prevention and control of occupational diseases

silicosis, byssinosis. miner's disease

1. Prevention And Control Of Occupational Diseases

2. INTRODUCTION Occupational diseases are usually defined arising out of or in the course of employment. They may be grouped under: 1.Diseases due to physical agents a. HEAT(Heat hyperpyrexia, heat exhaustion, burns and local effects) b. COLD(Trench foot, frost bite) c. LIGHT (Occupational cataract) d. PRESSURE (Caisson’s disease, air embolism) e. NOISE (Occupational deafness ) f. RADIATION (Cancer, leukaemia , aplastic anemia )

3. 2. Diseases due to chemical agents Gases (CO 2’ ) Dusts Inorganic dusts Coal dust: Anthracosis Silica:Silicosis Asbestos: Asbestosis, cancer lung Iron: Siderosis Organic dusts: Cane fibre : Bagassosis Tobacco: Tobacossis Hay or grain dust: Farmer’s lungs

4. 3. Diseases due to biological agents Brucellosis, leptospirosis, anthrax, psittacosis, tetanus, encephalitis etc.. 4.Occpational cancers Dermatitis, eczema. 5. Diseases of psychological origin Industrial neurosis, hypertension, peptic ulcer.

5. PREVENTION OF OCCUPATION DISEASES Prevention of occupational diseases may be grouped under two head:- Medical Engineering

6. MEDICAL MEASURES Pre-placement Examination Periodical Examination Medical Health and Care services Health education and Counseling

7. PRE-PLACEMENT EXAMINATION Done at the time of employment. Includes workers medical, family, occupational, social history. Also physical, biological and radiological examination. Purpose of pre-placement examination is to place the right man in the right job , so that worker can perform his duties efficiently without detriment to his health.

8. PERIODICAL EXAMINATION Slow development, very often leads to their non-recognition in the early stages and this is harmful to the worker. That is the reason why periodical medical check up of the worker is very necessary. Annual: for most of occupational exposures Monthly: for lead, radium and dye-stuffs exposure. Daily: for dichromate exposure.

9. MEDICAL HEALTH AND CARE SERVICES Medical care of occupational disease is a basic function of an occupational health service. In India, Employees State Insurance Scheme provides medical care not only for the worker but also for his family. First aid services should be made available. Immunization is another accepted function of an occupational health service.

10. HEALTH EDUCATION AND COUNSELING Health education should start before the worker enters the factory . All the risk involved in the industry in which he is employed and the measures to be taken for personal protection should be explained to him . Correct use of protective devices like masks and gloves should be explained . He should be frequently reminded about the danger in industry through the media of education such as charts , posters and hand bills .

11. ENGINEERING MEASURES Design Of Building – Measures for prevention of occupational diseases should commence in blue-print stage Good House-keeping – Good house keeping is a term often applied to industry and much the same as when used domestically . It covers general cleanliness , ventilation , lightning , washing , food arrangements and general maintenance .

12. General Ventilation – There should be good general ventilation in factories . It has been recommended that every in every room of a factory , ventilating openings should be provided in the proportion of 5sq.ft. for each worker employed . Mechanization – The plant should be mechanized to the fullest possible extent to reduce the hazard of contact with harmful substances .

13. 5. Enclosure – Enclosing the harmful materials and processes will prevent the escape of dust and fumes into the factory atmosphere e.g., grinding machinery . 6. Isolation – Sometimes it may be necessary to isolate the offensive processes in a separate building so that the workers not directly connected with the operation are saved from the exposure .

14. 7. Local Exhaust Ventilation – By providing local exhaust ventilation dusts , fumes and other injurious substances can be trapped and extracted at the source before they escape into the factory atmosphere . 8.Protective Devices – Respirators and gas masks are among the oldest devices used to protect workers against the air-borne contaminants and they are still used for that purpose .

15. REFERENCES Park’s Textbook of PSM

16. Thank You