Health Hazards in Construction (OSHA 10-Hour Construction Outreach)

The words on each slide as the author wrote them, read from the file by software so they can be searched. Layout, pictures and tables are not shown here: the slides above and the download are the original.

1. Slide 1

   Health Hazards in Construction

   • 10-Hour Construction
   • Outreach
2. Slide 2

   Health Hazards

   • Potential exposures to health hazards:
   • Worker on the job
   • Worker’s family
   • Source: OSHA
3. Slide 3

   Objectives

   • 1. Identify common health hazards.
   • 2. Describe types of common health hazards.
   • 3. Apply health hazard protection methods.
   • 4. Recognize employer requirements to protect workers from health hazards in construction, including hazards communication program.
4. Slide 4

   Common Health Hazards

   • Chemical
   • Physical
   • Source: OSHA
   • Biological
   • Ergonomic
   • Source: Arlosvaldo Gonzáfoles (Flickr.com)
5. Slide 5

   Common Ways Workers Encounter Chemical Hazards

   • Solids
   • Liquids
   • Gases and vapors
   • Aerosols
   • Dust, Mist, Fumes
   • Welding Fumes
   • Asbestos
   • Source: U.S. Navy
   • Source: OSHA
   • Spraying Chemicals
   • Silica
   • Lead
6. Slide 6

   Effects of Chemical Exposure

   • May put workers at risk of developing health problems:
   • Health Problems
   • Heart Ailments
   • Lung Damage
   • Sterility
   • CNS Damage
   • Kidney Damage
   • Burns
   • Cancer
   • Liver Damage
   • Rashes
   • May pose risk of fire and explosion hazards:
   • Fire
   • Explosion
   • Source: Virginie Moerenhout (Flickr.com)
   • Source: Jonathan Perera (Flickr.com)
7. Slide 7

   Routes of Entry

   • Inhalation: Breathed in (Most common route)
   • Source: OSHA
   • Ingestion: Swallowing via eating or drinking
   • Absorption: Drawn through skin or eye surface
   • Injection: Punctures through skin
   • Source: CDC
8. Slide 8

   Health Effects

   • Exposure Condition
   • Exposure
   • Example
   • H 2 S exposure within a confined space
   • ACUTE
   • Immediate
   • Short-term, high concentration
   • CHRONIC
   • Delayed; generally for years
   • Acute
   • Continuous; for long periods of
   • Asbestosis
   • time
   • Chronic
   • Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
   • Source: OSHA
9. Slide 9

   Chemical Hazard Protection

   • Eliminate
   • Substitution
   • Engineering
   • Administrativ e
   • PPE
10. Slide 10

    Chemical Hazard Protection

    • Engineering
    • Ventilation (local/general)
    • Process and equipment modification
    • Isolation/automation
    • Administrative
    • Local Exhaust
    • Monitor/measure exposure levels Ventilation
    • Inspections and maintenance
    • Develop SOPs
    • PPE
    • Respirators
    • Gloves
    • Safety glasses
    • Protective clothing
11. Slide 11

    Physical Hazards in Construction

    • Noise
    • Temperature extremes
    • Vibration
    • Radiation
    • Temperature
    • Radiation
    • Source: Alper Çuğun (Flickr.com)
    • Noise and Vibration
    • Source: Nick Allen (Flickr.com)
12. Slide 12

    Effects of Exposure to Physical Hazards

    • Temperature
    • Radiation
    • Vibration
    • Noise
    • Rash; Cramps
    • Burns
    • Fatigue
    • Interferences
    • Exhaustion
    • Sickness
    • Strains
    • Stress
    • Stroke
    • Aging
    • Carpal tunnel
    • Tinnitus
    • Hypothermia
    • Cancer
    • HAVS
    • Headaches
    • Frostbite
    • DNA mutations
    • Raynaud’s
    • Hearing loss
13. Slide 13

    Noise

    • Common Construction Noise Sources
    • Equipment
    • Noise (dB)
    • Backhoe
    • Bulldozer
    • Router
    • Front end loader
    • Chop saw
    • Welding equipment
    • Nail gun
    • Jackhammer
    • Source: U.W. Dept. of Environmental & Occupational Health Services – Rick Neitzel July, 2005
    • Grader/scraper
    • Prolonged exposures to 85 dB can lead to hearing loss
14. Slide 14

    Protection Against Physical Hazards

    • Engineering
    • Administrativ
    • Hazard
    • PPE
    • Controls
    • e Controls
    • Temperature
    • Heaters; AC; windshields; ventilation
    • Water; Rest; Sh ade
    • Vibration
    • Vibration reduction equipment
    • Train not to grip too tightly;
    • Job rotation
    • Hoods; cooling vests; hard hat liners
    • Anti-vibration gloves
    • Increase
    • Silencers;
    • distance
    • mufflers;
    • Ear plugs;
    • Noise
    • between
    • enclosures;
    • muffs
    • source and sound barriers worker
    • Eliminate or substitute hazard, whenever feasible
15. Slide 15

    Biological Hazards in Construction

    • Insects
    • Animals
    • Mold
    • Source: James Jordan (Flickr.com)
    • Source: Jean-Jacques Boujot (Flickr.com)
    • Source: OSHA
    • Plants
    • Water/Sewage
    • Blood
    • Source: Matt Brown (Flickr.com)
    • Source: Monsleur Gordon (Flickr.com)
16. Slide 16

    Effects of Exposure to Biological Hazards

    • Mild
    • Hepatitis C
    • Allergic reaction
    • Serious
    • Tetanus
    • Swine Flu
    • SARS
    • Avian Flu
    • West Nile
    • Lyme Disease
    • Source: OSHA
    • HIV-infected H9 T cell
    • Chronic/Terminal
    • HIV
    • Hepatitis B & C
    • Source: NIAID
17. Slide 17

    Protection Against Biological Hazards

    • Practice precaution with:
    • Blood
    • Bodily fluids
    • Animals
    • Insects
    • Personal hygiene
    • Proper first aid
    • Cuts/Scratches
    • Proper PPE
    • Vaccinations – schedule
    • Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
18. Slide 18

    Ergonomic Hazards in Construction

    • Lifting and pushing
    • Heavy
    • Awkward
    • Repetitive
    • Awkward grips and postures
    • Reaching
    • Using wrong tool or using tool improperly
    • Using excessive force
    • Overexertion
    • Source: OSHA
19. Slide 19

    Effects of Exposure to Ergonomic Hazards

    • Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)
    • Mild
    • Joint pain
    • Swelling
    • Sciatica
    • Acute lower back pain
    • Serious
    • Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow)
    • Raynaud’s Phenomenon (White finger)
    • Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
    • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
    • Chronic lower back pain
    • Tears (Rotator cuff is common)
    • Source: OSHA
20. Slide 20

    Protection Against Ergonomic Hazards

    • Use ergonomically designed tools
    • Use correct work practices
    • Proper lifting techniques
    • Work station setup
    • Ask for help when handling:
    • Heavy loads
    • Bulky/Awkward materials
    • Proper PPE
    • Source: Boston University (bu.edu/wellness/workplace/ergonomic)
21. Slide 21

    Employer Requirements

    • Abide by OSHA regulations
    • Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) for all chemicals
    • Monitoring and protection programs
    • Hazard Communication Program (HAZCOM)
    • Worker right to know
    • Hazardous chemical training
    • Written plan (Who, What, Where)
    • Proper chemical labeling
    • SDS
    • Source: OSHA
22. Slide 22

    Multiple health hazards

    • In some cases, workers can be exposed to several health hazards at the same time or on the same worksite over time.
    • Source: OSHA
    • This worker is simultaneously exposed to noise, silica dust, vibration, and ergonomic hazards.
23. Slide 23

    Knowledge Check

    • 1. Which of the following is a common type of health hazard:
    • a. Chemical hazards
    • b. Economic hazards
    • c. Electrical hazards
    • d. Fall hazards
24. Slide 24

    Knowledge Check

    • 2. Which of the following is an example of a physical health hazard:
    • a. Asbestos
    • b. Noise
    • c. Silica
    • d. Lead
    • b. Noise
25. Slide 25

    Knowledge Check

    • 3. Which is an appropriate engineering control for protection against noise exposures:
    • a. Audiograms
    • b. Earplugs
    • c. Increasing distance between source
    • d. Constructing sound barriers
26. Slide 26

    Knowledge Check

    • 4. Which is a requirement of the employer:
    • a. Determine if workers’ exposures exceed OSHA PELs
    • b. Perform medical evaluations on all employees
    • c. Develop silica training programs for all employees
    • d. Provide all workers with safety toe protective footwear
    • a. Determine if workers exposures exceed OSHA PELs
27. Slide 27

    Health Hazards in Construction

    • Questions?