frequency tasks (e.g., confined‑space entry, fire response). --- 👀 Patterns to Recognize “Noise + Vibration → Hearing loss & Musculoskeletal disorders” – Common in construction, transportation, and automotive work. “Long hours + Job insecurity → Cardiovascular deaths” – Psychosocial hazard pattern seen across many sectors. “Falls + Lack of guardrails = Construction fatalities” – Spot missing fall‑protection controls quickly. “Chemical storage near workstations + Poor labeling = Acute exposure incidents.” --- 🗂️ Exam Traps Distractor: “PPE is sufficient for nanomaterial safety.” – Wrong; nanoparticles often penetrate standard PPE. Near‑miss: “ISO 45001 only concerns physical hazards.” – Incorrect; it covers chemical, biological, psychosocial, and ergonomic hazards. Trap: “General duty clause applies only to high‑hazard industries.” – Misleading; OSHA’s general duty applies to all workplaces. Confusion: “OHSAS 18001 and ISO 45001 are interchangeable.” – Not true; ISO 45001 adds risk‑based thinking and higher‑level structure. ---