1. Erestain, Emmanuel Facton, Rosabelle T. Fang, Mark David G.
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Erestain, Emmanuel
Facton, Rosabelle T.
Fang, Mark David G.

2. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH A multidisciplinary activity aiming at:
protection and promotion of the health of workers by preventing and controlling occupational diseases and accidents by eliminating occupational factors and conditions hazardous to health and safety at work
enhancement of physical, mental and social well-being of workers and support for the development and maintenance of their working capacity

3. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
WHO Health for All principles and ILO Conventions on Occupational Safety and Health (No. 155) and on Occupational Health Services (No. 161)
Every worker has the right of access to occupational health and safety services, irrespective of the sector of the economy, size of the company, or type of assignment and occupation.

4. Scope of Occupational Health
Recognition of environmental factors or stresses associated with work and their effects on man and his well being
Evaluate the magnitude of these stresses in terms of ability to impair well-being
Prescription of methods to control or reduce such stresses
The assessment and management of health risks at
the workplace should be improved by: defining essential
interventions for prevention and control of mechanical,
physical, chemical, biological and psychosocial risks in
the working environment. Such measures include also
integrated management of chemicals at the workplace,
elimination of second-hand tobacco smoke from all indoor
workplaces, improved occupational safety, and health impact
assessment of new technologies, work processes
and products at the design stage.

5. Importance of Occupational Health
Millions are injured and hundreds of thousands death every year in occupational accidents.
The formal workforce constitutes on average % of a country’s total population.
The level of occupational health and safety, the socioeconomic development of the country and the quality of life and well-being of working people are closely linked with each other.

6. WORK ENVIRONMENT Recognition of occupational hazards: Safety hazards
Health hazards

7. Safety Hazards Slipping/tripping hazards Fire and explosion hazards
Work at height
Materials falling from height
Workplace violence

8. Health Hazards Chemical hazards Physical hazards Biological hazards
Ergonomic hazards

9. CHEMICAL HAZARDS
Harmful chemical compounds in the form of solids, liquids, gases.
exert toxic effects by inhalation, absorption, or ingestion.

10. CHEMICAL HAZARDS Dusts Gas Organic - Sugar cane dust (Bagasosis)
Inorganic – Asbestos, silica, lead, mercury
Gas
Natural – CO2
Asphyxiants - Nitrogen, methane, hydrogen, CO, H2S
Irritant gases - SO2, formaldehyde, Nitrogen fumes

11. BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS
Bacteria
Viruses
Fungi

12. Biological hazards Occupational infections TB Brucellosis Anthrax
Cattle, sheep, pigs
Anthrax
Viral hepatitis B and C
AIDS
Occupational hazards
When some aspect of the work causes

13. PHYSICAL HAZARDS Include: Temperature Excessive noise Vibration
Radiation

14. PHYSICAL HAZARDS Thermal stress Prevention
Vascular injury
Increased muscle tone
Hypothermia/heat stroke
Prevention
Gradual exposure leading to acclimatization
Engineering control (proper insulation and ventilation)
Thermal stress
Produced by metabolic process
Exchaged is influenced by air temperature, velocity, humidity and radiation
Cold stress – when surrounding temperature falls, peripheral vasoconstriction occurs, vascular injuries, shivering and incresed muscle tone which may lead to hypothermia and organ death
Heat stress
Vas control – more blood pumped to the skin and less to visceral organs
Evap cooling – sweating leads to dehydration
Heat stroke – failure of heat regulating centre leading to unconsciousness and death

15. PHYSICAL HAZARDS Noise and Vibration Noise induced hearing loss
85 db for prolonged period
Related to amount, frequency and duration of exposure
Prevention
Design and maintenance of machinery
Workshift/work schedule
Protective equipment

16. ERGONOMIC HAZARDS Excessive physical work Contributing factors
- workplace conditions that pose the risk of injury to the
musculoskeletal system of the worker
Excessive physical work
Contributing factors
Awkward postures
Repetitive motions
Forceful exertions

17. Occupational diseases
Are illnesses caused by or precipitated by factors inherent in the employee’s nature of work and working conditions

18. Occupational History Descriptions of all jobs held
Types of tasks performed
Materials exposed to, amount, date of exposure
Personal protective equipment used
Similar health complaints in other workers
Previous medications, exams, pre-employment data

19. Characteristics of occupational diseases
The clinical and pathological presentation is identical to that of non-occupational diseases
May occur after the termination of exposure
The clinical manifestations are related to dose and timing of exposure
Occupational factors can work in combination with non-occupational factors to produce disease
Athma
Asbestos related mesothelioma
Mercury can be toxic to the lungs if high concentrations are inhaled
Asbestos exposure can increase risk of lung cancer up to 5-fold

20. Evidence of work-related diagnosis
Symptoms compatible with exposure
Diagnostic physical signs
Similar problems in other workers
Complaint related to time
Known exposure
Scientific plausibility
Biologic confirmation
Lack of non-occupational cause

21. Number and types of occupational diseases

22. Occupational health problems are not only problems of individual workers’ health, but they are also problems relating to the healthiness and safety of work and the work environment, the organization of work and the management philosophy of the enterprise and workplace.
The way that work is organized, the management style, and the extent to which the worker can determine or regulate his or her work and participate in decisions about it have been shown in several studies to make a positive impact on health, prevent overload at work, counteract stress and promote work motivation and productivity.

23. Occupational safety and accident prevention

24. Levels of Prevention Primary – promotion of health
Information dissemination
Training, research and interventions on workplace improvements
Secondary – for early detection and prompt and effective intervention to correct illnesses and accidents
Tertiary – to reduce impairments and disabilities and promote patient’s adjustment to irremediable conditions

25. Controlling Hazards
Identify
Evaluate
Control
Educate

26. 1. Engineering Control
Design specification
Substitution, isolation, ventilation
2. . Administrative control
Work rotation
Work schedule / workshift
Proper waste disposal/good housekeeping
Informed
Adequate sanitary facilities
3. Personal Protective Equipment
Determine the need
Approved design and construction
Maintenace
No one should be subjected or exposed to hazarda without proper protection

27. Key strategies
The key strategy principles of international and national occupational health and safety policies are:
avoidance of hazards (primary prevention)
safe technology
optimization of working conditions
integration of production and health and safety activities
government’s responsibility, authority and competence in the development and control of working conditions
primary responsibility of the employer and entrepreneur for health and safety at the workplace
recognition of employees’ own interest in occupational health and safety
cooperation and collaboration on an equal basis by employers and workers
right to participate in decisions concerning one’s own work
right to know and principle of transparency
continuous follow-up and development of occupational health and safety.
Implementation of such principles requires appropriate legal provisions, administrative enforcement and service systems for occupational safety and health and occupational health services.

28. Duties of Occupational Health Physician
Organize, administer and maintain an occupational health service program
Health Protection
Health Promotion
Health Surveillance
Monitor work environment
Provide medical and surgical care
Maintain and analyze medical records

29. References:
WHO
cations/globstrategy/en/index5.html

30. Thank you!