Hazardzz

Hazards and Risk

By:Bryan Furing

A hazard is a situation that poses a level of threat to life,health,property, or environment. Most hazards are dormant or potential, with only a theoretical risk of harm; however, once a hazard becomes "active", it can create an emergency situation. A hazardous situation that has come to pass is called an incident. Hazard and possibility interact together to create risk.

5 Types of Hazards:

•  Physical Hazard is a type of occupational hazard that involves environmental hazards that can cause harm with or without contact. Physical hazards include ergonomic hazards, radiation, heat and cold stress, vibration hazards, and noise hazards.Engineering controls are often used to mitigate physical hazards.

• Mechanical Hazard refer to moving machinery that can cause injury or death, according to Texas State University. OSHA explains that mechanical hazards occur in three basic areas: at the point where work is performed, in the power transmission apparatus and in other moving parts.

• Electrical Hazard Anything that uses electricity to work contains a risk that if it is faulty then it could lead to an electric shock. There are certain devices that are considered more dangerous than others and users should be warned that trying to fix these would be best left to professional electronic engineers, e.g. a computer monitor should not be opened even after mains power has been switched off because a dangerous electrical charge remains.
  Computers and their associated peripheral, such as printers, scanners are powered from the mains and as such are a potential hazard. Therefore, the risk of electric shocks applies to all users and not just technicians who have the systems opened while they are working with them.
  Greater care must be exercised when a technician is working with an open system. It is advised that all of the equipment under repair or modification is disconnected from the mains supply during the entire process.

• Chemical Hazards can be broken down into hazard classes and exhibit both physical and health hazards. It is important to keep in mind, that chemicals can exhibit more than one hazard or combinations of several hazards.