INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH Presented By Dr. Abrar Elahi Malik MBBS, DOMS, DHA, MPH Director Human Resource Management Akhtar Saeed Medical College, Lahore
May 25, 2015
INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Presented By
Dr. Abrar Elahi MalikMBBS, DOMS, DHA, MPH
Director Human Resource ManagementAkhtar Saeed Medical College, Lahore
The branch of science which deals with the health issues specifically related to the occupations & most commonly do not arise otherwise e.g. Asbestosis which occurs where asbestos is present
People working under the same roof 19 ormore personsWorking space per person 4X4 feetOne acre for 20 workersBUTIndustrialists employ people on daily basis tokeep the number less than 19
INDUSTRIAL WORKER
A work place where a person is gainfullyemployed.
◦ Self Employed (Shop keeper)◦ Through Employer (in a factory)
OCCUPATION
Prescribed occupational health hazards Notifiable occupational health hazards Compensatory occupational health hazards
to compensate for loss of body parts (hands, feet, fingers, eyesight, deafness etc)
Classification of Occupational Hazards
Health hazards related to occupation,observed in practice ;but yet to be certified as occupational Hazard
Prescribed occupational health hazards
Anthracosis,coal miners diseaseByssinosis,cotton fibres,textile indus.Baggasosis,sugarcane industrySilicosis ,mining, pottery ,sandblastingAsbestosisLead poisoningCancers due to exposure to radioactivity
Notifiable occupational health problems
Noise induced deafness Chopping of a body part (hands, feet, finger
amputation)
Compensatory occupational health hazards
Causative agent According to Physical Agents
◦ Pressure◦ Noise◦ Vibrations◦ Heat or Cold (Burns & Frost Bite)◦ Radioactivity ( Workers in Xray Plants)◦ Light
Classification of Health Hazards
Respiratory diseases Toxic hazards Accidents Zoonotic diseases Physical hazards
OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDSAgriculture Workers
Chemical Agents◦ Gases◦ Liquids◦ Solids
Biological Agents◦ Virus Health Hazards◦ Bacterial health Hazards◦ Fungi
CLASSIFICATION as per Causative Agents
Lung health hazards Skin health hazards Kidney health hazards Liver health hazards Intestinal health hazards Hearing health hazards Eye health hazards
Classification as per Body Parts
Have you ever diagnosed a case of byssinosis or bagassosis?
Can you differentiate between Ch. Bronchitis and the above two?
Either no work is being done which is not possible or there is no intersectoral communication
Status of Occupational Health in Punjab- An Overview
Labour DepartmentHealth DepartmentNGOs
Various Departments involved in Occupational health in Punjab
Punjab Employees Social Security Institutions (PESSI)
Punjab Social Security Health Management Company (PSSHMC)
Centre for Improvement of Working Conditions (CIWC)
Labour Inspectorate Medical Inspectorate (now abolished) Medical Inspector of Factories (MIF)
Labour Department
Maintaining & running hospitals & dispensaries
Supports employees for◦ Marriage◦ Hajj◦ Education◦ Pension◦ Other benefits
PESSI is doing marvelous work but Cater services to those who come to them.
PESSI
Never visit the work places Very poor record keeping- no data is
available to categorize or characterize the patients
Most of health hazard patients go to LGH as general patients without any reference from social security medical centres.
Where the fault lies?
How many MSc Occupational health and diplomas in industrial health employed in PESSI?
No specialized/ trained occupational health staff to diagnose and advise on occupational health hazards e.g.◦ Byssinosis◦ Silicosis◦ Bagassosis◦ Asbestosis◦ Ch. Bronchitis
Much improvement is required in this department
PESSI continued
Good material on Occupational Health No record keeping Not providing Health Services
Enviormental & biological monitoring should go together
Enviormental (sanitation ,water supply,general plant ,sufficient place, toilet ,ventilation ,lighting)
Biological (Nutrition,communicable diseases,mental health & family planning)
CIWC (centre for improvement of working conditions)
Environment sanitation Water supply General Plant Sufficient place Ventilation Lighting Protection against hazards Housing etc
Environment
Nutrition Communicable Diseases Mental Health Health Education Family Planning etc
BIOLOGICAL
Not doing anything worth mentioning except controlling child labour
Labour Inspectorate
Good field staff Rarely instruct workers on health issues EDO Health is ex officio Inspector of
Factories (MIF)- Just enters the factories and asks about the health of the workers, signs the health cards and collects the fee.
Medical Inspector of Factories
Medical Colleges producing doctors & paramedics for providing health care services
Teaching hospitals provide clinical services to workers & teaching and traning of occupational health care staff
Institute of Public Health Lahore producing health administrators and public health physicians (99% are alumni of IPH). Also trains them on occupational health issues
Health Department
NOSHA (National Occupational Health Association)
Lack of coordination & updated information on the issue
NGOs
Major Accident If a worker remains away from duty for 72
hours (>3 days)Minor Accident If a worker remains away from duty for less
than 72 hours (<3 days)Major accident can be
◦ Fatal◦ Non fatal
Disabling Non disabling
Definitions
15 million work hours are wasted out of which >50% were due to pulleys accidents
Could be avoided if pulleys or chain belts were covered properly
Very little budget is allocated for Occupational Health in Punjab which is presently about 1 crore only.
At least @Rs20 per worker-30 crore are required
Survey shows
Best setup in Sweden All accidents are immediately attended to
and Ambulance and medical care is promptly available.
Occupational health