Occupational health is essentially preventive medicine.The Joint ILO/WHO Committee on Occupational Health, in the course of its first session, held in 1950, gave the following definition: "Occupational health 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 among workers of departures from health caused by their working conditions; the protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health; the 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 (1). ERGONOMICS: The term "ergonomics" is derived from the Greek ergon, meaning work and nomos, meaning law. It simply means: "fitting the job to the worker". The object of ergonomics is "to achieve the best mutual adjustment of man and his work, for the improvement of human efficiency and well-being". HEALTH OF THE WORKER One of the declared aims of occupational health is to provide a safe occupational environment' in order to safeguard the health of the workers and to step up industrial production. Occupational environment By occupational environment is meant the sum or external conditions and influences which prevail at the place of work and which have a bearing on the health of the Working population. Basically, there are three types of interaction in a working environment. a) Man and physical, chemical and biological agents. b) Man and machine. c) Man and man. MAN AND PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL AGENTS (1) Physical agents (2) Chemical agents MAN AND MACHINE An industry or factory implies the use of machines driven by power with emphasis on mass production. The unguarded machines, protruding and moving parts, poor installation of the plant, lack of safety measures are the causes of accidents which is a major problem in industries. Working for long hours in unphysiological postures is the cause of fatigue, backache, diseases of joints and muscles and impairment of the worker's health and efficiency. MAN AND MAN There are numerous psychosocial factors which operate at the place of work. These are the human relationships amongst workers themselves on the one hand, and those in authority over them on the other. In modern occupational health, the emphasis is upon the people, the conditions in which they live and work, their hopes and fears and their attitudes towards their job, their fellow-workers and employers (2). OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS An industrial worker may be exposed to five types of hazards, depending upon his occupation: 1. Physical hazards 2. Chemical hazards 3. Biological hazards 4. Mechanical hazards 5. Psychosocial hazards.

1. PRACTICE TEACHING
LALRINCHHANI, 1st Year, MSc. N

3. OCCUPATIONAL
HEALTH

4. DEFINITION
“the adaptation of work to man and of each
man to his job”

5. ERGONOMICS
•Greek “ergon”=work & “nomos”=law.
• "fitting the job to the worker".
• Object:"to achieve the best mutual adjustment of man and his
work, for the improvement of human efficiency and well-
being".
• The application of ergonomics =reduce industrial accidents and
to the overall health and efficiency of the workers

7. HEALTH OF THE WORKER

9. WORKING ENVIRONMENT
• Basically, there are three types of interaction in a working
environment.
Man and physical, chemical and biological agents
Man and machine
Man and man.

10. MAN AND PHYSICAL, CHEMICALAND
BIOLOGICALAGENTS
• (1) Physical agents:
• heat, cold, humidity, air movement, heat radiation, light,
noise, vibrations and ionizing radiation.
• breathing space, toilet, washing and bathing facilities are
also important factors in an occupational environment.

11. •(2) Chemical agents:
•These comprise a
large number of
chemicals, toxic dusts
and gases which are
potential hazards to
the health of the
workers.

12. •(3) Biological agents:
•viral
•rickettsial
•bacterial
•parasitic agents

13. MAN AND MACHINE
• The unguarded machines,
• protruding and moving parts,
• poor installation of the plant,
• lack of safety measures.
• Working for long hours in unphysiological postures cause of
fatigue, backache, diseases of joints and muscles and
impairment of the worker's health and efficiency.

16. MAN AND MAN
•the human relationships amongst workers themselves on the
one hand, and those in authority over them on the other.
• In modern occupational health, the emphasis is upon the
people, the conditions in which they live and work, their
hopes and fears and their attitudes towards their job, their
fellow-workers and employers

17. OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS
• An industrial worker may be exposed to five types of
hazards, depending upon his occupation:
• Physical hazards
• Chemical hazards
• Biological hazards
• Mechanical hazards
• Psychosocial hazards.

19. PHYSICAL HAZARDS
• Heat and cold
• Light
• Noise
• Vibration:
• Ultraviolet radiation
• Ionizing radiation

20. PHYSICALHAZARDS
• Heat and cold
• Common physical hazard – heat
• Direct effect of heat – burns, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, heat
cramps
• Indirect effects – decreased efficiency, increased fatigue, enhanced
accident rates

21. • Radiant heat – foundry, glass and steel industry
• Heat stagnation – jute and textile industry
• High temperature – kolar gold mines – 65degC
• Corrected effective temperature > 27deg C- discomfort
• Cold – chilblains, erythrocyanosis, immersion foot, frostbite

22. • Light
– Poor illumination – eye strain, head ache, eye
pain, lacrymation, congestion
– Miner’s nystagmus – chronic effects
– Intense glare – blurring of vision, accidents

23. • Noise
– Auditory effects – hearing loss
– Non auditory – nervousness, fatigue, interfere with communication
– Degree of injury – intensity & frequency range, duration of
exposure, susceptibility

24. • Vibration
– Affects hands and arms, joints
– Chronic exposure – fine blood vessels- sensitive to spasm (white
finger)
• UV radiation
– Arc welding
– Affects –eyes- conjunctivitis, keratitis (Welder’s flash)
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25. • Ionizing radiation
– X rays and radio active isotopes(cobalt 60, phosphorous 32)
– Bone marrow – more sensitive
– Genetic
changes, malformation, cancer, leukemia, depilation, ulceration, sterilit
y, death
– Maximum permissible – 5 rem/year to whole body
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26. CHEMICALHAZARDS
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• Acts in three ways – local action, inhalation, ingestion
• Local action
– Dermatitis, eczema, ulcer, cancer (irritant action)
– Aromatic amino and nitro compounds – systemic
• Inhalation
– Respirable dust - <5 microns

27. • Dust
– organic – cotton, jute
– Inorganic – silica, mica, coal, asbestos
– Insoluble – retain in lung – pneumoconiosis
– Soluble – eliminated by body mechanism
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28. • Gases
– Simple – oxygen, hydrogen
– Asphyxiating – CO, cyanide, sulphur dioxide, chlorine
– Anesthetic – chloroform, ether
• Metals and their compounds
– Lead, antimony, beryllium, cadmium, cobalt, manganese, merc
ury, phosphorous, chromium, zinc etc
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29. • Ingestion
– Lead, antimony, cadmium, mercury, phosphorous, chromium, zinc etc
– through – contaminated hand or food or cigarettes
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31. Biological
hazards
•Persons working among
animal products (e.g.,
hair, wool, hides) and
agricultural workers are
specially exposed to
biological hazards.

33. About 10 per cent of accidents
in industry are said to be due
to mechanical causes.

34. Psychosocial hazards
• The psychosocial hazards arise from the workers'
failure to adapt to an alien psychosocial
environment.
• Frustration, lack of job satisfaction, insecurity,
poor human relationships, emotional tension are
some of the psychosocial factors which may
undermine both physical and mental health of the
workers.

37. Diseases due to biological agents
•Brucellosis, leptospirosis, anthrax,
actinomycosis, hydatidosis, psittacosis,
tetanus, encephalitis, fungal
infections, etc.
•Occupational cancers
•Cancer of skin, lungs, bladder.
•V. Occupational dermatosis
Dermatitis, eczema.
•VI. Diseases of psychological origin
•Industrial neurosis, hypertension,
peptic ulcer, etc.

38. PNEUMOCONIOSIS
• Dust size range of 0.5 to 3 micron, is a health hazard a lung
disease known as pneumoconiosis
• gradually cripple a man
• lung fibrosis and other complications.

39. • Important dust diseases
–silicosis
–anthracosis
–byssinosis
–bagassosis
–asbestosis
–farmer’s lung
• No cure – only prevention
essential

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• Major cause of disability and mortality
• Inhalation of dust with – silica or silicon dioxide
• Higher concentration – higher hazard
• Incubation period – few months to 6 years
• Particles – phagocytosis – accumulation – block lymph channels
• Dense nodular fibrosis – 3-4mm
• c/f – insidious onset – irritant cough, dyspnoea, chest pain

43. • Decreased TLC – advanced disease
• X ray – snow-storm appearance
• Prone to PTB – silico-tuberculosis
• No effective treatment
• Fibrotic – cannot be reversed
• Rigorous dust control
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45. INCIDENCE
•In the mica mines of Bihar, out
of 329 miners examined, 34.1
per cent were found suffering
from silicosis. In a ceramic and
pottery industry, the incidence
of silicosis was found to be 15.7
per cent

46. 2. Anthracosis
• Previously it was thought that pulmonary "anthracosis" was
inert. Studies (15) indicate that there are two general phases
in coal miners pneumoconiosis - (1) the first phase is labelled
simple pneumoconiosis which is associated with little
ventilatory impairment. This phase may require about 12
years of work exposure for its development (2) the second
phase is characterised by progressive massive fibrosis (PMF);
this causes severe respiratory disability and frequently results
in premature death.

47. • First phase – simple pneumoconiosis – ventilatory impairment – after
12year exposure – anthracite coal dust
• Second phase –
– progressive massive fibrosis
– severe respiratory disability
– premature death
• Once simple pneumoconiosis
– progress even without further exposure
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49. BYSSINOSIS
• Inhalation of cotton fiber
• Chronic cough – progressive dyspnoea – chronic bronchitis – emphysema
• India has large textile industry – 35% of factory workers

50. BAGASSOSIS
• Inhalation of bagasse or sugar-cane dust
• Thermophilic actinomycete – thermoactinomyces sacchari
• Breathlessness, cough, haemoptysis, slight fever
• Acute diffuse bronchiolitis – initial
• Skiagram – mottling in lungs or shadow
• Resolution of inflammation– if treated early

51. • Untreated – diffuse fibrosis, emphysema, bronchiectasis
• Preventive measures:
– Dust control
• Wet process
• Enclosed apparatus
• Exhaust ventilation
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52. • Personal protection
•Masks
•Mechanical filters
• Medical control
•Initial and periodical
medical examinations
• Bagasse control
•Keeping moisture >20%
•Spraying bagasse with 2%
propionic acid- fungicide

53. ASBESTOSIS
• Fibrous material – commercial name
• Silicates of varying composition of bases (Mg,Fe,Ca,Na,Al)
• Two types –
– Serpentine or chrysolite (90% production)
– Amphibole
• Crocidolite (blue)
• Amosite (brown)
• Anthrophyllite(white)

54. • Inhalation – ROE
• Insoluble fibers – pulmonary fibrosis – insufficiency – death
• Carcinoma of bronchus (high-if add with smoking)
• Mesothelioma of pleura or peritoneum(crocidolite)
• Disease doesn’t appear – until 5-10 yrs of exposure

55. • Irritation – fibrosis – peribronchial – diffuse –basal in location
• Dyspnoea – out of proportion to clinical signs
• Clubbing – cardiac distress – cyanosis
• Sputum – Asbestos Bodies(fibers coated with fibrin)
• X ray – ground glass appearance – lower third of lung fields
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56. • Preventive measures
– Use of safer type asbestos
– Substitution of other insulants
– Rigorous dust control
– Periodic examination of workers
– Continuing research

57. FARMER’S LUNG
• Inhalation of mouldy hay grain dust
• >30% moisture
– favors bacteria, fungi growth
– rise temperature 40-50 deg C
– favors Thermophilic actinomycete
• Micropolyspora faeni – main cause
• Repeated attacks – pulmonary fibrosis – damage - corpulmonale

58. LEAD POISONING
•More industrial workers are
exposed to lead than to any other
toxic metal.
•All lead compounds are toxic –
•lead arsenate, lead oxide and
lead carbonate are the most
dangerous;
•lead sulphide is the least toxic.

61. OCCUPATIONAL
CANCER
•Skin cancer
•Lung cancer
•Bladder cancer
•Leukemia

62. Occupational Dermatitis
• The causes may be; Physical - heat, cold, moisture, friction,
pressure, X-rays and other rays; Chemical-acids, alkalies,
dyes,solvents, grease, tar, pitch,
• chlorinated phenols etc.
• Biological - living agents such as viruses, bacteria, fungi and
other parasites; Plant products - leaves, vegetables, fruits,
flowers, vegetable dust, etc.
• The dermatitis-producing agents are further classified into :
(1) primary irritants, and (2) sensitizing substances.

65. Effects of radiation
• Ionizing radiation -acute burns, dermatitis and blood
dyscrasias;
• Chronic exposure may cause malignancies and genetic
effects.
• Lung cancer may develop in miners working in uranium
mines due to inhalation of radio-active dust.

66. OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS OF AGRICULTURAL
WORKERS

67. • ZOONOTIC DISEASES:
• brucellosis,
• anthrax,
• leptospirosis,
• tetanus,
• tuberculosis (bovine) and
• Q fever.

68. • ACCIDENTS :
• result of the increasing use of
agricultural machinery.
• Insect and snake bites are an
additional health problem in India.

70. • excessive noise & vibrations.
• inadequate ventilation.
• the necessity of working in
uncomfortable positions for long
periods of time.

72. Recapitulization:
1. In which condition do you find snow storm appearance in X-ray
film?
2. Name some zoonotic diseases.
3. Dusts with which range of size are considered health hazard?
.
Assignment:
 Develop an information leaflet for farmers regarding prevention of
zoonotic diseases.
 Develop an instructional booklet for workers in pottery, ceramic
industry, building and construction work to prevent pneumoconiosis.