ALLANA MANAGEMENT JOURNAL OF RESEARCH, PUNE - Volume 2, Issue 1, January 2012 - June 2012

Pages: 9-15
Print Article   Download XML  Download PDF

MANAGING INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE CHEMICAL EXPOSURE RISKS

Author: P. R DAS

Category: General Management

Abstract:

Work related diseases resulting from exposure to chemical and physical agents have existed as long as people found it necessary or useful to handle material that has toxic potential. Among the earliest recordings of work related diseases are observations of lead poisoning among miners in the fourth century BC. Diseases and ailments suffered by miners included lung, joint and eye afflictions etc. Half a century later hazards to workers exposed to zinc and sulphur were described. The symptoms and effects were described in enough details that it can be deduced that the miners suffered from diseases such as silicosis, tuberculosis and lung cancer.

India occupies tenth position among the industrialized nations of the world. It will occupy eyen higher position, in the era of liberalization and globalization. Accidents such as gas teak in mines, fire in factories, fever in towns and epidemics of diseases are beyond the power of the workers themselves to control or prevent.

Today in the "Pharmaceutical and Chemical" Industry work related chemical exposure risk is common and increasing. The employees are getting exposed to a dizzying array of chemicals at work and these exposures manifest as "Occupational Health " related problems resulting into causing serious injury / illnesses. The chemical exposures have become so common that almost every being at home is getting exposed to industrial solvents such as cleaning preparations, paints, body sprays, de-odorizers etc.

The chemical exposure risks results into poor quality of life for employees and decreases productivity. Greater emphasis on awareness and understanding of chemical exposures is required. This article provides guidance and wilt assist health and safety personnel in assessing health hazard exposure risks utilizing the Industrial Hygiene Risk Assessment (IHRA) protocol. This article provides a tool to qualitatively assess chemical exposure risks and clearly defines the criteria. The mechanism permits to develop an in depth understanding of the various aspects of chemicals. The results enable to classify the risk as tow, moderate or high. Based on the qualitative risk assessment, a strategy can be made for Initiating more expensive quantitative risk assessment. Managing Industrial Hygiene has become a necessity to mitigate workplace chemical exposure risks of employees.

KEYWORDS

Work related diseases, Chemical exposures, Occupational Health, Qualitative risk assessment, Industrial Hygiene Risk Assessment.