Who works with occupational health?

Who works in occupational health, you may ask – apart from employees in the labour inspection. Maybe you have never seen or heard about anyone doing this kind of job. Occupational health should be integrated in many different settings. It is an area with far too few resources and focus in many countries. Here are five examples of groups of people who can and should work with occupational health:

1. All

All persons who are involved in work where there are employees or who employ others should have some knowledge about work and health. All of us need to know the rules and the consequences of not keeping them.

2. Health personnel

It is important that health personnel in general have some knowledge about occupational health. For example, an x-ray photo of the lungs of a person with severe pneumoconiosis (caused by inhaling dust in the lungs) can look very much the same as severe tuberculosis. We want the physician to find the correct diagnosis. With training in and knowledge of occupational health, this is possible. You should not treat workers for tuberculosis when they instead should be helped by reducing the dust levels at the work place.

3. Occupational health personnel

Specific professionals receive more training in occupational health than others. Many countries have special occupational health services attached to companies, to ensure that the health of the workers is not harmed in any way. It is important to have competent personnel who can perform risk assessments of the work places and suggest preventive measures. This way, health hazards at work can be reduced. Sometimes a factory or a mining area has a dispensary with a physician who has competence in occupational health. This physician should not only treat occupational injuries and diseases, but also help the company on prevention; improving the workplace. Occupational health personnel can also work in teams, multidisciplinary groups, including for instance occupational physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational hygienists and safety engineers. You will learn more about such units later in this course. In addition, many countries have specific out-patient clinics for occupational diseases in their hospitals. This facilitates the process of patients receiving the correct diagnoses.

4. Labour inspectorates

Occupational Health is a main issue for employees in the Labour Inspectorates. The personnel in Labour Inspectorates work to improve the work environment at the work places.

5. Stakeholders

Stakeholders and policy makers, for instance politicians who are interested in health and working life, need to know that work may influence health and well-being of workers. With some understanding of this area, they might be able to seek correct advise from experts on the issue and initiate and develop legislation, policies and other actions that affect conditions in the work place. Also, trade unions can be mentioned here. Trade unions have been important for developing good working conditions and legislation in many countries, both historically and today.