What are physical hazards?

Physical hazards abound in the workplace. The mere fact that a company exists makes it prone to physical hazards — even the benign office has tripping and falling hazards. In an industrial setting, the huge variety of machines, processes, and equipment create a challenging set of hazards that a safety professional must deal with.

Processes that use large quantities of chemicals present a unique set of challenges. The physical properties of certain chemicals, such as flammable and combustible liquids, compressed gases, solvents, and explosives make them highly dangerous.

You may not think much about falls, but trips and falls often result in injury and lost time. Falls can even be fatal. In the workplace, there are many situations that contribute to falls:

• Floors with water, grease, or cracks
• Trash or stock piled in pedestrian walkways
• Ladders in need of repair
• Stairs with loose rails or step treads

Maintaining equipment in peak condition, practicing good housekeeping techniques, and providing signs to warn of physical hazards goes a long way to improve overall safe working conditions. Part of the safety professional’s job is to assess the workplace for physical hazards and see that they are corrected or controlled. There are many OSHA standards that have specific requirements for ensuring that physical hazards in the workplace are eliminated. In this section, you will find action steps, training action plans, tips, and checklists on a variety of topics related to controlling physical hazards.