Main Categories Of Workplace Hazards

Chemical Hazards:

Mainly threaten employees whose roles expose them to dangerous liquids, solvents or flammable gases.  Individuals who are most likely to be affected are those working in cleaning facilities these hazards can cause illness, skin irritation, breathing problems and, in extreme cases, death.

Biological Hazards:

Are extremely dangerous. These include exposure to dangerous substances and diseases associated with working amongst animals, people or infectious plant materials. Employees who work in hospitals, laboratories etc. can cause adverse health impacts.

Physical/Safety Hazards:

Can affect those who work in extreme weather conditions or in harmful environments.  Physical hazards most commonly affect individuals. Workers exposed to loud noise, radiation, sun rays and ultraviolet rays could be at risk.

Ergonomic Hazards:

Affect individuals whose work puts a strain on their bodies.  Manual roles that require lifting or sitting for long periods can cause damage over time.  These hazards may not be noticeable at first, which makes them much harder to identify.  If your staff use improperly adjusted workstations or have poor posture when performing manual roles and heavy lifting they may be at risk of musculoskeletal injuries. 

Psychosocial Hazards: 

Workload hazards include issues that could cause stress or strain, such as workload, violence, aggression and harassment.