OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE

Occupational Hygiene

Occupational Hygiene

Introduction

Everything that consumers receive in the form of the end product does not exist in the exact form in the initial stage. The final product undergoes a proper manufacturing and production process, and that process shapes up the final, desired product. The product that the company produces in most instances undergoes several steps and processes and constitutes of several raw materials. These processes and activities involve the participation of different chemicals and physicals agents. As imperative as they are in the production process, they also pose a threat to the health and physical well-being of the labourers who are involved in the production process. The management, therefore, shall be adept at adopting the process which ensure the hygiene and health safety of the workers.Occupational Hygiene

Occupational hygiene is defined as the measures taken by the management and engineers, with the help of engineering tactics and science, to evade the threats of any physical or health impairments caused to the workers, by the work environment and the production processes which are adopted. The occupational hygiene assists the employers, managers, the workers and other employees, to comprehend and recognize the threats, as well as the hazards; moreover, to improve the working conditions and environment, with improved processes.

History proves that with adaptation of the occupational hygiene, and introduction of new and improved processes, several hygienic threats have been eradicated, and others have been brought under control to a considerable extent (Banerjee, 2002, pp. 85).The Agents Involved

As discussed earlier, that the practice which the management undertakes with respect to the production processes involves certain constituents and driving forces that may pose the potential threats. In an industry, or a manufacturing plant, there are numerous agents, which cause hazards; however, the main and primary agents that play a significant role in posing that risk are summed up in the five key categories that are, the Psychosocial dangers, the physical risks, mechanical dangers, chemical dangers and the biological hazards. Amongst them, the chief categories of the hazards are the physical and chemical hazards.

The other hazards like biological include the labourers getting exposed and revealed to infectious and parasitical causes at work, and may fall victim to the diseases like tetanus, brucellosis, fungal infections, anthrax and many more. The mechanical hazards encompass the machinery, moving parts and projecting, and they play a vital role in causing accidents. The psychosocial hazards are mainly the resultants of the labourer's Lack of success in adapting to the stressful and demanding work place and practices (Corn, 1992. Pp. 101).

The Chemical and Physical AgentsComparison and Contrast

The below mentioned factors and agents clearly reflect the comparison and contrast with respect to the constituents, area of entry and the detrimental effects that they pose towards human health.Physical Agents

The physical agents constitute of several factors, which play a pivotal role in decrementing the physicality and health of the workers. Heat and Cold

Amongst the most common and prevalent physical factors is the heat. In most instances, the workers are exposed to excessive heat, and that excessive exposure to heat results in burns, heat cramps, fatigue caused due to heat, and most ...