What Is Occupational Health Service?

 

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines occupational health as "the prevention of ill-health and injury and the promotion of physical and mental well-being at work and in the community." A primary purpose of occupational health is to promote health by preventing diseases, accidents and injuries. It also offers preventive and curative treatments to reduce the risk of illness and to improve the well-being of workers.

 

It is a multidisciplinary practice involving employers, staff and other specialists. This practice involves the establishment of a systematic, comprehensive and efficient occupational health system at the enterprise. In order to achieve this, a multidisciplinary team should be established, including employers' representatives, occupational health physicians, occupational therapists and others. Occupational health practitioners should be certified by authorities of the relevant jurisdiction.

 

The services of the occupational health service are designed to provide advice and information to employers to identify and minimize the risks of injuries, accidents and sickness in the workplace. Such services should be tailored to the needs of the workforce in each branch of economic activity. They include preventive and curative activities, as well as coaching and health education.

 

Despite the fact that most national legislation on occupational health is specific, there is no universal checklist of the activities that should be carried out in any workplace. However, there are certain general objectives that must be considered. Among them are the prevention of occupational illnesses and injuries, the management of sickness absence, and the preservation of enterprise health.

 

The workplace wellness program service should perform the following functions: the review of the health risks and problems of the workforce in the workplace, the surveillance of hazardous exposures, the assessment of the health consequences of such incidents, and the formulation of advice on measures to eliminate or control such hazards. These tasks are based on the preliminary orientation of the enterprise. To accomplish this, the occupational health team should conduct a walk-through survey of the company. During the survey, the occupational health team interviews the foremen and supervisors, if possible, and other members of the enterprise's management. Biological monitoring data and reports are obtained to identify hazardous exposures. Other sources of data are industrial hygiene measurements.

 

The meridian occupational health services can provide services at a clinic in the neighborhood or at a facility near the enterprise. For example, if an employee falls while working, treatment is available on-site to aid recovery and prevent complications. Also, special hygiene and safety checks can be performed when needed. On-site treatment is economical and useful for pre-emptive care.

 

Occupational health is a complex issue, which is further complicated by the changing human capabilities due to aging. Various international health instruments serve as guidelines to the development of national programmes. Occupational health is expanding its scope to address the psychological well-being of the workforce, as well as the ability to carry out a productive life. Several countries have made successful efforts to strengthen their occupational health services, and the WHO has been asked to encourage these efforts globally. You can get more enlightened on this topic by reading here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disciplinary_counseling.