Occupational Health
Occupational Health
HEALTH
-RUSHIKESH .B. PAWAR
II ND YEAR MSC NSG
CON ,PIMS, LONI (DU)
Occupational health
refers to the potential risks to health and
safety for those who work outside the
home
Hazard
something that can cause harm if not
controlled.
Occupational disease
Disease directly caused by a person’s
occupation.
Workplace
setting in which many people spend the
largest proportion of their time.
exposes many workers to health hazards
DEFINITION:-
“OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH is
the promotion & maintenance of the
highest degree of physical, mental &
social wellbeing of the workers in all
occupations”.
AIM
“The promotion and maintenance
of the highest degree of physical,
mental and social well-being of
workers in all occupations"
OBJECTIVES OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH:
1.To maintain and promote the physical, mental
and social well being of the workers.
2. To prevent occupational diseases and injuries.
3. To adapt the work place and work environment
to the needs of the workers i.e application of
ergonomics principle.
4. It should be preventive rather than curative.
FUNCTIONS OF OCCUPATIONAL
HEALTH SERVICE -
1. Pre-employment medical examination.
2. First Aid and emergency service.
3. Supervision of the work environment
for the control of dangerous
substances in the work environment.
4. Special periodic medical examination
particularly for the workers in
dangerous operations.
5. Health education for disseminating
information on specific hazards and
risks in the work environment.
FUNCTION OF HEALTH
SERVICE -
6. Special examination and surveillance of health
of women and children
7. Advising the employer or management for
improving working conditions, and placement of
hazards.
8. Monitoring of working environment for
assessment and control of hazards.
9. Supervision over sanitation, hygiene and
canteen facilities.
10. Liaison and cooperation with the safety
committees
FUNCTION OF HEALTH
SERVICE -
10. Liaison and cooperation with the safety
committees
11. Maintenance of medical records for medical
check-up and follow-up for maintaining health
standards and also for evaluation.
12. To carry out other parallel activities such as
nutrition programme, family planning, social
services recreation etc., Concerning the health
and welfare of the workers.
1. Physical hazards
2. Chemical
3. Biological
4. Psychosocial
a. Psychological and behavioral
changes.
b. Psychosomatic ill-health
OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS
1. Physical hazards
Heat – Direct & indirect effect of high temperature, radiant
heat, heat stagnation.
Cold – General & local cold injury
Light – Acute & chronic effect of bright & dim light & glare.
Radiation
a. Ionizing - X-rays,gamma rays,beta particles, alpha
particles
b. Non-ionizing - microwaves, infrared, and ultra-
violet light
Noise – Auditory & non auditory effect.
Vibration – hazardous in the frequency range of 10- 500Hz
Diseases due to Physical agents
Heat – Heat stroke, Heat hyperpyrexia, Heat
syncope, Heat Exhaustion, Heat rash.
Light – Occupational cataract, Miners nystagmus.
Cold – Hypothermia, Frost bite, Trench foot.
Pressure – Air embolism, Blast injuries.
Vibration – Osteoarthritis, Reynauds disease [white
fingers]
Noise – Occupational deafness.
Radiation- Cancer, genetic changes, Aplastic anaemia.
OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS
2. Chemical hazards
• Acids
• Bases
• Heavy Metals – Lead
• Solvents – Petroleum
• Particulates – Asbestos, Silica and other fine
dust/fibrous materials
• Fumes – noxious gases/vapors
• Highly- reactive Metals
Ways of acquiring Chemical Hazards
3. Biological hazards
Bacteria
Viruses
Fungi – molds
Insects – mosquitoes
Hazardous Plants – Poison Ivy
Birds
Animals
Blood-borne Pathogens
Diseases due to Biological Agents
Hepatitis B Virus
Hepatitis C Virus
Tuberculosis – particularly among Healthcare
Workers
Asthma – among persons exposed to organic
dust
Blood-borne Diseases – HIV/AIDS
Anthrax
Brucellosis
Tetanus
Leptospirosis
OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS
4. Psychosocial hazards
Work-related stress – excessive working time
and overwork
Violence – from outside the organization
Bullying – emotional and verbal abuse
Sexual Harassment
Mobbing
Burnout
Exposure to unhealthy elements – tobacco,
uncontrolled alcohol
Disorders due to Psychosocial Agents
MSDs and work-related psychosocial factors such as
high workload/demands, high perceived stress levels,
low social support, low job control, low job satisfaction
and monotonous work.
1. Nutrition.
2. Communicable disease control.
3. Environmental sanitation.
– Water supply
– Food
– Toilet
– Proper garbage & waste disposal.
– General plant cleanliness.
– Sufficient space.
– Lighting.
– Ventilation.
– Protection against hazards.
PREVENTION OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES.
MEASURES FOR HEALTH PROTECTION OF WORKERS.
4. Mental health:
GOALS:
To promote health and happiness of workers.
To detect signs of stress and strain and take
necessary measures.
Treatment of employees suffering from mental
illnesses.
Rehabilitation of those who become ill.
5. Measures for women and children.
6. Family planning services
7. Health education.
OCCUPATIONAL CANCER
SOME OF THE MAJOR TYPES:-
1. SKIN CANCER.
2.LUNG CANCER.
3.CANCER BLADDER.
4.LEUKAEMIA.
What is cancer?
• A malignant (“potentially lethal”) neoplasm
(“new growth”) that invades normal tissues and
spreads (metastasises) to distant sites
• Neoplasms are growths resulting from clonal
proliferation of cells following progressive
accumulation of hereditary and acquired insults
resulting in mutations of genes that control cell
proliferation and cell death
What is occupational cancer?
• Cancer specifically attributed to significant
levels of exposure to an agent* in the
workplace and occurring among substantial
numbers of workers.
• Substantial: > 10,000 workers
• Significant: As much as, or more than, in the
general environment
*An agent that has been causally linked with
development of cancer is called a carcinogen
What is the global and national
burden of cancer?
• 5 million female and 6 million male new cancer
cases worldwide (of which 100,000 occur in
Nigeria) annually
• >6 million deaths worldwide annually
• >50% of patients with cancer live in developing
countries, which have <10% of the resources for
cancer therapy
What is the global burden of
occupational cancer?
• POPULATION ATTRIBUTABLE FRACTION (RISK
PER CENT)
This is defined as the fraction (percentage) of the
diseased persons in the population whose disease
would have been prevented had the exposure
been absent
In the case of occupational cancers, a crude
estimate for this percentage is between 2-10%
What do we know about
occupational carcinogens?- 1
Exposure may be acquired via
1 INHALATION
average concentration of the substance in the
breathing zone over a reference period (8 hours for
long-term, and 15 minutes for short-term exposure)
2 DERMAL CONTACT
potential dose rate predominantly to the hands and
forearms (2000 cm2) is calculated using a
mathematical model
3 INGESTION
not quantifiable
GROUP 1 (DEFINITE)CARCINOGENS
40% (40) IARC group 1 carcinogens are occupational.
Others include radiation, viruses and lifestyle factors
PHYSICAL AGENTS ASSOCIATED CANCERS
Ionizing radiation Breast cancer, leukaemia, skin cancer
Unltraviolet light Skin cancer
Asbestos Lung cancer, mesothelioma
CHEMICAL AGENTS ASSOCIATED CANCERS
Arsenic Skin cancer, lung cancer
Vinyl chloride Liver angiosarcoma
Aromatic amines Bladder cancer
GROUP 2A (PROBABLE) CARCINOGENS
30 IARC group 2A carcinogens are occupational.
CHEMICAL AGENTS ASSOCIATED CANCERS
3. MACHINE & TOOLS: Do not carry unnecessary Tools with you if you do
not have to work with that tool that may cause a physical harm.
LIFTING: Do not walk under a load while lifting is taking place. For any
work involving a crane, hoist or other mechanical system, a preliminary
risk analysis is required. Equipment must be in good condition.
Personnel must be qualified and access to the area must be restricted.