Carcinogens are agents that cause cancer. There is no totally safe level of exposure to something that causes cancer. Reproductive effects Both men and women can be affected by reproductive hazards at work. Reproductive hazards cause miscarriages and birth defects. Health hazards generally cause illnesses.
Safety hazards cause injuries.
The way an agent enters your body also can make a difference in what happens to you. For example, breathing asbestos fibers causes cancer or other harm to the lungs. Swallowing asbestos fibers can cause damage in the stomach, colon or other digestive organs. There are four main ways that harmful agents can enter your body. You can breathe in chemicals, some that you cannot even see or smell.