Today is our topic of discussion Occupational Health
Occupational Health
Definition:
Occupational health may be defined as the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations. In summary, it means. the adaptation of work to man and of each man to his job.
Objective of occupational health:
1. The promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations;
2. The prevention among workers of departures from health caused by their working conditions;
3. The protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health;
4. The placing and maintenance of the worker in an occupational environment adapted to his physiological and psychological equipment;
5. The adaptation of work to man and of each man to his job.
Occupational safety:
It means the practice of eliminating or minimizing and/or the freedom from condition which may cause –
-Injury or death to the personnel,
-Damage to or loss of equipment or property
– Loss of time in work in relation to occupation.
Occupational/industrial health hazards:
Physical hazards:
1. Heat & cold.
2. Light
3. Noise
4. Vibration
5. Ultraviolet radiation
6. Ionizing radiation
Chemical hazards:
1. Locally acting
2. Inhalation – dusts (pneumoconiosis), gases, metals and their compounds.
3. Ingestion
Biological hazards –
Bacterial, viral, fungal and rickettsial diseases.
Mechanical hazards –
Due to human factors and environmental factors.
Psychological hazards –
Anxiety, depression, hostility, aggressiveness etc.
Occupational diseases:
Occupational diseases are defined as ‘diseases arising out of or in the course of employment’. It covers all pathological conditions induced by prolonged work such as excessive exertion or exposure to harmful factors inherent in materials, equipment or the working environment.
Classification of occupational diseases:
Diseases due to physical agents:
1.) Heat: Heat hyperpyrexia, burns, heat exhaustion, heat syncope, heat cramps etc.
2.) Cold: Frost bite, chilblains etc.
3.) Light: Occupational cataract etc.
4.) Pressure: Air embolism, Caisson disease etc.
5.) Noise: Occupational deafness
6.) Mechanical factors: Injuries, accidents
7.) Electricity: Electric burn
8.) Radiation: Thyroid carcinoma, leukaemia, aplastic anaemia etc.
Diseases due to chemical agents:
1.) Gases: CO2, CO, NH3, H2S – These gases causes gas poisoning.
2.) Dusts (Pneumoconiosis): Coal dust (anthracosis), silica (silicosis), grain dust (farmer’ lung), asbestos (asbestosis) etc.
3.) Metals and their compounds: Toxic hazard from lead, manganese, arsenic, mercury etc.
4.) Chemicals: Acids, alkalies, pesticides etc.
5.) Solvents: Benzene, chloroform etc.
Diseases due to biological agents:
Anthrax, tetanus, actinomycosis, fungal infections etc.
Occupational cancers:
Vesicular neoplasm, lung cancer, squamous cell carcinoma of skin etc
Occupational dermatosis:
Dermatitis, eczema etc.
Discases of the psychological origin:
Industrial neurosis, hypertension, peptic ulcer etc.
Benefit of a ‘healthy worker’:
A healthy worker –
a. Is more productive
b. Has less time off
c. Is happier at work
d. Is more likely to stay with that job
e. Is worth training and investment
Demerits of unhealthy worker:
An unhealthy workforce is not only a negative factor in GNP increase, but also places a burden on the already over burdened disease load.
Prevention and control of occupational disease:
Medical measures:
1. Pre-placement examination – It will help to place right man in the right job and it will serve as a useful bench-mark for future comparison.
2. Periodical examination – It is especially important for those workers who hande toxic or poisonous chemicals.
3. Medical and health acre services
4. Notification of occupational diseases
5. Supervision of working environment 6. Maintenance and analysis of records
7. Health education and counselling
Engineering measures:
1. Design of building
2. Good housekeeping – It includes general cleanliness, ventilation, lighting, washing arrangements and general maintenance.
3. General ventilation
4. Mechanization – The industrial plant should be mechanized to the fullest possible extent to reduce the hazard of contact with harmful substances.
5. Substitution – Replacement of a harmful material by a harmless one.
6. Dust control
7. Enclosing the harmful material 8. Isolation of the offensive process
9. Local exhaust ventilation
10. Protective devices – safety goggles, eye shield, lead apron, gas masks etc.
11. Environmental monitoring
12. Research for the improvement of the process and products
Legislation:
The two important acts are the Factory (amendment) Act, 1965 and the Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923.
Common occupational health problems at rural level:
Agricultural workers:
Physical hazards:
1. Physical injuries from cutting edges of sickle, hatchet etc.
2. The agricultural machine operator is exposed to traumatic injuries, such as, cuts, burns, fractures, amputation etc.
3. Organic damage caused by noise and vibration of the machine, e.g., occupational deafness.
Chemical hazards:
Acute and chronic toxicity from various chemicals (such as, fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, rodenticides, herbicides etc.) may result from misuse at home or due to accidents.
Biological hazards:
1. Fungal infections of the hand and feet.
2. Parasitic infestations. , tetanus
3. Gangrene
4. Anthrax
5. Bovine tuberculosis
Specific workers of different occupations:
1. Amputation of finger of butchers
2. Entrapment under the ground when rock mining (e.g., in Tetulia, Panchagar and in Sylhet)
3. Rolling of long hair of female workers in rice mills with eruption of scalp.
4. Rolling of ‘lungi’ of male workers in rice mills with resulting of ‘degloving injury of penis’
Health care workers:
Biological hazards:
Hepatitis B, hepatitis C, AIDS
Mechanical hazards:
Trauma, pricking of finger by needles
See also :