Occupational Health and Safety: Risks, Responsibilities, and Prevention
Business Risk vs. Damage
Business risk is the possibility of an event occurring, while damage refers to harm that has already happened.
Legal Definition of Work Accident
A work accident is any injury a worker suffers during or as a consequence of their job. Current legislation considers these as occupational accidents:
- Injury suffered by a worker under worker or union representation.
- Act occurred during a rescue or similar situation connected to work.
- Injury occurring during or as a consequence of tasks performed under employer orders or for company function, even if different from the worker’s usual role.
Legal Definition of Occupational Disease
Occupational diseases, such as allergies and dermatitis, result from work activities listed in the schedule of occupational diseases and are caused by listed elements or substances.
Occupational Allergies and Dermatitis
- Allergies: Sensitization to certain products affecting health, even if those products don’t harm most people. Prevention is key.
- Dermatitis: Skin diseases caused by handling specific products, often resulting in eczema or dermatitis. These are frequent and serious.
Recycling Benefits in Case of Work Accident
Workers have the right to recovery processes, starting as soon as necessary, without needing a prior declaration of permanent incapacitation. This includes:
- Adequate health treatment
- Professional counseling
- Vocational training for job retraining or re-education
- Benefit recovery
How Noise Affects Worker Health
Noise can cause direct damage (hearing loss, stress, insomnia) or indirect damage (decreased attention and reaction time).
Causes and Effects of Ionizing Radiation on the Human Body
Radiation damage can be:
- Somatic (damage to the individual, e.g., nausea, cancer, fatigue)
- Genetic (occurring in offspring, e.g., malformations)
Effects can be:
- Stochastic (probability of occurrence is coincidental, causing serious damage like cancer)
- Non-stochastic (occurring after a single dose, with less severe damage like hair loss or nail breakage)
What is Industrial Hygiene?
Industrial hygiene comprises non-medical techniques to prevent diseases. It has several stages:
- Theoretical Hygiene: Defines harmful products and agents and sets maximum exposure limits.
- Analytical Hygiene: Determines the types and amounts of contaminants in the work environment.
- Operative Hygiene: Implements solutions when theoretical hygiene identifies a risk.
- Field Hygiene: Involves on-site environmental sampling and data collection for problem assessment.
Job Dissatisfaction
Job dissatisfaction is a worker’s rejection of disliked work, affecting mental and social well-being. It can lead to mental hypochondria, lack of social integration, absenteeism, and increased accidents. Prevention includes raising salaries and offering permanent contracts.
Legal Viewpoint on Responsibility
Responsibility is the duty to respond under the law for acts resulting in damage. Types of responsibility include:
- Administrative: Breaching safety rules, resulting in fines (300 to 600,000€) imposed by employment authorities.
- Civil: Negligence or malicious intent causing accidents, requiring compensation determined by a judge or insurance.
- Labor: (Workers only) Failure to comply with employee status or collective agreements, resulting in reprimands, suspension, or dismissal.
- Criminal: Acts or omissions causing accidents, injury, or death, considered crimes under the penal code, leading to deprivation of liberty (6 months to 3 years).
Worker Duties in Health and Safety
Workers must:
- Receive health, safety, rescue, and first aid training provided by the company.
- Properly use and maintain personal protective equipment.
- Immediately report breakdowns or deficiencies that may cause hazards.
- Maintain personal hygiene.
- Undergo medical examinations and vaccinations ordered by health authorities.
- Not introduce unauthorized drinks or substances to the workplace or be intoxicated at work.
- Cooperate in extinguishing fires and rescuing accident victims.
TLV for Acetone
A TLV (Threshold Limit Value) of 720 ppm for acetone means a healthy worker can absorb that amount without detrimental health effects.
Requirements for Commuting Accidents
For a commuting accident to be considered a work accident:
- The trip’s purpose must be work-related.
- The time must be near the start or end of work (proportional to distance).
- The path taken should be routinely used by the worker.
- The transportation used must be authorized.
What is Training?
Training is a technique acting on human behavior to create habits of defense against occupational hazards. It involves outreach workshops explaining occupational hazards, preventive measures, their use, and the need to respect safety rules.