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Covid 19 or Corona Virus

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the way we work, introducing new challenges,
health and safety concerns in the workplace. Understanding the hazards associated with the virus and
implementing effective controls is indeed important for ensuring the health and well-being of all the
employees.

What is covid 19 Virus?

Coronaviruses are large family of viruses that can infect animals and humans. These viruses affect the
lungs ranging from common cold to severe disease such as MERS – Middle East Respiratory syndrome
and SARS – severe acute respiratory syndrome.
SARS-CoV-2 is the specific coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, which is a novel virus
identified in the year 2019 December in Wuhan, China.

Symptoms:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Body pain
• Loss of taste
• Sore throat
• Respiratory issues.

The virus is capable of quick transmission through respiratory droplets though cough or sneezes, physical
contact with affected person by hand shakes or through touching the contaminated surface.

Typical controls include:

• Personal hygiene
• Wearing masks
• Maintaining social distance
• Vaccination

Silica

A component of rock commonly encountered in the mining, quarrying, pottery and
construction industries; silica is hazardous by inhalation. When inhaled, respirable crystalline
silica dust is deposited deep in the lungs. Over time it causes scar tissue to form (known as
silicosis - very similar to asbestosis). This progressive disease leads to breathlessness and
chest pain and can prove extremely disabling and fatal (by heart and lung failure).

ENSIGN| Unit IG2 – Element 7 – Chemical and Biological 57
Agents