Physical agent is a term used to describe energies, the exposures to which in sufficient quantities and duration may result in illness or injury to human health. Physical agents include noise, ionizing or non-ionizing radiation, extremes in temperature and pressure, vibration, electric and magnetic fields.
Also asked, what is a harmful physical agent?
Examples of toxic substances and harmful physical agents are: Metals and dusts, such as, lead, cadmium, and silica. Biological agents, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Physical stress, such as noise, heat, cold, vibration, repetitive motion, and ionizing and non-ionizing radiation.
Also, what are the physical agents? The term “Physical Agents” is commonly used to describe a group of sources of energy which have the capability of causing injury or disease to workers. Examples of physical agents include noise, vibration, electromagnetic radiation, electricity and extremes of temperature.
Also asked, what physical agents can cause skin diseases?
Skin Hazards
- Chemical agents are the main cause of occupational skin diseases and disorders.
- Physical agents such as extreme temperatures (hot or cold) and radiation (UV/solar radiation).
- Mechanical trauma includes friction, pressure, abrasions, lacerations and contusions (scrapes, cuts and bruises).
What type of agent is radiation?
Radiation is a form of energy that is present all around us. Different types of radiation exist; some types are more energetic and harmful than others. Radiation comes from man-made sources such as x-ray machines, from the sun and outer space, and from some radioactive materials such as uranium in soil.
15 Related Question Answers Found
Which attributes of a chemical will denote it as a physical hazard?
Physical hazard means a chemical for which there is scientifically valid evidence that it is a combustible liquid, a compressed gas, explosive, flammable, an organic peroxide, an oxidizer, pyrophoric, unstable (reactive) or water-reactive.
What is physical hazard and its examples?
A physical hazard is defined as “A factor within the environment that can harm the body without necessarily touching it. Vibration and noise are examples of physical hazards”. Physical hazards include but aren’t limited to electricity, radiation, pressure, noise, heights and vibration amongst many others.
What are biological agents examples?
Biological agents include bacteria, viruses, fungi, other microorganisms and their associated toxins. They have the ability to adversely affect human health in a variety of ways, ranging from relatively mild, allergic reactions to serious medical conditions—even death.
What is a biological injury agent?
Biological agents are widely found in the natural environment and as a result found in many work sectors. They include bacteria, viruses, fungi (including yeasts and moulds) and internal human parasites (endoparasites). The majority of these agents are harmless however some may have potential to cause ill health.
What is an example of a chemical agent?
Chemical Agents. Nerve agents are chemicals that interfere with the nervous system. Blister agents are chemicals that can damage skin, eyes and lungs. Some examples of blister agents include lewisite, nitrogen mustard, and sulfur mustard.
Is radiation a physical agent?
Physical Agents are sources of energy that may cause injury or disease. Examples include Noise, Vibration, Optical Radiation and Electromagnetic Fields.
What happens when chemicals enter the body?
Once a chemical enters the body, it is often absorbed into the bloodstream and can move throughout the body. The amount absorbed and the rate of absorption depend on the chemical and the route of exposure. This movement of the substance through the bloodstream is called distribution.
What can chemicals do to your skin?
Skin damage as a result of contact with chemicals can reduce your skin’s ability to protect you. Chemical exposures to the skin can cause temporary or permanent health damage. For example, many workers may experience dry, red, cracked skin from contact with water, soaps, gasoline, and certain types of solvents.
What chemicals can be absorbed through the skin?
Many other materials may also be absorbed through the skin in significant amounts. These include mercury, isocyanates, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), acrylates, and pharmaceutical products such as steroids and nicotine. Table 1 lists some chemicals where dermal uptake can significantly increase body burden.
How do you prevent contact dermatitis?
General prevention steps include the following: Avoid irritants and allergens. Wash your skin. Wear protective clothing or gloves. Apply an iron-on patch to cover metal fasteners next to your skin. Apply a barrier cream or gel. Use moisturizer. Take care around pets.
Can be caused by the physical actions of?
No Change to Molecules Also, since this was a physical change, the molecules in the can are still the same molecules. Physical actions, such as changing temperature or pressure, can cause physical changes. No chemical changes took place when you melted the ice. The water molecules are still water molecules.
What are physical carcinogens?
Carcinogens can be chemical or physical agents or radiation. Chemical carcinogens include molecular substances that are found in a variety of different compounds, such as cigarette smoke and some pesticides; physical carcinogens are particles of soft or hard material that are not soluble in water.
What are the 4 types of chemical agents?
Types of Chemical Weapon Agents Nerve agents (such as sarin, soman, cyclohexylsarin, tabun, VX) Vesicating or blistering agents (such as mustards, lewisite) Choking agents or lung toxicants (such as chlorine, phosgene, diphosgene) Cyanides. Incapacitating agents (such as anticholinergic compounds)
What does it mean to have agency?
In social science, agency is defined as the capacity of individuals to act independently and to make their own free choices. By contrast, structure is those factors of influence (such as social class, religion, gender, ethnicity, ability, customs, etc.) that determine or limit an agent and their decisions.
What kinds of ions are produced by ionizing radiation?
It is indirectly ionizing because it does not carry an electrical charge. Ionization is caused by charged particles, which are produced during collisions with atomic nuclei. The third type of ionizing radiation includes gamma and X rays, which are electromagnetic, indirectly ionizing radiation.