Module 3: Occupational Health
Introduction
 Occupational Health (OH) refers to the relationship between work and health.
OH specialists aim to enhance a worker’s health status, increase the productivity of
a workforce, improve business performance and the economy.
OH specialists have specific training and experience to understand the link between
health and work. This enables them to support both workers and employers. OH
focuses on three main objectives:



Maintenance and promotion of workers’ health and working capacity
Improvement of working environments to ensure that they are conducive to
health and safety
The development of work organizations/cultures in ways which support health
and safety at work, promote positive social interactions and improve
productivity
Why is Occupational Health Important?
Work is said to increase physical and mental health, enhance a worker’s sense of
purpose, confidence, self-worth, independence and fulfilment. Return to work post
illness or injury should, therefore, be considered as an important outcome
measure when exploring treatment options and the support of working age people.


Five percent of all sickness absence will become long term (ie it will last more
than 4 weeks) and this accounts for almost half of the total working days lost
each year.
The longer a person is absent from work, the greater the chance that s/he wi ll
not return to work. e.g. if an individual is absent from work for six months, there


is an 80% chance that s/he will be out of work for five years, which comes at
significant cost to the individual and society
When poor work ability (physical or mental) is combined with one or more
chronic diseases, there is an increased risk of long-term sickness absence in
the working population.
The risk of long-term sickness absence gradually increases based on factors
associated with work that has high physical demands.
Of
particular
importance
to
physiotherapists
is
that
alongside
“stress, depression and anxiety”, “other musculoskeletal problems” are some of the
most commonly reported reasons for long term absence from work.
The Occupational Health Team
The OH team includes health professionals from a variety of backgrounds who work
together to enable workers to return/remain in the workplace.
1. Occupational Health Physicians promote and protect the health and
workability of workers. They focus on preventative medicine and management
of illness, injury and disability related to the workplace.
2. Occupational Health Advisors are nurses with specialist training in OH. They
often take on a case management role and will perform duties such as new
starter health assessments, health surveillance and screening programs such
as audiometry, spirometry, vision screening, hand/arm vibration assessment
and shift worker assessment.
3. Occupational Health Psychologists care for psychological well-being of the
individual. They are involved in supporting job satisfaction and the
effectiveness of the organizations. Their role is diverse and can focus on
education and training or one-to-one support and therapy. Similarly, they may
be involved in advising managers and decision makers on how best to support
the mental health and well-being of employees.
4. Occupational Therapists in the workplace help employees overcome barriers
that prevent them from participating in work. These barriers are varied and
include issues such as illness, disability, social/institutional or physical
environmental issues.
5. Occupational Health Physiotherapists are often involved in the assessment
of return to work, functional rehabilitation, and other clinical treatment services.
They may take on health promotion and education roles, risk assessment and
training, health promotion activities, as well as being involved in managing long
term conditions in the workplace. Physiotherapists working in OH have the
scope to develop their own practice in different directions from risk
management and interventions through to case management of long-term
conditions in the work place.
The roles of these professions often overlap and all may be first contact practitioners.
They may also be supported by ergonomists, occupational hygienists, he alth and
safety consultants, HR and senior managers.
Industrial Hygiene (Occupational Hygiene)
Overview
One of the main priorities of any workplace is to keep its employees safe and healthy.
Industrial hygiene is concerned with identifying, evaluating, and controlling real or
potential workplace environmental stressors or hazards that can affect the wellbeing of
workers and community members. It is sometimes called Occupational Hygiene,
Occupational Health or Workplace Health. Ideally, hazards are identified and controlled
when a workplace is being planned, when conditions or processes change, or through
yearly reviews, before they become an issue for workers.
In order to help ensure proper industrial hygiene and thus the health and safety of your
workers, you can employ an industrial hygienist. The role of an industrial hygienist is to
“anticipate health and safety concerns and design solutions to prevent them. They are
the guardians of workplace safety, applying science to identify and solve health and
safety problems. Industrial hygienists also unite management, workers, and all segments
of a company behind the common goal of health and safety.
What is Industrial Hygiene?
 Industrial hygiene is the science of controlling hazardous workplace
conditions to prevent employees from becoming sick or injured.
Key Components of Industrial Hygiene
Industrial hygiene encompasses a wide range of health and safety concerns in the
workplace.

Ergonomics: The goal of ergonomics (the study of people at work), is to reduce
stress and eliminate injuries associated with bad posture, overuse of muscles, and
repeated tasks. For example, proper ergonomics can help prevent carpal tunnel
syndrome, tendonitis, and lower back injuries.

Noise: Long-term exposure to noise – both wanted and unwanted sound – can
lead to hearing loss for workers. Noise issues can be addressed in several ways,
including designing a facility to minimize noise, separating workers from noisy
machinery as much as possible, and using devices, such as ear muffs or ear plugs,
to protect workers.

Temperature: Both high and low temperatures can cause problems for workers.
If temperatures are too high, workers are vulnerable to heat stroke or heat
exhaustion; heat stroke is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention.

Indoor air quality: Indoor air quality can be impacted by many factors, including
pollution from machines or tools inside the building, highway pollution outside the
building, dusts from mechanical processes, or gasses. Poor air quality can cause
issues ranging from chronic coughs to nausea to severe headaches. Proper
ventilation is important to ensure that fresh air is brought into the work area and air
filtering in an HVAC system can help remove contaminants from the air.

Chemical exposure: Chemical hazards can take many forms, from liquid to fumes
to dusts, and can be absorbed, inhaled, or ingested into a worker’s system. Some
common chemicals that can potentially be hazardous are cleaning products,
gasoline, and pesticides.

Radiation: There are two types of radiation – non-ionizing radiation and ionizing
radiation. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation and laser radiation are the types of non-ionizing
radiation most likely to cause safety concerns, usually burns, for workers; UV
radiation is a particular problem for outside workers, such as gardeners.

Biological hazards: Living organisms such as fungi, viruses, and bacteria, can
enter the body and cause both acute and chronic infections. Workers who deal
with plants or animals and laboratory or medical workers are particularly at risk for
biological hazards, but all workers can be at risk for hazards such as mold, and
bacteria that cause Legionnaire’s disease. Proper hygiene such as hand washing,
ventilation, personal protective equipment such as gloves or respirators, and in
certain cases, isolation of the hazard, can all help minimize the risks associated
with biological hazards.

Eliminating or Controlling Hazards: Once hazardous conditions have been
identified there is a systematic approach to eliminating or minimizing the potential
hazard. This starts with designing the hazard out of the process or operation,
providing local exhaust ventilation, establishing proper work practices, providing
proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and applicable administrative
measures.
Optimizing these components of industrial hygiene through monitoring and analyzing
hazards and engineering solutions to minimize those hazards will help control potential
health risks that impact both workers and your organization.
Importance of Industrial Hygiene
Industrial hygiene is essential because it helps protect employees from several types of
injuries and illnesses, including:

Nonfatal illnesses: Skin, lung and gastrointestinal diseases like anthrax are
common occupational hazards in agricultural operations, and blood-borne
illnesses like hepatitis B and C are common occupational hazards in medical
settings and laboratories. Industrial hygiene can help prevent the transmission
of these diseases and many others.

Respiratory conditions: Respiratory conditions like chronic bronchitis,
asbestosis and pneumonitis are common occupational hazards, especially in
industries like mining where inhaling dust is common. Industrial hygiene can
help by mandating the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) which
provides respiratory protection and improves working conditions.

Skin diseases: Skin diseases like dermatitis, eczema, rashes and blisters are
common in industries where workers' skin comes into contact with hazardous
chemicals. Industrial hygiene can help by mandating PPE and offering
guidelines about how chemicals are used, labeled and stored in the
workplace.

Poisoning: Poisoning can occur if workers accidentally ingest toxic chemicals
like pesticides, herbicides, formaldehyde or cleaning agents. Workers might
also absorb those chemicals through their skin. Industrial hygiene can help by
mandating how poisons are used, labeled and stored.

Hearing loss: Hearing loss can occur when employees are exposed to highdecibel sounds in environments like airports or at construction and mining
sites where detonations occur. Industrial hygiene can help by mandating
personal PPE, measuring hazards with sound level meters and offering
guidelines about noise exposure in the workplace.

Repetitive stress injuries: Repetitive stress injuries occur when employees
perform the same motions many times throughout the workday. Industrial
hygiene can help by offering guidelines about correct posture and lifting
techniques and mandating breaks for employees engaged in repetitive tasks.
Economic Effects of Absenteeism
Industrial hygiene has benefits for employers as well. When employees miss work
because of illness or injury, employers tend to suffer losses:

Lost productivity: Absenteeism in the workplace leads to lost productivity.
When employees are absent, they cannot do the same amount of work, and
scrambling to cover shifts in one area may lead to staffing shortages in
another. And even when employees return, they may be slower and less
productive because they still don't feel their best.

Diminished morale: High numbers of injuries and illnesses in the workplace
tend to put a damper on employee morale. Plus, decreased employee morale
can lead to even further diminished productivity, as well as distractedness,
which can result in a vicious cycle of injury.

Lost profits: Too costly of absenteeism for companies per year for each
hourly worker and each year for salaried employees. These costs include
wages paid during sick leave, the high cost of replacement workers and the
profit losses associated with reduced production.
Workplace Health Hazards and Control
Every workplace has hazards. As an employer, you have a legal responsibility to look
after your employees’ safety and protect them against health and safety hazards at work.
In order to manage workplace health and safety and help prevent accidents and sickness
absence, it’s important to identify, monitor and reduce the risk associated with workplace
hazards.
Most Common Hazards in a Workplace
There are many types of workplace hazards, which tend to come under six main
categories:
o
physical hazards – the most common workplace hazards, including
vibration, noise and slips, trips and falls;
o
ergonomic hazards – physical factors that harm the musculoskeletal
system, such as repetitive movement, manual handling and poor body
positioning;
o
chemical hazards – any hazardous substance that can cause harm to your
employees, such as skin irritation, respiratory system irritation, blindness,
corrosion, and explosions;
o
biological hazards – bacteria, viruses, insects, animals, etc. that can cause
health effects, such as hepatitis, dengue, malaria, HIV/AIDS and
Legionnaire’s disease;
o
safety – these are hazards that create unsafe working conditions, such as
exposed wires or a damaged carpet might result in a tripping hazard. These
are sometimes included under physical hazards; and
o
psychosocial hazards – include those that can have an adverse effect on
an employee’s mental health or wellbeing, such as sexual harassment,
victimization, stress and workplace violence.
Common health risks
Some of the most common health risks associated with workplace hazards include:
o
breathing problems;
o
skin irritation;
o
damage to muscles, bones and joints;
o
hearing damage;
o
reduced wellbeing.
How to Prevent Workplace Hazards
The best way to protect yourself and your employees from workplace hazards is to identify
and manage them and take reasonable steps to prevent their potential to harm.
In order to control workplace hazards and eliminate or reduce the risk, you should take
the following steps:
o
identify the hazard by carrying out a workplace risk assessment;
o
determine how employees might be at risk;
o
evaluate the risks;
o
record and review hazards at least annually, or earlier if something changes.
What is a health control program?
A hazard control program consists of all steps necessary to protect workers from
exposure to a substance or system, the training and the procedures required to monitor
worker exposure and their health to hazards such as chemicals, materials or substance,
or other types of hazards such as noise and vibration. A written workplace hazard control
program should outline which methods are being used to control the exposure and how
these controls will be monitored for effectiveness.
Control Strategies and Measures
Any hazard prevention and control program involve measures related to the work
environment and measures related to the workers. Efficient control strategies usually rely
on a combination of engineering (technical) control measures (e.g., quieter equipment
and enclosures) and health/personal measures (e.g., work practices).
Ways to Control Hazards and Risk in the Workplace
Every workplace has safety risks and hazards, from manufacturing facilities to offices to
construction sites and beyond. How to identify and control these risks is unique to every
industry. Many risks and safety hazards are not always obvious. Rather, you may only
discover them after they’ve caused an issue.
1. Strengthen Your Safety Culture
A strong safety culture is at the heart of any safety-conscious organization. You can’t
promote a safe workplace by yourself, so it’s essential you build a company culture
around safe practices. When everyone participates in maintaining a risk-free
environment, everyone wins.
2. Get Leadership Buy-In
Company leaders should be at the core of your safety initiatives. Their positions as
leaders set the example for the rest of your team. Keep in mind they also have the
potential ability to thwart or support your efforts. They need to see the value behind your
ideas and initiatives in order to give you their total support.
3. Implement a Hazard Identification and Assessment Plan
One of the most effective ways you can find and manage workplace risks and hazards,
build your safety culture, and gain support from company leaders is to implement a hazard
identification and assessment plan. This plan is an actionable step-by-step process
devoted specifically to helping you find and mitigate potential workplace health and safety
risks.
According to OSHA, steps of the plan include the following:
Collect and Review Existing Information on Workplace Hazards
Take some time to review your records of previously noted hazards and incidents. This
information should give you a good starting point for your ongoing investigations.
Inspect the Workplace for New or Existing Hazards
The workplace is an evolving dynamic. New hazards can prevent themselves at any time,
especially at your company brings in new equipment, employees, or processes.
Make time to regularly inspect the workplace for any new hazards that may have arisen.
Even the simple moving around of equipment can lead to potential risks that weren’t there
the day before.
Identify Potential Health Hazards
Finding potential health risks is more complicated than safety risks because you’re not
always able to physically view them. Rather, you must consider environmental concerns,
chemical risks, ergonomic risks, and other factors that could have an effect on someone’s
health days, weeks, or even years later.
Conduct Thorough Incident Investigations
You should already have a plan in place to conduct incident investigations, but reviewing
this information can also help you mitigate future risks and safety hazards. These reports
can give you better insight into locating risks and understanding what’s already being
done to combat them from occurring again.
Identify Hazards for Nonroutine or Emergency Occurrences
Every company has the one-in-a-million type risks that aren’t likely to occur, but could.
It’s important you don’t neglect such risks, because in the rare event they do happen,
you’ll need an action plan to handle them. These might include fires or explosions,
hazardous spills, medical emergencies, or even violence between employees.
Identify the Nature of Hazards and How to Prioritize Them
The final part is understanding how certain risks can lead to additional hazards. You
should evaluate each risk and hazard by determining the severity of the outcome, how
many workers will be exposed, and the likelihood of the event occurring.
From this information, you can better prioritize the hazards so that you address the most
serious first.
Each of the steps in OSHA’s Hazard Identification and Assessment Plan model can be
made easier by using the right tools. For example, risk assessment software gives you a
central data storage system that can give you insights into every aspect of your safety
program. You can create checklists, assign tasks, and record observations that pertain to
each of the above steps in the plan.
4. Measure Your Plan’s Impact Over Time
Finally, you should be prepared to measure the effectiveness of your plan and activities
over time. Your goal should be to make a difference in your company’s safety, so
measuring your success over time can help you know where you need to fill any gaps.