Occupational Safety Poster Competition - the 29^th edition (2020):     Biohazards today

Central Institute for Labour Protection - Research Institute in Poland organises Occupational Safety Poster Competition every year. This year we decided that the theme of the 29th edition of the Occupational Safety Poster Competition will be "Biohazards today".

COMPETITION RESULTS

Three main prizes and five distinctions were awarded in the competition.

 MAIN PRIZES:

1st prize Eugeniusz Skorwider	2nd prize Antonina Jasztal	3rd prize Przemysław Paliwoda
DISTINCTIONS:
Anna Bielnik	Katarzyna Wojtuń	Karolina Glanowska
Karolina Glanowska	Marcin Grabia

POSTER CATALOGUE  

Topic of the 29th edition of the Occupational Safety Poster Competition: Biohazards today

In today’s world new threats to human existence have emerged. Due to the growing globalisation and increasing mobility of societies, the beginning of the 21st century has been marked with a clear evolution of risks. From global hazards such as natural disasters through threats to social order (terrorist attacks) to harmful chemical or biological agents. The latter, until now linked mainly to certain professions, have recently taken on a new and broader meaning. While occuring in the working and living environment, they adversely affect not only individuals but also entire institutions and countries, leading to general health crises, however also economic ones.

Biological risk factors include not only viruses, bacteria, fungi or parasites, but also related substances of inflammatory, allergenic and toxic nature, which are the main cause of ilnesses.

Closed non-production premises, i.e. modern office buildings and residential houses so numerous in the modern world, are also an important area of exposure to harmful biological agents. Increasingly widespread use of mechanical ventilation or air conditioning may lead to the development of air pollutants within their systems, mainly biological ones (e.g. mites, moulds, fungi, bacteria) that are dangerous to human health. As a result, people working in such “unhealthy buildings” may complain about: fatigue, nausea, pains and dizziness, reduced attentiveness, as well as irritation of the mucous membranes of eyes, nose and throat.

Occupations potentially exposed to harmful biological agents have so far been primarily health care workers and farmers. However, the experience of the beginning of 2020 has shown that modern biological threats have a much wider impact, affecting practically all professions in a globalised world.

Occupational biological hazards are, therefore, a very important, although still underestimated, challenge to occupational medicine and public health. Thus, it is necessary to draw public attention to the risks arising from daily, frequent contact with biological agents and the need to protect against them.

The competition was addressed to artists and students of art colleges in Poland and abroad. Designs in electronic form were e-mailed to: maols@ciop.pl  by 22 June 2020.

More information about this edition in competition regulations