Hazards

Learn more about identifying and controlling workplace hazards.

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What is a Hazard?

Hazards are sources of potential damage, harm or negative effects on something or someone. Hazards can take many forms, including a condition, situation, practice, or behaviour. Both employers and workers are responsible for controlling and minimizing the risk of hazards in the workplace.

In workplaces, there are six types of hazards:

Physical - sun, extreme heat or cold, noise, vibration, electricity, etc.

Chemical - cleaners, stripping agents, pesticides, paint, glues, drugs, alcohol, etc.

Biological - viruses, bacteria, germs, poisonous plants, mould

Ergonomic - heavy lifting, standing or sitting for long periods, awkward workstations, etc.

Safety - untidy workstations, water on the floor, trip hazards, workers impaired by a substance, etc.

Psychological - bullying, harassment, trauma, extreme workload and pressure, etc.

Hazard Assessment

A hazard assessment is the process of identifying, assessing, and eliminating or managing workplace hazards and the risks they present to a worker’s health and safety. In general, the workplace should include a three-step hazard assessment process. 

The process includes:

  • Hazard Identification: Identify sources that expose a worker to a risk of injury or disease.
  • Risk Assessment: Determine the risk to rank the hazard by priority. Risk is a combination of the likelihood of harm and its severity.
  • Hazard Control: Identify actions necessary to eliminate the hazard or control the risk using the hierarchy of risk control methods.

Learn how to conduct a hazard assessment.

Asbestos

Asbestos is the common name given to six naturally occurring minerals used for fire protection and insulation against heat and noise in more than 3,000 building materials from the 1950s to 1990s. Building materials that often contained asbestos include drywall, textured ceiling coat, insulation, vinyl flooring, and window putty.

These fibres are split into thinner fibres, and at their finest, they can barely be seen under a microscope. For comparison, a strand of human hair is 300 times thicker than an asbestos fibre. These fibres tend to settle very slowly in the air and can be easily inhaled.

Breathing air contaminated with asbestos may cause serious health problems, including lung disease and cancer. The health effects of exposure to asbestos are latent, meaning they become evident many years after the first exposure.

Who is at risk?

Most buildings built before 1990 will have parts that contain asbestos. Asbestos must be identified to prevent the release of asbestos fibres when renovating or demolishing.

Worker groups that may be at risk include:

  • Building construction workers
  • Building inspectors
  • Road construction workers
  • Automotive mechanics (Asbestos can be found in some car and truck brake pads, and vehicle transmission components such as clutches.)

Duties of employers, contractors and owners

Employers, contractors, and owners all have responsibilities to make sure that exposure to asbestos is prevented, and that work is carried out using proper safety procedures.

Exposure must be reduced to the lowest practical level and cannot exceed the established threshold limit values. Take all necessary measures including using engineering controls, work practices and hygiene practices.

Employers must:

  • Make sure that nobody uses, applies, or installs asbestos or material containing asbestos.
  • Make sure that nobody remediates, disturbs, or works with asbestos-containing material without using appropriate methods to contain the fibres and keep the contamination in the air to below the threshold limit values.
  • Make sure that when a material is suspected to contain asbestos, it is treated as though it does until a competent person determines that it is free of asbestos.
  • Make sure that before the demolition of a building, structure, all or part of machinery, equipment, aircraft, vehicle or vessel, all material that could release asbestos fibres into the atmosphere are removed.

The asbestos contractor must make sure all asbestos work is done so that it does not create a risk to the health or safety of any worker or other person.

Learn more about asbestos, and access resources on this hazard:

Noise

Noise is a very serious and common hazard in many workplaces. If you are exposed to too much noise at work, even for a short period of time, you are at risk of occupational hearing loss. Noise can damage nerves in the inner ears that cannot be repaired, causing permanent damage.

How do I know if I am at risk?

To determine if you are at risk of occupational hearing loss, please consider these factors:

  • Do you need to speak in a very loud voice to be understood? If so, you are being exposed to too much noise.
  • Do you experience a ringing noise at the end of your workday? If so, you are being exposed to too much noise.
  • Does music or speech sound muffled after work but fairly clear the next day? If so, you are being exposed to noise levels that can cause permanent damage.

Employers with workers exposed to hazardous noise levels are required to develop a prevention program to reduce or eliminate the risk of occupational hearing loss.

If the source of noise cannot be eliminated or controlled, hearing protection is the last line of defense. When noise levels are greater than 85 decibels (dbs), workers must wear hearing protection to prevent gradual hearing loss. For context, the noise level of a welding machine is 85 dbs. In comparison, the average speaking voice is 50-70dbs.

Developing a Hearing Conservation Program

The proactive approach to preventing occupational hearing loss is developing a hearing conservation program. As part of the program, employers educate workers about noise hazards and how to control them. In addition, the program will provide details on how to properly use and maintain personal protective equipment and the importance of annual hearing tests for workers. 

Here are steps for employers to develop a hearing conservation program:

  • First, perform a hazard assessment to identify and measure noise hazards in the workplace.
  • Next, measure workers’ noise exposure levels. The risk of occupational hearing loss depends on the noise level and duration of exposure.
  • Finally, eliminate or control the noise hazard. In cases where the noise hazard cannot be removed, you can replace noisy machinery with a quieter alternative.

Learn more about noise hazards and access resources:

Hearing Loss Fact Sheets

Printable Posters

Working from Heights

Falling from heights is a significant cause of work-related injuries on PEI, and it can happen in a split second. Failing to follow required safe work practices when working at heights can result in serious injury or even death.

Any person working at a height of three meters or more is required to have a fall protection system in place. This includes when working on scaffolding, on elevated work platforms, on roofs, or on any other place that presents a fall hazard.

There are two types of fall protection systems: the travel restraint system and fall arrest system. Both require wearing a full body harness.

The travel restraint system prevents a worker from getting too close to an unprotected edge, which prevents the worker from falling.

The fall arrest system is designed to stop a worker’s fall before they hit the ground, helping to prevent serious injury or death. 

Our Occupational Health and Safety Officers frequently visit PEI workplaces to assist employers and workers in understanding legal obligations associated with working at heights.

When working at a height of three meters or more:

  • Make sure a fall protection system is in place.
  • Make sure the fall arrest system worn is the right equipment for the task, that it fits the worker properly, and that it is inspected and in good condition.
  • Make sure workers are competent and have received training from a competent person to use fall protection.
  • Make sure a written fall protection plan is developed in accordance with Section 3(11) of the Fall Protection Regulations.

Learn more about fall protection and access resources:

Workplace Harassment

Workplace harassment is an occupational health and safety hazard that poses a potential risk to the physical and psychological health and safety of workers. Workplace harassment can take many forms, including verbal aggression, personal attacks, and intimidating or humiliating behaviour.

How to recognize workplace harassment: 

Behaviours or comments that might constitute workplace harassment include, but are not limited to:

  • Making sexually suggestive remarks or advances.
  • Verbal aggression or insults, calling someone derogatory names.
  • Threatening a person or repeated occurrences of threats.
  • Unwanted gestures or insults, inappropriate jokes, circulating inappropriate images.
  • Spreading gossip or rumors
  • Using electronic communication to send threatening or intimidating messages vandalizing personal belongings.
  • Making personal attacks based on someone’s private life and/or personal traits. 
  • Isolating the worker.

PEI’s Occupational Health and Safety Act and Workplace Harassment Regulations outline the rights and responsibilities for employers, workers, contractors and all other parties present at the workplace. 

Employers are required to develop and implement a written policy to prevent and investigate harassment. Learn more about the requirements for a workplace harassment policy 

Explore additional resources:

WHMIS

The Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) provides health and safety information about hazardous products in the workplace.

It is a comprehensive system for providing health and safety information on hazardous products intended for use, handling, or storage in Canadian workplaces. The main components of WHMIS are:

  • Hazard identification
  • Product classification
  • Labelling
  • Safety data sheets
  • Worker education and training

When hazardous products are present in the workplace, a WHMIS program, including education and training, must be in place.

Employers have a responsibility to make sure workers understand WHMIS well enough to do the work safely. Workers should be able to answer the questions below for every hazardous product they use:

  • What are the hazards of the product?
  • How do I protect myself from those hazards?
  • What do I do in case of an emergency?
  • Where can I get further information?

If the worker is unable to answer these questions, it may be an indication they do not fully comprehend the education and training that was provided, and may be required to attend training again.

Learn more about WHMIS Regulations and explore other resources:

Other Hazards

From chemical exposures and confined spaces to workplace violence and working alone, a wide range of hazards can affect worker health and safety. 

Visit our OHS Guide to explore resources, guides, and other practical tools to help identify risks, understand requirements, and prevent injuries across a variety of workplaces and industries. 

For more information

If you have any questions about workplace hazards, please reach out to our OHS division by email at ohs@wcb.pe.ca or by phone at 902-368-5697 or toll-free in Atlantic Canada at 1-800-237-5049.

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