1. Introduction to Occupational Health
Dr Faisal Al Hadad
Consultant of Family Medicine
& Occupational Health
PSMMC

2. ?What is occupational health

Multifaceted and multidisciplinary activity concerned
with the prevention of ill health in employed
populations (Harrington et al, 2007)

The promotion and maintenance of the highest
degree of physical, mental and social wellbeing of
workers in all occupations (ILO/WHO, 1950)

4. ?Why OH is important
Work ↔ Health
 Costs
on workers
 Direct costs on employers
 Indirect costs on employers

5. Costs of occupational injury or illness
on workers

The pain and suffering of the injury or illness

The loss of income

The possible loss of a job

Health-care costs

6. Direct costs of occupational injury or
illness on employers

Payment for work not performed

Medical and compensation payments

Reduction or a temporary halt in production

Possible reduction in the quality of work

7. Indirect costs of occupational injury or
illness on employers

The injured/ill worker has to be replaced

A new worker has to be trained and given time to adjust

It takes time before the new worker is producing at the rate of the
original worker

Time must be devoted to obligatory investigations, to the writing of
reports and filling out of forms

Accidents often arouse the concern of fellow workers

Poor health and safety conditions in the workplace can result in
poor public relations

8. ? Who is involved in OH







OH Physician
OH Nurse
Occupational hygienist
Health and Safety adviser
Counsellor/Psychologist
Ergonomist
Manual Handling Adviser

9. Occupational Health Physician
OH services provided by OH physician:

Sickness absence assessments

Health surveillance

Advice on adjustments and rehabilitation for ill, injured or disabled
workers

Advice on risk management

Meetings with managers

Setting policies and procedures

10. Occupational Health Nurse
OH services provided by OH nurse:
- immunizations
- pre-employment screening
- workplace monitoring
- health promotion
- counseling
- first aid training
- sickness absence assessments
- advice on risk management
- health surveillance

11. Occupational hygienist
Occupational hygienist is a specialist in assessing and monitoring
workplace exposures
OH services provided by OH Occupational hygienist :
 Hazard identification
 Exposure evaluation
 Management/control of hazards

12. Other OH professionals

Ergonomist: specializes in fitting the task to the human

Manual Handling Adviser: manual handling comprises any nonmechanized (or incompletely mechanized) manipulation of a
load including lifting, pushing, pulling, sliding or carrying

13. Roles of the OH professional

Helping with company compliance with the law

Advising on health and safety policy

Assisting in the control of sickness absence

Reviewing the fitness of employees' post-sickness absence

Managing rehabilitation

Advising on fitness to work

14. Roles of the OH professional

Managing access to first aid services

Organizing health promotion initiatives

Designing and managing substance abuse programmes at work

Advising on the management and alleviation of stress

Advising employees about overseas travel on company business

Assessing employees' eligibility for long-term disability benefits
or retirement on health grounds