Human activities are carried out in working conditions, which include certain factors. In the process, various environmental conditions can affect the body, which can change the state of health and damage the health of the offspring. In order to avoid exposure to such hazardous factors of the working environment, there is a hygiene standard. It spells out in detail the provisions characterizing the various hazard classes and norms of working conditions.
Hygienic standards for working conditions. What is it?
The maximum permissible level (MPE) and the maximum permissible coefficient (MPC) determine the level of harmfulness of factors in the working environment for a period of 8 hours a working day for a forty-hour working week. They are included in the hygienic standards of working conditions. Normal indicators should not contribute to the occurrence of any disease, as well as cause deviations in the state of health of both the employee and his offspring in the subsequent life periods. In some cases, even with hygiene standards, some hypersensitive people may experience disturbances.
Hygienic and sanitary-hygienic standards are established taking into account the 8 hour working day. If the shift is longer, the possibility of work is coordinated taking into account the health indications of workers. The data of periodic medical examinations and other examinations are checked, and complaints of employees are taken into account.
Sanitary standards indicate maximum permissible concentrations, doses of biological and chemical harmful substances, their effects on the body. Sanitary protection zones are determined , as well as the maximum tolerance for radiation exposure. Such indicators are designed to ensure the epidemiological well-being of the entire population; they are developed by scientifically based methods.
Labor activity
The labor activity of people depends on implements and objects of labor, the proper organization of jobs, working capacity, as well as on factors of the production sphere developed by the hygienic standard.
Efficiency is a value indicating the functionality of the employee, characterized by the quantity and quality of the work performed over a certain period of time.
An important element of improving performance includes improving skills and knowledge as a result of training.
In the efficiency of the labor process, an important role is played by the correct layout, location of the workplace, freedom of movement, comfortable posture. Equipment must meet the requirements of engineering psychology and ergonomics. This reduces fatigue, the risk of occupational diseases is reduced.
The vital activity and working capacity of the body is possible with the correct alternation of working periods, sleep and rest of a person.
It is recommended to resort to the services of psychological relief rooms, relaxation rooms to relieve psychological and nervous tension.
Optimal working conditions
Based on the hygienic standard, working conditions can be divided into four main classes:
- optimal conditions (1 class);
- permissible conditions (2 class);
- harmful conditions (3 class);
- dangerous (and extreme) conditions (4th grade).
If, in fact, the values of harmful factors fit into the limits of permissible and optimal values, and the working conditions are in accordance with hygienic requirements, then they are assigned to the first or second class.
Under optimal conditions, labor productivity is maximum, the stress of the human body is minimal. Optimum standards are established for factors of the process of labor activity and for microclimate parameters. For other factors, such working conditions should be applied that the safety level should not be exceeded.
Allowed Conditions
Permissible conditions of the labor process are those levels of environmental factors that should not exceed those established in the hygiene standard.
The working functions of the body should be fully restored after rest by the beginning of a new shift. Environmental factors should not adversely affect human health even in the long term, as well as the health of his offspring. The permissible class of conditions must fully comply with the standards and safety of working conditions.
Harmful and extreme conditions
Sanitary regulations and hygiene standards highlight hazardous working conditions. They are characterized by harmful factors of production. They exceed the requirements of the standards, have an adverse effect on the body, as well as on distant offspring.
Extreme conditions include those in which during the entire shift (or some part of it), harmful production factors pose a threat to the life of the worker. There are high risks of acute, severe forms of occupational lesions.
Degree of harmfulness
Hygienic standards for the quality of labor divide the class (3) of harmful working conditions into several degrees:
- 1 degree (3.1). These conditions characterize deviations of the level of harmful factors from the hygienic standard, causing functional changes. They are usually restored over a longer period than at the beginning of a new shift. There is a risk of damage to health through contact with harmful factors.
- 2 degree (3.2). Harmful factors of this level cause such functional changes that often lead to conditional occupational morbidity. It may manifest its level of disability (temporarily). After prolonged exposure to harmful factors, often after 15 years, occupational diseases occur, their mild forms, the initial stages appear.
- 3 degree (3.3). Harmful working conditions leading to the development of mild to moderate severity of occupational diseases with loss of professional performance. There is a development of chronic production-related pathologies.
- 4 degree (3.4). Harmful conditions leading to severe forms of occupational diseases that characterize the loss of general disability. The number of chronic diseases is increasing, their level with a temporary loss of working capacity.
Specialized research laboratories that have the appropriate accreditation for certification of working conditions of workplaces are engaged in assigning certain working conditions to a class, as well as the degree of harmfulness.
Harmful factors
Sanitary norms, rules and hygienic standards must contain a list of harmful factors. These include factors of the labor process, as well as the environment that can cause professional pathologies, temporary, persistent decline in performance. Under their influence, the frequency of infectious and somatic diseases increases, the health of the offspring is possible. Harmful factors include:
- chemical factors, aerosols, most often fibrinogenic effects;
- noise at the workplace (ultrasound, vibration, infrasound);
- biological factors (protein preparations, microspores, pathogens);
- microclimate in the production room (hygienic standards of air are too high or too low, humidity and air movement, thermal radiation);
- radiation and non-ionizing electromagnetic field (electrostatic field, electric field of industrial frequency, alternating magnetic field, radio frequency fields);
- radiation ionizing radiation;
- light environment (artificial and natural lighting);
- tension and severity of work (dynamic physical activity, lifting weights, work position, static load, displacement, body tilts).
Depending on how long a particular production characteristic has an impact, it can become hazardous.
Class attitude
Sanitary standards and hygiene standards imply normal working conditions, which belong to the 1st or 2nd class. If the stipulated norms are exceeded, then, depending on the size, in accordance with the prescribed provisions for individual factors or for their combination, working conditions can belong to one of the degrees of the 3rd class (harmful conditions) or to the 4th class (hazardous conditions).
If a single substance immediately contains several harmful specific effects (allergen, carcinogen and others), a higher degree of hazard class is assigned to working conditions.
To establish the class of conditions, the excess of the maximum permissible concentration and maximum permissible concentration is recorded during one shift if the picture is typical for the production process. If hygiene standards (GH) are exceeded in episodic nature (week, month) or have a picture that is not characteristic of the production process, then the assessment is given in agreement with the federal services.
In hazardous (extreme) working conditions of the 4th class, work is prohibited. The exceptions are disasters, emergency response, and emergency prevention activities. At the same time, work is carried out in special protective suits, subject to strict safety regimes and work regulations.
Risk groups
High levels of occupational risk include those categories of workers who are exposed to factors that exceed hygiene standards of class 3.3. Work in such conditions increases the risk of occupational diseases, the occurrence of severe forms. Lists 1 and 2 of this group include most professions in non-ferrous and ferrous metallurgy, mining enterprises, and others. These lists are approved by Committee Resolution No. 10 of 01/26/1991.
Ultra-high-risk categories include workers in industries where extreme conditions can cause a sharp, sudden deterioration in health. This includes coke and metallurgical production, as well as areas of activity in an unusual environment for humans (in the air, under water, underground, in space).
Hazardous production facilities
The Government has established a Register in which hazardous (according to working conditions) production facilities are registered. An activity is recognized as a source of danger if it includes two signs: the probability of harm to others, the inability of a person to fully control.
Hazardous objects themselves serve as a source of possible danger, both for others and for workers. Most often this includes industrial organizations that use high-voltage electricity, nuclear energy. This includes the construction, operation of vehicles and some other areas of activity.
Hygienic labor assessment
Hygienic assessment of labor is carried out in accordance with the Guide, the main objectives are:
- monitoring the state of working conditions, compliance with hygiene standards;
- identifying priorities in conducting professional activities, evaluating their effectiveness;
- at the organization level, the creation of a data bank on working conditions;
- analysis of the relationship of the state of health of the employee with his working conditions; special examinations; establishing diagnosis;
- investigation of occupational diseases;
- assessment of occupational health risks for workers.
If any violations of hygiene standards are identified, the employer must develop a set of measures to improve working conditions. Hazards should be eliminated or reduced to a safe limit whenever possible.