Anything that can cause harm to people, animals, or infectious plant materials can be considered a Biological Hazard. They exist in most workplaces that involve working around other people, unsanitary conditions, in labs, or in the environment.
Any risk that comes from the biosphere — people, plants, and animals — can be considered biological hazards. Some examples of biological hazards are:. Once biological hazards have been identified, it is important to put together a safety plan to mitigate the risks. While putting together this plan the organizer should consult employees in the workplace as well as answer the following questions. Are my employees working around other people who may have a contagious disease or sickness?
Will my employees be working around potentially hazardous pathogens or biological materials such as sewage? If my employees are around biological hazards, do they have the proper protective equipment to be safe? Once you have identified biological hazards in the workplace it is important to eliminate as many as possible as well as reduce their risk to employees. Which type of molds do not usually produce life-threatening health effects?
Pathogenic molds b. Allergenic molds c. Toxigenic molds d. Cosmetic mold. When cleaning up mold at a construction site, what is the correct bleach solution for light contamination? What are the indications that you may be exposed to poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac? An itchy red rash with bumps or blisters b. The appearance of a chemical burn on the arm c.
Shortness of breath and wheezing d. Dizziness and hallucinations. Skip Navigation. Course - Health Hazards in Construction. Exposure to Biological Hazards. Fungi Mold Hazards. Classes of Molds Mold seems likely to grow and become a problem only when there is water damage, high humidity, or dampness. Approved Filtering Facepiece Respirator Disposable. Best Practices Identify moisture problems and remove excess moisture with a wet-dry vacuum and dry out the building as quickly as possible.
Make sure working area is well ventilated. Use fans to assist in the drying process. Work and egress areas should be cleaned with a damp cloth or mop and a detergent solution.
Use approved respiratory protection. Use hand and eye protection non-vented goggles. Wear long gloves made of material that will protect from chemicals used for surface cleaning. Wear protective clothing to prevent contamination and skin contact with mold and chemicals. Set up a decontamination area. Re-wet materials with a mist of water to suppress spores, dust, and debris. Vacuum areas that are clean and dry with a HEPA vacuum.
Do not eat, drink, or smoke in work areas; avoid breathing dusts; after working, wash thoroughly, including hair, scalp and nails. Poisonous Plants Many native and exotic plants are poisonous to humans when ingested or if there is skin contact with plant chemicals. Chemical hazards vary in the aspect of production they are related to. Some potential chemical hazards could be prior to a processor receiving product, such as the improper use of pesticides or antimicrobial residues.
Others could be chemicals used on processing equipment such as oils used on equipment or sanitizers. Furthermore, other potential chemical hazards may include substances that are safe or used in processing at certain levels but can cause illness or injury if consumed at too high of a concentration, such as sodium nitrite or antimicrobial solutions used in intervention steps.
The HACCP team will need to evaluate in the hazard analysis the likelihood of the chemical to cause illness or injury. Physical hazards include objects that are hard or sharp such as glass, metal, plastic, stones, pits, wood, or even bone.
In addition, many of these moulds make "mycotoxins". Mycotoxins are metabolites or by-products from the moulds that have been identified as being toxic to humans. These toxins can lead to allergic or respiratory problems. Moulds can also exacerbate make worse the symptoms of allergies including wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath as well as nasal congestion and eye irritation.
People who are immuno-suppressed, or recovering from surgery are usually more susceptible to health problems from moulds. Moulds can grow almost everywhere and on any substance when moisture is present.
Thus, the best method of prevention is to reduce the amount of moisture. To accomplish this goal, prevention measures include:. Empty any water collectors regularly so this water does not contribute to the moisture problem! If you use humidifiers, make sure that they are cleaned regularly. A visual inspection is the most reliable method of identifying mould problems. The most common signs of water damage will be discolouration and staining.
Moulds will most often appear as dark spots, stains or patches. Also look for standing water - puddles of water around and under sinks, tubs, drip pans for dehumidifiers, air conditioners, and refrigerators that can be contributing to the moisture in the building and provide conditions where mould can grow.
An air test does not provide information on health and does not address the cause of mould damage in the house. You also do not need to know the type of mould present in order to remove it. Monitoring devices are available which can measure the moisture level of drywall, wood, etc.
These devices will help indicate whether or not moisture levels exist that would promote the growth of mould. Always find out why moisture was present and fix the underlying problem. In general, once mould has been discovered, it is recommended that porous materials such as dry wall, ceiling tiles, fabric, books, paper, cardboard, etc. It may be necessary to throw away carpets, cushions, furnishings, mattresses, pillows, stuffed toys or bedding that cannot be properly cleaned.
Non-porous materials such as metal, glass, hard plastic and semi-porous materials such as wood and concrete can be cleaned and reused if structurally sound.
Cleaning should be done using soap or detergent. Do not generate dust while cleaning. How to clean the mould depends of the size or extent of the damage. Before beginning any clean up, ensure that people doing the work have received appropriate training, including how to use respiratory protection. The following are general steps to help deal with mould issues.
You may need to call a professional or contractor with experience dealing with moisture issues and mould. When dealing with mould in homes, most people can generally clean a small or moderate area themselves with soap and water.
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