Ground electrical equipment. Keep a safe distance from overhead power lines. Locate underground utility wires before digging. Find shelter during rainstorms when there is lightning and thunder. Physical agents include heat and cold, noise, radiation, electricity and other dangers.
Physical agents can occur naturally or can be produced in the workplace.
For example, heat is a physical agent that is the result of the weather and is also produced in kitchens and laundries. Protecting workers from physical agents requires the same process as other hazards. First, the physical agent and its health effects must be identified. Next, working conditions must be changed to prevent exposure to the hazards. This chapter describes how to protect workers from common physical agents.