Topic > Biological, chemical and physical hazards

IndexBiohazardTeratogenCarcinogenMutagenChemical hazardPhysical hazardBiological hazardA biological hazard is a hazard that can cause harm to a human being or a living organism. These dangers can range from microorganisms, viruses or toxins. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayTeratogenA teratogen is anything that can cause a problem in an embryo. It could also cause the pregnancy to end completely. Alcohol is a known teratogen. It can cause abnormalities in the baby and stunt his growth. It can also cause mental problems and retardation. Another teratogen is drugs such as cocaine or marijuana. These drugs can cause brain problems and even cause a gap in the skull/brain or can cause addiction in the child without trying the drug. A final example could be smoking by pregnant women. Nicotine is very lethal during pregnancy as it can cause breathing problems and suffocation and even death of the fetus. It could also directly lead to low birth weight and health problems in the baby's future. Carcinogen A carcinogen is a factor that will eventually give you cancer. An example are pesticides against insects which can cause lymphoma or leukemia in subjects exposed for a long time. Another example is the air full of carcinogenic substances that you would breathe every day. A final example of a carcinogenic substance is cigarettes as they contain many chemicals such as; methane, methanol, hexamine, stearic acid, arsenic and many others. All of these are dangerous as they are all chemicals that are harmful to the health of a human being. All of these can lead to cancer, especially lung cancer. Mutagen A mutagen is anything that causes a mutation. A big problem is solar UV radiation; this is with us when we go out when the sun shines. The problem with UV rays is that they mainly damage the skin and the cells within it. It may also cause eye problems and the cornea will be burned, which will lead to cataracts, which is more commonly seen in the elderly. Another mutagen is to undergo too many X-rays as this will cause the cells to mutate and cause cancer. If exposed too long this will happen, so it's best not to have a lot of it in a period of time. One last thing is if you are exposed to a large amount of radiation. This could be where you work or where you travel. Nuclear power plant workers must ensure that they do not work too hard in the plant and must wear additional protective clothing so that they are not heavily exposed. Bosses make sure to check each worker to see how much they have been exposed to since the more you have been exposed to, the more dangerous it is to your health. Chemical Hazard A chemical hazard is a hazard that can be caused by chemicals in the environment. in the air and on workplace surfaces. It can cause short- or long-term health problems. Some chemicals can be detergents, disinfectants, compressed gases and drugs. Effects may be difficulty breathing or skin irritation, flammability, explosiveness or environmental effects. A worker in the workplace can be affected by inhaling dangerous fumes, by having chemicals on the skin or eyes, by ingesting food that contained a chemical, and by being exposed to a needle on the skin that was injected accidentally. If irritants or toxic chemicals are inhaled, the worker may experience respiratory irritation, headache or dizziness. A problem with medications, such as Xanax.