Examples of biological hazards at work
| Hazard | Typical source | Workplaces at risk |
|---|---|---|
| Bloodborne viruses (hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV) | Needlestick and sharps injuries, blood splashes | Healthcare, first aid, cleaning, waste |
| Legionella bacteria | Cooling towers, warm water systems, potting mix | Building services, maintenance, gardening |
| Mould and fungal spores | Water-damaged buildings, stored grain, compost | Construction, demolition, agriculture |
| Q fever (Coxiella burnetii) | Livestock birth fluids, dust from animal yards | Abattoirs, farming, veterinary work |
| Leptospirosis | Urine of infected animals, flood water | Dairy, meat processing, sewer work |
| Food-borne bacteria (Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli) | Raw ingredients, poor hygiene, contaminated surfaces | Food and beverage manufacturing |
| Respiratory viruses (influenza, COVID-19) | Coughs, sneezes, shared air and surfaces | Any shared workplace |
| Tetanus | Soil entering cuts and puncture wounds | Construction, landscaping, maintenance |
How do biological hazards spread?
There are four routes: breathing in aerosols, spores or dust; swallowing organisms from contaminated hands or food; contact with broken skin, eyes or mouth; and injection through sharps or animal bites. The route tells you which control will work.
How do you control a biological hazard?
Work down the hierarchy of control, starting with the most effective:
- Eliminate – remove the source, such as stripping out mould-damaged material and fixing the leak.
- Substitute – use safety-engineered or retractable sharps.
- Engineer – maintain and disinfect cooling towers, ventilate, and separate raw and cooked food lines.
- Administrative – vaccination where available (hepatitis B, Q fever), cleaning schedules, sharps disposal procedures, training and exposure reporting.
- PPE – gloves, eye protection, P2 respirators and waterproof clothing as the last line of defence.
Biological hazards in risk assessments
Biological hazards are often missed because they cannot be seen. Include them in the site risk assessment and in job safety analyses for any task that touches blood, animals, soil, water systems or waste. Treat an exposure, such as a needlestick, as an incident: first aid, prompt medical follow-up and an investigation into why the control failed. In food manufacturing the same organisms are also a product-safety hazard, managed through the HACCP plan.