Occupational health is defined as the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations. It is the branch of healthcare which deals with all aspects of health and safety at the workplace. It lays strong emphasis on the prevention of hazards at a primary level.

1. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Occupational hazards
Vd Rakesh Shukla
Lecturer
Dept of Swasthavritta
GAAC, Ahmedabad

2. PHYSICAL HAZARDS
a) Heat and cold – burns, heat exhaustion, heat stroke
and heat cramps, local hot spots, cold work such as
chilblains, erythrocyanosis, immersion foot, frost bite,
hypothermia.
b) Light – poor illumination , acute effects - eye strain,
headache, eye pain, lachrymation, eye fatigue
congestion around cornea, chronic effects- “miners
nystagmus”, excessive brightness or glare -
discomfort, annoyance and visual fatigue, blurring.
VdRakeshShukla,GAAC,Ahmedabad

3. a) Noise – Auditory effects- temporary and permanent
hearing loss. Non auditory effects- nervousness,
fatigue, communication by speech, decreased
efficiency and annoyance. Noise dependent factors are
intensity, range, duration of exposure.
d) Vibrations – drills and hammers effects hands and
arms, fine blood vessels of the fingers may become
increasingly sensitive to spasms (white fingers), injuries
to joints of hands, elbows and shoulders.
VdRakeshShukla,GAAC,Ahmedabad

4. e) UV radiation – occurs mainly in Arc welding. May
effect the eyes causing intense conjunctivitis, and
keratitis (welder’s flash), redness of eyes, pain.
f) Ionizing radiation – like X rays and radio active
isotopes like cobalt60 and phosphorous32. genetic
changes, cancer, leukemia, depilation, ulceration,
sterility, and death can occur.
VdRakeshShukla,GAAC,Ahmedabad

5. CHEMICAL HAZARDS
Chemical agents acts in 3 ways
1. Local action
2. Inhalation
3. Ingestion
Depend upon duration and quantum of exposure.
1. Local action - some chemical cause dermatitis,
eczema, ulcers and even cancer by primary irritant
action, some cause dermatitis by allergic reaction.
VdRakeshShukla,GAAC,Ahmedabad

6. 2. Inhalation
i. Dusts – Dust particles larger than 10 microns settle
down form the air rapidly while the smaller ones
remain suspended indefinitely. Particles smaller
than 5 microns are directly inhaled in to the lungs
and are retained there causing pneumoconiosis.
This is called as respirable dust.
VdRakeshShukla,GAAC,Ahmedabad

7. Dust has been classified in to inorganic and organic; soluble
and insoluble dust.
 Inorganic dust – silica, mica, coal, asbestos dust, etc.
 Organic dust – cotton, jute, etc.
 Soluble dust – dissolve slowly, enter the systemic
circulation and are eventually eliminated by body
metabolism.
 Insoluble dust – remain more or less permanently in the
lungs mainly causing pneumoconiosis
Most common dust diseases are silicosis and anthracosis.
VdRakeshShukla,GAAC,Ahmedabad

8. ii. Gases – classified as simple gas, asphyxiating gas and
anesthetic gas.
 Simple gas – oxygen and hydrogen
 Asphyxiating gas – CO, cyanide gas, SO2, Cl.
 Anesthetic gas – chloroform , ether, trichloroethylene.
iii. Metal and their compounds – lead, antimony, arsenic,
beryllium, cadmium, cobalt, manganese, mercury,
phosphorus, chromium, zinc. Depends upon duration, dose
and concentration of exposure.
Chief mode of enter of some of these are by inhalation as dust
or fumes.
VdRakeshShukla,GAAC,Ahmedabad

9. 3. Ingestion – of chemical substances such as lead,
mercury, arsenic, zinc, chromium, phosphorus, etc.
usually passed through contaminated hands, food or
cigarettes. Much of them are excreted through faeces
and a small proportion may reach the general blood
circulation.
VdRakeshShukla,GAAC,Ahmedabad

10. BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS
Workers may be exposed to infective and parasitic agents
at the place of work. Diseases are brucellosis,
leptospirosis, hydatidosis, psittacosis, anthrax,
encephalitis, tetanus, fungal infections, schistosomiasis.
Persons working with animal products are specially
exposed to biological hazards.
VdRakeshShukla,GAAC,Ahmedabad

11. MECHANICAL HAZARDS
 10 % of accidents in industry are said to be due to
mechanical causes.
PSYCHOSOCIAL HAZARDS
 Workers failure to adapt to a psychological environment.
Frustration, lack of job satisfaction, insecurity, emotional
tension. The capacity to adapt to different working
environments is influenced by many factors such as
education, cultural background, family life, social habits
etc.
VdRakeshShukla,GAAC,Ahmedabad

12. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Occupational diseases

13. 1) Heat - Heat hyper pyrexia, heat exhaustion, heat
syncope, heat cramps, burns and local effects such as
prickly heat.
2) Cold - Trench foot, frost bite, chill- blains.
3) Light - Occupational cataract, miner’s nystagmus.
4) Pressure - Caissons disease, air embolism, blast
(explosion).
5) Noise - Occupational deafness.
6) Radiation - Cancer, leukemia, aplastic anemia,
pancytopenia.
7) Mechanical factors - Injuries, accidents.
8) Electricity - Burns
I. DISEASES DUE TO PHYSICAL AGENTS
VdRakeshShukla,GAAC,Ahmedabad

14. 1. Gases – CO2, CO, HCN, CS2, NH3, N2, H2S, HCL, SO2.
2. Dusts (Pneumoconiosis) –
A) Inorganic dust
a) Coal dust – Anthracosis
b) Silica dust - Silicosis
c) Asbestos - Asbestosis cancer & lung cancer.
d) Iron - Siderosis.
B) Organic (vegetable) dusts
a) Cane fiber - Bagassosis
b) Cotton dust - Byssinosis
c) Tobacco - Tobacossis
d) Hay or grain dust – Farmers lung
II. DISEASES DUE TO CHEMICAL AGENTS
VdRakeshShukla,GAAC,Ahmedabad

15. 3. Metal & their compounds – toxic hazards
from lead, mercury, cadmium, manganese,
beryllium, arsenic, chromium etc.
4. Chemicals – acids, alkali's, pesticides.
5. Solvents – carbon bisulphide, benzene,
trichloroethylene, chloroform, etc.
VdRakeshShukla,GAAC,Ahmedabad

16. III. Diseases due to biological agents
Brucellosis, leptospirosis, anthrax, actinomycosis,
hydatidosis, psittacosis, tetanus, encephalitis, fungal
infections, etc.
IV. Occupational cancers
Cancer of skin, lungs, bladder
V. Occupational dermatitis
Dermatitis, eczema
VI. Diseases of psychological origin
Industrial neurosis, hypertension, peptic ulcer.
VdRakeshShukla,GAAC,Ahmedabad

17. PREVENTION OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
A. Medical measures
a) Pre- replacement examination
b) Periodical examination
c) Medical and health care services
d) Notification
e) Supervision of working environment
f) Maintenance and analysis of records
g) Health education and counseling
VdRakeshShukla,GAAC,Ahmedabad

18. B. Engineering Measures
a) Designs of building
b) Good housekeeping
c) General ventilation
d) Mechanization
e) Substitution
f) Dusts
g) Enclosure
h) Isolation
i) Local exhaust Ventilation
j) Protective device
k) Environmental monitoring
l) Statistical monitoring
m) Research
VdRakeshShukla,GAAC,Ahmedabad

19. C. Legislation
The most important factory laws in India today are:
1. The Factory Act,1948
2. The Employee’s State Insurance Act, 1948(ESI)
1. The Factory Act, 1948 –
a) Scope
b) Health and welfare
c) Employment of young persons
d) Hours of work
e) Leave with wages
f) Occupational diseases
g) Employment in hazardous process
VdRakeshShukla,GAAC,Ahmedabad

20. 2. The Employee’s State Insurance Act, 1948 (ESI)
1) Scope
2) Administration
3) Finance
4) Benefits to employees –a) medical benefit
b) Sickness benefit
c) maternity benefit
d) disablement benefit
e) dependants benefit
f) funeral expenses
g) rehabilitation
VdRakeshShukla,GAAC,Ahmedabad

21. Thank you
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VdRakeshShukla,GAAC,Ahmedabad