EGE 3103

Engineers and Society

Health, Safety & Environment –

Occupational Health & Safety
Toxic Material & Industrial Diseases
(Lecture 12)
PowerPoint® Slides
by Ir Kua
 LEARNING OBJECTIVES

LEARNING OBJECTIVE

 Able to understand the Environment, Occupational, Health and Safety

aspects / concerns.

 to have knowledge in the obligations, roles and professional conduct of

an engineer stipulated by the professional body in a modern society.

 To have a basic awareness of the legal, environmental and socio-

economic factors (economic, ethics, etc.) which have a significant
impact on society.
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 Lecture 12

LEARNING OUTCOME

 Able to appreciate the responsibilities of

environmental protection and the duties of
securing health and safety in the workplace.

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 Lecture 12

Health and Safety in the workplace

12.1 Occupational Heath & Safety

12.2 Toxic Material & Industrial Diseases

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 12.1 Occupational Health & Safety
 the promotion and maintenance of the highest
degree of physical, mental and social well-being
of workers in all occupations;
 the prevention against adverse effects on
health caused by working conditions;
 the adaptation of work to humans.
Occupational health and safety
encompasses the social, mental and
physical well-being of workers, that is the
“whole person”.
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 12.1 Occupational Health & Safety

Under the OSH law, employers have a

responsibility to provide a safe
workplace.
 Provide a workplace free from serious
recognized hazards and comply with
OSHA standards
 Through procedures, communication &
training so that employees follow safety
and health requirements.
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 12.1 Occupational Health & Safety

Employee’s Responsibilities to provide a

safe workplace.

 Carry out assigned tasks and duties in a

safe manner
 Use the correct tools/equipment for the
work
 Cooperate with their employer with regard
to safety, health and welfare at work.
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 12.1 Occupational Health & Safety

Engineer’s duties to provide a safe

workplace.
 Securing the health, safety and welfare of
persons at work
 Protecting others against risks to health or
safety in connection with the activities of
persons at work
 Controlling the keeping and use and preventing
the unlawful acquisition, possession and use of
dangerous substances
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 12.1 Occupational Health & Safety

Engineer’s duties to provide a safe

workplace.
 Controlling certain emissions into the
atmosphere.
 Environmental management intellectual
property
 Design liability

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 12.2 Toxic materials and industrial diseases

What are chemical hazards and toxic

substances?
Chemical hazards and toxic substances pose a
wide range of health hazards (such as irritation,
sensitization, and carcinogenicity) and physical
hazards (such as flammability, corrosion, and
reactivity).

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 Toxic materials and industrial diseases
Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring minerals that are
resistant to heat and corrosion.

Asbestos has been used in products, such as insulation for

pipes (steam lines for example), floor tiles, building materials,
and in vehicle brakes and clutches.

Industries with high usage of asbestos include:

1. Construction

2. Automotive

3. Ship repair
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 Asbestos

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 Asbestos

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 Asbestos a cause of mesothelioma
Breathing asbestos fibers can cause a buildup of scar-like tissue
in the lungs called asbestosis and result in loss of lung function.
It is also the cause of mesothelioma, a lung cancer.

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 Toxic materials and industrial diseases

Silica is a naturally occurring mineral in rock and soil.

Airborne silica is present in industries including construction,

mining, foundry work, glass, concrete manufacturing,
painting, pottery, and stone crushing.

When inhaled, silica dust can cause silicosis, cancer and

increases the risk of Tuberculosis (TB) infection.

Silicosis (particularly the acute form) is characterized

by shortness of breath, cough, fever, and cyanosis (bluish skin).
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 Silica a cause of silicosis
Silicosis is the most common occupational lung disease
worldwide.
From 1991 to 1995, China reported more than 24,000
deaths due to silicosis each year.[
Miner’s lungs with tuberculosis and silicosis.

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 Toxic materials and industrial diseases

Heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and

chromium, are harmful to people, animals and plants, even in very
small amounts.

Heavy metals are released by many industries, eg. oil drilling

and refining & mining.

Heavy metal poisoning can also cause damage to the

kidneys and the reproductive system, and other serious
long term health problems.

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 Heavy Metals

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 Toxic materials and industrial diseases

Radiation is an invisible form of energy. Some radiation,

such as sunlight, is good for us.

But some radiation, from heavy metals such as uranium

causes radiation poisoning, cancers, skin diseases, and
birth defects.
Radioactive materials poison the land and water for
many generations.

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 Case Study : Asian Rare Earth Sdn Bhd (ARE)
1979 : The Asian Rare Earth Sdn Bhd (ARE) is incorporated to
extract yttrium (a rare earth) from monazite. Major shareholders
are: Mitsubishi, Beh Minerals &Tabung Haji
11 July 1982: ARE factory begins operations at 7.2 km Jalan
Lahat in Bukit Merah New Village.
9 December 1984: More than 1,500 residents in Papan stage a
one-day hunger strike to protest against the government's
decision to go ahead with the plan to locate the dump in Papan.
Bukit Merah residents bring in a Japanese radiation and genetics
expert, Professor Sadao Ichikawa, to measure radiation levels.
Levels there dangerously high, the highest at 800 times above the
permissible level.
19 January 1994: ARE announced the closure of its Bukit Merah
plant.
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Case Study : Asian Rare Earth Sdn Bhd (ARE)
1985 – 1993 A series of tussles in courts between residents and
ARE at Supreme and High Court.

19 January 1994: ARE announced the closure of its Bukit Merah

plant.

March 2011 : The New York Times reported that as many as

2,500 workers are rushing to complete a US$230 million plant in
Gebeng, near Kuantan, that will refine slightly radioactive ore from
Australia.

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New York Times : 9 March 2011

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New York Times : 9 March 2011

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New York Times : 9 March 2011

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Case Study : Asian Rare Earth Sdn Bhd (ARE)

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Case Study : Asian Rare Earth Sdn Bhd (ARE)

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Case Study : Asian Rare Earth Sdn Bhd (ARE)
Rare earth metal is one of a set of seventeen chemical elements
in the periodic table, specifically the 15 lanthanides plus scandium
and yttrium.

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