Occupational Health

and Hazard Prevention

Occupational Health (WH0)

Deals with all aspects of health and safety in the workplace and has a
strong focus on primary prevention of hazards.

Determinants of Health:
• The social and economic environment
• The physical environment, and
• The person’s individual characteristics and behaviours.
Risk factors at the workplace leading
to:
• cancers
• accidents
• musculoskeletal diseases
• respiratory diseases
• hearing loss, circulatory diseases, stress related disorders and
communicable diseases and others.
Employment and working conditions
determinants

• Working hours
• Safety
• Workplace policies concerning maternity leave
• Health promotion
• Protection provisions, etc.
The main functions of WHO (occupational heath)
mandated in article 2 of its constitution
• Promoting the improvement of working conditions and other
aspects of environmental hygiene.
• Recognizing that occupational health is closely linked to public
health and health system development.

WHO is addressing all determinants of workers health

• Risks for disease and injury is the occupational environment
• Social and individual factors, and access to health services.
The employer is responsible for ensuring that the
workplace is safe and healthy for all employees

• The employer must be aware of the hazards and risks factors in the
workplace and know how to manage them.
• The employer also has to make sure that the employees have the
knowledge and skills required to do their work safety
• The employer must provide the employees and access to
occupational health care.
• The employees are obliged to follow the orders and instructions
given by the employer and to take care of their own safety and the
safety of their co-workers/
Hazard Prevention
Hazards are conditions that are unknown or not understood
by the user as having the potential to cause injury.

1. Identify the hazard by carrying out a

workplace/environment risk assessment.

2. Determine how employees might be at risk.

3. Evaluate the risks.

4. Record and review hazards at least annually or earlier if

something changes.
Health Promoting Workplace (HPW)
• A healthy, qualified and motivated workplace

• A HPW can ensure a flexible and dynamic balance

between customer expectations and organizational
targets.

• Employees skills and health needs which can assist

companies and work organizations to compete in the
marketplace.

• For nations, development of HPW will be a pre-requisite

for sustainable social and economic development
 Hazard Prevention in Recreational
Environments
• Patrons of recreation programs, facilities and services
should be informed of the potential risks and the level of
challenge involved so that they can make informed
decisions about whether to participate.
• Acceptance of the inherent risks of participation,
understanding of the safety precaution being taken, role in
protecting their own safety and that of other are
important parts of managing risk.
• It is the responsibility of the recreation provider to remove
or address hazards.
Hazards include:
• Uneven or wet playing surface on a soccer field,
• Presence of chemicals near a pool, broken glass in a
park, or inappropriate use zones in a playground,

Note:

• Operators must take proactive steps to eliminate

hazards immediately or take measures to stop use of
the area
• Patrons must be informed and warned about hazards
while the situation is being rectified.