TYPE OF WORK

COMMON HAZARDS

HEALTH EFFECTS

Household workers

over 1 million

1. cleaning substances (drain & oven cleaners, bleach aerosol sprays, waxes), pesticides; 2. lifting, falls; 3. infections from children; 4. electrical shock; 5. noise

1. irritation or burns of skin, eyes or lungs, allergies; 2. muscle soreness, slipped disc, torn ligaments, bursitis

Clerical workers

over 14.5 million

1. stress, VDT's; 2. poor air quality & ventilation, toxic substances from photocopy, duplicators, correction fluids; 3. noise; 4. Lighting and chair design

1. headaches, heart disease, eyestrain, neck and back pain; 2. nausea, colds, respiratory problems, eye, nose & throat irritation; 3. anxiety, hearing damage; 4. varicose veins, neck and back pain, eyestrain

Hospital workers

4,127,000

1. lifting and falls; 2. radiation; 3. chemical hazards (sterilizing gases, anesthetic gases, drugs); 4. stress; 5. electric shock; 6. Infection from patients, utensils, specimens

1. back strain, slipped disc, torn ligaments; 2. Tissue damage, genetic changes from X-rays; 3. skin & respiratory irritation, liver, kidney, nervous system damage, cancer, reproductive problems; 4. headache, heart disease, gastrointestinal problems

Retail sales

1.7 million

1. standing, lifting; 2. stress; 3. safety hazards (blocked aisles, exits, poorly designed equipment); 4. poor air quality

and ventilation; 5. communicable disease from customers

1. leg pain, varicose veins, back & shoulder pain; 2. headache, irritability, high blood pressure; 3. accidents; 4. colds, respiratory problems, eye, nose & throat irritation

Sewers & stitchers

773,000

Textile operatives

1. chemicals (fabric treatment,

dyes, cleaning solvents); 2. synthetic fiber & cotton dust; 3. noise; 4. vibration; 5. excessive heat & cold, inadequate ventilation; 6. unsafe equipment; 7. lifting, standing, sitting; 8. Stress

1. skin & lung irritation, damage to liver, kidney & nervous system, dermatitis; 2. asthma, respiratory disease; 3. hearing loss; 4. wrist & hand inflammation; 5. heat stress, colds; 6. accidents, electric shock; 7. back & shoulder strain, varicose veins; 8. high blood pressure, headache, anxiety

Artists

96,000

1. solvents; 2. paints, solder; 3. clays, glazes, welding fumes, fumes from firing; 4. poor equipment maintenance; 5. poor ventilation

1. dizziness, dermatitis, damage to liver, kidney, nervous system; 2. heavy metals can damage kidney, liver, lungs, reproductive system; 3. lung damage; 4. accidents, fire; 5. colds, eye, nose & throat irritation

Lab workers

221,000

1. handling biological specimens or animals; 2. toxic

chemicals including carcinogens; 3. radiation in specimens, radioisotopes, machinery using radiation

1. infection; 2. organ damage, changes in genetic material, reproductive problems, cancer; 3. tissue changes or genetic changes, reproductive problems

Electronics

1. solvents; 2. acids ; 3. sitting & standing, fine work under microscope, repetitive work; 4. stress; 5. solder fumes, poor ventilation

1. dermatitis, dizziness, damage to organs such as liver & nervous systems; 2. skin burns & irritation; 3. back & shoulder pain, varicose veins, headache; 4. heart disease, gastrointestinal problems; 5. eye, nose & throat irritation, lung disease

Meat wrappers

5,000

1. lifting & standing; 2. repetitive motion; 3. plastic wrap fumes; 4. excessive cold; 5. cuts, slips, falls

1. shoulder & back strain, low back pain, varicose veins; 2. swelling and inflammation of the hands; 3. asthma, eye, nose & throat irritation, nausea, flulike symptoms; 4. numbness, circulation problems

Hairdressers & beauticians

82,000

1. standing; 2. chemicals (hair sprays & dyes, aerosol sprays, cosmetics & other preparations)

1. low back pain & varicose veins; 2. lung disease, reproductive effects, cancer, allergies, skin irritation

Laundry workers & dry cleaners

18,000

Laundry: 1. soaps, bleaches, acids

Dry cleaning: 2. solvents

Both: 3. lifting, 4. Excessive heat; 5. exposure to whatever chemicals or biological materials are on clothes

1. irritation or burns on hands, irritation of eyes, nose or throat; 2. dermatitis, dizziness, damage to nervous system or liver; 3. Back injuries, strains, hernias; 4. heart disease