Keyword risk factors

All articles (12)

Work environment
Radon
03.01.2024
- risk factors
- Radon is a colourless and odourless gas that is heavier than air and highly radioactive.
- In the klint zone of Northern Estonia, the radon concentration in the soil air (at a depth of 1m) exceeds the recommended limit value by up to 8 times
- Radon is a risk factor in all buildings, new and old, with and without a basement
Work environment
Occupational diseases and illnesses caused by work
04.05.2023
- Occupational diseases are diseases caused by a working environment risk factor or the nature of the work included in the list of occupational diseases
- The occupational health doctor shall notify the Labour Inspectorate of the diagnosis of an illness caused by work.
- An employee is entitled to compensation for damage to health caused by work.
Work environment
Carcinogens and mutagens
13.04.2023
- carcinogen,
- mutagen,
- risk factors
- Carcinogens are substances, compounds and mixtures that can cause malignant tumours or increase their prevalence.
- Mutagens are substances and preparations that may induce genetic alterations or increase their prevalence.
- Exposure to carcinogens and mutagens is always dangerous, meaning that there is a possibility of developing cancer or a genetic defect.
News
Injuries, harmful gases, noise! What are the most common hazards associated with metalworking?
03.02.2023
There are around 2,000 enterprises in Estonia whose area of activity is the manufacture of metal products. The metalworking sector is one of the sectors with the highest number of occupational accidents. What are the hazards in these wor...
Work environment
Risk factors in the working environment
30.09.2021
- risk factors
- Risk factors in the working environment are divided into five groups – physical, physiological, biological, chemical and psychosocial.
- Working environment hazards can cause physical harm, including injuries and illness.
- There may be different risk factors, but there is certainly a physical, psychosocial and physiological risk factor in any work.
Groups and causes of the most common occupational diseases
09.09.2021
- occupational disease,
- risk factors
- Physical overload, for example, is caused by hard physical work.
- Chemicals can cause damage to the skin, nails and upper and lower respiratory tract.
- Lung diseases can be caused, for example, by mineral dust.
Work environment
Asbestos
02.09.2021
- Asbestos includes minerals belonging to the class of fibrous silicates, such as actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, crocidolite, chrysotile, tremolite
- Asbestos fibres are hazardous to health when inhaled as dust, contributing to the development of lung cancer, asbestosis and mesothelioma.
- Asbestos work must be carried out in such a way that the worker's exposure to asbestos dust is kept to a minimum and remains below the limit value.
Work environment
Nanoparticles
01.09.2021
- Nanoparticles are particles with at least one dimension in the range of 1–100 nanometres (nm).
- The greatest health risk of nanoparticles to humans is through inhaling them.
- Due to limited information on the effects of nanomaterials, the same personal protective equipment is currently recommended as for gases and aerosols.
Work environment
Slipping and tripping
01.09.2021
- slipping,
- falling,
- risk factors,
- safety instructions
- Indoors, slipping is often caused by wet floors and outdoors, the cause is slipperiness.
- The risk of slipping can be reduced by wearing proper footwear.
- If a floor is slippery after washing it, it is recommended to display a warning sign to those walking there until the floor dries.
Work environment
Handling of loads
01.09.2021
- risk factors,
- physical hazards
- Manual handling of loads can result in physical harm and serious injuries.
- If handling of loads constitutes a major part of the employee's working time, the employee may be employed in that work from the age of 18.
- The employer must take organisational and technical measures to prevent or reduce the health risk arising from work involving handling of loads.