Prevention of occupational diseases

 The various measures for the prevention
of occupational diseases may be
grouped under three heads
i. Medical measures
ii. Engineering measures
iii. Legislative measures
Dr. M. Awais( Occupational Health 18) AMC, Abbottabad 2

 Medical measures for the prevention of
occupational diseases are further classified
into;
a. Pre-placement examination
b. Periodical examination
c. Medical & Health care services
d. Notification
e. Supervision of working environment
f. Maintenance and analysis of records
g. Health education & counselling

 It is the foundation of an efficient
occupational health services
 Done at the time of employment
 Includes the worker’s medical, family,
occupational and social history
 Also includes a thorough physical
examination and a battery of biological
and radiological examinations e.g. chest X-
ray, ECG, vision testing, urine & blood
examination, special tests for endemic
diseases

 The “purpose” of pre-placement
examination is “to place the right man in
the right job suited to his physical and
mental abilities, so that worker can
perform his duties efficiently without
detriment to his health”

 Pre-placement examination will also
serve as a useful benchmark for future
comparison

 Many diseases of occupational origin
require months to years for their
development
 Their slow development, very often,
leads to their non-recognition in the early
stages which is harmful for the worker
 This is the reason why a periodical
medical checkup of workers become
very important when they handle toxic
materials

 The frequency & content of periodical
examinations depends upon the type of
occupational exposure
 Ordinarily, workers are examined once a
year but in certain occupational
exposure (e.g. lead, toxic dyes, radium)
monthly examinations are indicated

 Medical care of occupational diseases is
a basic function of an occupational
health service
 Within the working environment, first aid
services should be made available
 Properly applied first aid can reduce
suffering & disability and accelerates
recovery

 Immunization is another accepted
function of an occupational health
service

 The main purpose of notification in
industry is to initiate measures for
prevention and protection & ensuring
their effective application
 It also serves important function to
investigate the working conditions &
other circumstances which have caused
or suspected to have caused
occupational diseases

 Periodic inspection of working
environment provides information of
primary importance in the prevention of
occupational disabilities
 The physician should pay frequent visits
to the factory in order to acquaint
himself with the various aspects of the
working environment such as
temperature, lighting, humidity,
ventilation, noise, air pollution

 He should be acquainted with the raw
materials, processes and products
manufactured

 Proper records are essential for planning,
development & efficient operation of an
occupational health service
 Worker’s health record & occupational
disability record must be maintained
 The review of these records will help
prevent certain hazards in the
occupational environment

 Ideally health education should start
before the worker enters the factory
 All the risks involved in the industry in
which he is employed & the measures to
be taken for personal protection should
be explained to him

 The correct use of protective devices like
masks and gloves should also be
explained
 Simple rules of hygiene like hand
washing, paring the nails, bodily
cleanliness & cleanliness of clothes
should be explained
 Purpose of health education is to assist
him avoid health hazards in working
environment

 Design of building
 Good housekeeping
 General ventilation
 Mechanization
 Substitution
 Dusts
 Enclosure

 Isolation
 Local exhaust ventilation
 Protective devices
 Environmental monitoring
 Statistical monitoring
 Research

 Measures for the prevention of
occupational diseases should
commence in the planning stage
 Type of floor, walls, height, ceiling, roof,
doors & windows, cubic space are all
matters which should receive attention in
the original plan of the building

 It covers general cleanliness, ventilation,
lighting, washing, food arrangements
and general maintenance
 Good housekeeping is a fundamental
requirement for the control or elimination
of occupational hazards

 There should be good general ventilation
in factories
 In rooms where dust is generated, there
should be an efficient exhaust ventilation
system
 Good general ventilation decreases the
air born hazards to the workers, specially
hazards from dusts and gases

 The plant should be mechanized to the
fullest possible extent to reduce the
hazard of contact with harmful
substances
 Dermatitis can be prevented if hand
mixing is replaced by mechanical
devices
 Acids can be conveyed from one place
to another through pipes

 By substitution is meant the replacement
of a harmful material by a harmless one,
or one of lesser toxicity
 E.g. substitution of white phosphorus by
phosphorus sesquisulphide in the match
industry which resulted in the elimination
of necrosis of jaw (Phossy jaw)
 Zinc or iron paints can be used in place
of harmful lead paints etc

 Dusts can be controlled at the point of
origin by water sprays e.g. wet drilling of
rock
 Inclusion of a little moisture in the
materials will make the processes of
grinding, sieving and mixing
comparatively dust free

 Enclosing the harmful materials and
processes will prevent the escape of dust
and fumes into the factory atmosphere
 E.g. grinding machinery can be
completely enclosed
 Such enclosed units are generally
combined with exhaust ventilation

 Sometimes it may be necessary to isolate
the offensive process in a separate
building so that workers not directly
connected with the operation are saved
from exposure

 By providing local exhaust ventilation
dusts, fumes and other injurious
substances can be trapped and
extracted “at source” before they
escape into the factory atmosphere

 The protective devices comprise ear
plugs, ear muffs, helmets, safety shoes,
aprons, gloves, screens and goggles etc
 The worker should be instructed in the
correct use of protective devices

 An important aspect in the occupational
health programme :
Concerned with periodical
environmental surveys, specially
sampling the factory atmosphere to
determine whether the dusts & gases
escaping into the atmosphere are within
the limits of permissible concentration

 It comprises review at regular intervals of
collected data on health and
environmental exposure of occupational
groups
 Main objective is to evaluate the
adequacy of preventive measures &
occupational health criteria, including
permissible exposure levels

 Research in occupational health offers
fertile ground for study which can
provide a better understanding of the
industrial health problems

 Legislation is of particular importance in
prevention and control of occupational
hazards and diseases
 Punjab employees social security
institution (PESSI) plays a vital role in
legislation

 Legislative measures include;
› Age:
 No worker should be less than 18 years old
› Working Hours:
 8 hrs/day, 48 hrs/week with one day off in a
week
› Extra time:
 On double wages
› Treatment:
 100% free medical treatment to worker and
family
 Family includes spouse, children and parents

› Sickness benefits:
 If a worker is injured during working hours, he is
provided with full pay, leave up to 180 days,
free of cost medications
 If injured outside workplace then he is given
75% of pay along with leave until he recovers
› Maternity leave:
 120 days leave in her last trimester with 75%
pay and free of cost medications

› Disablement:
 Medical board determines the extent of loss
after which it is determined whether person
can be given a light job or pension/gratuity
› Death:
 In case of death of worker, about 1500 rupees
are given for funeral
 75% pension is given to widow till the time one
of his child reaches 21 years or till the marriage
of her daughters

 Responsible authorities
Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and
Human Resource Development
 Main laws
Factories Act 1934
Hazardous Occupation Rules of 1978


The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Boilers and
Pressure Vessels Act, 2016 (Act No. XXXI
of 2016).
 The Balochistan Boilers and Pressure
Vessels Act (Act No. XVI of 2015

 Boilers and Pressure Vessels
(Amendment) Act, 2009
 Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority
Ordinance, 2001 (No. 3 of 2001)
 Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection
(Treatment of Food by Ionizing Radiation)
Regulations, 1996

 Employment of Children Act, 1991 (Act
No. V of 1991).
 Pakistan Nuclear Safety and Radiation
Protection Ordinance (No. IV of 1984).
 Agricultural Pesticides Ordinance, 1971 (II
of 1971).
 Hazardous Occupation Rules, 1963 (No.
1-6 (L-II/64).

 The term “ergonomics is derived from the
Greek ergon, meaning “work” and
nomos, meaning “laws”
 It simply means “fitting the job to the
worker”

According to IEO(International Ergonomics
Association): Ergonomics, ”Integrates
knowledge derived from human
sciences to match jobs ,systems,
products and environment to the
physical and mental abilities and
limitations of people”

Ergonomics is the study of human abilities
and characteristics which affect the
design of equipment, systems and jobs
and aims are to improve efficiency,
safety and well being. Ergonomics is
preventive in action and it prevents
fatigue, ill health and accidents. It is
more satisfying to the worker, safer and
productive.

Training in ergonomics involves designing
of machines, tolls, equipments and
manufacturing processes, lay out of the
places of work, methods of work &
environment in order to achieve greater
efficiency of both man and machine

 Reduces the physical & mental stress
/fatigue
 Increases work efficiency
 Reduces ill health
 Accelerates response to emergency
situation.

 Anatomical
 Physical work capacity
 Sensory capability
 Planning of building, equipment and
machinery
 Work design

Prevention of occupational diseases

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