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INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH |
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Environmental Factors or Stresses |
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The majority of occupational health hazards arise from inhaling chemical
agents in the form of vapors, gases, dusts, fumes, and mists, or by
skin contact with these materials. The degree of risk from handling a given substance
depends on the magnitude and duration of exposure. To recognize occupational factors or stresses, a health and safety professional must first know about the chemicals used as raw materials and the nature of the products and by-products manufactured. The safety professional gets this information from the chemical’s Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). A MSDS must be supplied to the purchaser by the chemical manufacturer or importer for all hazardous materials under the Hazard Communication Standard. The MSDS is a summary of the important health, safety, and toxicological information on the chemical or the mixtures ingredient. Other stipulations of the Hazard Communication Standard require that all hazardous substance containers in the workplace be labeled with appropriate warning and identification labels. |
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