From Wikipedia,
the free encyclopedia.
What is occupational medicine
Occupational medicine is
the branch of
clinical medicine most active
in the field of
occupational health. In the
United States it is one of the
three medical specialties (also
including Aerospace Medcine
and Public Health & General
Preventive Medicine)
encompassed by the
ABMS recognized specialty of
Preventive Medicine. Its
principal role is the provision of
health advice to organisations and
individuals to ensure that the
highest standards of health and
safety at work can be achieved and
maintained.
Occupational physicians must
have a wide knowledge of clinical
medicine and be competent in a
number of important areas.
Occupational health should aim
at: the promotion and maintenance
of the highest degree of physical,
mental and social well being of
workers in all occupations; the
prevention among workers of
departures from health caused by
their working conditions; the
protection of workers in their
employment from risks resulting
from factors adverse to health;
placing and maintenance of a
worker in an occupational
environment adapted to his
physiological and psychological
equipment and, to summarise, the
adaption of work to man and of
each man to his job.
What are the important areas
Occupational hazards to health
Occupationally related disease
and ill-health are an important
cause of morbidity and mortality
in the world. The occupational
physician must be aware of the
hazards, understand how to assess
the risks in a particular
workplace and how these should be
controlled, as well as be able to
recognise, treat and control
occupational disease should it
occur.
Assessment of Disability and
Fitness for Work
No matter how good an
individual's clinical treatment
may be, if employees end up losing
their job it has in part failed
them. Assessment of an
individual's fitness to carry out
specific jobs, and their
rehabilitation and return to
work after illness is an important
role of occupational physicians.
These tasks can only be carried
out by practitioners who have a
detailed knowledge not only of
human health, but also of the
specific work situation.
Communications
The Occupational Physician is
required to communicate with
clinical colleagues responsible
for the primary care of the
workers, with other health
professionals such as occupational
hygienists,
ergonomists and occupational
health
nurses, active in the
multi-disciplinary practice of
occupational health, as well as
with management, trade unions and
staff representatives in the
workplace.
Research
The workforce is the principal
customer of occupational health
research, carried out to increase
knowledge on particular aspects of
health hazards at work, or to
ascertain the safety or otherwise
of specific employment in a
specific situation.
Occupational health law and
ethics
Occupational physicians must be
aware of the extensive health and
safety legislation in some
countries as it affects their
practice, as well as ensuring that
they maintain accepted ethical
standards, particularly in
relation to the medical
confidentiality of data regarding
individual workers.
Health promotion
The workplace can provide an
ideal opportunity and environment
to promote good health. The
occupational physician must be
able to organise, provide and
evaluate health promotion
programmes which meet the health
needs of the specific workplace
where they are being undertaken.
Management
Occupational physicians are
doctors - yet their role demands
more. As well as demonstrating
competence in related issues, they
must also be well versed in the
principles and practice of
business and financial management.
The Environment
The environment protection act
defines pollution in terms of harm
to health. The occupational
physician's role as health adviser
to industry inevitably involves
the doctor in the consideration of
any environmental hazards
emanating from the workplace. Of
course there is great variation in
the emphasis given to these
aspects according to the nature of
work, for example in the chemical
field consideration of hazards to
health may predominate, whereas
say in the transport field fitness
to work may be a more important
concern. Modern employment
patterns demand consideration of
new employment hazards such as
occupational stress, or health
concerns like sedentary work. If
any of these areas are of interest
to you, perhaps you should
consider a career in Occupational
Medicine.
