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Occupational Health

Occupational Health:
Occupational health is eventually a branch of preventive medicine which examines the relationship between work and health and effects of work on the health of the worker. 
Occupational health includes all factors relating work and working conditions, methods and environment that may cause diseases, injuries and deviation from health including maladjustment to work. It implies not only health protection but also health promotion for improving the health and working capacity of the worker, viz. preventive measures against diseases, improvement of nutrition and general mental health. 

Occupational health was defined by ILO/WHO committee in 1950 as,"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 from departure 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 his psychological ability and to summarise: the adoption of work to man and of each man to his job."
It includes medical examination of workers, their health records, placement according to health condition and adjusting work to man and man to his work. It is a team work of chemists, safety professionals, industrial hygienists and doctors. 

CLICK HERE👉 List of occupational diseases

• Occupational diseases:-

Click HERE👉Atopic Dermatitis (Ezcema)
•Occupational Dermatitis:
An inflammation of the skin produces dermatitis which is the most common skin disease. The part of body exposed is affected first, so it starts on hands. With some dusts and fumes, the first signs may appear around the eyes, neck and face also. The disease can be caused by many chemicals and apparently harmless substances including all forms of mineral oils (including diesel, lubricating and fuel oil) ; chemicals (alkalis, chromate, dichromate, and synthetic resin), solvents (thinners and degreasers such as white spirit, paraffin, trichloroethylene, turpentine, and petroleum product) ; tar pitch and other coal products including chemicals in the phenol snd cresol family ; soot; radiation including X-rays and radiant heat; friction particularly when dust or grit gets between clothing and skin. 


Chromate and dichromate used in chromium plating, dyeing and tanning produces chrome ulcers or holes as well as dermatitis. Chemical or thermal burns, blunt injury or infections resulting from bacteria and fungi may result in ulcerous excavations on the part affected. Occupationally induced changes skin colour can be caused by dyes, heavy metals, explosives, certain chlorinated hydrocarbons, tars and sunlight. The change in skin colour may be simply a chemical fixation within keratin. Skin cancer is caused by long periods of contact with a variety of substances including mineral oils, paraffin, tars, arsenic and several kinds of radiation including X-rays and ultra violet light. The cancer will usually develop in direct contact with the above substances. Other parts can be affected if the substance penetrates the clothing. 
Occupational dermatitis is preventable if timely diagnosed and controlled. 

Preventive measures are:


1) Engineering measures to control the harmful agents by various methods. 
2) Pre-Employment or pre-placement medical examination and sorting out the workers having suspected dermatitis or pre-disposition to skin diseases and keeping them away from the jobs having skin hazards. 
3) Use of necessary PPE and barrier creams. 
4) Personal hygiene. Adequate washing and bathing facility with warm water, soap, nail cutter and clean towels. 
5) Periodical medical examinations of workers and transferring the job of the affected workers. 

•Occupational Cancer: 
Occupational cancer is a form of delayed toxicity, serious in clinical course and outcome, due to exposure to chemical or physical agents (Carcinogens) in the workplace. 
Carcinogenic substance means a substance or preparation which by inhalation, ingestion or Cutaneous penetration can induce cancer or increase its frequency. It causes an increased incidence or benign and/ or malignant neoplasm, or a substantial decrease in the latency period between exposure and onset of neoplasm in human or in experimental specie; as a result of any exposure which induce tumours at a site other than the site of administration. It is unknown that how many chemicals are actually carcinogenic to humans and how many human cancers could be prevented by improving working conditions. There may be mixed reasons occupational and non-occupational also. 

The ACGIH has classified carcinogens  in five categories:

A1- Confirmed Human Carcinogen
A2- Suspected Human Carcinogen 
A3- Animal Carcinogen
A4- Not classified as a Human Carcinogen. 
A5- Not suspceted as a Human Carcinogen. 

Preventive measure are:


1) Not to use carcinogenic substances or processes. 
2) Research to find safe substitutes should be developed. 
3) To eliminate contact of workers from carcinogenic susbtances by
i. Employing closed system of work (i.e. no manual handling or direct exposure) 
ii. Work environment monitoring, biological monitoring and keeping the exposure far below the permissible limits. 
iii. Using personal protective equipment. 
iv. Following safe waste disposal methods. 
4) Avoiding personally susceptible workers at the time of recruitment. 
5) Rotating workers exposed to risks and thus reducing their exposure time. 
6) Advising to stop smoking and to improve personal hygiene. 
7) Referring serious cases to a cancer hospital or onco-surgeon(Cancer treating doctors). 
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