Introduction:

Health and safety hazards tend to fall into 2 broad categories:

• Acute hazards are those that have an immediate impact. A fall from height or contact with an unguarded machine fall into this category.

• Latent hazards are those that develop over a period of time, such as carpal tunnel syndrome from poor ergonomic setup or noise-induced hearing loss from years of exposure to high sound levels.

Exposure to chemical, biological or physical agents typically fall under the heading of latent hazards, given the fact that many of these occupational illnesses (such as asbestosis) take years to manifest.

This training program describes the typical agents that workers may be exposed to, how illnesses occur and how the workers need to protect themselves.

 

Training Objectives:

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Define and identify examples of biological, chemical and physical agents.

• Outline the legal requirements associated with exposure to / control of these agents.

• Describe methods of evaluating exposures.

• Explain how to relate WHMIS / GHS information to managing occupational health concerns.

• Describe control strategies for minimizing occupational exposure to these agents.

 

Target Audience:

• Workers and Associates who may be exposed to biological, chemical or physical agents.

• Supervisors and Managers.

• Health & Safety Committee Members.

 

Course Length and Options:

This is a half-day (4-hour) course. This program can be conducted in conjunction with the Introduction to Air Sampling course in order to facilitate a full day of training (i.e. two 4-hour sessions covered in the same day).

Where appropriate, client-specific examples can be included in the training session.