- The occupational risks workers experience depend on the industrial sector.
- There are six broad types of occupational risks occurring in most industries.
- The susceptibility to and magnitude of each risk type vary among industries.
Analyzing the various occupational risks in a business is a crucial first step in developing a safety program. Occupational risks pose a significant health and safety concern for workers involved and are costly for companies. Data collected from health surveys show some common risks associated with each industry. Safety managers in five sectors can use this article as a starting point to learn about some potential dangers that their facility may face.
Types of Occupational Risks
The exposure to occupational hazards varies by industrial sector, regardless of specific job roles, and affects different workers, which can inform safety managers and owners.
Workers in various industries can be exposed to six types of hazards with similar consequences for the people. These are safety, physical, chemical, biomechanical/ergonomic, biological, and psychosocial occupational risks.
- Safety risks arise from hazardous work conditions, such as wet floors, jobs involving moving parts, or exposure to electrical equipment and wiring.
- Physical hazards cause injury and illness and include extreme temperatures, noise, radiation, vibration, and adverse weather conditions.
- Chemical risks exist due to exposure to solids, liquids, and gases, which can be raw materials, dust, or byproducts that are toxic, flammable, or corrosive.
- Biomechanical or ergonomic risks arise from repetitive movements, heavy lifting, awkward postures, and improperly designed workstations.
- Biological occupational risks arise from exposure to diseases, people, pests, and dead or decaying biological matter.
- Psychosocial risk factors arise due to emotional job demands, work schedules, organization, conflicts, interpersonal relationships, and violence at work.
The primary data source for the prevalence of risks in different industrial sectors is a 2023 French study on nearly 20,000 workers, as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1: “The risks faced by different industrial sectors as reported by a survey of 20,000 workers in France.” Adapted from Dogbla et al. 2023. (Image credits: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9967294/)
Manufacturing
The manufacturing sector is one of the most hazardous workplaces, characterized by heavy machinery, complex production processes, and the use of dangerous chemicals. The industry has many occupational hazards. The magnitude of risk posed by various hazards varies from country to country.
Physical risks: Noise was the foremost complaint in Sri Lankan and Saudi Arabian manufacturing facilities. Poor lighting and ventilation, vibration, and high temperature were other factors listed. In French manufacturing industries, 60% of workers are exposed to physical risks.
Safety risks: Unguarded and a lack of safety warnings were a danger in Sri Lanka in around 28.9 to 34.8% of cases. Around 59% of the facilities had poor housekeeping, which can lead to accidents.
Biomechanical/ergonomic risks: In France, ergonomic factors were the second-highest source of risk exposure, affecting 72% of workers. In Sri Lanka, 41% of facilities had machinery that was difficult to operate, and 36.2% had controls in hard-to-reach positions; women were disproportionately affected by these risks compared to men.
Chemical risks: Workers in the manufacturing sector are exposed to high levels of chemicals and dust daily. Risks from chemicals are the third most hazardous in France, with 59% of people reporting exposure. In Saudi Arabia, 30.6% of the population was affected by dust, and 20.7% by chemicals.
Psychosocial risks: In French manufacturing sectors, psychosocial factors were the most common cause of occupational hazards, affecting 80% of workers.
Construction Sector
Workers in the construction industry are exposed to various occupational risks, but five of them occur frequently.
Physical risks: Workers in the construction sector are most affected by this type of risk, with 76% reporting exposure. The significant amounts of outdoor work expose workers to high temperatures and adverse weather conditions. High levels of noise and vibration are also present.
Biomechanical risks: Approximately 82% of workers reported risks associated with heavy lifting and prolonged or awkward working positions.
Chemical risks: Workers are exposed to numerous chemicals, including solvents, cleaners, and gaseous fumes and dust from building materials, particularly asbestos, as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in paints, flooring, adhesives, and sealants.
Psychosocial risks: An average of 71% of workers report exposure to psychological factors. Construction is a stressful environment, and harassment can negatively impact performance.
Safety risks: Falls, slips, and tripping are common safety hazards in the industry, often resulting in fractures and joint dislocations.
Biological and atypical work hours pose a low risk, affecting less than 15% of workers.
Human Health and Social Work
Workers in the health, medical, and social care sectors can face significant occupational risks. These are the sectors with the highest occupational hazards in the European Union, with 51% of respondents reporting exposure to risks. The health and medical sectors have to deal with infections, hazardous chemicals, unsafe patient handling, heat, noise, unhygienic conditions, violence and harassment, and psychosocial hazards.
Biological risks: Exposure to biological risks is high in these sectors. In France, 69% of workers in the industry reported facing biological risks. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 54% of health workers in low and medium-income countries have latent tuberculosis, a rate that is 25% higher than the average population.
Psychosocial risks: Around 90% of French workers in the sector report exposure to psychosocial risks. Approximately 61% of individuals suffer from atypical working hours. Globally, 63% of health workers suffer from violence, verbal, physical, sexual, and psychological. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 23% of frontline professionals suffered depression, and 39% had insomnia.
Safety risks: The WHO reports that unsafe working conditions also cause occupational illnesses and injuries, leading to absenteeism that accounts for 2% of health spending for health workers.
Chemical risks: The medical sector is also exposed to chemicals, including gases used as cleaning and sanitizing agents, mercury, drugs, and laboratory reagents. In the French health and social sectors, worker exposure is around 39% to this family of risks.
Biochemical risks: Workers must lift, transfer, or reposition patients, which can lead to back injuries or chronic pain. Workers also use repetitive motions to handle equipment. Health and social workers in France face a 72% exposure to this type of risk.
Physical risks: The sector’s exposure to physical risks is low, at approximately 19%. The work in these sectors takes place indoors, and care is taken to maintain a comfortable environment for patients, ensuring that temperature, noise, and vibrations are not an issue. However, rays and radiation are a source of concern.
Trade and Repair of Motor Vehicles
Sectors involved in trading and repairing vehicles, including motorbikes, are ranked as the fifth most risky sector in the UK, after construction, agriculture (and fishing), manufacturing, and storage and transport. The primary risks include slips, falling objects, fire, explosion, and diseases.
Psychosocial risks: The highest occupational risk was working under pressure and atypical work hours. In France, 79% of workers in the sector reported risk from psychosocial issues, and 41% from atypical work hours. The situation is no better in developing countries, with up to 45% of workers starting late and 28.6% starting very early in Ghana.
Biomechanical risks: Carrying and moving heavy and bulky objects pose a 77% risk of exposure to biomechanical risks in France, leading to injuries such as backaches, wounds, and other related issues. In Ghana, 75% of workers reported a risk from these factors.
Physical risks: Workers may suffer from heat-related illnesses, burns, and adverse outdoor work conditions. In France, 36% reported exposure to physical hazards.
Chemical risks: Repair workers suffer significantly from skin diseases due to contact with toxic chemicals, including sealants, glue, asbestos, waste oils, and toxic cleaning materials. Dust and fumes from retreading, tire buffing, and exhaust (carbon monoxide) are common risks in the sector. In France, 35% of workers from this sector reported this risk.
Safety risks: Many of the chemicals are also flammable and explosive, and activities like grinding or welding that generate sparks can easily result in accidents that cause injuries or fatalities. Slipping and tripping are the primary causes of accidents in the repair shop, as tools and objects are often left lying around, and floors can be slippery due to oil spillage. Moreover, workers under vehicles can suffer from falling objects from cars. They can get crushed due to malfunctioning car jacks or improper support, which can lead to serious injuries or fatalities.
Biological risks: Although exposure to biological factors is not everyday, it can occur due to insect bites and has been reported in only 9% of cases in France.
Transport and Storage
According to the United Nations, 50% of goods transported are dangerous and include hazardous chemicals that can be toxic, corrosive, or flammable. These can be petroleum products, acids, phenol, methanol, chlorine, etc. Risks from spills and fume emissions pose a significant hazard in this sector. Workers are also faced with physical and psychological hazards.
Psychosocial risks: High-speed, tight deadlines, monotonous tasks, violence, conflicts among workers, and customer aggression are some risk factors in this category for transport and storage workers. Workers in France reported that exposure to this risk was the most significant (76%) in this sector, with 55% experiencing atypical work hours. Women working in the male-dominated industry must adjust to ergonomics designed for men.
Biomechanical risks: Transporting and storing involve heavy lifting, the use of roll cages, the movement of bulky items, and repetitive actions that can cause injuries, including sitting or standing for long hours. Around 63% of workers in France were exposed to risks from biochemical factors.
Physical risks: Transporting and storing involve exposure to high and low temperatures, noise, and cabin vibration; 38% of French workers report these as risks.
Chemical risks: Handling hazardous materials, smoke, dust, solvents, thinners, and other substances exposes 25% of the staff to chemical hazards in France.
Biological risks: The possibility of exposure to insect bites, influenza, and transmission from other workers exists. In France, 11% of workers reported biological risks.
Monitoring Chemical Risks
Employers and safety managers must use the hierarchy of control to reduce workers’ exposure to various risks in their facilities. All industrial sectors face chemical hazards, including gases. Facilities can use gas detectors to monitor hazardous gases and keep them within permitted levels, as well as for early warning and evacuation in case of leaks.
Interscan offers fixed and portable gas sensors for over 20 hazardous gases, suitable for continuous monitoring and use in confined and high-risk spaces, respectively.
Discover more about Interscan gas detectors and how they can help mitigate health and safety risks at your facility.
Sources
AlMousa, N., Althabet, N., AlSultan, S., Albagmi, F., AlNujaidi, H., & Salama, K. F. (2022). Occupational Safety Climate and Hazards in the Industrial Sector: A Gender Differences Perspective in Saudi Arabia. Frontiers in Public Health, 10, 873498.
Amfo-Otu, R., & Agyemang, J. K. (2017). Occupational health hazards and safety practices among the informal sector auto mechanics. Applied Research Journal, 2(1).
Arnold, S. M., Wickrematilake, M. S. K., Fernando, R. M. S. D., Sampath, H. M. R. C., Karunapema, R. P. P., Mahesh, P. K. B., Munasinghe, P. M., & Denawaka, C. J. (2019). Occupational hazards in medium and large scale industrial sectors in Sri Lanka: experience of a developing country. BMC Research Notes, 12(1), 755.
Brinkerhoff, D. & Fontes, S. (2024, May 1). The Most Common Health and Safety Hazards on Construction Job Sites. Retrieved from https://ohsonline.com/articles/2024/05/01/the-most-common-health-and-safety-hazards-on-construction-job-sites.aspx?Page=2
Dogbla, L., Gouvenelle, C., Thorin, F., Lesage, F. X., Zak, M., Ugbolue, U. C., Charbotel, B., Baker, J. S., Pereira, B., & Dutheil, F. (2023). Occupational Risk Factors by Sectors: An Observational Study of 20,000 Workers. International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(4), 3632. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043632
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. (2013). OSH in figures: Occupational safety and health in the transport sector — An overview. Retrieved from https://old.adapt.it/adapt-indice-a-z/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/DOC_transportsector_overview.pdf
EU-OSHA. (2024, Nov 11). Health and social care workers suffer widespread occupational safety and health issues. Retrieved from https://osha.europa.eu/en/highlights/health-and-social-care-workers-suffer-widespread-occupational-safety-and-health-issues
HSE. (n.d.). Safety hazards. Retrieved from https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/index.htm
ILO. (2015, Oct). Safety & Health at the motor vehicle repair shop. Retrieved from https://www.ilo.org/publications/safety-and-health-motor-vehicle-repair-shop
WHO. (2022, Nov 7). Occupational health: health workers. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/occupational-health–health-workers
WHO. (n.d.). Occupational hazards in the health sector. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/tools/occupational-hazards-in-health-sector
