Occupational health program structure, benefit, background, responsibility & good practice dr cyril paltoo

DR. CYRIL D. PALTOO M.B.B.S.(UWI); Dip. P.C.F.M. (UWI)

What is Occupational Health Articles in the ILO Convention 161 What is in the OSH Act and its medical

requirements The Global Plan of Action (2008-2017) How is the medical team and the Ministry

of Health positioned to deal with OSH Conclusion

The primary objective is to determine how can accidents and incidents be prevented in the workplace

A strong preventative approach is needed

What then constitute a strong preventative approach?

Since 1950, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (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 twelfth session in 1994.

“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 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.”

Articles in this convention which will be mentioned are:-

1. Article 12. Article 23. Article 34. Article 55. Article 9

Article 1: (The two terms used)(a) the term occupational health services

means services entrusted with essentially preventive functions and responsible for advising the employer, the workers and their representatives in the undertaking on-

(i) the requirements for establishing and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment which will facilitate optimal physical and mental health in relation to work;

(ii) the adaptation of work to the capabilities of workers in the light of their state of physical and mental health;

Article 1 (cont):-

(b) the term workers' representatives in the undertaking means persons who are recognised as such under national law or practice.

Article 2

In the light of national conditions and practice and in consultation with the most representative organisations of employers and workers, where they exist, each Member shall formulate, implement and periodically review a coherent national policy on occupational health services.

Article 3. 1. Each Member undertakes to develop

progressively occupational health services for all workers, including those in the public sector and the members of production co-operatives, in all branches of economic activity and all undertakings. The provision made should be adequate and appropriate to the specific risks of the undertakings.

2. If occupational health services cannot be immediately established for all undertakings, each Member concerned shall draw up plans for the establishment of such services in consultation with the most representative organisations of employers and workers, where they exist.

Article 5 …….occupational health services shall have such of the

following functions as are adequate and appropriate to the occupational risks of the undertaking:

(a) identification and assessment of the risks from health hazards in the workplace;

(b) surveillance of the factors in the working environment and working practices which may affect workers' health, including sanitary installations, canteens and housing where these facilities are provided by the employer;

(c) advice on planning and organisation of work, including the design of workplaces, on the choice, maintenance and condition of machinery and other equipment and on substances used in work;

(d) participation in the development of programmes for the improvement of working practices as well as testing and evaluation of health aspects of new equipment;

(e) advice on occupational health, safety and hygiene and on ergonomics and individual and collective protective equipment;

(f) surveillance of workers' health in relation to work; (g) promoting the adaptation of work to the worker; (h) contribution to measures of vocational rehabilitation; (i) collaboration in providing information, training and

education in the fields of occupational health and hygiene and ergonomics;

(j) organising of first aid and emergency treatment; (k) participation in analysis of occupational accidents

and occupational diseases.

Article 9 1. In accordance with national law and practice,

occupational health services should be multidisciplinary. The composition of the personnel shall be determined by the nature of the duties to be performed.

2. Occupational health services shall carry out their functions in co-operation with the other services in the undertaking.

3. Measures shall be taken, in accordance with national law and practice, to ensure adequate co-operation and co-ordination between occupational health services and, as appropriate, other bodies concerned with the provision of health services.

The Occupational Safety and Health Act was assent to on the 30th January 2004. It follows closely to the CARICOM Model. It was then published in the Trinidad and Tobago Gazette Volume 43 Number 20 on the 5th February 2004.

The Factories Ordinance of 1948 was still law at this point in time.

The Note on Proclamation (LN48/2006) stated that the act was brought into force on the 17th day of February 2006 with the exception of section 98.

6. (1) It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the safety, health and welfare at work of all his employees.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of an employer’s duty under subsection (1), the matters to which that duty extends include in particular—

(a) the provision and maintenance of plant and systems of work that are, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe and without risks to health;

(b) arrangements for ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, safety and absence of risks to health in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of equipment, machinery, articles and substances;

(c) the provision of adequate and suitable protective clothing or devices of an approved standard to employees who in the course of employment are likely to be exposed to the risk of head, eye, ear, hand or foot injury, injury from air contaminant………

(3) An employer shall— (a) ensure that all hazardous chemicals

present in the industrial establishment are labeled in a way easily understandable to the employees, or are identified in the prescribed manner;

(b) obtain or prepare, as may be prescribed, an unexpired chemical safety data sheet for all hazardous chemicals present in the workplace;

(9) An employer shall, after being notified by a female employee that she is pregnant and upon production of a medical certificate to that effect, adapt the working conditions of the female employee to ensure that she is not—

(a) involved in the use of, or exposed to, chemicals, substances or anything dangerous to the health of the unborn child; or

(b) subjected to working conditions dangerous to the health of the unborn child, and where appropriate, the employer may assign alternative work, where available, to her without prejudice to her right to return to her previous job.

Recalling and recognizing the recommendations of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg, South Africa, 2002) on strengthening WHO action on occupational health and linking it to public health

Recalling the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006, and the other international instruments in the area of occupational safety and health adopted by the General Conference of the ILO;

Considering that the health of workers is determined not only by occupational hazards, but also by social and individual factors, and access to health services;

Mindful that interventions exist for primary prevention of occupational hazards and for developing healthy workplaces;

Concerned that there are major gaps between and within countries in the exposure of workers and local communities to occupational hazards and in their access to occupational health services;

Stressing that the health of workers is an essential prerequisite for productivity and economic development,

To develop and implement national policies, action plans and programs on OH

To protect and promote health at the workplace

To improve performance and access to OH services

To provide and communicate evidence for preventive actions

To address workers through non-health policies

They unanimously committed full support development of a WHO global plan of action on workers health

Despite availability of effective interventions, too many workers were still exposed to unacceptable occupational risks and fall victims to occupational diseases and work accidents.

On the contrary, too few have access to occupational health services.

This shows that there is very little focus on worker health matters and on occupational illness surveillance challenges.

There is limited availability of qualified Industrial medicine and industrial hygiene practitioners.

There is absence of OH/IH regulations (ACOPs etc.- approved code of practice) and limited extent of IHS (Industrial Hygiene Surveys) because of it’s inability to pay for these services

Overall the national OSH culture is not considered.

Goals are simply stated and there is a need to bring OH to the front burner and link resources.

There is need to encourage an appropriate national culture, i.e. health seeking behaviours and also to encourage industry to pursue comprehensive worker health strategies.

There is need to influence the development of effective national policies for health and influence establishment of accessible, affordable OH services.

The Ministry of Health has now developed and published a policy on Occupational Safety and Health

“The Ministry of Health is a proactive institution that makes sound evidence-based decisions to assure

standards of excellence are achieved by all agencies that promote, protect and improve the health of the

people of Trinidad and Tobago.”

“Our mission is to provide leadership for the health sector by focusing on policy making, planning, monitoring and regulation. The

Ministry of Health will set national priorities based on needs assessment and will influence the provision of care by a combination

of financing and regulation of public and private services.”

Mrs. Sandra Jones Permanent Secretary

•Promotion of Occupational Safety and HealthCreating awareness on Occupational Safety and HealthPrevention of Occupational DiseasesSafety of Plants and MachineryMedical Surveillance and examination of workersThe Safety and Health of employees and the PublicProcessing of work injury benefits claimEmergency Evacuation Plan

The majority of developing countries lack the political mechanisms to translate scientific findings into effective policies.

In reality policy makers in the developing world do not lack information.

They are driven by the need to address more pressing social and health issues that are politically less complicated and more saleable to the general public.

Workers Health and Safety is protected under the OSH Act of 2004 amended 2006

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has set out criteria in its articles

Specific medical issues in the OSH act Global Plan of Action (2008-2017) The Ministry’s position on OSH