SAFETY IN OUR ENVIRONMENT
Environment is the surroundings in which we live.
It includes living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components like land, water and air in which people, animals, plants and other organisms live, e.g. home, school, and national parks.
Safety is the state of being protected from danger, harm or accidents.
Accident is an unpleasant event that happens unexpectedly and causes injuries or death to people or animals and damage to property.
COMMON ACCIDENT AT HOME AND SCHOOL.
-Burning accidents. (Fire, gas, oil-flammable things) fire outbreaks.
-Poisoning (chemicals or overdose or wrong dosage of medicines)
-Snake or insect bite (poisonous types)
-Bone fracture and dislocation. (falls, fighting, accidents, hit by objects)
-Getting hurt by sharp objects (pieces of broken bottles or knife or sharp finger nails).
-Electric shock.Drowning (swimming pool, wells or streams).
-Eye injuries, e.g. dust, sand or smoke.
-Choking caused by food and drinks or swallowing foreign objects
-.Items stuck in nostril (stones or seeds)A pulled elbow.Foreign body in the ear
-Nose bleeding, Suffocation due to inadequate fresh air, e.g. in mines or hide and seek games.
-Children must be protected from fall, burns, poisoning and electric shock and educate early about it.
-Things that may cause accident should be locked at a place in accessible to children, eg: kerosene, fire, medicines, chemicals and sharp objects like knife.
-People should learn road rules and traffic signs.Extinguish all glowing residues before disposal.
-Use the right fuel for the right burners eg: do not use petrol for kerosene burner.
-Cool a burner completely before you refill it with a liquid fuel.
-Electric circuits should be used as per instructions.
-Avoid spraying inflammable near burners, e.g. insecticides or some perfumes.All medicines should be kept in a safe place away from children’s reach.All medicine should be used properly, ie. follow doctors prescriptions.
-Avoid poorly prepared food.
-Wastes should be well and properly handled. All sharp objects should be disposed safely.
-Never keep kerosene, petrol or poisonous substances in a soft drink bottle
-.Adhering to laboratory rules and regulations.
-Wearing overalls, gloves and masks when performing experiment.
-Mopping immediately the water split on the floor to avoid slipping..
-Clearing bushes around the house which can hide snakes and other insects.
-Wash hands after handling chemicals..
-Cover water stored in containers at home..
WAYS OF MAINTAINING SAFETY AND PEACE AT HOME
-.Smoking, drinking alcohols and other risk behaviors should be avoided
-.Furniture and cooking utensils have to be well arranged.
-Food has to be well prepared, served and preserved.
-Decision-making should involve the majority.Assertive (confident) behaviour is essential, i.e. being honest and obedient.
-Each member in the family should fulfill his/her responsibilities.
WASTE DISPOSAL
Waste a refers to things that are no longer need
Everyday people have something they need to get rid of. These unwanted materials we call them waste.
or
Waste is unwanted, worthless or rejected materials eg: materials without use. Waste includes packaging containers, nuclear materials, poisonous industrial waste and sewage.
waste disposal is the ways in which we get rid of waste materials.
or
Waste disposal: Is the ways of eliminating or removing waste from the environment.Why dispose waste:
-waste comes from construction wastes, example. wood, metals, bricks, roofing materials, glass etc.Agricultural wastes, e.g. Herbicides, insecticides, empty containers (bags)Industrial wastes, e.g.: waste water, sludge, metals, and smoke.House wastes, e.g. leftovers, vegetable peelings, sewage, containers, papers, plastic bags, old clothes and old shoes
.
TYPES OF WASTES
Waste can be differentiated according to their physical, chemical or biological characteristics. For our case we see types of waste basing on their physical state.
1.Solid waste
materials that contain less than 70% of water (less than 25% water). e.g. household garbage, residue solids from industries, mining waste, oilfield cuttings such as drill cuttings.
2. Liquid waste: Waste water contains less than 1% solid, e.g. urine, wastewater, used chemicals and liquid industrial waste.
3. Gaseous waste: Include carbon dioxide, sulphur oxides, carbon monoxides, nitrogen dioxides and fluoride gas.
Types (classification) of waste based on recycling.
1. Recycled wastes: These are wastes that can be used to manufacture new products, e.g.: paper, beverage cans, beer bottles, plastic bags, used oils, glass bottles, building materials
.2. Non-recycled waste: These are wastes that can not be used to manufacture new products: paper soiled during cleaning and cotton waste.
CLASSIFICATION OF WASTES
1. Hazardous waste.
i. Ignitability or reactivity: These are common hazardous properties
ii. Leachable toxic components (special waste) like radioactive waste and medical waste
2. Non hazardous waste: Those do not pose immediate threat to human health and environment, e.g.: household garbage
WASTES MATERIALS AND THEIR SOURCES.
| Source | Type | Examples |
| 1.House hold | Non hazardous solid | Paper, glass, cans, plastics, old and broken things, plants like vegetable, fruits and garden wastes. |
| Potentially hazardous solid | Paints, engine oil, car batteries, batteries from watches, radios and mobile phones. | |
| Non hazardous foul water | Water from sinks, washbasins, and baths. | |
| Sewage | Water, faeces and urine | |
| 2.Commercial | Non hazardous solid | Food and parking materials |
| Hazardous solids | Abattoir(slaughter house) waste, food waste | |
| Non hazardous foul water | Water from sinks, washbasins, and baths. | |
| Sewage | Water, faeces and urine | |
| 3.Industrial | Non hazardous solid | Packaging material, waste generated by the manufacturing process, eg. Metal turnings, scrap form pressings. |
| Non hazardous foul water | Water from sinks, washbasins, and baths. | |
| Hazardous foul water | Coolants and lubricants used in manufacturing processes. | |
| Sewage | Water, faeces and urine | |
| 4.Medical | Nan hazardous (non pathogenic) solid waste | Packaging |
| Hazardous (potentially pathogenic) solid waste | Used syringes, soiled dressings | |
| Non hazardous foul water | Water from sinks, washbasins, and baths. | |
| Sewage | Water, faeces and urine | |
| 5.Market & yard waste, & street sweepings | Non hazardous solids | Paper, glass, cans, plastic, old broken or unwanted things, vegetable waste |
There three basic principle that can help us to better our waste.
1. Reducing the amount of waste we produce.e.g we do not have to buy the plastic bags, each time we go to shopping
2. Re-using items instead of throwing them away e.g. we can use the empty margarine to store
sugar.
3.Recycling wastes materials.Some wastes can be changed to other products. eg .broken glass can be melted and used to make new glass bottle
METHOD OF WASTE DISPOSAL
1.Burying.-some form of waste can be buried into the ground.Examples ,Environmental hazardous waste such as batteries, pharmaceuticals and radioactive materials should be separated from other garbage, collected, stored and delivered to a suitable facility in accordance with safety regulation
The following are major ones.
i. Pit latrine
pit latrine is made by digging a hole in the ground. a wooden or concrete platform with a hole over the pit build so that people can use the latrine safely. sewage in the pit are decayed by bacteria.
ii.Tipping and land fills
In urban area the local authorities follow a waste disposal system where each house hold has dustbin for waste.the trucks regularly collect this waste and taking in the dumping sites(tipping)
Landfill is a place where solid waste is buried in the ground .it can be either in
- An open holein the ground where waste is put and later buried.
-a sanitary landfill which is structure build into the groung where the wastes is islotated from the environment using clay or plastic liner.
Incinerating.
To incinerate is to burn something completely destroyed. This process is carried in an incinerator
- It is usually done for hazardous materials such as clinical wastes
-.Do not dispose hazardous products by throwing them in the drain, burning them
- However it important to wear an overall. gloves, mouth mask and gumboots to avoid contamination
2. Recycling
To recycle is to turn waste materials into useful products that can be used again. E.g plastic. glass, paper and rubber items can recycled
Compost heaps are made from layers of vegetables matter such as branches, glass, leaves and sawdust.
-The heap is watered and turn regularly to encourage composition. When is ready the compost is used as manure to enrich farmland
WHY NOT BURN WASTES?
-Some wastes may produce poisonous fumes contributing to air pollution.
-Some wastes may not burn completely hence concentrated in ash.Some may explode.
Burying may result into leaching of hazardous wastes through the soil and contaminate the soil or water.
EFFECTS OF POOR WASTE DISPOSAL
1. May cause toxic health effect e.g: headache,
injury or death.
2. May allow chemicals to leak into the
environment thus causing dangerous chemical reactions, pollution and poisoning.
3. May contaminate soil and water causing
reduction or depletion of some important organisms and some aquatic life.
4. Burning of some poisonous waste materials
may affect ozone layer.
5. It makes the environment ugly and
unattractive (bad smell).
6. May lead to disease causing pathogens like
cholera.
7. May lead to accidents to children, visitors
and community, e.g: broken bottles.
8. It attracts flies, rats and other vermin
which can pass on diseases.
9.Wastes such as bottles,tins and plastic bags degrade the natural beauty of the environment
10.Decomposing waste gives off unpleasant smell.
IMPORTANCE'S OF PROPER WASTE DISPOSAL.
1. Good public health: minimizes spread of
infections like cholera.
- Minimizes accidental injury to children, visitors and public community.
- Minimizes accidental injury to children, visitors and public community.
2. Beauty and attraction
- It provides
aesthetically pleasing atmosphere.
3. It reduces odour and bad smell (reduces air
pollution)
4. It encourages growth and multiplication of
useful organisms and reduces pathogens. This will reduce infection and
diseases.
5. It minimizes contamination of soil and
water with chemicals.
6. It is environmentally friendly. (minimum
hazards/danger to organisms)
7. It reduces air pollution, land pollution
and noise pollution.
8. Economy; collecting and selling recyclable waste.
PROPER WAYS OF DISPOSING WASTES.
1. Dust bin: each house should have a dustbin with a tight-fitting
lid for depositing domestic refuse.
2. Incineration is the combustion of wastes at high
temperatures, e.g. in Hospitals.
3. Dumping rubbish on top of the ground in a specific place.
4.Burying the rubbish in a hole or pit.
5. Recovery: changing waste materials into other categories, e.g.
cow dung into bio gas.
6. Recycling: using waste to manufacture new materials, e.g.
paper, plastic bags.
7. Reduction at use: Reducing waste production, e.g. by buying
more durable, less toxic and less packaging products.
8. Safe waste disposal: safe disposal site with adequate control,
production of less waste and recycling.
9. Working hand in hand with environmental
groups, e.g. educating people on proper ways and their importance.
10. Garden and kitchen organic wastes can be
used for making compost manure or feeding
animals.
11. Sewage system: in case of human faeces and urine we use pit
latrines, chemical closets(is the container with a seat and lid. it has disinfectant in it and must be emptied daily). and
Water Closets (WC).(uses water to flush away the wastes in pipes to a access pool or septic tank).
HOW TO REDUCE WASTES.Water Closets (WC).(uses water to flush away the wastes in pipes to a access pool or septic tank).
1.Use cloth instead of paper to wipe surfaces. For example windows and furniture
2.Invest in a set of cloth or woven shopping bag, compared to plastic or paper bag, they hold more are easier to carry, protect glass jars and bottle better.
3.collect and use plastic containers to stores food.
-They are more durable than plastic bags.
4. Buy rechargeable batteries and battery charge instead of disposable batteries
5.Initiate awareness campaigns in your community on the proper ways of disposing wastes as many people are not aware of the effects of poor waste disposal
6. Use plastics that can be recycle or re-used and buy products made from recycled material
PERSONAL HYGIENE AND GOOD MANNERS
Hygiene: Is the maintenance of healthful practices particular reference to cleanliness. That is personal hygiene and environmental hygiene.
Personal Hygiene:
Is practice of keeping your body, belonging and environment clean in order to maintain good health.
- High standard of
cleanliness is essential to protect diseases and other infections.
PRINCIPLES OF PERSONAL HYGIENE
1. wash your body every day.
1. wash your body every day.
-Take bath at least twice a day and oil your body properly. The body should be
well cleaned to avoid diseases.
2. Hairs:
Keep your hair short and comb.
3. Hands:
Keep your nails short and clean. Wash hands before and after eating, after
visiting toilets or after contact with animals.
4. Oral
hygiene: Brush your teeth after and before bed, after each meal. Do not share
toothbrush. Avoid sugar and sweet as they cause dental caries.
5.Nasal
hygiene: Nose blowing using tissue paper or a piece of cloth, holding hand
infront of the mouth when sneezing or coughing.
6. Clothes:
wear clean and ironed clothes. Change underwear daily. Avoid sharing clothes
like underwear, T-shirts or socks. Change bedding regularly.
7. Shoes;
Wear clean shoes. Change socks daily. Brush your shoes.
8. Physical
exercises; help us to live longer and better.
9. Food;
Eat balance diet.
10. Avoid pre- marital sex: If any use condoms
to avoid STD’s, AIDS and unwanted pregnancies.
Good manners:
Is behaviour that is socially acceptable.or
Is behaviour that is socially acceptable.or
Is a way of behaving that is considered acceptable
in your family, community, culture or country. Assertive behaviour is a good
source of good manners.
PRINCIPLE OF GOOD MANNER
1.Respect: Mutual respect in the community e.g.:
children, parents, teachers, social workers. (Respect yourself and others, i.e.
being mindful of others)
2.Loving all people by considering them as
equal.
3. Tidiness; look smart always and everywhere e.g.:
brush shoes, wear clean and ironed clothes, keep the bedroom neat.
4. Discipline: obey established rules and
regulations of the society, institution or school. Greet each other especially
elders and help them.
5. Good eating habits:
-Avoid talking with food
in the mouth,
-keep your mouth closed whilst chewing, proper time and place of
eating,
-Do not pile food in your plate, do not lean across the table to reach
the food but ask for it, do not criticise the food but compliment it,
-use
serving spoons for serving food not your hands or spoon you eat with, avoid
embarrassing topics that may annoy or disturb others at the table.
6. Good posture: sitting properly in classroom
and homes, walking appropriately.
7. Responsible hard working individual.
8. Avoid risk behaviours: eg; prostitution,
alcoholism, and smoking, local circumcision, female genital mutilation.
9. Everything in order: all objects in the
room or house or surroundings should be put in the right place. Anything that
is not in the right place is a litter (rubbish).
10. Proper dressing: avoid tight and short
dressing which are against our African culture.
11. Use of fundamental phrases like: Thank you,
No thank you, I beg your pardon, Excuse
me please, May I….
ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANLINESS
Is
the proper environmental sanitation, this includes:-
-Clean your surroundings-cutting grass short and sweeping.
-Clean your surroundings-cutting grass short and sweeping.
-Remove all stagnant water near home because it is a
breeding place for insects like mosquitoes.
-Use the toilet in a proper way and keep it clean.
-Prepare your meals in a hygiene way and clean your
utensils properly. (Keep your kitchen clean and in good order)
-All rubbish and litter should be properly disposed.
-Avoid pollutants.
THINGS REQUIRED IN PERSONAL HYGIENE.
1. Soap to wash our bodies and clothes.
THINGS REQUIRED IN PERSONAL HYGIENE.
1. Soap to wash our bodies and clothes.
2. Shampoo to wash our hairs.
3. Tooth paste to kill germs and clean our
teeth
.4. Petroleum jelly: To make the skin healthy,
soft and protected.
5. Deodorant: to decrease odour and sweat
production.
6. Water for general cleanliness of our
bodies, clothes utensils and surroundings ie mopping.
7. Tooth brush to brush our teeth.
8. Nail cutter (razor blade) to cut our nails.
9. Shaving machine for shaving our hairs.
10. Towel: to dry our bodies.
11.Toilet paper: to wipe out wastes.
12. Iron to kill germs.
13. Perfumes: to remove odour and refreshing
the body.
IMPORTANCES OF PERSONAL HYGIENE AND GOOD MANNER
1.To maintain health, i.e. protection from diseases like cholera.
1.To maintain health, i.e. protection from diseases like cholera.
2. Improve personal appearance
3. Increase social acceptance in the society,
i.e. loved and respected.
4. Reduce the chances of malnourishment, e.g.
obesity.
5. Maintain natural body stature.
6. Person will attain development by being
responsible and hard working.
7. Help to avoid risk behaviour .avoid breaking laws, rules, regulations and
guidelines.
9. People will like you
10. People will learn from you
11. You will be accepted in the society.
12. You are more likely to be given a good
position with the community.
13. People will be more willing to help you if
you have a problem.
PUBERTY AND ADOLESCENCE
PUBERTY AND ADOLESCENCE
Puberty: is the stage when children begin to mature.
or the beginning of adolescence. In girls it start at
the age of 9 up to 15 and in boys 11 up to 17. Person is able to reproduce.
Adolescence: is the transitional period between childhood and adulthood.
or period of physical development from childhood
to adulthood. or Is the period when secondary sexual characteristics develop.
-During this time there are physical and psychological changes that occur. Girls
and boys get excited and attracted to the opposite sex.
These are physical changes that develop during puberty
and they distinguish adults from children.
CHANGES IN BOYS AT PUBERTY
1. Voice become deep and heavy.
2. Production of sperms start.
3. Hairs develop on chin, armpits and pubic
areas.
4. Development of muscular body and wider
shoulders and chest.
5. Rapid increase in height and growth.
6. Pimples may appear on the face but later on
disappear.
7. Increase of sexual urge and sexual
relationships.
8. Production of sex hormone, i.e.
testosterone.
9. Get wet dreams
10. Enlargement of reproductive organs, e.g.
testes and penis.
CHANGES IN GIRLS AT PUBERTY
1. Broadening of hips and enlargement of
breasts.
2. Soft and high pitched voice.
3. Pimples may appear on the face and
disappear later on.
4. Monthly discharge of blood through the
vagina (menstruation)
5. Hairs grow in pubic region and armpits.
6. Enlargement of reproductive organs, i.e.
ovaries, vagina (vulva), uterus and pelvic.
7. Body becomes smooth due to deposition of
fat especially on the buttocks.
8. Increase of sexual urge and sexual
relations with opposite sex.
9. Growth rate increases faster than boys.
9. Growth rate increases faster than boys.
10.Production of sex hormones, e.g. oestrogen
and progesterone.
PERSONAL HYGIENE DURING PUBERTY.
Due to these changes in their bodies, boys and girls
should know what is happening to their bodies.
1. To be educated on such changes to promote
health and self-confidence
2. To have self control: ability to say NO to
pre marital sex.
3.Genital organs should be kept clean to
prevent diseases.
4. Take bath daily and wear clean clothes
(especially underwears) to avoid body odour.
5. Pubic hairs be tremmed to prevent it from
collecting germs.
6. Boys: wash bed clothing soiled during wet
dreams.
7. Girls
i. Use clean and good quality
sanitary towel during menstruation.
ii. Change the pads (tampon) at least 3 times a day and change
underwear.
iii. Wash
iv. Wash
8. Wash under wears daily.
GOOD MANNERS DURING PUBERTY.
1.Resist negative peer pressure.Example being encourage to take drugs or to be rebellious
2.Get counselling from a reliable person.E.g from parents.
3.Apologize if you hurt other peoples' feeling.
4. Do not engage in sexual activity before marriage.
5.Get involved in positive extracurricular activities like sports , debating , drama.
Prepared by marco magogwa – 0717775819