OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

1. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
NURSE
BY: KANIKA SHARMA
M.Sc in COMMUNITY HEALTH
NURSING

2. INTRODUCTION:
 Occupational safety and health (OSH) also
commonly referred to as occupational health and
safety or workplace health is an area of work and
employment.
 The goals of occupational safety and health
programs is to provide a safe and healthy work
environment.

3. OCCUPATION HEALTH:
 Occupation health should aim at the promotion and
maintenance of the highest degree of physical,
mental & social well being of workers in all
occupation.
“OR”
 The ability of a worker to function at an optimum
level of well being at a worksite as reflected in terms
of productivity, work attendance and employment
longevity.

4. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH NURSING
 Occupational health nursing is a
specialty nursing practice that provides for and
delivers health and safety programs and services
to workers, worker populations, and community
groups.
OR
 OHS is the application of nursing and public health
practices and skills to the relationship of people to
their occupations for the purpose of prevention of
disease and injury and the promotion of optimal
health and productivity.

5. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH NURSE
 Occupational health nurse, a nurse who has
undergone a specialized course of study in the
health care of people at work. An occupational
health nurse is responsible for promoting a high
degree of physical and health in industrial.

6. AIM OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH:
 To provide a safe occupational environment
in order to safe guard the health of the
workers and step up industrial production.

7. OBJECTIVE OF OCCUPATONAL
HEALTH:
To maintain and promote the worker’s health and
working capacity.
To the improvement of working environment and
work.
Development of work organizations in a direction
which supports health and safety at work.

8. OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS
There are varieties of hazards to which workers may
be exposed:
a) Physical Hazards
b) Chemical Hazards
c) Biological Hazards
d) Mechanical Hazards
e) Psychosocial Hazards
f) Electrical hazards

9. (a)PHYSICAL HAZARDS:-
 HEAT AND COLD: burns, heat exhaustion, heat
stroke and cramps, decreased efficiency, increased
fatigue and enhanced accident rates.
 LIGHT: eye strain, headache, eye pain,
lachrymation, congestion around the cornea and
eye fatigue.
 NOISE: Auditor hearing loss, interference with
communication by speech, decreased efficiency and
annoyance.
 VIBRATION: affects the hands and arms, injuries of

10.  ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION: Radiation mainly
affects the eyes, causing inter conjunctivitis and
keratitis (welder's flash). Symptoms are redness of
the eyes and pain.
 IONIZING RADIATION: e.g ,X-rays causes Cancer
leukaemia, ulceration, sterility and in extreme case-
death.

11. (b)CHEMICAL HAZARDS: There are varieties of
chemical agents which are hazardous and are in the
form of:
Gases like carbon monoxide, ozone, carbon dioxide,
hydrogen cyanide etc.
Fumes and vapours from various types of acids,
mercury vapours etc.
Dusts –Solid particles created on crushing and
grinding rock, metals coal, wood etc.
Dermatitis, eczema, urticaria, ulcer, cancer etc.

12. (c) BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS: Biological hazards are
due to various parasites, zoonotic diseases, fungal
infection, bacterial infection.
 Leptospirosis (an infectious bacterial disease
occurring in rodents, dogs, and other mammals,
which can be transmitted to humans.)
 Anthrax (a serious bacterial disease of sheep and
cattle, affecting the skin and lungs. It can be
transmitted to humans, causing severe skin
ulceration)
 Tetanus
 Encephalitis

13. (d)MECHANICAL HAZARDS: Mechanical hazards
refers to unprotected machines ,the protruding
moving parts, lack of safety measures .These may
causes accidents and disabilities.
(e)PSYCHOLOGICAL HAZARDS: Psychological
hazards arise when the worker does not fit into job
due to incapacity, frustration, lack of job satisfaction
&poor human relation with fellow workers and
administration.
(f)ELECTRICAL HAZARDS: Most of medicine are
operated by electricity .Due to improper electric
wiring and switches etc. Lead to electrical burns,

14. MEASURE FOR HEALTH PROTECTIONOF
WORKERS

15. 1.NUTRITION: The aim is to provide balanced diets
or snacks at reasonable cost under sanitary
control. If the workers, carries his own lunch to
work, provision should be made for a safe and
uncontaminated place to store the food before it is
eaten to avoid contamination.
2.COMMUNICABLE DISEASES CONTROL: The
industry provides an opportunity for early
diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and rehabilitation.
There should be an adequate immunization
programme against preventable communicable
diseases.

16. 3. ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION
WATER SUPPLY
FOOD
TOILET
LIGHTING
VENTILATION, TEMPERATURE
PROTECTION AGAINST HAZARDS
HOUSING
4.MENTAL HEALTH: the objective of occupational
health services keep the workers mentally and
psychologically stable. Industrial workers are
susceptible to the effect of love, recognition,
rejection, job satisfaction, reward and discipline.

17. 5. MEASURES FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN: The
following types of protection are available for
women workers in India:
 Expectant mothers are given maternity leave for 12
weeks.
 Provision of free antenatal, natal and postnatal
services.
 prohibits night work between 7p.m. and 6a.m
 prohibits the employment of women and children in
certain dangerous occupations.
 No child below the age of 14 shall be employed to
work in any factory.

18. (6) HEALTH EDUCATION: - Important health
promotional measure & provided whenever
necessary in the content of Hygiene. It should be
at all levels – Management – Supervisors –
Workers
(7) FAMILY PLANNING: - The workers must adopt
the small family norms.

19. PREVENTIONOF OCCUPATIONAL
DISEASES
1. MEDICAL MEASURES
2. ENGINEERING MEASURES
3. LEGISLATION

20. (1) MEDICAL MEASURES:-
(a) PREPLACEMENT EXAMINATION:- It is done at the
time of employment and includes the workers medical,
family, occupational and social history, a thorough
physical examination E.g. X-ray, ECG, Vision testing,
urine and blood examination.
(b) PERIODICAL EXAMINATION:- many diseases of
occupational origin require month or year for their
development. Ordinarily workers are examined once a
year. Sometimes, even daily examination may be
needed.

21. (c) MEDICAL AND HEALTH CARE SERVICES :-the
medical care of occupational diseases is a basic
function of occupational health services. Medical care
not only for the workers but also for the family.
(d) SUPERVISION OF WORKING ENVIRONMENT:-
Periodic inspection of working environment. The
Physician should pay frequent visit to the factory in
order to familiar himself with the various aspects of the
working environment (temperature, lighting ventilation,
humidity, noise, air pollution and sanitation).

22. (e) MAINTENANCE AND ANALYSIS OF RECORDS:-
Proper records are essential for the planning ,
development of an occupational health service. The
worker’s health record and occupational health disability
record over the health of workers should be maintained.
(f) HEALTH EDUCATION & COUNCELLING: Correct use
of protective devices like masks & gloves Simple rules of
hygiene like hand washing, paring the nails, cleanliness
of body should be explained. Purpose of education is to
assist the worker in process of adjustment to working
environment.

23. (2)ENGINEERING MEASURES:
(a) DESIGN OF BUILDING: The type of floor, walls
height, ceiling , roofs doors & windows cubic space
are all matters which should receive attention.
(b)GOOD HOUSE KEEPING: It covers general
cleanliness, ventilation, lightening, washing, food
arrangements & general maintenance.
(c)GENERAL VENTILATION: There should be good
general ventilation in factories. Good ventilation
decreases the air borne diseases to the workers.

24. (d) DUSTS: Dusts can be controlled at the point of
origin by water sprays. The plant should be fullest
possible extent to reduce the hazard of contact with
harmful substances.
(e) EXHAUST VENTILATION: By providing exhaust
ventilation dusts, fumes and other injurious
substances can me extracted at source before the
escape in factory atmosphere.
(f) PROTECTIVE DEVICES: Respirators and gas
masks are the oldest devices used to protect the
workers against airborne contaminants.
(g) ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING: It is
concerned with periodical environmental monitoring

25. (3)LEGISLATION
The most imp. Factory laws in India today are
1) The factories act 1948
2) Employees state insurance act 1948

26. 1) The factories act 1948
 In India, the First factories Act was passed in 1881.
 This Act was basically designed to protect children
and to provide few measures for health and safety
of the workers
 After some modifications, the final amended of
Factories Act took place in 1948.
A brief description of act is given below:
 The act defines ‘factory’ as an establishment
employing 10 or more workers where power is used
& 20 and more workers where power is not used.

27.  HEALTH, SAFETY & WELFARE: Provisions has been
made in the act with regard to health & safety & welfare
of the workers. The act provides that no worker shall
be required to lift or carry loads to cause him injury.
Welfare measures like washing facilities, facilities for
storing & drying clothes, facility for sitting , first aid
appliances, shelters , rest rooms & lunch rooms,
canteens.
 EMPLOYEMENT OF YOUNG PERSONS: The act
prohibits employment of children below the age of 14
yrs & declares person between the ages 15 & 18 to be
adolescents. Adolescents employees is allowed to work
only between 6 am & 7 pm.
 HOURS OF WORK:
 Maximum of 48 working hours / week
 not exceeding 9 hours/ day
 rest for at-least half hour after 5 hours of continuous

28.  LEAVE WITH WAGES: besides weekly holidays
every worker will be allowed to leave with wages
after 12 months continuous service at the following
rate
adult-1 day for every 20 days of work
 children-1 day for every 15 days of work.
 OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES: give information
regarding specified accidents which cause death,
serious injuries or regarding occupational diseases.

29. (2) THE EMPLOYEES STATE INSURANCE
ACT, 1948
 The ESI act passed in 1948 (amended in
1975,1984 &1989) is an important measure of
health insurance in this country.
 It provides for certain cash & medical benefits to
industrial employees in case of sickness maternity
& employment injury.
 The act extend to the whole of India. The ESI act of
1948 covered all power-using factories.

30. The provisions of ESI act 1975 was extended to the following
new classes of establishments:
 Small factories employing 10 or more persons whether
power is used or not
 Shops
 Hotels & restaurants
 Cinemas & theatres
 Road motor transport establishments
 News paper establishment
 The scheme has been extended to private medical and
educational institution employing 20 or more person in
some state.

31. BENEFITS TO EMPLOYEES
The act has made provisions for following benefits to
ensured persons :
1. MEDICAL BENEFIT
2. SICKENESS BENEFIT
3. MATERNITY BENEFIT
4. DISABELEMENT BENEFIT
5. DEPENDANTS BENEFIT
6. FUNERAL EXPENSES
7. REHABILITATION ALLOWANCE.

32. (1) Medical benefit :- medical benefit consists of full
medical care including hospitalization, free of cost, to
the ensured person in case of sickness, employment
injury and maternity. The services comprises:
 Outpatient care
 Supply of drugs and dressing
 investigations
 Antenatal, natal and postnatal services
 Immunization services
 Family planning services
 Emergency services
 Ambulance services
 Health education

33. OTHER MEDICAL FACILITIES:
 Dentures, spectacles and hearing aids are provided
free to patients who are incapacitated due to
employment injury.
 Artificial limbs are provided free to insured person
who loose their limbs in employment injury.
 Special appliances like surgical boots, jackets, hernia
belts are provided.

34. (2) SICKNESS BENEFITS: it consist of periodical cash
payments to a ensured person in case of sickness, if his
sickness is certified by an insurance medical officer. The
benefit is payable for a maximum period of 91 days in
any continuous period of 365 days.
Extended sickness benefit: in addition to 91 days,
insured persons suffering from long term diseases are
entitled to extended sickness benefit for a maximum
period of 2 years.
(3) MATERNITY BENEFIT: The benefit is payable in cash
to an insured woman for confinement/ miscarriage or
sickness arising out of pregnancy or premature birth
of child. For confinement, the duration of benefit is 12
weeks, for miscarriage 6 weeks & for sickness arising
out of confinement etc. 30 days. The benefit is allowed

35. (4) DISABLEMENT BENEFIT: The act provides for
cash payment besides free medical treatment for
temporary or permanent disablement as a result of
employment injury. The benefit is about 70% of the
wages as long as temporary disablement lasts. In
case of total permanent disablement insured person
is given life pension on the basis of loss of earning
capacity determined by the medical board.

36. (5)DEPENDENT BENEFIT: In case of death, as a result
of employment injury, the dependents of insured
person are eligible for periodical payments. Pension at
the rate of 70% of wages is payable shared by
dependants in a fixed ratio, on monthly basis . An
eligible son or daughter is eligible to dependent’s
benefit up to the age of 18. The benefit is withdrawn if
the daughter marries earlier.
(6) FUNERAL EXPENSES: Funeral benefit is a cash
payment payable on the death of an insured person
towards the expenses on the funeral, the amount not
exceeding Rs 5000 given to the eldest surviving
member.

37. (7) REHABILITATION: Ensured workers who require
artificial limbs are provided with artificial limbs and also
the cash allowance equivalent to the sickness benefit
rate at the time when they are admitted for provision of
artificial limbs. Ensured workers who are permanently
handicapped continue to get medical treatment.