Definition - What does Occupational Health Hazard mean?
An occupational health hazard refers to a circumstance or factor that poses a danger to an individual who must perform essential job tasks relevant to their line of work, carrying potential health implications that can impact the quality of life. Behavioral hazards, biological hazards, chemical hazards, ergonomic hazards, and physical hazards all fall under the umbrella of occupational health hazards.
SureHire explains Occupational Health Hazard
For many employers, occupational health hazards pose a legitimate threat with far-reaching ramifications, and thus it is critical to identify and implement hazard control solutions to correct any problems. An occupational health hazard could include excessive decibel (loudness) variances, handling chemical substances, deficient air quality control standards, maneuvering apparatuses or equipment from suspended platforms/walkways, and navigating around wet surfaces, just to name a few. Once employers conduct a thorough risk assessment to target occupational health hazards, solutions including engineering controls can be implemented to offset the incidence rate for workplace injuries. In Canada, the Occupational Health and Safety legislation provides demographic case reports, highlighting patterns or trends of occupational health hazards associated with distinct job responsibilities and coinciding factors that may lead to injury.
