As defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) "occupational health deals with all aspects of health and safety in the workplace and has a strong focus on primary prevention of hazards."
Health has been defined as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."
Occupational health is a multidisciplinary field of healthcare concerned with enabling an individual to undertake their occupation, in the way that causes least harm to their health. Health has been defined as It contrasts, for example, with the promotion of health and safety at work, which is concerned with preventing harm from any incidental hazards, arising in the workplace. The following plans are envisaged within the framework of occupational health:
- Medical examinations for staff
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Identifying and evaluating harmful factors at workplace, which are divided into five groups:
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Harmful physical factors at workplace like noise, heat and humidity, cold weather, vibration, pressure (hypotension and hypertension), light (low or high illumination), infrared and ultraviolet rays, electricity
- Harmful chemical factors like gases, steams, smoke, dust, acids and bases
- Harmful biological factors like viruses, fungi, parasites, bacteria
- Harmful mechanical and ergonomic factors like improper body position at work, lifting heavy loads
- Harmful mental and psychological factors like employer-worker relationship, colleagues, service workers, promotions and punishments, job promotion and job satisfaction
- In case either of the aforesaid factors surpasses human body’s physiological tolerance complications and injuries will come up. In occupational health, efforts are mainly focused upon identifying these factors, assessing and, if needed, controlling them.
- Occupational passport for operating staff
- Workplace health improvement plans
- Healthcare facilities and occupational medicine emergency
- Healthcare education plans
- Staff nutrition plans