Occupational Health & safety

Margaret K. Semakula

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Introduction to OHSOccupational health and safety is a cross-disciplinary area

concerned with protecting the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment. The goal of all occupational health and safety programs is to foster a safe work environment.

As a secondary effect, it may also protect co-workers, family members, employers, customers, suppliers, nearby communities, and other members of the public who are impacted by the workplace environment.

Is another way of saying 'Health and Safety at Work'. It's about preventing disease or injury that is a direct result of your workplace.04/28/23 Margaret 2

Introduction to OHSBranch of medicine that deals with ,

diseases related to work and its environmentthe disease covers even the workers’ living environmentplus life stylethe persons living with the worker could exhibit the disease

It is a broad discipline involving many specialized fields including occupational medicine, occupational (or industrial) hygiene, public health, safety engineering among others.

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Introduction to OHSSeveral definitions of OHS have been developed by

professional bodies e.g. WHO & ILO, national bodies and authorities.

In summary it is considered to be a multidisciplinary activity aiming at the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations.

In other words it encompasses the social, mental and physical well-being of workers i.e. whole person in all occupations

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Introduction to OHS - definitionSince 1950, the (ILO) and the(WHO) have shared a common definition of

occupational health. It was adopted by the Joint ILO/WHO Committee on Occupational Health at its first session in 1950 and revised at its 12th session in 1995.

The definition reads: "Occupational health and safety 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; 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 capabilities; and, to summarize, the adaptation of work to man and of each man to his job”.04/28/23 Margaret 5

Occupational health & safety –Aims • 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;

• 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 capabilities; and,

• The adaptation of work to man and of each man to his job"04/28/23 Margaret 6

Occupational Health• The promotion and maintenance of the highest degree

of physical, mental and social well being of workers in all occupations

• Health Work

• Any poor working conditions have the potential to affect a worker’s health and safety;

• All types of work places could be unhealthy or unsafe.

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Definitions Occupational hygiene is defined as the science of

anticipation, recognition, evaluation and control of health hazards in the working environment which could impair the health and well being of workers.

It also takes into account the possible impact on the surrounding communities &the general environment.

Occupational medicine is the discipline which studies the relationship between worker and environment. It recognizes the causes to, prevents, gives diagnoses of and treatment for occupational health disorders.

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Definitions • Occupational environment is the sum of external

conditions and influences which prevail at the place of work and which have a bearing on the health of the working population.

• Occupational Hygiene technician is a person competent to carry out measurements of the work environment but not to make the interpretations, judgments & recommendations required from an Occupational Hygienist.04/28/23 Margaret 9

Occupational health vs safety• Safety means preventing accidents– Safety Accident– Health Illness

OH issues are often given less attention than OS because they are not considered as important and are difficult to confront.

Yet when health is addressed so is safety; a healthy work place is also a safe work place and yet the reverse may not be true.04/28/23 Margaret 10

Occupational health vs safetyMost important is that both the health and safety issues

must be addressed in every work place.

Poor working conditions affect workers health and safety, families, other people in the community and environment.

(e.g, pesticide use).

The successful OHS practice requires collaboration and participation of both employers and workers.

It involves the consideration of other issues: occupational medicine, industrial hygiene, toxicology, education, engineering safety, ergonomics and psychology etc. 04/28/23 Margaret 11

History of Occupational Health

Bernardino Ramazzini (1633-1714), a physician and professor of Padua, Italy discovered an association between the disease and the life and the work of his patients. He studied diseases that he identified with specific occupations, thereby earning himself the title of “father of occupational medicine”

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Historical milestones• There has been several eras or shifts in OH

health needs and trends.

• The industrial revolution wave– Increased production and use of coal– High turn over of workers– Workers realized the need for protection– Workers went on strike; long working hours,

increased incidence of illness, no consideration for those who are ill, increased mortality.

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Historical milestones• The industrial health service wave• There was initiation OH care but on a limited

scale;– To cover only industries– Cover only for workers alone not their families– No component of compensation– No treatment of worker while at home; only at work.

As a result of dissatisfaction, the workers went on strike again

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Milestones The occupational health waveIn this wave OH care became widely viewed as

necessary and was incorporated into systems.

In Uganda, it came in 1940s in the form of industrial health and started in the department of labour.

Then it had 4 objectivesTo carry out medical examination of workersTo conduct research on occupational healthTo teach higher institutionsInspection of work places

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How it started in Uganda• As industrial Health in the department• Started to cater for all the industries at the time• Responsible for:– examination of all the employees,– to carry out industry/work place inspection– to advise both employers and govt.. on toxicity

• To carry out research• To conduct teaching programs for the training

institutions • To render services to cover the whole country.04/28/23 Margaret 16

OH situation in Uganda1. Occupational health manpower is still very low.2. It is currently not part of the minimum health care package.3. Lack of knowledge on occupational diseases and hazards.4. Illiteracy , unskilled man power and lack of employment.5. No political will to address occupational hazards.6. Knowledge among employers is not passed on to the

employees. 7. Laws and policies have not embraced OHS; fear that investors

will not manage and will be drawn away.8. Even the existing laws are not enforced.9. The workman’s compensation act has been updater but the

actual implementation is not yet seen.10. There is a general move to increase protection for workers at

their work place- health insurance, life insurance, social insurance, community insurance.

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OH problems in developing countries The workers in the developing countries are at a higher risk of

exposure to occupational hazards due to;1. Low education high Illiteracy rates2. Unfamiliarity with the work processes3. Inadequate training4. Predisposition to complain (fear of job loss)5. Lack of protective equipment6. High prevalence of endemic communicable diseases.7. Inadequate infrastructure and human resource to prevent and

control exposure; diagnose and treat illnesses.8. Low wages. 9. Lack of policy and regulation10.Aggravating factors- other infections, poor hygiene, poor

nutrition, poverty, vulnerability (vulnerable group- children, orphans, women, migrants, displaced persons)

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PH Importance of OHS (WHO 2010)• Annually, an estimated 160 million new cases of work-

related diseases occur worldwide

• 1.1 M people die every year due to occupational diseases and injuries (same no. as malaria). Diseases include asbestosis, silicosis, lead poisoning and noise induced hearing loss.

• 250 M occupational accidents happen every year resulting in 300,000 fatalities, also lead to partial or complete incapacity to work and generate income.

• More in developing countries:- A worker in developing countries is 5-7x likely to get an occupational accident.04/28/23 Margaret 19

PH Importance of OHS (WHO 2010)• 2.6 bn are in work force and need to be protected.

• Economic losses from work-related disease and injuries is about 4% of the world’s GNP.

• Only 5-10 % and 20-50 of workers in developing and industrialised countries respectively access OH services.

• An increasing number of workers in industrialized countries complain about psychological stress and overwork.

• Even in advanced economies, a large proportion of work sites is not regularly inspected for OHS 04/28/23 Margaret 20

Why Occupational Health?• Moral and Ethical Issues –Respect Human Resources and

their family

• Legal Issues –Claims for compensation

• Financial Issues –Increase of Insurance Premium

• Large numbers of people exposed to toxic materials and substances.

• Many new chemicals introduced into the market about 6m per year. These include chemicals, drugs & pharmaceuticals, computers etc.

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Why Occupational Health?Most of the exposed persons globally are illiterate and lack

the knowledge to protect and prevent themselves from acquiring the OH related diseases. They are exposed unprotected

Early recognition by physicians of unusual patterns of illnesses can alert them and employers.

Multidiscipline team required.

Developing countries have become a damping ground; as a result there is a shift of occupational diseases and hazards (non communicable diseases- cancers, chronic diseases) and the cause is not known.04/28/23

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Why Occupational Health?• New trends in occupational diseases are emerging daily.

• Physicians will continue to encounter the patients with work related problems.

• Chemicals used in developing countries are used by poorly trained or non trained at all.

• World wide people are appreciating the need to take care of their own health so as to increase life expectancy. 04/28/23 Margaret 23

Benefits of Good OSH• Reduced lost time

• Reduced need to provide cover for personnel absent from work because of injury

• Reduce sick pay payments

• Reduce need for time-consuming accident investigation and consequent saving in management time and production down-time

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Benefits of Good OSH• Reduced potential for prosecution and other

enforcement action by authorities

• Reduction in the number of claims for compensation by injured personnel

• Reduced employer’s liability insurance premiums

• Improved image of company, both in terms of employer and competent contractor

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References.• Pantry Sheila, 1995. Occupational Health.T.J. Press (Padstow)

Ltd. Great Britain.• www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/../

import_Hazard+identification.• K. Park, 2000. Park’s text book of preventive and social

medicine.• Mark G Robson, Risk assessment for environmental health.• Occupational Health And Safety Risk Assessment And

Management Guidelines, The University of Queensland.• Occupational Health and Safety,- Hazard Identification, Risk

Assessment and Control (HIRAC), University of Ballarat.