Occupational Health Flashcards

What are the principles of workplace ergonomics covered by NEBOSH?

Answer: Designing workstations, tools, and tasks to fit the worker, considering posture, repetitive movements, display screen equipment, and manual handling

Ergonomics involves designing the work to fit the person: proper workstation setup, appropriate tool design, minimizing repetitive movements, correct display screen positioning, and safe manual handling techniques.

What psychosocial hazards must be assessed in Gulf region workplaces?

Answer: Work-related stress, long working hours, isolation (remote sites), cultural adjustment for migrant workers, bullying/harassment, and work-life balance

Gulf workplace psychosocial hazards include work-related stress, excessive hours, isolation at remote sites (oil/gas), cultural adjustment challenges for migrant workers, workplace bullying/harassment, and poor work-life balance.

What are Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs) and how are they used?

Answer: Maximum allowable concentrations of airborne substances that workers can be exposed to over specified time periods (8-hour TWA and 15-minute STEL)

WELs define maximum permissible airborne concentrations: 8-hour Time Weighted Average (long-term exposure limit) and 15-minute Short Term Exposure Limit (peak exposure), used to assess adequacy of control measures.

What biological hazards are relevant to Gulf region workplaces?

Answer: Legionella from poorly maintained cooling systems, food-borne illnesses in worker camps, heat-related bacterial growth in stored water, and vector-borne diseases

Gulf-specific biological hazards include Legionella in cooling towers and water systems, food contamination in worker accommodation, bacterial growth in warm stored water, and vector-borne diseases in outdoor and remote work locations.

What is the role of personal protective equipment (PPE) in occupational health?

Answer: PPE is the last resort in the hierarchy of control, used when other measures cannot adequately reduce the risk, and must be suitable, properly fitted, and maintained

PPE is the last resort in the control hierarchy, used only when elimination, substitution, engineering, and administrative controls cannot reduce risk sufficiently. PPE must be suitable, properly fitted, maintained, and workers trained in its use.

What first aid requirements does NEBOSH cover for Gulf region workplaces?

Answer: Trained first aiders appropriate to workplace risks, adequate first aid equipment, consideration of heat-related emergencies, and access to emergency medical services

First aid requirements include sufficient trained first aiders (numbers based on risk and workforce size), appropriate equipment, Gulf-specific heat emergency preparedness, and clear access to emergency medical services.