Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Basic Concepts in Occupational Medicine
Basic Concepts in Occupational Medicine
Occupational Medicine
• Pathology
• Timing of symptoms
• Possible causes
• Elicit relevant history
The Occupational History
• What is your job? What do you do for a living?
• What do you do at work? What do you work
with? What is a typical working day?
• How long? What else?
• Any known hazards? Anyone else with similar
symptoms?
• Hobbies? (DIY, pets, gardening, chemicals)
Investigation Of A Case Of Suspected
Occupational Disease
History
• Symptoms
• Associated symptoms
• Duration
• Work history
• Is patient aware of exposure to any respiratory
sensitisers at work?
Investigation Of A Case Of Suspected
Occupational Disease
History
• Timing of symptoms (immediate /delayed)
• Improvement away from work
• Adult onset
• Smoking history
• History of atopy
Outline
A. Physical
B. Chemical
C. Biological
D. Mechanical
E. Psychosocial
PHYSICAL HAZARDS
• Temperature -Heat / Cold
• Illumination
• Noise
• Vibration
• Radiation
• Atmospheric pressure
DISEASES DUE TO PHYSICALAGENTS
Heat - Heat hyperpyrexia, Heat Exhaustion Heat Syncope,
Heat Cramps, burns, Prickly heat
Cold - Frost bite,
Light – Occupational Cataract,
Atmospheric-pressure-Caisson disease, air embolism,
explosion.
Noise - Occupational deafness,
Radiation -Cancer,Leukemia,aplastic anemia,
Pancytopenia
Electricity - Burns, Shocks,
Human Heat Balance Equation
• M+R+-C+-CV-E=+-S
• Basic equation can be used for any adjustment in
relation to existing Environmental condition to keep
body in thermo neutral in that particular environment
• HEAT= Evaporative cooling will be more
• COLD= Process of conserving heat from conductive,
radiative & convective heat will be more so th the body
will remain in thermo-neutral
e.g. it will neither gain or loss heat irrespective of
environment heat or cold change.
Heat Illness
Predisposing Factors
Physical activity
Extremes of age, poor physical condition, fatigue
Excessive clothing
Dehydration
Cardiovascular disease
Skin disorders
Obesity
Drugs
Phenothiazines, anticholinergics, B and Ca
channel blockers, diuretics, amphetamines, LSD,
cocaine, MAOIs
Heat Stroke
SYMPTOMS PREVENTION
True emergency Awareness
Altered LOC Adaptation of behavioral and
physical activity
Any neurological finding
Clothing
And elevated
temperature May still be sweating initially
Activity
Syncope
Appropriate hydration
History is critical
Education
Frost Bite
SYMPTOMS
Caused by freezing conditions which cut off circulation,
usually in extremities (hands, feet, ears, nose), which
may be permanently affected. Frost-bitten areas are
cold, pale or marbled-looking, solid to the touch, and
painless (until circulation is restored).
TREATMENT
Giving warm drinks, and covering with blankets. Warm
the injured part with body heat only-put a hand under
an armpit,
for example. Do not rub the skin or apply direct heat to
the injured area.
CHEMICAL HAZARDS
Routes of entry - Inhalation, Ingestion, skin absorption.
(inhalation is the main route of entry)
Chemical agents can be classified into-
Metals - Lead, TEL, As, Hg, Cd, Ni , Co etc. 2) Aromatic
Hydrocarbons - Benzene, Toluene,phenol etc.
Aliphatic Hydrocarbons - Methyl alcohol
Gases - *Simple asphyxiants : N2, CH4, CO2
Chemical asphyxiants : CO, H2S, HCN
Irritant gases : Ammonia, SO2, Cl2,
Systemic poison : CS2
DUSTS (Pneumoconiosis)
Inorganic Dust
Coal Dust --Anthracosis
Silica --Silicosis
Asbestos --Asbestosis
Organic Dusts
Cane Fiber - Bagassosis (Bronchi gets affected)
Cotton dust - Byssinosis (In Textile industries)
Tobacco - Tobaccosis,Lung Cancer
Grain Dust - Farmer’s Lungs
Biological Hazards
SEATING POSITION
Natural S-curvature
of the spine
VDT USER`S-ERGONOMIC GUIDELINES
WORKING POSTURE
NO GLAIR
VDT to be placed 90 degrees to the light source, adjust
screen angle
Use screen filters to reduce glare
Screen intensity needs to be adjusted
Frequent breaks from the screen to reduce stress on eyes
Optical illusion
VDT USER`S-ERGONOMIC GUIDELINES
GENERAL GUIDELINES
OPTICAL ILLUSIONS
PSYCHOSOCIAL HAZARDS
Lack of job satisfaction, insecurity, poor interpersonal
relations, work pressure, ambiguity, etc.
Psychological & behavioral changes – hostility,
aggressiveness, anxiety, depression, alcoholism, drug
addiction, sickness absenteeism.
Psychosomatic disorders- Hypertension, headache, body-
ache, peptic ulcers, asthma, diabetes, heart disorders,
etc.
TYPE OF CONTROL MEASURES