Health and Environment
What this domain tests
The exam covers occupational health, hygiene and ergonomics, prevention of work-related disease, waste segregation, the 3Rs, pollution and resource conservation.
Core ideas
- Occupational disease: silicosis from respirable silica dust, asbestosis from asbestos fibres, noise-induced hearing loss from prolonged high noise, contact dermatitis from chemicals, and work-related musculoskeletal disorders from repetitive strain and poor posture.
- Prevention: dust extraction, wet methods, ventilation, machine enclosures, hearing protection where noise cannot be reduced, gloves and barrier cream for chemicals, and periodic health checks.
- Ergonomics: keep the spine neutral, work at elbow height, keep loads close to the body, lift with the legs, avoid twisting while loaded, and rotate repetitive tasks.
- Personal health: balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate sleep, no tobacco or alcohol, hand hygiene and safe drinking water.
- Waste segregation: green for wet or biodegradable, blue for dry recyclable, red for hazardous, yellow for biomedical. Segregate at source; mixing destroys recyclability.
- 3Rs and beyond: reduce, reuse, recycle; then recover energy and dispose safely. E-waste goes to authorised recyclers, never to ordinary bins or open burning.
Worked example
A worker cuts stone slabs dry with a hand grinder in an enclosed room. The visible cloud is respirable silica. The disease risk is silicosis, which is permanent and progressive. Control order: use a wet cutting method or water spray, add local exhaust ventilation, enclose the process where possible, limit exposure time, then issue a fit-tested respirator and arrange periodic lung function checks. Reasoning: a mask alone is the weakest control and fails if poorly fitted; stopping dust at source protects everyone in the room.
Mark-losing traps
- Confusing a hazard such as dust with the disease it causes.
- Burning e-waste or dumping it with household waste.
- Putting used batteries or chemicals in the blue dry-waste bin.
- Treating ergonomics as comfort rather than injury prevention.
- Assuming hearing loss is temporary because it fades after the shift.