Occupational Health and Diseases
According to the World Health Organization, occupational health refers to that division of public health that focuses on maintaining the greatest level of overall well-being of workers. This initiative focuses on keeping workers healthy and safe, equipping them to do their job well. To do so, there is an emphasis on keeping the work environment safe and ensuring that the working conditions are in check with the standards that have already been set. Health, Safety, and Positive Practices are the key areas of occupational health.
The health division in occupational health monitors the health of workers in factories and docks. This means recognizing the signs and symptoms of illness, preventing illnesses, and conducting regular health checkups to ensure the well-being of workers. This is not limited to physical health, it takes into consideration mental health as well, i.e., addressing the mental health issues of the workers and providing them with means to combat stressors. The occupational health center that is established to provide health support also provides resources for rehabilitation. For instance, if a worker has an accident and is returning to work after recovery, they are helped with the transition back to work to resume their responsibilities with ease.
The safety division in occupational health essentially means that the occupational health center services identify the risks in the workplace that could cause harm to the workers’ physical or emotional health. It also provides safety measures like proper handling of the equipment by analyzing the risks and making sure that the safety protocols and action plans are followed religiously. Sometimes the work environment is not conducive to the well-being of the workers, and so the occupational health center services also focus on designing a proper physical work ecosystem.
The division of positive practices in occupational health includes the promotion of good health practices in the form of seminars, workshops, training, and health and wellness programs that educate and inform the workers to become more health conscious, adapt to healthier means of living, follow the safety practices at the workplace and the development of proper health systems. The occupational health center also ensures that organizations submit to the legal policies and follow all necessary protocols.
What is an Occupational Disease?
An occupational disease is a condition that occurs due to harmful exposure and indulgence in risky activities in an occupational setting. The tragedy of the ‘Radium Girls’ is an apt example of an occupational disease. In the early 1900s, a group of young women were asked to work at the radium dial factories. Their work was to paint watch dials with radium-based paint. They were to shape the brush with their lips for painting details. This gave the women a glowing face because of the radium and more women joined in to work at the factory. Little did they know that radium is a radioactive element that posed severe health complications, and over the years, these women started to develop bone cancer. Their jaws first started to deteriorate, eventually leading to their deaths. It was years after their deaths that any of the victims’ family members got any reasonable word from the factory owners. This historic tragedy illuminates the importance of occupational health, workplace safety, and recognizing the occupational hazards and more importantly, the need for occupational health center services.
The risk factors affecting occupational health are physical, chemical, biological, or ergonomic and may lead to adverse health effects over time.
Physical hazards affecting occupational health involve factors like radiation, noise, temperature, and vibration. Extreme radiation exposure can cause severe harm to one’s organs and tissues, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and in certain cases coma and death. Prolonged exposure to loud noise can lead to hearing loss. Exposure to intense temperatures can lead to thermal stress. Musculoskeletal disorders can be caused by exposure to long periods of forceful exertion, or even hand-transmitted vibrations.
Chemical hazards that pose a threat to occupational health include exposure to toxic substances, gasses, liquids, or dust. The toxic substances cause harm through ingestion, like in the case of the radium girls, they unknowingly ingested radium. It can also cause harm through inhalation or skin contact. Inflammation, skin irritation, or even skin diseases can be caused. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (lung disease) is caused mainly by occupational exposure. Worldwide, it is the fourth leading cause of death. Workers in industries that were exposed to coal dust, cotton dust, cadmium fumes, and silica were found to suffer from the disease.
Biological hazards involve the exposure to biological agents of diseases, i.e., exposure to microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. Agricultural environments where the work is dealing with plants, soil, or animals may lead to occupational health risks. In healthcare settings too there is a constant exposure to infectious agents. Other settings where medical wastes are managed are also risky.
Ergonomic hazards occur due to the poor design of workspaces and the inefficiency of machinery and other tools. Improper workplace design in the absence of advice from the occupational health center can cause unnecessary strain on the workers that eventually lead to musculoskeletal disorders.
Prevention and Treatment of Occupational Diseases
The occupational health center functions to identify the risks in the work environment, assessing exposure hazards that can cause occupational diseases. Another crucial step in prevention is to set control systems in place. This may include reassessing safety protocols, creating new ones like proper training of workers, designated time and rotation duty, and use of proper breaks. Then designing new systems to minimize exposure, and encourage the use of proper safety equipment like masks, gloves, and PPE. The occupational health center also conducts constant health surveillance, detecting the early signs, which is also another good way to prevent occupational diseases.
At the unfortunate onset of an occupational disease, early detection can be significant in the success of treatment plans. Proper medical treatment and medications should be planned and provided. To prevent any similar future health complications, the cause of the disease should be curbed, and modifications should be made, if any. Proper treatment follows up with rehabilitation as part of the occupational health center services so proper resources should be provided to ease the worker’s return. Legal things like compensation and other changes to be made should also be looked into.
Occupational health and safety are of prime importance. History has given us many tragedies to learn from. To secure a health-focused work environment, protect the health, and ensure the safety of workers, occupational health center services are necessary.
