ieh8

• Occupational health


  The science of anticipation, recognition, evaluation and control of hazards arising in/from workplace that could impair health and well-being of workers
• Occupational health


  • Protection and promotion of the health of workers
  • Enhancement of the physical, mental, and social well-being of workers and support for the development and maintenance of their working capacity
  • Enabling workers to conduct socially and economically productive lives
• Types of occupational hazards


  • Biological
  • Physical
  • Chemical
  • Ergonomic
  • Psycho-social
• Biological hazards


  Bacteria, virus, fungi, parasites; exposure to harm/disease associated with working with animals, people, plants--- day care facilities, schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, laboratories, healthcare centers, nursing homes, agriculture, food industries
• Physical hazards


  Temperature, vibration, lighting, fire, noise, heat stress, electrical accidents, physical accidents, radiation
• Chemical hazards


  Solids, liquids, gases, dusts, fumes, vapors; toxic effects by inhalation, absorption, ingestion; spraying, mixing, painting, cutting, crushing; cause illness, skin irritation, breathing problems
• Ergonomic hazards


  Physical factors that harm musculoskeletal system; repetitive movement, manual holding, poor body positioning, poorly designed job tasks; the hardest to spot
• Psycho-social hazards


  Hazards/stressor that cause stress and strain: workload demands, workplace violence, boring repetitive tasks, lack of respect, lack of recognition, low pay, sexual harassment, absence of social support
• Occupational accidents


  • Falls/being stuck by materials
  • Striking against objects
  • Being caught in/under/between objects
  • Over-exertion/strenuous movements
  • Exposure to/contact with extreme temp, electric current or harmful substances and radiation
• Other causes of occupational accidents


  • Machines
  • Means of transport and lifting equipment
  • Materials
  • Substances
  • Radiation
  • Work environment
• Other work related diseases


  • Pulmonary diseases
  • Dermatologic conditions
  • Musculoskeletal injuries and disorders
  • Occupational cancers
  • Noise induced hearing loss
  • Psychological disorders
• Nerve entrapment disorders


  Occur when repeated/sustained work activities expose nerves to pressure from hard, sharp edges of work surface, tools, internal structures
• Occupational cancers


  • Arsenic- skin and lung
  • Chromium compounds, hexavalents- lung
  • Nickel- lung and nasal sinus
  • Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons- skin
  • Coal tars- skin, scrotum, lung, bladder
  • Benzol- blood(leukaemia)
  • B-naphthalamine- bladder
  • Ionizing radiation- skin, bone, lung, blood
  • Asbestos- lung, pleura, peritoneum
• Noise induced hearing loss


  Irreversible hearing impairment, 16% of adult-onset hearing loss worldwide is attributable to occupational noise exposure
• Physiological disorders - short term


  • Cathecholamines increase
  • Cortisol increase
  • Blood pressure increase
• Physiological disorders - long term


  • Hypertension
  • Heart disease
  • Ulcers
  • Asthma
• Psychological disorders - short term


  • Anxiety
  • Dissatisfaction
• Psychological disorders - long term


  • Depression
  • Burnout
  • Mental disorders
• Behavioral disorders - short term


  • Job-absenteeism
  • Reduced productivity and participation
  • Decreased friendships and participation in community
  • Excessive use of alcohol, drugs, smoking
• Behavioral disorders - long term


  Learned "helplessness"
• Identification and evaluation of health hazards


  • Material inventory
  • Process inventory
  • Inspection
  • Measurements and sampling
  • Nature of substance or physical agents
  • Intensity of exposure
  • Duration of exposure
• Hierarchy of controls


  • Elimination
  • Substitution
  • Engineering controls
  • Administrative controls
  • PPE
• Types of prevention


  • Primary prevention—reducing risk of disease
  • Secondary prevention---identifying health problems before they become clinically apparent and intervening to limit adverse effects of problem
  • Tertiary prevention--- minimizing adverse clinical effects on health of disease/ exposure
• The purpose of the Occupational Safety and Health Act is to ensure safe working conditions, prevent injuries, illnesses, and deaths on the job.