Occupational Health Services

Occupational health is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and management of work-related injuries and illnesses. It also aims to promote the health and wellbeing of your employees, protect them in the workplace, and ensure a consistent standard of care. Occupational health is important as it can improve the productivity, quality, and safety of your business, as well as the physical, mental, and social wellbeing of your employees. It can also reduce the overheads associated with employee absenteeism.

An occupational health assessment is the process of evaluating your employee’s health and well-being in relation to their work. It can help your business better understand your employee’s needs and abilities, as well as provide recommendations for adjustments or support. This can include:

• The completion of a health questionnaire that asks about health issues relevant to the job.
• Discussion regarding any pre-existing medical conditions.

Health checks related to specific risks associated with the work. For example, a respiratory health check if the job involves exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Occupational health hazards and risks are the aspects of your workplace that can impact the health and safety of your employees. They can be classified into four categories:

• Physical – Physical hazards include noise, vibration, temperature, radiation, electricity, etc.
• Chemical – Chemical hazards include gases, vapours, liquids, solids, dust, fumes, etc.
• Biological – Biological hazards include bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, etc.

Psychosocial – Psychosocial hazards include stress, violence, harassment, bullying, etc.

An occupational health practitioner is a health professional who specialises in health for the workplace. They can have different titles and qualifications, such as:

• Occupational health nurse
• Occupational health physician
• Occupational health advisor
• Occupational health technician

Their roles and responsibilities vary depending on their scope of practice and your business needs, but they generally include conducting occupational health assessments and referrals, providing occupational health advice, conducting occupational health surveillance and screening, providing health education and training, and more.

An occupational health assessment or referral can be done for various purposes, such as pre-employment, periodic, return to work, or fitness for duty, among other reasons.

To conduct an occupational health assessment or referral, you will usually be required to collect relevant information from your employee, your own records, and other sources, including medical records. Your employee will also have to undergo a physical examination, which might include a blood pressure test, urine analysis, and vision test.

Occupational health services are the services that aim to protect and promote the health and safety of both your business and your employees. Some of the benefits can include:

• Improved productivity
• Increased performance
• Reduced absenteeism
• Enhanced employee satisfaction,

Increased engagement and employee retention.

Occupational health and well-being are the states of physical, mental, and social wellbeing of your employees and, ultimately, your business. To promote occupational health and wellbeing in the workplace, some strategies include:

• conducting regular risk assessments
• implementing preventive and control measures
• providing a safe, healthy, and supportive work environment and culture
• encouraging healthy lifestyles and behaviours among workers, such as physical activity, nutrition, smoking cessation
• providing access to occupational health services and resources, such as health checks, counselling, vaccinations

involving your employees and their representatives in the planning and evaluation of occupational health and well-being programs, policies, and practices.

Legal and ethical issues are the issues that involve the rights and obligations of both your business and your employees, as well as regulators and occupational health practitioners. Some of the legal and ethical issues related to occupational health are:

• the duty of care and liability of employers and employees for occupational health and safety
• the confidentiality and consent of your employees for occupational health information and services
• the privacy and data protection of occupational health records and systems
• the equality and diversity of workers and their access to occupational health services and opportunities

the professional conduct and accountability of occupational health practitioners.

Work-related stress, anxiety, and depression are the psychological and emotional reactions of your employees to the demands and pressures of work. They can affect the health and wellbeing of your employees, as well as their performance and productivity at work. To prevent and manage work-related stress, anxiety, and depression, some of the steps can include:

• identifying and reducing the sources of work-related stress, anxiety, and depression, such as workload, role conflict, lack of control,
• providing support and resources to workers who experience work-related stress, anxiety, and depression, such as counselling, peer support, flexible work arrangements,
• developing coping skills and resilience among workers, such as stress management, relaxation, mindfulness,
• promoting a positive and supportive work culture and climate, such as recognition, feedback, communication,

monitoring and evaluating the impact and effectiveness of the interventions and policies for work-related stress, anxiety, and depression.

Occupational injuries and illnesses are the result of consistent exposure to occupational health hazards and risks in the workplace. They can affect the health and well-being of your employees either long- or short-term, as well as impact the performance and productivity of their work. To deal with occupational injuries and illnesses, some of the actions can include:

• reporting and recording the occupational injuries and illnesses
• investigating the causes and circumstances
• providing first aid and medical treatment to the affected workers
• referring your employees to appropriate occupational health services
• implementing corrective and preventive measures to prevent the recurrence and spread of occupational injuries and illnesses, such as engineering controls, personal protective equipment
• providing rehabilitation and return-to-work support to the workers who suffer from occupational injuries and illnesses, such as modified work duties, ergonomic adjustments,

compensating and insuring the workers who are affected by occupational injuries and illnesses according to the relevant laws and regulations.

Employees with disabilities, chronic conditions, or long-term sickness absence are the employees who have a physical or mental impairment that limits their ability to perform their work or who have a health condition that requires prolonged or frequent absence from work. To support these employees, some of the measures include:

• providing reasonable adjustments and accommodations to their work environment, including equipment, tasks, such as ramps, lifts, ergonomic chairs, flexible hours
• providing access to occupational health services and resources, such as health checks, counselling, physiotherapy
• providing regular communication and feedback to the employees and their managers
• involving your employees in the decision-making process, providing vocational rehabilitation and return-to-work support to the employees, such as the gradual resumption of work, retraining, redeployment

providing financial and social support to the employees, such as sick pay, benefits, and peer support.

Occupational health emergencies are situations that pose an immediate and serious threat to the health and safety of workers and others in the workplace, such as accidents, violence, or exposure to hazardous substances.

To handle these emergencies, some of the steps include:

• activating the emergency response plan and contacting the relevant authorities, such as fire, police, ambulance
• providing first aid and medical treatment to anyone affected
• evacuating your workplace to a safe place and securing the scene of the emergency to prevent further harm or damage, such as isolating the source of the hazard or shutting off the power
• reporting and recording the emergency accurately, including investigating the causes and circumstances, implementing corrective and preventive measures to prevent the recurrence and escalation of the emergency, such as repairing the damage, replacing the equipment and training the staff

providing post-emergency support and recovery to the workers and others, such as debriefing, counselling, compensation

Occupational health interventions and policies are the actions and measures that aim to protect and promote the health and safety of workers and their families and to prevent and manage work-related injuries and illnesses.

To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions and policies, some of the most effective methods are:

• collecting and analysing occupational health data and indicators, such as injury and illness rates, absenteeism and turnover
• conducting surveys and interviews with your employees and managers and obtaining their feedback
• conducting audits of your workplace and the occupational health services to assess their compliance and quality
• conducting research and studies of the occupational health interventions and policies, measuring their impact and outcomes, such as cost-benefit analysis and randomised controlled trials
• reporting and disseminating the results of the monitoring, and implementing recommendations for improvement and change.

Occupational health and safety management systems are the systems that integrate occupational health and safety policies, procedures, practices, and resources into the overall management of the organisation.

Some of the best practices and standards for occupational health and safety management systems are:

• adopting a proactive and preventive approach to occupational health and safety
• applying the principles of risk management
• adopting a participatory and consultative approach to occupational health and safety,
• involving your employees in the planning and implementation of the system
• adopting a comprehensive and integrated approach to occupational health and safety
• addressing all aspects of your work, including the physical, chemical, biological, and psychosocial
• adopting a systematic and structured approach to occupational health and safety
• following the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle
• adopting a transparent and accountable approach to occupational health and safety,
• documenting and reviewing systems regularly

complying with the legal and regulatory requirements and the international and national standards and guidelines for occupational health and safety, such as ISO 45001, OHSAS 18001, SEQOHS, etc.

Communication and collaboration are the processes of exchanging and sharing information, ideas, opinions, and feedback with other stakeholders involved in your occupational health plans, such as the managers, employees, unions, and regulators of your business and industry. To communicate and collaborate effectively, some of the tips are:

• use clear, concise, and respectful language
• use appropriate channels and methods, such as face-to-face, phone, email
• use active listening and questioning skills, acknowledging and addressing the concerns and expectations of others
• use evidence-based and data-driven arguments, providing all relevant information and accurate sources
• use constructive and positive feedback, including recognising and appreciating the contributions and achievements of others

use negotiation and conflict resolution skills

Some of the current and emerging trends and challenges in occupational health include:

• the impact of globalisation, digitalisation, automation
• artificial intelligence on the nature, quality, and security of work
• the diversity and inclusion of workers and their needs and preferences, such as gender, age, culture, disability
• the emergence and re-emergence of new and old occupational health hazards and risks, such as pandemics, climate change, nanomaterials
• the integration and coordination of occupational health with other disciplines and sectors, such as public health, environmental health, social health
• the innovation and advancement of occupational health technologies and methods, such as telemedicine, wearable devices, big data

the ethical and legal implications of occupational health practices and policies, such as privacy, consent, liability

Occupational health is a scientific and evidence-based field that requires constant learning and updating of knowledge and skills. To keep up to date with the latest research and developments in occupational health, some of the sources and strategies include:

• subscribing to and reading relevant journals, magazines, newsletters, blogs, and podcasts, such as Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Journal of Occupational Health, Occupational Health and Safety
• attending and participating in relevant conferences, seminars, workshops, webinars, such as ICOH, IOHA, AAOHN
• joining and networking with the relevant professional associations, societies, groups, forums, such as ICOH, IOHA, AAOHN
• enrolling and completing the relevant courses, programs, certificates, and degrees, such as MOOCs, CPD, CME

conducting and publishing your own research and evaluation project, and seeking peer review and feedback

An occupational health practitioner is a health professional who specialises in occupational health. They can have different titles and qualifications, such as occupational health nurse, physician, advisor, or technician. The skills and qualifications required for an occupational health practitioner vary depending on their scope of practice, but they generally include:

• a relevant academic degree or diploma in health sciences, such as nursing, medicine, public health
• a relevant professional license or registration, such as RN, MD
• a relevant professional certification or accreditation, such as COHN, DOH
• relevant work experience or internship in occupational health settings, such as clinics, factories, offices
• knowledge and understanding of occupational health concepts, principles, theories, and models
• knowledge and application of the occupational health laws, regulations, standards, guidelines
• relevant knowledge and use of occupational health tools, techniques, and methods, such as risk assessment, health surveillance, health promotion
• a relevant set of skills and competencies, such as communication, collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking, among others.

A risk assessment is the process of identifying, analysing, and evaluating occupational health hazards and risks in the workplace and their potential impact on the health and safety of your employees.

To conduct a risk assessment and identify the control measures, some of the steps are:

• identifying the sources and causes of the occupational health hazards and risks, such as machines, chemicals, processes
• assessing the likelihood and severity of the occupational health hazards and risks and their effects on the health and safety of your employees and visitors
• using qualitative or quantitative methods, such as checklists, matrices, scales
• prioritising the occupational health hazards and risks and ranking them according to their significance and urgency

reviewing and monitoring the effectiveness imposed, control measures and making adjustments where needed

To design and implement an occupational health and safety policy and program, some of the steps you’ll want to consider include:

• conducting a situational analysis and needs assessment of the occupational health and safety issues and challenges in the workplace
• developing a vision and mission statement for your occupational health and safety policy and program, including defining the goals and indicators
• developing an action plan
• allocating resources and responsibilities

Some steps for completing a workplace occupational health audit include:

• preparing and planning for the workplace inspection and audit and defining the scope, criteria, and methods, such as checklists, interviews, and observations
• conducting the workplace inspection and audit and collecting and analysing the evidence and data, such as documents, records, photos, and videos
• identifying and reporting the findings and results of the workplace inspection and audit

The work doesn’t end after the audit either. Once you have your findings and implement your new measures, you’ll want to continually assess your workplace and highlight future areas for improvement.