The Practice of Occupational

Medicine

Presented By: Dr. Majid Golabadi

Occupational Medicine Specialist

Location of Occupational

Illnesses & Injuries amongLeading causes of

Morbidity & Mortality in…

5Nearly half of all injuries in some age groups !

Occupational Fatalities Ranking

8

Financial Costs of

Occupational Illnesses &

InjuriesExceed $150 billion per year

The Human Costs

Staggering!!?

The ILO estimates that : The World’s Work Force suffers More than 1 Billion Accidents Every Year.

Over 2 million People are killed by Their Work Every Year.

More than 6% of National Incomes

Cause Permanent Disabilities &

Economic Losses

The WHO estimates that : There are at least 250 million Cases of Occupational Disease Worldwide!!! with an Unknown additional toll on National Incomes !?

How much of all injury cases result

in Loss of Work ?

One- third

What Percent of those Severely Disabled

from an Occupational Disease receive

Workers’ Compensation Benefits?

5 %

How many Chemicals are found in Work Settings?How many Workers are exposed to these Substances?Many Millions

More than Half a Million

What is the most common

Occupational Respiratory Disease

?

Asthma

How muchof new-onset

Asthma in adults is Work-related ?

20%

Workplace Exposure to Carcinogens

All Cancer Cases5-10 %

Less than 0.1% of cancer patient ever receive any settlement from employers !!!

How many Lung Cancer Cases in Men & Women are Work-related?16-17 %

2%

How many Occupational Exposures cause of all Cancers?

20%

Occupational Cancers are

Totally Preventable !!!100

%

Work Health

Worker

Workplace

O.M O.H

Industrial or Occupational

Hygiene

Anticipation Recognition Evaluation Control Of Health Hazards arising in or

from the Workplace

Occupational Medicine

Practices in Occupational medicine

• Occupational Medicine focuses on the prevention, evaluation, treatment and resolution of health conditions caused by the workplace environment.

Occupational Physician must :Determine that an injury or illness is caused by work,

Diagnose it,Treatment,Assess the extent of impairment, &

Assess the ability of the worker to resume work.

Independent Medical Examiner

The highest level of evaluation the worker

Most requests for IME opinions come from …

Occupational Medicine Services

Preventive ServicesCurative Services Rehabilitative Services Consultative Services Administrative ServicesResearch ServicesEducational & Training Services

& Other Services

The Rationale forOccupational Medicine

ServicesSize of Working Population

Economic Consequences

Special Hazards associated with Work

Levels of Prevention

Primordial PreventionPrimary PreventionSecondary PreventionTertiary Prevention

Primary Prevention at an Organizational LevelSubstitution of a Less Hazardous

Process for a More Hazardous One

Substitution of a Less Hazardous Substance for a More Hazardous One

Installation of Engineering Controls & Devices

Job Redesign, Work Organization Changes, & Work Practice Alternatives

Primary Prevention at an Individual Level

Education

Personal Protective Equipment

Administrative Measures

Secondary Prevention of

Occupational IllnessScreening for Occupational Disease

Screening at-risk Workers who are not Covered by Standard-mandated Examination

Tertiary Prevention of Occupational

IllnessPrevent DisabilityPrevent Further Progression

Health Examination

Programs

Preemployment H.E. or

Preplacement H.E. ?

The Objectives of the Preplacement Health

Exam. (Employment Entrance

Examination)

Periodic Health Examination

General Specific (Hazard-

related)

The Objectives of Periodic Health

Exam.

Other Mandatory Health Examinations

Return-to-Work Examination

a- Postinjury

b- PostillnessMotor Vehicle Operator ExaminationLocomotive Engineer ExaminationPhysical Fitness ExaminationFlight Personnel ExaminationJob Transfer ExaminationDisability & Retirement ExaminationForeign Travel Examination (prior to)