Concept and types of agents

Concept and types of agents:

• Chemical physical:

Concept:

The term physical agents include a range of energy-based workplace hazards including noise, vibration, temperature, lighting,ionising and non-ionising radiation and pressure.  This is not an exhaustive list and there can be overlap between the different risks.  Each of these hazards can expose workers to the risk of seriousinjury, permanent disability or even death.  Across the world the dangers presented by these risks are being increasingly recognised by governments and legislation controlling them continues to beintroduced or made more rigorous.

Types:

Noise and Vibration:  Nature and sources of noise and vibration, effects on workers, effective and ineffective control strategies, managing noise in theworkplace.

Thermal Environment:  Effects of extreme conditions thermal environments on workers, comfort conditions, measurement and assessment of the thermal environment, control strategies, managingthe thermal environment.

Lighting:  Nature and sources of lighting, relationship with worker health, safety and welfare, designing for worker safety and comfort.

Ionising and Non-ionisingradiation:  Nature and sources of ionising and non-ionising radiation, effect on worker health and safety of ionising and non-ionising radiation, novel risks including emfs, mobile telephones, microwaveradiation, and others.  Control strategies for ionising and non-ionising radiation, management of radiation in the workplace.

Pressure:  Nature and sources of exposure to extremes of pressure, effectof extremes of pressure on worker health, safety and welfare, managing extremes of pressure in the workplace.

Exposition:

Exposure to chemical, physical, and biological agents in the workplacecan result in adverse effects on workers ranging from simple discomfort and irritation to debilitating occupational diseases such as lung fibrosis, neuropathy, deafness, organ damage, and cancers of...