International
Labour Organization
Your health and safety at work
YOUR BODY AT WORK
Exercise: Hazards and your health
| Question: | If you often see your co--worker sneezing at work, what might you suspect? What steps might you take to follow up on your questions? What actions could you take? |
| Answer: | You might suspect she has a cold or allergy or that there is an irritant at work that she is reacting to. You can ask your co--worker if she has a cold or allergy. Then ask if sneezing only occurs when she comes to work and if she has any other symptoms, e.g. skin rash, trouble breathing, etc. If the problem only occurs at work, then you could follow through together to investigate what she is working with, what control measures and precautions are indicated (look at hazard data sheets, chemical labels, ask the employer, health and safety representative, chemical manufacturer, etc. for information for the particular substances), what levels the worker is exposed to, and what are the “safe levels” of those substances. |