Biological Agents
Risk of:
Possible causes:
- Exposure to infected body fluids or patients.
- Inappropriate equipment / unsuitable chairs for sampling bloods.
Chemical Agents
Risk of:
- Cold Burns.
- Health Effects.
- Fire.
- Back injury.
Possible causes:
- Exposure to liquid nitrogen.
- Exposure to Carbon dioxide gas.
- Mistreatment, poor storage or handling of gas cylinders.
Electricity
Risk of:
- Burns.
- Electric shock.
- Death.
- Fire.
Possible causes:
- Faulty equipment.
- No or poor maintenance of equipment.
- Improper use of equipment.
Ergonomic Hazards
Risk of:
- Pain in neck, back or arms.
Possible causes:
- Carrying out repetitive tasks without a break e.g. taking blood samples.
- Poorly set up workstations or equipment.
- Poor ergonomic design of human-machine interfaces e.g. use of ultrasound machines.
- Awkward or sustained posture.
- Badly designed chart trolleys.
- Carrying heavy charts.
- Lack of space for storing and accessing charts.
Fire
Risk of:
- Smoke inhalation.
- Burns.
- Death.
Possible causes:
- Overloaded sockets or extension leads.
- Faulty equipment.
- No or poor maintenance of equipment.
- Blocked fire exits.
Manual Handling
Risk of:
- Sprains, strains or back injury.
Possible causes:
- Lifting heavy charts.
- Poorly designed trolleys.
- Handling gas cylinders.
- Catching a falling or collapsing patient.
- Lifting equipment up and over uneven surfaces.
Sharps
Violence and Aggression
Risk of:
- Physical injury and /or psychological harm.
Possible causes:
- Dealing with aggressive members of the public.
- Patient's reaction to procedures such as taking blood.
Further Information
For further information on related controls click here.
Note: This is not an exhaustive list of hazards and risks.