ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY

Session Objectives
At the end of the lecture, the participants would be
able to:

Describe the Industrial Hygiene principles

Identify the different hazards in construction
industry

Know the applicable control measures to
eliminate/minimize hazards in construction
industry
Environmental Safety

Why Environmental Safety ?

What will happen to you and your family
if you get injured and can no longer work?
What will you lose if you get
injured/sick?
Your quality of life
Your job advancement
Future opportunities
Environmental Safety

Facts+
Construction work is featured by high labor
turnover, constantly changing work
environment and conditions on site;
Construction workers are exposed to a wide
variety of health hazards on the job;
Exposure differs from trade to trade, job to job,
by the day, even by the hour;
Environmental Safety

Facts+
Exposure to hazard is typically intermittent
and of short duration but is likely to reoccur;
May also be exposed as a bystander to
hazards produced by those who work
nearby;
The severity of each hazard depends on the
concentration and duration of exposure for a
particular job.
Environmental Safety

What is Industrial Hygiene?

Industrial Hygiene (IH) is the science
and art dedicated to recognition,
evaluation and control of environmental
factors and stresses arising in or from the
workplace, which may cause sickness,
impaired health and well-being, or
significant discomfort among workers or
among citizens of the community.
Environmental Safety

Contamination of Work
Environment
Vapours
Work

Gases

Fumes
Dust

Generation
Chemical Substance
Noise
Raw Materials
Heat
Process

Dispersion
Diffusion

Mist
Environment
Contamination

Environmental Safety

Effects to Human . . .

Entrance
to
Human
Body

Injury

Accumulation
Excretion

Metabolic
Reaction
Environmental Safety

Illness
Death

Hazards Recognition
Recognition of the different hazards can be
accomplished by+
Walk-through survey/ocular inspection
(supervisors, contractors)
Knowing your task
Reviewing process involved
Knowing the raw materials used,
products and by-products
Gathering of workers complaints
CSDS/MSDS
Environmental Safety

Environmental / Health Hazards

Physical

Chemical

Biological

Ergonomics

Environmental Safety

Recognition


Physical Hazards
Noise
Vibration
Illumination
Extreme temperature
Extreme pressure
Radiation
Environmental Safety

Recognition


Chemical Hazards
Liquid / Mists
Gases
Solvent / Vapors
Particulates / Dust
Metals / Fumes

Environmental Safety

Recognition


Biological Hazards
Bacteria
Virus
Fungi
Parasites
Insects

Environmental Safety

Recognition


Ergonomic Hazards
Repetitive motion
Forceful motion
Awkward posture
Static posture

Fit The Task To The Person

Environmental Safety

Confined Spaces
An enclosed or partially enclosed space
that:


Is not designed or intended for human

occupancy except for the purpose of
performing work

Has restricted means of access and

egress

May become hazardous to any person

entering to it
Environmental Safety

Confined Spaces
Examples:

Storage Tanks
Sewers
Boilers
Manholes
Tunnels

Environmental Safety

Pipelines
Trenches
Pits
Silos
Vats
Wells

Hazards in Confined Spaces

Oxygen deficiency

 Acute illness or death

Increase consumption
as rusting Displacement
or brazing

Chemical reactions such

Welding, cutting

Flammable atmosphere  Fire & Explosion

O2 is greater than 21%
Flammable dust, gas, vapor or mist in excess of 10% LFL
Use of flammable solvents
Welding or cutting operations using oxyacetylene

Toxic Gases

 Acute illness or death

CO, NO2, H2S, NH3, SO2, CH4

Environmental Safety

Evaluation of
Hazards

Environmental Safety

Evaluation+ Conventional
Industrial Hygiene Measurements


Work Environment Measurement (WEM)

The measurements to be conducted

periodically (e.g. once a year) shall include

the following:
Temperature
 Humidity (relative humidity)
 Pressure (i.e. atmospheric/ barometric)
 Illumination / Lighting
 Noise (sound pressure, intensity)
 Concentration of substances (chemical agents)
 Ventilation (Air velocity)
- Occupational Safety and
Health Standards, Rule 1077.03
Environmental Safety


Evaluation+ Conventional
Industrial Hygiene Measurements
Types of Environmental Monitoring
Area/Environmental
Monitoring
Personal Monitoring
Biological Monitoring
Environmental Safety

IH Equipment

Smoke Tube
Gas and VOC Monitor
Ambient Temperature
Relative Humidity

Lux
Meter
Sound Level
Meter

Supply Air, Air Velocity

Evaluation+ Conventional
Industrial Hygiene Measurements


The measurement data will be

compared with existing standards /
guidelines:
Threshold Limit Values (TLVs)
Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs)
Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs)
Recommended Exposure Limits (RELs)
Maximum Allowable Concentrations

(MACs)
Environmental Safety

Evaluation+ Conventional
Industrial Hygiene Measurements
Threshold Limit Values (TLVs)
Time Weighted Average (TLV-TWA)
- takes into account variable exposure through a
full shift, 8 hour work day
Short Term Exposure Level (TLV-STEL)
- limit of exposure during a short period, 15
minutes
Ceiling (TLV-C)
- absolute maximum level of exposure not to be
exceeded
Environmental Safety

Construction Site Premises

Lighting of Work Areas
Types of work:
* Fine detail discrimination, paint
mixing, precision machine works
* Finishing works, fine inspection,
accounting, painting
* Office works, medium inspection
medium carpentry & machine works
* Medium assembly, rough bench
& carpentry works, planing
* Rough assembly, machine rooms
elevators, locker rooms
*Passageways, warehouses
rough materials handling
*Yards, roadways, surroundings
0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900 1000 1100

Minimum Illumination Level in Lux

Environmental Safety

Permissible Noise Exposure Level*

Duration/day, Hours (hr)

Sound Level, dB(A)

8
6

90
92

4
3
2
1
1
1/2
1/4

95
97
100
102
105
110
115**

* OSHS, DOLE
Environmental
** Ceiling value: No exposure
inSafety
excess of 115 dBA is
allowed.

Control of
Hazards

Environmental Safety

Generalized Diagram of
Methods of Control
SOURCE

AIR PATH

Environmental Safety

RECEIVER

Control of Occupational Hazards

Hierarchy of Controls
Engineering Control
Administrative Control
Personal Protective Equipment
Environmental Safety

Engineering Control
Replacement/Substitution of materials
used
Modifications in the process and
equipment
Maintenance of equipment
Isolation
Wet methods
Ventilation
Environmental Safety

Administrative Control
Rotation of job assignments
Adjusting work schedules
Maintenance and good housekeeping
Appropriate supervision
Emergency response training and education
Employee information and training

Environmental Safety

Personal Protective Equipment

Examples:
Dust/Gas Respirators
Safety
Goggles/Spectacles
Face Shields/Visor
Gloves
Protective
clothing/Aprons
Safety Shoes
Helmets
Earplugs/Earmuffs
Environmental Safety

Control techniques that depend upon

positive safety & health culture
Good housekeeping / Personal Hygiene
Employee training/education
Proper job procedures / instruction
Job observation
Rule compliance
Protective equipment compliance
Group communications
Environmental Safety

Summary
IH Steps
Hazards Identification/
Recognition

Evaluation
Implementation of appropriate
Control Measures
Environmental Safety

Summary
Practice of
industrial hygiene
principles

Safe environment in
construction site
Safe & healthy
construction workers

Is a means of protecting the workers thru

improvements of work environment.
The preventive approach to eliminate or
minimize the occurrence of occupational
diseases.
Environmental Safety

END OF TOPIC
Environmental Safety