An Understanding of Science Can Lead to a Better Understanding of Occupational Health and Safety.
An introduction to Occupational Health and Safety
In the first six months of 2012, the National Statistics Office reported that 1,482 workers suffered work related injuries in Malta, five of which resulted in death. (National Statistics Office, 2012) Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) aims at protecting the physical, social and psychological wellbeing of people from illness resulting from the materials, processes or procedures used in their work. (Coppеe, 2005). So how does an understanding of science lead to a better understanding of OHS?
What is Science?
According to Oxford’s dictionary, “science encompasses the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world…” (Oxford Dictionaries, 2006) Everything we hear, see, smell, taste, and touch involves intricate series of chemical reactions and interactions in our body; not to mention that we owe our very existence to a multitude of chemical reactions. In a nutshell, chemistry is the scientific study of matter and the changes it can undergo. (Brady & Senese, 2007)
The Chemical Aspect
Although there are countless types of matter all around us, this complexity is composed of various combinations of 118 elements, systematically organised in what is called a periodic table depending on common properties, such as number of electrons in the outer shell and the elements’ amount of shells. (Puddephatt & Monaghan, 1986) The reactivity of an element depends directly on the completeness of its outer electron shell. For example, if an element in the far right column, known as noble gases, has an atomic mass of 10, split in 2 electrons in the inner and 8 in the outer shell, this makes it complete and thus non-reactive. However, if we have elements that have an incomplete outer shell, such as in group 1 and 7 we know that these are highly reactive because they need to lose or gain an electron to reach a stable state. (Fischer & Peters, 1970) Elements and chemical reactions are not confined to a
In the first six months of 2012, the National Statistics Office reported that 1,482 workers suffered work related injuries in Malta, five of which resulted in death. (National Statistics Office, 2012) Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) aims at protecting the physical, social and psychological wellbeing of people from illness resulting from the materials, processes or procedures used in their work. (Coppеe, 2005). So how does an understanding of science lead to a better understanding of OHS?
What is Science?
According to Oxford’s dictionary, “science encompasses the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world…” (Oxford Dictionaries, 2006) Everything we hear, see, smell, taste, and touch involves intricate series of chemical reactions and interactions in our body; not to mention that we owe our very existence to a multitude of chemical reactions. In a nutshell, chemistry is the scientific study of matter and the changes it can undergo. (Brady & Senese, 2007)
The Chemical Aspect
Although there are countless types of matter all around us, this complexity is composed of various combinations of 118 elements, systematically organised in what is called a periodic table depending on common properties, such as number of electrons in the outer shell and the elements’ amount of shells. (Puddephatt & Monaghan, 1986) The reactivity of an element depends directly on the completeness of its outer electron shell. For example, if an element in the far right column, known as noble gases, has an atomic mass of 10, split in 2 electrons in the inner and 8 in the outer shell, this makes it complete and thus non-reactive. However, if we have elements that have an incomplete outer shell, such as in group 1 and 7 we know that these are highly reactive because they need to lose or gain an electron to reach a stable state. (Fischer & Peters, 1970) Elements and chemical reactions are not confined to a
References: Brady, J. E., & Senese, F. (2007). Chemistry: The Study of Matter and Its Changes. Hoboken: Wiley. British Society for Cell Biology. (2012). Why cell biology is so important? Retrieved November 20, 2012, from British Society for Cell Biology: http://www.bscb.org/?url=softcell/whysoimportant Coppеe, G Dzhokic, G., Jovchevska, J., & Dika, A. (2008). Electrical Injuries: Etiology, Pathophysiology and Mechanism of Injury. Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences, 54-58. Edmonds, D. T. (2001). Electricity and Magnetism in Biological Systems. New York: Oxford University Press. Elmbridge Borough Council. (2012). Health & Safety - Electricity at Work. Retrieved November 21, 2012, from Elmbridge Borough Council: http://www.elmbridge.gov.uk/envhealth/safety/elec.htm Fischer, R Health and Safety Executive. (2007). Electricity at Work. London: Crown. Hudson Tiner, J. (2006). Exploring the World of Physics: From Simple Machines To Nuclear Energy. New York: Master Books. Hughes, P., & Ferret, E. (2011). Introduction to Health and Safety at Work. Waltham: Elsevier. Husin, S. N., Mohamad, A. B., Abdullah, S. R., & Anuar, N. (2012). Implementation of Chemical Health Risk Assessment in Teaching Laboratories. Asian Social Science, 184. National Statistics Office. (2012). Accidents at work Q1,Q2 2012. Valletta: National Statistics Office. Oxford Dictionaries. (2006). Oxford Dictionary of English. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Prichard, F. E., & Lawn, R. E. (2003). Measurement of pH. London: Royal Society of Chemistry. Puddephatt, R. J., & Monaghan, P. K. (1986). The periodic table of the elements. Oxford: Oxford Science. Rhee, S., & Goldstein, M. H. (2009). Acid and Alkali Burns. In M. Yanoff, & J. S. Duker, Ophthalmology (pp. 348-350). Mosby Elsevier. Shaha, A. (2008). Why is science important? Retrieved November 28, 2012, from Why Science?: www.whyscience.co.uk United Nations Economic Commision for Europe Walker, D. (2007). Acids and Alkalis. London: Evans Brothers Ltd.