1. OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE
Is your company immune?

2. As a staffing company representative, you will need to know…
The 3 W’s
As a staffing company representative, you will need to know…
What are the most common work-related diseases?
Which jobs have the highest risk?
What are the job tasks or conditions that put the workers at risk?

3. Types Of Occupational Diseases
Occupational Hearing Loss
Skin Diseases
Occupational Lung Diseases
Occupational Blood Disorders and Diseases

4. Occupational Hearing Loss
Definition
Total or partial inability to hear sound in one or both ears as a result of one’s occupation.

5. Who is at Risk? Construction 5000’s codes Hazard Jackhammers Cranes
Hand tools
Generators

6. Occupational Hearing Loss
Agribusiness
00’s Codes
Hazard
Irrigation pumps
Tractors
Hay bailers
Combines
Food Services
Codes
Hazard
Machines used in the
mass production of
product

7. Occupational Hearing Loss
Plastics codes
Hazards: Machines
Pharmaceuticals codes
Hazards: Various machines
Printing 4299 code
Hazards: Printing presses, copiers
Food and Clothing Manufacturing

8. Permissible Noise Exposure
Normal conversation in a quiet room has a noise level of approximately 70 dBA.
OSHA mandates that a monitoring program must be in place if employees are exposed to sound levels that meet or exceed an eight hour time weighted average of 85 dBA.

9. Education of employees Assessment of noise exposure
Prevention
Education of employees
Assessment of noise exposure
Engineering and administrative controls for noise exposures

10. Worksite Evaluation - Hearing Loss

11. Occupational Skin Disease
Definition:
A skin disorder that arises out of contact with either an irritant or sensitizing agent encountered in the work environment.

12. Construction 5000’s codes Healthcare 8800’s code Who is at Risk?
Hazard: Epoxy, glue solvents, various other chemicals
Healthcare 8800’s code
Hazard: Gloves, soaps, communicable diseases, various other chemicals

13. Occupational Skin Diseases
Agribusiness 00’s codes
Hazard: Cutaneous anthrax, ringworm, herbicides, pesticides, infected animals
Food Service codes
Hazard: Extreme temperatures, various chemicals, wet shoes and socks, soaps
Plastics codes
Hazard: Various chemicals, glue solvents
Pharmaceuticals codes
Hazard: Various chemicals
Printing 4299 code
Hazard: Various chemicals (chromium, epoxy resins), inks

14. Proper equipment guards Proper use of PPE
Prevention
Education
Engineering controls
Good housekeeping
Proper equipment guards
Proper use of PPE

15. Worksite Evaluation - Skin Disease

16. Occupational Lung Disease
Definition:
Repeated exposure to airborne particles, chemicals, vapors, or gases that result in various diseases involving the lungs
Examples:
Pneumoconiosis, asbestosis, silicosis

17. Who is at Risk? Construction 5000’s codes
Hazards: Wood dust, metallic dust, asbestos, sand blasting, various gasses, fumes, and cutting oils

18. Who is at Risk? Healthcare 8800’s codes Agribusiness 00’s codes
Hazards: Various chemicals and gases mainly utilized in laboratory work, drilling, and surgical procedures
Agribusiness 00’s codes
Hazards: Animal waste, plant fertilizer, moldy hay spores, insecticides, pesticides, herbicides

19. Who is at Risk? Plastics 4000 - 4493 codes
Hazards: Various chemicals and acids used in plastics manufacturing, vapors and dust produced when grinding
Pharmaceuticals codes
Hazards: Airborne dust, various chemicals, vapors from production processes
Printing 4299 code
Hazards: Inhalation of vapors and dust from paper products

20. Evaluating a Facility Is there proper ventilation?
Are respirators in use or other required PPE?
Do the employees receive appropriate breaks to remove them from the environment?
What is the age of the facility (asbestos)?

21. Prevention
Proper respirator fit testing as well as respirator physical. A respirator physical can alert you to a possible pre-existing condition and determine fitness for duty.
Employee must always wear proper PPE.
Effective ventilation by dilution or local exhaust.
Proper hand washing and personal hygiene.

22. Worksite Evaluation - Lung Disease

23. Occupational Blood Disorders and Disease
Definition:
Repeated exposure to harmful chemicals or bloodborne diseases that result in a chronic blood disorder or disease
Examples:
Hepatitis, HIV, heavy metal poisoning, aplastic anemia, lead poisoning, and mercury poisoning

24. Construction 5000’s codes Who is at Risk?
Hazards: Copper (preservative treated wood) Chromium (painting, sandblasting, welding) Lead (painting, sandblasting, welding) Benzene (painting) Cadmium (painting, medal soldering, welding) Arsenic (preservative treated wood)

25. Healthcare 8800’s code Agribusiness 00’s codes
Who is at Risk?
Healthcare 8800’s code
Hazard: Mercury (dental fillings and thermometers)
Agribusiness 00’s codes
Hazard: Arsenic (pesticides)
Food Service codes
Hazard: Fish (mercury)

26. Who is at Risk? Plastics 4000 - 4493 codes
Hazard: Cadmium (pigments and plastic production)
Pharmaceuticals codes
Hazard: Contact with different metals when manufacturing drugs
Printing 4299 code
Hazard: Cadmium (pigments) Lead (printing)

27. Proper respirator fit testing as well as respirator physical.
Prevention
Proper respirator fit testing as well as respirator physical.
Employee must always wear PPE.
Effective safety program that monitors exposure levels and hazards.
Effective ventilation.
Proper hand washing as well as personal hygiene.

28. Work Site Evaluation - Healthcare

29. Things to Consider about OD Claims
They are normally filed at the “onset of symptoms.”
The employer of record at this time will almost always be charged with the claim.
Many of these claims are chronic in nature and can result in significant disability awards.
Not all jurisdictions apply “second injury funds” or similar tools to lessen the impact of these claims.

30. Exposures Hiring Considerations Worksite Considerations
Experience of the applicant
Work history
Job type
Job market
Worksite Considerations
Do you work in the exposures that we have discussed?
Have you verified the recommended controls?

31. Boosting Your Immunity
Train your hiring staff to closely review work history.
Where did the applicant work?
What did they do?
For how long?
Is the previous employer out of business?
Did the applicant complete a post-offer medical questionnaire?

32. Pre-employment Physicals
They may be beneficial, but there are some potential problems:
Cost
EEOC issues
Reliability

33. Are “older workers” a bad risk?
Certainly not!
Studies show that mature workers are more likely to be:
Dependable
Receptive to rules
Have fewer accidents
It must be noted that injuries to older workers commonly result in longer recovery times and more days away from work.
It’s all about matching workers to assignments.

34. An ounce of loss prevention may be worth a pound of claims management.
Summary
Occupational diseases and disorders can be prevented with proper monitoring, proper PPE, and most of all a thorough safety orientation for your employees.
An ounce of loss prevention may be worth a pound of claims management.
Your immunity to occupational diseases depends on your level of control in the hiring process as well as at the work site.