Hazard is anything that has the potential to harm the health and safety of a person.

Also can be
defined as anything (including work practices or procedures) that has the potential to harm the
health and safety of a person. Harm is a physical injury or psychological damage to health.
Sometimes workplace hazards occur due to failure of following appropriate procedures in
performing a specific task. Examples of hazards including electricity, wet floor, incorrect wiring,
sharp edges, working at height, flammable substance, corrosive substances and others.

Hazards in a workplace can be categorized in different groups including chemical hazards,

biological hazards, psychological hazards, physical hazards and mechanical hazards. Hazard
control program consists of all steps necessary to protect workers from exposure to a substance or
system, the training and the procedures required to monitor worker exposure and their health to
hazards such as chemicals, materials or substance, or other types of hazards. Controlling hazards
in a workplace helps to prevent injuries or illnesses to workers and keep them safely. The following
is how the cause of hazards can be controlled: -

Chemical hazards are substances which, because of its characteristics and effects, may cause harm
to human health and safety. Examples of chemical hazards include exposure to: - oxidizing
substances, corrosive substances, pressurized containers, flammable substances, combustible
substances, chemical reactions, production of chemicals, chemical storage and other. There are
several approaches to control chemical hazards including: -

i. Elimination: This means removing the hazard or hazardous work practice from the
workplace. This is the most effective control measure and must always be considered
before other control measures. For example, not using a hazardous chemical or eliminating
exposure by eliminating a handling activity and potential worker exposure by purchasing
pre-mixed or diluted chemicals instead of manually mixing or diluting chemicals at the
workplace
ii. Substitution: This is the replacement of a hazardous chemical with a chemical that is less
hazardous and presents lower risks for example substituting a highly flammable liquid
with one that is less flammable or combustible, using diluted acids and alkalis rather than
concentrated ones, using hazardous chemicals with a single hazard class rather than those
with multiple hazards, using a product in either paste or pellet form rather than as dust or
powder.
iii. Isolation: This involves separating people from the chemicals or hazards by distance or
barriers to prevent or minimize exposure. Examples of isolation include