According to abbreviationfinder.org, the condition (from the Latin condio) is linked to the property or nature of things. The concept can be used to name the state or situation in which something is. The insecurity on the other hand, is the lack of security. This last term is defined as that which is free from danger, risk or damage.

The unsafe condition, therefore, is the state of something that does not provide security or that poses a danger to people. The notion is used in the workplace to name the physical and material conditions of a facility that can cause an accident to workers.

Unsafe condition in the work environment

Unsafe conditions arise in a work environment when those responsible act negligently and the facilities do not have the maintenance and care they require. A slippery floor can be an unsafe working condition (since a person can fall while walking), although it is easy to fix.

Other unsafe conditions, on the other hand, are more complex and pose a risk to life (such as lack of adequate clothing to avoid accidents, absence of safety devices, lack of signaling systems, obstruction of exit routes, etc.).

Accident risk

It is important to note that the unsafe condition implies a fairly high chance of an accident occurring. A factor that increases the risk of an accident taking place is the permanence of a certain unsafe condition over time.

A bad cable can cause a short circuit at any time: the more days it is in use without a solution, the more likely it is that the short circuit will occur.

Examples of unsafe condition

Here are some of the most common unsafe conditions, many of which are often looked down upon for lack of information:

Mess and dirt

The development of certain activities leads to the spillage of liquid substances that can be slippery, or of powders that can cause irritation if they come into contact with the body; Although to some extent it is impossible to maintain hygiene in some work spaces, there is always a suitable organization to minimize the risks of accidents. The same occurs with order, especially when using sharp tools or those that pose a danger to employees, such as glass objects, polluting material and glues.

Obstruction of corridors, doors and stairs

In this case, the condition itself does not pose a direct hazard, but represents the risk of preventing employees from leaving in the event of fire, collapse or catastrophe. On the other hand, it can also cause accidents if someone tries to cross obstructed areas without taking the necessary precautions.

Stairs without handrails

Similar to the previous condition, the lack of handrails on a staircase is not always a cause of accidents. However, the most diverse situations can lead to dangerous falls due to this cause; for example: being halfway and suffering a decompensation and having no way to support to avoid falling, going up or down the stairs with boxes or folders that limit mobility and suddenly tripping, or slipping, perhaps due to another unsafe condition, like being a wet floor without signage.

Stuffiness

This is one of the most common unsafe conditions, since when a person is forced to do a job, driven by the need for an economic income, he uses all his energy, demands more from his body than is recommended, and does not repair in certain characteristics of the work environment that can harm your body, such as inhaling dangerous but apparently harmless substances.

Not only in laboratories is it necessary to adequately ventilate rooms; Accessible and common environments such as hairdressers, for example, tend to concentrate a large amount of vapors and substances harmful to health, which come from products such as dyes and bleaches. In these cases, ventilation is also essential.