Physical hazards examples at work
Physical hazards come from energy or conditions in the work environment rather than from a substance or an organism. These are the ones most workplaces meet:
| Physical hazard | How it harms | Typical control |
|---|---|---|
| Noise | Permanent hearing loss over time | Quieter plant, enclosures, hearing protection |
| Vibration | Nerve and joint damage from tools or vehicles | Low-vibration tools, job rotation |
| Heat and cold | Heat stress, burns, hypothermia | Shade, breaks, water, insulated clothing |
| Radiation (UV, welding arc, ionising) | Burns, eye damage, long-term illness | Shielding, distance, correct eyewear |
| Slips, trips and falls on the same level | Sprains, fractures | Housekeeping, dry floors, marked walkways |
| Working at height | Falls from ladders, roofs, platforms | Guard rails, harnesses, work platforms |
| Moving machinery and vehicles | Crushing, entanglement, impact | Guarding, isolation, traffic separation |
| Poor lighting and ventilation | Eye strain, errors, fumes building up | Better lighting, extraction |
How is a physical hazard different from other hazards?
Hazards are usually grouped as physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic and psychosocial. A chemical hazard comes from a substance, a biological hazard from an organism, and an ergonomic hazard from how the body is loaded. A physical hazard comes from energy or the environment itself. Many tasks combine several types, so check each one.
How do you control physical hazards?
Work down the hierarchy of control: eliminate the hazard, substitute something safer, add engineering controls such as guards and enclosures, then administrative controls such as procedures and training, and finally personal protective equipment. Measure what can be measured, such as noise levels, and record the result.
How do you find physical hazards at work?
Walk the area, ask the people who do the job, and review near misses and past incidents. A job safety analysis breaks a task into steps and names the physical hazard at each one. Record each hazard, rate the risk and give the fix an owner and a due date.