Promoting occupation health
and safety
presented by: DR/Amira Yahia
Learning outcomes
To define occupational health
To define the Occupational environment
To define the Occupational health nursing
To identify the Objectives of occupational health
nursing
To describe the Occupational health hazard
To identify the Occupational health nurse work setting
To identify the function of OHN
To discuss the Nursing care of working populations
Occupational health
The modern definition of occupational health *
(WHO) is :
“The promotion and maintenance of the lightest
Degree of physical , mental and social well-being
of work in all occupations –and health all at
”work
Occupational environment :
Is mean the sum of external conditions and
influences which prevail in the place of work and
which have a bearing on the health of the
working population
Occupational health nursing
• The specialty practice that focuses on the
promotion ,prevention , and restoration of
health within the context of a safe and healthy
environment
:
Objectives of occupational health
nursing :
& protect the worker from occupational
health hazard
• &promote a safe and healthful work places
• &facilities effort of the workers and worker's
families to meet their health and welfare
needs.
Work place hazards
*work place hazards :all the work related agents
that present potential and actual risks to the
health and safety of workers
“source or situation with a potential for harm in
terms of injury or ill health , damage , to
property , damage to the workplace
environment , or a combination of these “
Occupational health hazard
Type of occupational health hazard
&physical
&chemical
&biological
&mechanical
&psychosocial
Physical hazard :
&Temperature (heat –cold)
&illumination
&noise
&vibration
&radiation
&atmospheric pressure
Physical (heat)
&Direct effect of heat :
-Heat exhaustion
-heat cramps
-heat stroke
-heat rash
- heat burns
&Indirect effect :
-decreased efficiency
-increase fatigue
-increase accident rate
Noise :
Health hazards the effect of noise are two types
:
-Auditory effects as hearing loss
-Non auditory as nervousness , fatigue and
confusion
Ionizing radiation
&X-ray
&radioactive isotopes (e.g. cobalt)
&certain tissues such as bone narrow are more
sensitive
&the radiation hazards comprise genetic
changes , malformation , cancer , leukemia ,
ulceration , sterility
Chemical hazard
They are (gases-Dust metals and their
compounds).
A)local action :
-some chemicals cause dermatitis , eczema ,
ulcers by primary irritant action and some cause
dermatitis by an allergic action
inhalation
&dust
(e.g. stone industries-wood industries)
-both effect the upper respiratory tract
&Gases:
-simple gases(e.g. oxygen , hydrogen)
-asphyxiated gases (e.g. carbon monoxide)
-anesthetic gases(e.g. chloroform)
& metals and their compounds:
(e.g. lead , manganese, mercury, phosphorus , zinc )
The all effect depends upon the duration of exposure and
the dose or concentration of exposure
ingestion
Occupational disease also result from ingestion
of chemical substances e g Lead, mercury,
arsenic, phosphorus usually these substances
are swallow Eden minute amount, through
contaminated hands, food or cigarettes
Biological hazards
Workers may expose to infective and parasitic •
agents at the place of work
The occupational disease are tetanus, anthrax, •
brucellosis, encephalitis, fungal infections,
persons are working among animals and those
engaged in the manufacture of animals
products(e.g.) hair, wool and agricultural
hazards due to:(Bacteria, virus, parasites,
fungus)
Mechanical hazard
The mechanical hazards in industry center round
machinery protruding and moving parts and
the like(accidents, lack of ergonomics
musculoskeletal disorders)
Socio- psychological hazards
Emotional tension, fear, frustration, lack of job
satisfaction, poor industrial relation ships(shift
work, work hierarchy inter personal
relation),insecurity are some of the spy
ecological causes which may undermine both
physical and mental health of the workers
physical symptoms(e.g. headache, dizziness
indigestion, fatigue, Blood pressure)
Personal protective equipment include
Hearing protection
Eye guards- protective clothing
Devices for monitoring exposure to agents such
as radiation
Work place hazard
Health effect
Jobs with potential
exposure
Carbon monoxide
Head ache angina
Fire fighters engine
mechanics
solvents
Dermatitis cancer
Foundry workers wood
finishers, dry cleaners
microelectronics
lead
Abdominal pain behavioral
changes
Battery makers, painters,
shoe makers, gasoline
station attendants
Asbestos, silica, coal dust
Chronic bronchitis
Emphysema lung cancer
Insulators, pipe fitters
Contractors
Shipyard workers
Life heavy loads
Back pain, muscle stain,
sprains
Health workers truckers
who load and unload
vehicles
Jobs with potential
exposure
Work place Hazard
Health effect
Benzene
A plastic Anemia leukemia
Furniture finishers chemists
hepatitis
hepatitis
Health care workers
heat
Burn, hyperth Erma
Food service workers, fire
fighters, an out door
workers
Sun light
melanoma
Farmers, fishermen highway
workers oil rig workers
vibration
Kidney disease, carpal
tunnel, Bladder disease
Semi-trailer worker, truckers
who lead and unload trucks
construction worker
Postural strain
Headaches , blurred vision ,
neck pain
Students accountants
Cont…
Basically there are three types of interaction in
the working environment
-man and physical, chemical, mechanical and
biological agents
-man and man
-man and machine
Work health interactions (imp)
• Host (worker& family)
• Environment (workplace hazards)
• Agents (external factors)
Host
Agents
Environment
Cont….
Host factors are associated with increased risk to
the work place hazards :
Each worker represents a host within worker
population group
-age & gender
-health status
-work practice
-ethnicity
-lifestyle factors
Cont….
The host factors of age , gender, and work
experience combine by increase risk for injury due
to :
-lack of knowledge, experience
-lack of familiarity with the new job
Older workers have increase risk due to:
-diminished sensory abilities
-the effect of chronic illnesses
-delayed reaction times
Cont….
Women in child bearing years very susceptible
to work place exposure because :
-the hormonal changes during these years
-trans placental exposures
Agent :
1)biological agents
-are living organisms are capable of causing human
disease by infectious process
Ex : bacteria, viruses , fungi
Common in workplace
(health care facilities and clinical laboratories)
2)chemical agent :
Various forms of chemicals
-medication
-solutions
-gases
-vapors, aerosols
Cont…
3)environment and mechanical agents:
Are those that can potentially cause accidents,
injury, strain or discomfort (e.g. unsafe \inadequate
equipment.
-lifting device and lifting heavy loads
-slippery floors
-repetitive motions
4)physical agent :
Within the work environment include the following
Temperature extreme
Environment
• Environmental factor :
• &physical environment (heat, odor, ventilation)
• Influence the occurrence of host agent
interactions
• &new environment problem continue to arise
such as :
• -an increase industrial wastes and toxins
• -indoor and outdoor environmental pollution
• &addictive behavior(negative social
environmental)
Occupational health nurse work
setting :
•
•
•
•
•
-traditional manufacturing
-services (banking, restaurants)
-industries-health care facilities
-construction sites
-governmental setting
The function of OHN(imp):
• -promotes the health and safety of workers
• -defines the scope of practice and sets the
standards of occupational health nursing
practice
• -promotes and provides continuing education
the specialty
• -advances the profession through supporting
research
Cont….
• Team of occupational health and safety
programs
• the following are core members of this team:
• -occupational health nurse
• -occupational physician
• -industrial hygienist
• -safety professional
Nursing care of working
populations(imp):
• The nurse is often the first health care provide seen by an
individual with a work related health problem
• The occupational health nurse practices all level of
prevention :
• &primary prevention :
• Provide education of safety in the work places to prevent
injury
• &secondary prevention:
• Periodic screening to identify an illness at the earliest
possible
• &tertiary prevention :
• Is intended to restore health as fully as possible
Worker assessment :
• Goal of these assessment :
• -identify agent and host factors that could
place the employee at risk
• -determine prevention steps that can be taken
to minimize potential health problem
Health assessment of individual
include
• &occupational health histories
• -A list of current and past jobs the client has held
• -current and past exposure to specific agents and
relationship between the symptoms and activities at
work
• -other factors that may enhance the client's
susceptibility to occupational agents (smoking ,
underlying illness, previous injury , disability)
• &the nurse notice the influence of work health
interaction
• &the nurse should be aware that not all workers are
well informed about they work potential hazards
Cont….
• The nurse must develop basic knowledge
about the types of jobs held by client and the
possible hazards associated with them
• -during these health assessment, the nurse
has the opportunity to teach about work place
hazards and prevents measure
When assessment done :
• As pre placement examinations before the
client begins a job
• -with the onset of a work –related health
problem or exposure
• -when an employee is being transferred to
another job
• -At termination
• -At retirement
Work place assessment :
• the nurse should review the work process and
work areas or locations in the work places .to
know
• -what hazards may be present
• -understanding the type of job health
requirements
• &description of the work environment to
know .
• Over all picture of general appearances
Cont:
A description of the employee group (worker population ) To
understanding :
• -good hygiene
• -waste disposal
• -house keeping
• -administrative controls reduce exposure through
• -job rotation
• -work place monitoring
• -employee training and education
• Personal protective control
•
Primary prevention :
• Health promotion
• Health education about nutrition, stress
management and exercise provide prenatal
care to pregnant worker
• Illness prevention
Good luck