2. ?What is occupational health
Multifaceted and multidisciplinary activity concerned
with the prevention of ill health in employed
populations (Harrington et al, 2007)
The promotion and maintenance of the highest
degree of physical, mental and social wellbeing of
workers in all occupations (ILO/WHO, 1950)
3.
4. ?Why OH is important
Work ↔ Health
Costs
on workers
Direct costs on employers
Indirect costs on employers
5. Costs of occupational injury or illness
on workers
The pain and suffering of the injury or illness
The loss of income
The possible loss of a job
Health-care costs
6. Direct costs of occupational injury or
illness on employers
Payment for work not performed
Medical and compensation payments
Reduction or a temporary halt in production
Possible reduction in the quality of work
7. Indirect costs of occupational injury or
illness on employers
The injured/ill worker has to be replaced
A new worker has to be trained and given time to adjust
It takes time before the new worker is producing at the rate of the
original worker
Time must be devoted to obligatory investigations, to the writing of
reports and filling out of forms
Accidents often arouse the concern of fellow workers
Poor health and safety conditions in the workplace can result in
poor public relations
8. ? Who is involved in OH
OH Physician
OH Nurse
Occupational hygienist
Health and Safety adviser
Counsellor/Psychologist
Ergonomist
Manual Handling Adviser
9. Occupational Health Physician
OH services provided by OH physician:
Sickness absence assessments
Health surveillance
Advice on adjustments and rehabilitation for ill, injured or disabled
workers
Advice on risk management
Meetings with managers
Setting policies and procedures
10. Occupational Health Nurse
OH services provided by OH nurse:
- immunizations
- pre-employment screening
- workplace monitoring
- health promotion
- counseling
- first aid training
- sickness absence assessments
- advice on risk management
- health surveillance
11. Occupational hygienist
Occupational hygienist is a specialist in assessing and monitoring
workplace exposures
OH services provided by OH Occupational hygienist :
Hazard identification
Exposure evaluation
Management/control of hazards
12. Other OH professionals
Ergonomist: specializes in fitting the task to the human
Manual Handling Adviser: manual handling comprises any nonmechanized (or incompletely mechanized) manipulation of a
load including lifting, pushing, pulling, sliding or carrying
13. Roles of the OH professional
Helping with company compliance with the law
Advising on health and safety policy
Assisting in the control of sickness absence
Reviewing the fitness of employees' post-sickness absence
Managing rehabilitation
Advising on fitness to work
14. Roles of the OH professional
Managing access to first aid services
Organizing health promotion initiatives
Designing and managing substance abuse programmes at work
Advising on the management and alleviation of stress
Advising employees about overseas travel on company business
Assessing employees' eligibility for long-term disability benefits
or retirement on health grounds