HAZARDS AND SAFETY

ASSOCIATED
WITH TECHNOLOGY

Made by
KHUSHAL CHOPRA

Ensuring the safe use of health technology

requires
identifying possible sources of danger or
difficulty
involving medical devices and systems and
taking
steps to minimize the likelihood that adverse
events will occur.
With the vast array of technologies
in use at a modern healthcare facility, however,
deciding where to commit limited resources is a
continual challenge.

A hazard originating from technological or industrial

conditions, including accidents, dangerous procedures,
infrastructure failures or specific human activities, that
may cause loss of life, injury, illness or other health
impacts, property damage, loss of livelihoods and services,
social and economic disruption, or environmental damage.
Examples of technological hazards include industrial
pollution, nuclear radiation, toxic wastes, dam failures,
transport accidents, factory explosions, fires, and chemical
spills. Technological hazards also may arise directly as a
result of the impacts of a natural hazard event.

1. HEALTH HAZARDS
HOSPITALS DEPEND ON COUNTLESS MEDICAL DEVICES AND SYSTEMS WHEN DIAGNOSING,
TREATING, AND
MONITORING PATIENTS. OVERALL, THE USE OF HEALTH TECHNOLOGY HAS LED TO SAFER, MORE
RELIABLE CARE. BUT FROM TIME TO TIME, TECHNOLOGY ACTUALLY CAUSES HARM. AS YOU GO
ABOUT PLANNING
YOUR SAFETY INITIATIVES, ITS VITAL TO KNOW WHICH
RISKS TO TACKLE FIRST. SOME THEM INCLUDE --a) Inadequate reprocessing of endoscopes
and surgical equipments
b) Neglecting change management for
networked devices and systems
c) Risks to pediatric patients from adult
technologies
d)Robotic surgery complications due to
insufficient training

2. OTHER PROBLEMS RELATED TO

MOBILES AND COMPUTERS
Acne caused by cell phones. Scrubbing down before bed may not be
enough to keep pesky acne at bay. Cell phones can be covered in bacteria,
causing oils to collect when placed against the face. The result?
Unwanted pimples on cheeks and chins!
Radiation from cell phones. Cell phones emit some radiation that can be
absorbed by the user, it has become a slight concern as more and more
people are using cellular devices.
Cell phones and car accidents. Chatting on the phone while driving is
more than just distracting it can actually reduce activity in the brain
and draw our focus away from the road.

 Computers causing wrist pain. Carpel tunnel, one cause of wrist pain, can
occur from excessive typing.
Computers causing back and neck pain. It doesnt stop at the wrist. A
recent study found leaning in to read the small print on a tablet screen
can strain the neck . And other research suggests hunching over that
laptop (or desktop!) can cause pain in the neck and back .
Laptop headaches. Hangover headaches are so last year. Straining eyes
by staring at the computer screen for too long can cause headaches and
blurred vision
Hearing loss from headphones. Listen up and turn the music down.
Blasting those tunes through our headphones can lead to hearing
impairment, so keep the noise at a safe listening level around 80
decibels .

HISTORY OF
TECHNOLOGICAL HAZARDS
Industrial hazards
Industrial disastersoccur in a commercial context, such asmining accidents.
They often have anenvironmental impact. TheBhopal disasteris the world's
worst industrial disaster to date, and theChernobyl disasteris regarded the
worst nuclear accident in history.
Structural collapse
Structural collapsesare often caused by engineering failures. Bridge failures
may be caused in several ways, such as under-design (as in theTay Bridge
disaster), by corrosion attack (such as in theSilver Bridgecollapse), or by
aerodynamic flutter of the deck (as inGalloping Gertie, theoriginal Tacoma
Narrows Bridge).
Power outage
A power outage is an interruption of normal sources of electrical power.
Short-term power outages (up to a few hours) are common and have minor
adverse effect, since most businesses and health facilities are prepared to
deal with them. Extended power outages, however, can disrupt personal and
business activities as well as medical and rescue services, leading to
business losses and medical emergencies

 Fire
Bush fires, forest fires, and mine fires are generally started
bylightning, but also by human negligence orarson. They
can burn thousands of square kilometers. If a fire intensifies
enough to produce its own winds and "weather", it will form
into afirestorm. A good example of a mine fire is the one
nearCentralia, Pennsylvania. Started in 1962, it ruined the
town and continues to burn today. Some of the biggest cityrelated fires are TheGreat Chicago Fire, ThePeshtigo
Fire(both of 1871) and theGreat Fire of Londonin 1666.
Hazardous materials[edit]

When nuclear weapons are detonated or nuclear

containment systems are otherwise compromised,
airborne radioactive particles (nuclear fallout) can scatter
and irradiate large areas.

TH
A
YO NK
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