HL1115 Influences on Health at Work

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Work and HealthHL1115

• Sean Mahar, PhD, CIH, CSP, PE

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Qualifications

• BS, Sacred Heart University
• MS, Texas AM University
• PhD, University of Iowa
• Certified Industrial Hygienist
• Certified Safety Professional
• Professional Engineer

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Experience

• U of Wolverhampton, 7 years
• Ohio University, 3 years
• Worksafe Iowa, 3 years
• US Navy, 9 years
• Tracor, 1 year

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ASSESSMENT METHODS AND WEIGHTING

• Essay of no more than 1500 words 50
• Unseen examination of 2 hours. 50
• Students are required to pass (minimum grade D5)
  (i) essay and (ii) the examination in order to
  pass the module. Please note that plagiarism will
  be dealt with according to University
  Regulations.

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ASSESSMENT BRIEFING

• Select a specific occupation and identify the
  hazards that might be present in that particular
  work environment. Discuss the potential adverse
  effects on health. Include in your essay the
  effect that individual lifestyle and pre-existing
  health status may have on factors found in the
  working environment. Identify any relevant
  legislation in force to protect employees.

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ASSESSMENT BRIEFING

• Select a particular work-related condition and
  discuss the effects on health status. Identify
  the range of employees who may be affected and
  what effect personal lifestyle factors play in
  increasing susceptibility in some individuals.
  What relevant legislation is in force as a
  protective measure?

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ASSESSMENT BRIEFING

• Factors to consider
• 1. When identifying hazards at work remember it
  is not just the main hazard which is significant.
  You also need to consider what other factors are
  in the work environment which may add to or
  increase risks.

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ASSESSMENT BRIEFING

• Hazards are categorised into the following
• Physical
• Chemical
• Biological
• Mechanical
• Psycho-social
• Several of these hazards may be found in one work
  environment.

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ASSESSMENT BRIEFING

• 2. An understanding of the role of health and
  safety legislation will be looked for, but it
  will not be necessary to quote large sections
  from any Regulations or Acts.

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ASSESSMENT BRIEFING

• 3. Structure is important - your work must have a
  title and introduction which will set down the
  issues you wish to address. If relevant, you may
  wish to include some historical perspective but
  beware of making this too long.

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ASSESSMENT BRIEFING

• The introduction will be followed by the main
  body of your discussion - which should
  demonstrate logical progression to your
  conclusion and demonstrate understanding of the
  health effects of your chosen occupation or
  hazard. The conclusion should summarise what has
  gone before.

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ASSESSMENT BRIEFING

• 4. Referencing and bibliography any material
  used to help you write this essay should be
  acknowledged in order to avoid plagiarism. The
  bibliography should consist of all books and
  articles read, any direct quotes or references
  within the text of your work should appear in a
  reference list. Harvard method of referencing is
  preferred.

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Topics

• Introduction Historical overview Agricola,
  Paracelsus, Ramazzini, Industrial Revolution,
  first involvement of the state in monitoring
  health effects. Factors affecting health - recent
  statistics HSE, mortality rates.
• Overview of relevant legislation HASAWA 74,
  HSC, HSE, EMAS Welfare benefits, Social Security
  Acts, Prescribed diseases and disablement benefit

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Topics

• Occupational lung disorders asthma, byssinosis,
  pnuemoconiosis, asbestosis, mesothelioma, farmers
  lung, acute and chronic effects of exposure to
  toxic fumes
• Back injury, cumulative strain, upper limb
  disorders, ergonomics.
• Skin conditions, occupational dermatitis
  contact/allergic, effects of solvents, alkalines

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Topics

• Toxic substances and the effect on body systems.
  Chemical hazards - Occupational Cancer
• Transmissible diseases - infections, body fluids.

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Topics

• Physical hazards Noise and hearing impairment.
• Physical hazards Temperature, Vibration and
  Radiation Mechanical hazards and accidents

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Topics

• Vulnerable groups of workers Women, Reproductive
  hazards, Ethnic minority groups, pre-disposing
  conditions, lifestyles. Human factors.
  Psycho-social factors Occupational stress -
  fight or flight, organisational styles, Hawthorne
  effect, group dynamics, interpersonal
  relationships, bullying, unemployment.

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History

• In ancient times work was performed by slaves and
  no concern was made regarding worker health.
• 4th century BC Hippocrates notes lead toxicity
  in miners
• 1st century AD Pliny the Elder discusses hazards
  of zinc and sulphur and describes early
  respirator
• 2nd century AD Galen writes of acid mist hazards
  to miners

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History

• 1473 Ulrich Ellenborg described industrial
  poisoning from lead and mercury and suggests
  preventative measures
• 1556 Greorgious Agricola describes ulcerations
  of lungs from dust inhalation in De re metallica
• 1567 Phillipus Paracelsus' (1493-1541) treatise
  on diseases of miners published, Swiss alchemist
  was highly controversial and held in low regard
  by peers

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History

• 1700 Bernardo Ramazzini, father of occupational
  medicine, published De Morbis Artificum in which
  he describes various illnesses, causes and
  suggest preventative measures. Patient case
  histories should include the question "of what
  trade are you?"

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History

• 18th century Sir George Baker attributes
  "Devonshire colic" to lead in cider
  industryPercival Pott recognizes soot as
  causative agent in scrotal cancer, leading to
  Chimney-Sweepers Act of 1788Charles Thackrah
  writes treatise on occupational health urging
  employers to "let benevolence be directed to the
  prevention, rather than the relief of evils."

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History

• 19th century Sir Robert Peel brings the
  attention of Parliament to the deplorable
  conditions in factories
• 1833 Passage of first Factory Act, limiting
  child labor hours and providing for factory
  inspections in certain industries, expansions of
  industries in subsequent acts in 1864, 1867 and
  1878.

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History

• 20th century Dr. Alice Hamilton, wrote
  extensively on various occupations, their
  illnesses and solutions to these problems.

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History

• 1970 The Occupational Safety and Health Act of
  1970 (U.S.)
• promulgation and enforcement by Department of
  Labor
• research and education by Department of Health,
  Education and Welfare
• purpose to "assure so far as possible every
  working man and woman in the nation safe and
  healthful working conditions and to preserve our
  human resources."

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History

• 1974 Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
• created health and safety commission and
  executive
• purpose to "to make further provision for
  securing the health, safety and welfare of
  persons at work, for protecting others against
  risks to health or safety in connection with the
  activities of persons at work, for controlling
  the keeping and use and preventing the unlawful
  acquisition, possession and of dangerous
  substances, and for controlling certain emissions
  into the atmosphere to make further provision
  with respect to the employment medical advisory
  service"

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History

• 1992 Health and Safety Regulations - (EC
  Six-pack)
• Management of Health and Safety at Work
  Regulations
• Workplace (Health and Safety and Welfare)
  Regulations
• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
• Manual Handling Operations Regulations
• Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment)
  Regulations
• Personal Protective Equipment Regulations

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Important legislation

• The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act
• Management of Health and Safety at Work
• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
• The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous
  Occurrences Regulations
• Workplace health, safety and welfare

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Trends of illness and disease in the workplace

• The Industrial Injuries Scheme
• administered by the Department of Social Security
  (DSS)
• awards compensation to sufferers of certain
  "prescribed diseases" as outlined in the Social
  Security (Industrial Injuries) (Prescribed
  Diseases) Regulations 1985 (as amended)

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Trends of illness and disease in the workplace

• Conditions which have a well-established
  occupational cause such as vibration white
  finger, lead poisoning and nasal cancer from
  exposure to hardwood dust. Except for
  pneumoconiosis, mesothelioma, byssinosis and
  deafness, which are covered by special medical
  boards for respiratory diseases and deafness
  benefit is payable only if the degree of
  disablement is assessed as 14 or more.

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Trends of illness and disease in the workplace

• Occupational Mortality Statistics
• collected from death certificates by the Office
  of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS).
• form the basis of occupational mortality
  statistics.

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Trends of illness and disease in the workplace

• Statutory Reporting
• The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous
  Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR)
• require employers to report all cases of the
  diseases listed in the Regulations to the
  relevant enforcing authority.

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Trends of illness and disease in the workplace

• Voluntary Reporting Schemes
• SWORD (Surveillance of Work-related and
  Occupational Respiratory Disease)
• run by the Epidemiological Surveillance Unit at
  the National Heart and Lung Institute began in
  1989 and gathers data on occupation-related
  respiratory disease
• EPI-DERM
• surveillance scheme for occupational skin
  diseases run by a team at the University of
  Manchester Centre for Occupational Health began
  with dermatologists reporting in 1993 and
  occupational health physicians reporting in 1995.

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Trends of illness and disease in the workplace

• The Labour Force Survey (LFS)
• carried out annually by OPCS on behalf of the
  Employment Department.
• The 1990 survey included a trailer questionnaire.
  
• The question of interest in the field of
  occupational health was "In the last twelve
  months, have you suffered from any illness,
  disability or other physical problem that was
  caused or made worse by your work?" If the
  respondent answered positively, further questions
  were asked to establish the nature of the illness
  and the job that was believed to have caused it.

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Risk Assessment

• Council Directive 89/391/EEC
• Management of Health and Safety at Work 1999
• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health 2002
  (COSHH)

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Hazard and Risk

• Hazard the inherent potential to cause harm or
  injury
• Risk the likelihood of harm or injury arising
  from a hazard

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Hazard and Risk

• Hazard is the potential
• Risk is the likelihood

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Risk Assessment

• Council Directive 89/391/EEC
• Article 9, Various obligations on employers
• The employer shall be in possession of an
  assessment of the risks to safety and health at
  work, including those facing groups of workers
  exposed to particular risks

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Management of Health and Safety at Work

• Regulation 3 Risk Assessment, requires employers
  to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of
  risks to the health and safety of their employees
  whilst at work

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Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)

• Regulation 6 Risk Assessment, requires employers
  to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of
  risks to the health and safety of their employees
  whilst at work

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Risk Assessment

• A "suitable and sufficient" assessment
• correctly identifies any significant risk that is
  reasonably foreseeable
• enables the assessor to decide what action needs
  to be taken, and what the priorities should be
• is appropriate for the type of activity

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Risk Assessment

• remains valid for a reasonable time
• reflects what employers may reasonably
  practicably be expected to know about the risks
  associated with their undertaking.

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Risk Assessment

• It should
• disregard inconsequential risks and those trivial
  risks associated with life in general
• determine the likelihood of injury or harm
  arising

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Risk Assessment

• quantify the severity of the consequences and the
  numbers of people who would be affected
• take into account any existing control measures
• identify any specific legal duty or requirement
  relating to the hazard

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Risk Assessment

• remain valid for a reasonable period of time
• provide sufficient information to enable the
  employer to decide upon appropriate control
  measures, taking into account the latest
  scientific developments and advances
• enable the employer to prioritise remedial
  measures

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Risk Assessment

• Look for the hazards
• Decide who might be harmed and how
• Evaluate the risks and decide whether the
  existing precautions are adequate or whether more
  should be done
• Record your findings
• Review your assessment and revise it if necessary

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Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations

• Duties specified
• employer to provide first aid
• employer to inform employees of the first aid
  arrangements
• self-employed person to provide first aid
  equipment.

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Questions?
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