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What is an Occupational Illness?

What is an Occupational Illness?. Any illness mainly caused or significantly aggravated by exposure to Health hazards in the work environment. It must arise out of or in the course of employment. Physical e.g. Noise, Heat, Cold, Radiation, Vibration

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What is an Occupational Illness?

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  1. What is an Occupational Illness? Any illness mainly caused or significantly aggravated by exposure to Health hazards in the work environment. It must arise out of or in the course of employment.

  2. Physical e.g. Noise, Heat, Cold, Radiation, Vibration Chemicale.g Metals (lead,Ni) Gases(H2S,CO,CO2) Vapours, Benzene, Toluene, Dust (Asbestos, Silica). Biologicale.g Bacteria, Viruses etc Ergonomics-work station design Psychological Health hazards

  3. When an illness is work related? Has an illness occurred? Steps before diagnosis 1st step • Occupational History - Job description & tasks -Is causal agent/s present at work? -Was employee exposed? - List of previous employment & exposures -Is exposure sufficient to cause illness? - Duration and frequency of exposure

  4. Is there any non-occupational exposure? -Family history- genetic - Past medical history - Second job and hobbies 2nd step • Clinical examination 3rd step • Investigations -Biological tests-urine, blood tests -Radiological- X-ray, CT scan, MRI - Physiological

  5. 4th step • Site visit and exposure monitoring. Combination of steps from 1-4 would help you to make decision. Final decision: Is the illness work-related i.e. attributable mainly to occupational exposure or not?

  6. 1. Infectious and Parasitic Diseases Food poisoning, TB, infectious hepatitis, legionnaire‘s disease 2. Skin Diseases and Disorders Contact dermatitis, Allergic dermatitis. 3. Respiratory Conditions due to Dust or Toxic Agents Allergic Asthma, Allergic Rhinitis due to chemicals, dusts, gases, or fumes. Pneumoconiosis (Coal dust, Silicosis, Asbestosis, Farmer’s lung (grain dust), Byssinosis (cotton) 4. Poisoning (Systemic Effects of Toxic Materials) Poisoning by metals e.g Lead, Mercury or other metals Poisoning by gas e.g Carbon monoxide, Hydrogen sulphide, or other gases Poisoning by solvents Poisoning by pesticides 5. Upper limb and neck disorders e.g Mouse disease (RSI) Classification of Occupational Illnesses

  7. 6. Back problems and lower limbs disorder 7. Cancers e.gMesothelioma; bladder cancer; Leukemia 8. Disorders due to Mental Stress 9. Noise Induced Hearing Loss 10. Other Illnesses and Disorders Eye conditions e.g Arc eye Heat problems and Radiation. Classification of Occupational Illnesses

  8. Moral obligations Legislation Negative Impacts Employee(Death, disability, days away from work, RW) Employer Costs(Litigation potential, sickness absence etc) Reputation issue. National income Research purposes Do we need to report and investigate occupational illness? Yes, because of the following:

  9. Employee Line manager/supervisor Medical professionals. Who should report suspected occupational illness?

  10. Work injury is a case which results from instantaneous work incident involving a single event. Can be external or/and internal Examples Cut, amputation, laceration, bruise Fractures Strains and sprains Back disorders due to instantaneous event e.g from slips, trips, sudden movements. Burns Occupational injury

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