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WBCHSE HS Vocational Security study materials
WBCHSE HS Vocational Security study resources

WBCHSE HS Vocational Security: Occupational Health and Hazard Identification

WBCHSE HS Vocational Security · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.

All guide sections

Occupational Health and Hazard Identification

This domain looks at health effects of work - noise, dust, chemicals, heat, ergonomics, shift work - and the systematic way hazards are identified and controlled. Questions often ask you to classify a hazard or place a control in the hierarchy.

Hazard types

  • Physical: noise, vibration, heat, radiation, poor lighting.
  • Chemical: solvents, dusts, acids, gases; obtain the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and read the label.
  • Biological: bacteria, fungi, sharps, sewage.
  • Ergonomic: manual handling, repetitive work, awkward posture, prolonged standing.
  • Psychosocial: long hours, night shift, lone working, abusive customers.
  • Mechanical/electrical: moving parts, sharp edges, live conductors.

Hazard is the potential to cause harm; risk is the likelihood and severity of that harm occurring.

Hierarchy of controls

  1. Elimination - remove the task or substance.
  2. Substitution - use a less hazardous material.
  3. Engineering controls - guarding, ventilation, acoustic enclosure.
  4. Administrative controls - rotation, training, permits, signage.
  5. PPE - the last resort because it protects only the wearer and only if worn correctly.

Health surveillance

Noise above the exposure limits set under the Factories Act requires hearing testing and hearing protection; dust exposure requires periodic medical checks and, for silica, chest examination. Recognised occupational diseases include silicosis, asbestosis, byssinosis (cotton dust), lead poisoning and noise-induced hearing loss.

Worked example. Guards at a textile mill complain of ringing ears after the shift. Reasoning: a ringing ear is early noise damage. The first option is not better ear plugs but reducing the noise at source (engineering control); if that cannot be done immediately, provide suitable protection, rotate exposure and arrange audiometry.

Shift-work health for guards

Night duty disturbs sleep and alertness; mitigation includes rotation forward (day to evening to night), adequate rest between shifts, and scheduled breaks.

Traps

  • Listing PPE as the first control.
  • Saying 'the guard must be careful' instead of naming a control.
  • Confusing hazard with risk in the definition question.