Hazardous exposures are everywhere and works in every profession or every occupation. For example, a gardener who uses a hedge trimmer is exposed to noise, vibration, and slippage of the cutting edge and cut himself. An electrician is exposed to electric shock as a hazard. A plumber for example is exposed to hot water splash or toxic fumes and other chemicals in the workplace; a doctor is exposed to biological agents and infectious agents that get transmitted from the patients; a surgeon is exposed to hot water in the operation room theatre and sharp objects. A teacher in a school is exposed to psychosocial stress; a senior management official in a high profile company is exposed to psychological stresses of his daily work. The purpose of this lecture is to introduce the concepts of occupational health and safety.

Bernardino Ramazzini is reputed to introduce the question "what do you do for a living" in medical practice.  the evaluation of patients and in medical practice. The first definitive link between occupation and cancer was by Sir Percival Pott when he discovered that those who worked as chimney sweeps had a high risk of scrotal cancer.

Occupational epidemiology is used to study the health effects of workers in occupational settings. The main methods used in occupational epidemiology are surveillance, cross-sectional studies, prospective and retrospective cohort studies, and case control studies. Besides, many organisations also use intervention research to identify what works best in occupational settings to prevent illnesses and promote health of workers.

Walk in the corridor of the ground floor of the Wheki building. You need to identify five hazards that can impact students or staff in the university. Can you identify four workplace hazard in this floor where we have our class? Start with this classroom and identify major sources of potential hazards. Also try to identify a  material safety data sheet anywhere in this building or other safety related advertisement or announcement posted anywhere in this building. Take about five minutes to go about this floor of the buildng and either take a hoto photo or sketch such a notice or hazard that you note. We will copare th compare the photos when you return.