Principles of Occupational Health

1. INTRODUCTION TO OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
AND HEALTH

2. Occupational health is the application of biology,
medicine, epidemiology, engineering, economics,
education, politics, the law and other disciplines to
protect workers from diseases of the workplace.
Anthony Robbins
Former Director, NIOSH USA

3. OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
Health ------------------------- Work
Work --------------------------- Health
Safety, health and welfare of workers and other
persons at place of work.
Work has both positive and negative effects
Occupational injuries
Occupational diseases
Work related diseases

4. Disciplines under occupational safety and health
Occupational medicine
Occupational safety
Industrial hygiene
Ergonomics
Toxicology
Occupational epidemiology
Occupational health nursing

5. Agencies Involved In Occupational Health
Department of Occupational Safety and Health
Social Security Organisation (SOCSO)
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health
Occupational Health Unit, Ministry of Health
Road Transport Department
Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Higher Education (Universities)
Ministry of Agriculture (Pesticides Board)
Professional Associations (eg SOEM, MSOSH,MOHNA)
Employer organisations (MEF,FMM)
Employee unions (MTUC, CUEPACS)

6. Safety and health hazards in the workplace
Physical – noise, radiation, heat, pressure
Chemical- solvents, pesticides, heavy metals
Biological – virus, bacteria, snakes, insects
Psychosocial – stress, overtime
Ergonomic – manual handling, shift work
Mechanical hazards – sharp edges, slippery floor

7. Occupational injuries and diseases
Hand injuries, eye injuries, back injuries
Lung disease: asbestosis, silicosis, occupational
asthma
Occupational cancer: mesothelioma (asbestos),
hemangiosarcoma (vinyl chloride)
Skin: Irritant contact dermatitis; Allergic contact
dermatitis
Nervous system: Wrist drop, Neurobehavioural
disorders

8. OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
Accidents: End product of unsafe acts and unsafe
conditions
Factors causing accidents - Working environment,
technical equipment and worker (man, machine and
environment interface)
Accidents can cause injuries. Injury defined as any
damage or harm to the body resulting in impairment
or destruction of health.
Safety is the absence of risk to injury or harm.

9. INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE
Industrial hygiene is an applied science that uses
concepts of physics, biology, chemistry, medicine
and engineering to anticipate, identify, evaluate
and control health hazards in the workplace.

10. Personal Protective Equipment
Helmet
Ear muffs, ear plugs
Eye goggles
Respirators – full face, half face
air supplying, air purifying
Gown
Gloves
Safety shoes

11. ERGONOMICS
Ergonomics – human factors engineering
Fitting the job to the worker and the product to the user.
ILO defines ergonomics as application of human
biological sciences in conjunction with engineering
sciences to the worker and his environment so as to
obtain maximum satisfaction for the worker which at the
same time enhances productivity.

12. Aim of Ergonomics in the Workplace
Aim of applying ergonomics in the workplace:
Having a work environment that is safe and healthy by
designing workplace, work facilities, work equipment and
work load that are suitable for the worker.
Workplace, work facilities and work equipment designed to fit
the majority of persons taking into consideration
anthropometry of the “average” person and variations from
small women to large men (5th percentile of female to 95th
percentile of men).

13. Anthropometry in ergonomics
Determine important body dimensions
Define user population
Determine principle to apply – design for extreme, for
adjustable range or for average person.
Select whether want to accommodate 90 or 95% of user
population.
Design, test and use equipment.

14. Effects of poor ergonomics on health
Musculoskeletal problems – cervicobrachial disorders
carpal tunnel syndrome
low back pain
Fatigue
Adverse reproductive outcomes of pregnancy – preterm
labour, spontaneous abortions

15. OSH Risk Assessment
 Hazard identification
 Exposure assessment
 Risk characterisation

16. OSH Risk Management
Risk acceptable – no action
Risk unacceptable – take action
Risk communication
Hierarchy of Controls
Elimination / Substitution
Isolation / Enclosure
Engineering controls
Administrative control
Personal protective equipment