This document provides an overview of occupational health, including definitions, organizations like the Indian Association of Occupational Health (IAOH), and topics like occupational diseases, ergonomics, and worksite hazards. It defines occupational health as promoting worker well-being in relation to their work and environment. It also discusses common occupational diseases from various hazards, prevention methods through administrative, engineering and medical measures, and principles of ergonomics like maintaining good posture to prevent injuries.

1. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
An overview…….
Dr Velmurugan
Kilpauk Medical College
Community Medicine post graduate

2. HOW DO WE SIT?

3. Rules Of Ergonomics

4. FLOW OF PRESENTATION
• DEFINITION
• IAOH
• OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
• ERGONOMICS

5. DEFINITION OF OCCUPATIONAL
HEALTH
• Joint Committee of WHO and ILO, 1950
• Should aim at the promotion and
maintenance of the highest degree of
physical, mental and social well being of
workers in all occupations;
• The prevention amongst workers of
departures from health caused by their
working conditions;

6. DEFINITION
• Protection of workers in their employment
from risks resulting from adverse factors
• Placing and maintenance of the worker in an
occupational environment adapted to his
physiological and psychological equipment
• And to summarize :
‘The adaptation of work to man and of
each man to his job’.

7. IAOH
Indian Association of Occupational Health
It was in Jamshedpur, in the year 1948, that three
visionaries of industrial medicine
• Lt. J.R.Kochar,
• Col. Najib Khan and
• Maj. R.C.Tarapore
• The society for the study of Industrial Medicine
(SSIM) India was ceremonially baptized on
• 9th July, 1948, with an initial founder
membership of 28. -

8. IAOH
• Not been aimed as an exclusive origination of
physicians working in industry, included
• Safety engineers,
• Personnel and welfare officers,
• Occupational nurses and ESIS panel doctors.
• IAOH is committed to enable occupational
health professionals to make India's work
places healthy, safe and green

9. JOURNAL
• Indian Journal of Occupational and
Environmental Medicine

10. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
PHYSICAL, MENTAL & SOCIAL WELL BEING IN
RELATION TO WORK AND WORK
ENVIRONMENT.

11. • Occupational diseases have a long
latent period.
• Most occupational diseases cannot be
treated.
• All occupational diseases can be
prevented.
Occupational Diseases from
preventive medicine point of view:

12. OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS
• Physical Hazards
• Chemical Hazards
• Biological Hazards
• Mechanical Hazards
• Psychosocial Hazards

13. FOUR TYPES
Diseases only occupational in origin (pneumoconiosis)
Where occupation as one of the causal factors
(bronchogenic carcinoma)
Occupation as A contributary factor (chronic bronchitis)
Occupation aggrevating pre-existing condition (asthma)

14. Primary irritants, Allergy,
Systemic toxicity
Gas, Vapour,
Aerosol, Dust,
Fume, Smoke,
Mist, Fog
Eating, Smoking
• INHALATION
• INGESTION
• SKIN ABSORBTION
ROUTE OF EXPOSURE

15. OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
Diseases due to Physical Agents
• Heat - Heat stroke, Burns
• Cold - Frost bite
• Light - Miners Nystagmus, Cataract
• Pressure - Caisson disease, Air embolism

16. Diseases due to Physical Agents
• Noise - NIHL, Hypertension, Irritability
• Vibration - Neuromuscular diseases, Peripheral
vascular diseases
• Radiation - Leukemia, Aplastic anaemia
• Mechanical - Injuries, Accidents
• Electricity - Electric shock, Burns
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES

17. OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
Diseases due to Chemical Agents
• Gases - CO, CO2, HCN, H2S,CS2
• Dusts - Pneumoconiosis
• Metals - Lead, Mercury, Chromium,
Manganese
• Chemicals - Acids, Alkalies
• Solvents - Benzene, Trichloroethylene

18. Lung Diseases Caused by Dust
• Depends on chemical composition,
particulate size, concentration, shape,
specific gravity & body’s reaction
• Pneumoconiosis
– Asbestosis
– Silicosis
– Coal workers pneumoconiosis

19. Lung Diseases Caused by Dust
• Lung diseases caused by dust of organic origin
– Byssinois (exposure to cotton dust)
– Mushroom workers lung
– Suberrosis (Cork dust)
– Bird breeders lung (chickens, parrots, pigeons)
• Occupational asthma
– Flour insects and pollens: linseed, soya beans,
teak wood, hair, fur, etc: isocyanates,metals.

20. Diseases due to Biological Agents
• Hepatitis B, Rabies, AIDS, Leptospirosis…,
Occupational Cancers
• Cancer of Skin, Lungs, Bladder
Occupational Dermatosis
• Dermatitis, Eczema
Psychosocial Diseases
• Neurosis, Peptic ulcer, Hypertension
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES

21. Musculo-skeletaletal
problems
• Due to Excessive load on the muscles, ligaments, tendons
and bone.
• Due to Insufficient circulation to the Musculoskeletal
system.
• Work that requires activity of a small group of relatively
weak muscles (such as continuous use of fingers of the
dominant hand in data entry).

22. Common sites for Musculo-skeletal problems
• Neck
• Forearm
• Wrist
• Fingers
• Back
• Knee

23. Occupational health & Computer work
Musculo-skeletal problems
Ocular problems
Reproductive problems
Skin problems
Psychosocial problems
Lifestyle problems

24. Repetitive Strain Injury
Muscular stress caused by the frequent,
repetitive use of the same muscle
throughout the day.
Accustomed and unaccustomed repetitive
work with hands.
Work that involves repeated wrist flexion
or extreme extension, particularly in
combination with forceful pinching.
Repeated forces on the base of the palm
or wrist.

25. Common RSIs
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Cervical radiculopathy
Epicondylitis
Ganglion cyst
Tendonitis

27. Elements of Occupational Health Services
• Medical treatment
• Assessment and control of work
environment
• General preventive health measures
• Preventive medical examinations

28. Prevention of Occupational Health Hazards
• Administrative Measures
• Engineering Measures
• Ergonomics
• Medical Measures

29. MEDICAL MEASURES
– Pre-employment medical check up
– Periodic medical examination
– Health promotion
– Health education
– Specific protection
– Assessment of risk by supervision of working
environment

30. Pre-placement Medical Examination
HAZARD UNDESIRABLE CONDITIONS
Lead Anaemia, Hypertension, Peptic ulcer
Dyes Asthma, Skin & Kidney disease
Solvents Liver & Kidney disease, Alcoholism
Silica Tuberculosis, Chronic lung disease
X rays / Radium Blood diseases

31. CONSTRUCTION SITES

32. CONSTRUCTION SITES

33. LEGISLATION

34. Seasons, Unstable
loading
Physical work stress,
Accumulation of fatigue
Risk of traumatism
The overtension
diseases
Open Air work
Weather Conditions,
Dust
Over heating, Over
cooling
Dust diseases
Use of new technology
and machinery
Noise, Vibration
Hearing loss, Vibration
diseases
Pesticides, fertilisers
etc.
Chemical pollution of
environment
Sensitization, Allergic
diseases
Contact with animals
and biopreparations
Biological hazards Zoo-Anthroponoses
AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY

35. ERGONOMICS
• What is Ergonomics?
• Ergo = nomics =“work” “laws or rules ”
• Ergonomics = “the laws of work”
• OSHA defines ergonomics as: “the science of
designing the job to fit the worker, instead of
forcing the worker to fit the job”.

36. Ergonomics
• Physical ergonomics: working postures, materials handling,
repetitive movements, work related musculoskeletal
disorders, workplace layout, safety and health.
• Cognitive ergonomics : mental workload, decision-making,
skilled performance, human-computer interaction, human
reliability, work stress and training as these may relate to
human-system design.
• Organizational ergonomics: communication, crew resource
management, work design, design of working times,
teamwork, community ergonomics, cooperative work, new
work programs, virtual organizations, telework, and quality
management.

37. Goals Of Ergonomics
• Improve quality of working environment engineered to
the capabilities of the human body
• Increase efficiency and productivity by reducing
fatigue.
• Prevention of Occupational injury & illness.
• Work quality improvement.
• Proactive Ergonomics
Vs
• Reactive Ergonomics

38. Rules Of Ergonomics
• Straight Back Rule
• Swinging Arm Rule
• Straight Wrist Rule
• Straight Eye Rule
• Skin Rule
• No Brain Machine Rule

39. Rules Of Ergonomics

40. Rules Of Ergonomics

41. Rules Of Ergonomics
• Good posture is a great 'tool'
to help in prevention of pain.

42. Rules Of Ergonomics

43. Rules Of Ergonomics
• Good chair should have—
• Adjustability of height
• Backrest
• Seat depth
• Adjustable arm rest
• Stability.

44. Rules Of Ergonomics
• Adjust the keyboard height so that your
shoulders are relaxed, your elbows are in a
slightly open position (100° to 110°), and
your wrists and hands are straight.

45. Rules Of Ergonomics