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Occupational hazards first defined by International Labour Organization

ILOs Head Office is now at Geneva.

DEFINITION :
Any condition of a job that can result in illness or injury can be defined as Occupational Hazard.

Basically there are three types of interaction in a working environment. 1. Man and physical, chemical and biological agents. 2. Man and machine

3. Man and man.

1st Type Physical factors adverse to health are:

Heat, cold, humidity, air movement, heat, radiation, light, noise, vibration and ionizing radiation.

1st Type Chemical agents :

These comprise a large number of chemicals, toxicdusts and gases which are potential hazards to the health of the workers.

1st Type.. Biological agents: The workers may be exposed to viral, rickettsial, bacterial and parasitic agents which may result from close contact with animals or their products, contaminated water, soil or food.
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2ND Type..
Man and Mechine An industry or factory implies the use of machines driven by power with emphasis on mass production. The unguarded machines, protruding and moving parts, poor installation of the plant, lack of safety measures are the cause of accidents which is a major problem in industries. Working for long hours in unphysiological posters is the cause of fatigue, back ache, diseases of joints and muscles and impairment of the workers health and efficiency.
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3rd Type..
Man and Man There are numerous psychological factors which operate at the place of work. These are the human relationships amongst workers themselves on the one hand and those in authority over than on the other. Work stability, service conditions, job satisfaction, leadership style, security, workers participation, communication system of payment etc. All are related with psycho-social stability.
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When analyzing all this we can find an industrial worker may be exposed to five types of hazards depending upon his occupation. 1)Physical hazards 2)Chemical hazards 3)Biological hazards

4)Mechanical hazards
5)Psycho-social hazards
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As it is very vast and complicated, the ILO meeting in 2010 March 25th divided the occupation hazards in to two 1. Safety hazards 2. Health hazards The work place from where labour has the chance to get injury, disability or death, included in the category of safety hazards.
From where the employee get an infection or develop some permanent diseases considered in the category of health hazards.
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HEALTH HAZARD IS KNOWN AS OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE

Definition
Any disease originated as a result of an exposure to risk factors arising from each activity is known as occupational disease. [ILO]

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OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE
The causer relationship is established on the basis of clinical and pathological data, occupational background and job analysis, identification and evaluation of occupational risk factors and the role of other risk factors.
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DOCUMENTATION IS ESSENTIAL
So a person or a team who are ready to get engaged in healthy hazards must record the symptoms and pathology of the diseases affected to the employees. And also the infra-structure of work place, type of work and to evaluate the risk factors hided in the work. For this conduct a survey and document all the factors related

to occupational diseases of that particular institution, or work place.

The permission and co-operation from the institute authorities needed. Support and involvement from the local bodies and

voluntary association also can be utilized.

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Avruthi vyadhi sokaarthananuvarthetha sakthitha:

..
Jansyaasrayamaalakshya yo yadha parithushyathithan Thathaivanuvarthetha pararadhana panditha: (A. H. 2/3,29)

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THREE STEPS ADVISED BY ILO

1) First they must be recognized 2) Then they may be assessed

3) And finally they may controlled

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It is not easy to list out all the

industries

or

factories

in

India;

but

Ayurvedic doctors can engage a number of

these units easily.

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Cahsewnut
product

factories,
Textile

coir

and

coir
Beedi

factories,

mills,

production centres, Tea and coffee powder

producing units, soap manufacturing centers, clay factories, Khadi units, Chemicals and fertilizers manufacturing factories, Glass

factory, Mineral and metal industries, Fish processing units.

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Spices or condiments processing units,

Saw mills, Furniture production centres, Tile factories, Bamboo products units, Pencil factories, Leather handling centres, Rubber processing centres, plywood factories, silk producing centres, Handicraft centres, Rice mills, curry powder producing units,

Electronic technology parks etc.

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Due to the daily contact with the raw materials or that unhealthy work environment the labours subject to the following diseases as single one or multiple ailments.

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Bronchial asthma, Skin diseases, Allergic complaints, Hyper acidity, Peptic ulcer, Joint pain, Urolithiasis, Eye diseases, Menstrual

problems,

Uterine diseases,

Occasional fever,

Head ache,

Sinusitis,

Anemia,

Edema,

Insomnia, Fatigue, Hyper tension, Rheumatic

complaints, Obesity

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And

the

chronic

diseases

like

Diabetis,

Tuberculosis, Cancer, Cardiac complaints, Hemorrhoid, Leukaemia.

Due to the loss of immunity most of the vector

born

diseases

like

Chikungunya,

Dengue

fever,

Leptospirosis etc are affecting to them.

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The recognition of occupational disease is according to the casual relationships

established on the basis of clinical data and

medical records, occupational background and job analysis, evaluation of occupational risk factors and the general criteria of occupational diseases.

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Through the survey we can detect the disease and can treat them by administering suitable drugs, oil massage, swedakriyas and sodhana therapy. If rest is needed that also can

be advised.

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The same procedure can be adopted to agricultural workers, group farming units

and other labourers who are working in the

soil or field.

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Preventive measures All occupational diseases exception - are preventable. without

Remember A healthier, safer work force means a productive future for the company. Healthy employees make a healthy organization. Better to prevent than cure
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I.

PRE PLACEMENT EXAMINATION Pre placement examination is the foundation of an efficient occupational health service. It is done at

the time of employment and includes the workers

medical, Conduct family, a occupational and social history. and

thorough

physical

examination

biological and radiological examinations. eg. Chest Xray, electrocardiogram, vision testing, urine and blood

examination.
Right person for the right job
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II. PERIODICAL EXAMINATION

Many diseases of occupational origin

require months or even years for their development. Periodical examination helps for early periodical detection, especially the workers who handle toxic or poisonous substances.
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III. Medical and health care services

The medical care of occupational diseases is a basic function of an occupational health service. In India the employees State Insurance Scheme

provides medical care not only for the worker but also

his family.
Better, within the factory, first aid services should

be made available.

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IV. Notification The main purpose of notification in industry is to initiate measures for prevention and protection and ensuring their effective

application and to investigate the working conditions and other circumstances which have caused or suspected to have caused occupational diseases.

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NATIONAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS

Factories act 976- a list of 22 diseases included, Mines act 1952 3 diseases included, Dock labourers act 1948- 8 diseases are listed. These are recognized internationally for the purpose of work diseases compensation.

V. Supervision of working environment Periodic inspection of working environment provides information of primary importance in the prevention of occupational

disabilities. The physician should pay frequent visits to the factory in

order to acquaint himself with the various aspects of the working environment such as temperature, lighting, ventilation, humidity,

noise, cubic space, air pollution and sanitation which have an

important bearing on the health and welfare of the workers.
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The physician should be acquainted with the raw materials , processes and products manufactured. He should also study the various aspects of occupational

physiology such as occurrence of fatigue, night work,

shift work, weight carried by the workers and render advice to the factory management on all matters

connected with the health and welfare of the workers.

For studies of this kind the physician should enlist the co-operation of safety engineers, industrial

hygienists and psychologists.

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VI. MAINTENANCE AND ANALYSIS OF RECORDS

Proper records are essential for the planning, development and efficient operation of an occupational health service. The workers health record and occupational disability record must by maintained. Their compilation and review should enable the service to watch over the health of the workers. To assess the hazards inherent in certain

types of work and to devise or improve preventive

measures.
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VII. HEALTH EDUCATION AND COUNCELLING

Ideally, health education should start before the worker enters the factory. All the risks involved in the industry in which he is employed and the measures to be taken for personal protection

should be explained to him. The correct use of protective devices

like masks and gloves should also be explained.

Simple rules of hygiene- hand washing, pairing the nails,

bodily cleanliness, and cleanliness of clothes should be impressed upon him.

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He should be frequently reminded about the

dangers in industry through the media of health education such as charts, posters and hand bills. The purpose of health education is to assist the worker in his process of adjustment to the working, home and

community environment.

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ENGINEERING MEASURES

Engineering measures like good house keeping, general

ventilation, mechanization, substitution, dust control, local exhaust ventilation, protective devices etc also very important in the preventive aspects. This type of legislation is not needed to start an Information Technology centres where a number of youngsters working

continuously 8-12 hours daily in front of computer in an air-conditioned room. As per the Information Technology Investment Management Act2011, it expect the excellent employee performance but not compel to provide medical assistance to the employees. So in the morbid condition, the employees themselves may meet the physician for treatment. No help from the job authorities.
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Many agencies investigated the health problems

related the computer workers. Glaucoma, pain and swelling in lumbar spinelumbo sacral joints, pain and swelling in cervical spines, carpal tunnel disease, numbness on right hand, head ache, mental tension, severe fatigue, hyper rheumatic lipidemia,

diseases,

sight

problems,

hypertension, postural vertigo, behavioural changes,

respiratory problems, rhinitis etc.

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All of these diseases begins as discomfort. If we manage this in time definitely we can prevent its development as a disease. Nethra vyayam, Thratakam, pranayamam, massage oil on joints, ooshmaswedam, physical exercise, playing shuttle cock-badminton, tennis-in open space and the

activities refreshing the mind etc are very effective.

If needed, suitable kwadham like etc Amrutha can be

shadangam,

desamoola

kaduthrayam

prescribed. Daily applying murivenna to the pain full joints are also can be recommended.
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