Inherent occupational health

Hassim, M.H. Hurme, M. 2010. Inherent occupational health assessment during process research and development stage. Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries 2i 127-138. 

Inherent occupational health (lOH) is the prevention of occupational health hazards (i.e., chemical or physical condition) that have the potential to cause health damage to workers by trying to eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals, process conditions, and operating procedures that may cause occupational hazards to the employees. In this context, inherent occupational health hazards can be defined as a condition, inherent to the operation or use... 

It can be summarized that the earlier studies focused more on health impact to humans in conjunction with the usage of biofuel and fossil fuel. Not until recently, the idea of inherent occupational health is being adopted into biomass processes. The works are actually done in a company with inherent safety assessment by Ng et al. (2013) and Liew et al. (2014) as described before in Section 14.6. Both used the Inherent Occupational Health Index (lOHI), an index-based method for inherent occupational health assessment of chemical synthesis processes. The method will be discussed in further detail in the next section. 

Hassim, M. H., 2010, Inherent Occupational Health Assessment in Chemical Process Development and Design [Doctoral Dissertation], Aalto University School of Science and Technology, Espoo. 

Hassim, M. H., Edwards, D. W. Development of a methodology for assessing inherent occupational health hazards. Process Safety and Environment Protectection 84(B5) (2006) 378-390. 

Heikkila et al. (1996) have expanded the work of Hurme and Jarvelainen (1995) with environmental and safety aspects (Fig. 11). The alternatives are simulated to determine the material and heat balances and to estimate the physical properties. Then the alternatives are assessed in economic terms for which the internal rate of return is used. The environmental effects are estimated by equivalent amount of pollutant that takes into consideration the harmfullness of the different effluent substances. With environmental risks are also considered aspects of occupational health to choose inherently healthier process. Even though most health related rules are considered later in the work instructions, health effects should also be a part of the decision procedure. The inherent safety is estimated in terms of the inherent safety index as described later. 

Therefore, modifications are to be made to fit the culture and the inherent hazards and risks in an organization. For example, is it necessary that there be a documented occupational health and safety policy, as ZIO requires for every location Or, is it appropriate to recognize that for a small operation having as few as 10 employees, a verbal and demonstrated commitment by management to achieving superior control of hazards and risks is sufficient ... 

The central question of this book is how can we best get management to improve its occupational health and safety performance But before we even begin to consider this question we need to explore the assumption inherent in it, namely that it is management which is responsible for worker health and safety. This is a controversial assumption. Were we to assume that workers are responsible for the illness and injuries which befall them we would be asking instead how can we best get workers to behave in less risky ways We need at the outset, therefore, to justify this assumption of managerial responsibility. Such is the purpose of this chapter. 

Hazard is defined as a condition, set of circumstances, or inherent property that can cause injury, illness, or death (Occupational Health and Safety Systems, 2012). In addition, we add the potential to cause damage or create a loss-producing event of any type. 

The rationale of the inherent safety concept makes it attractive for adoption to the environmental and health aspects (Hassim, 2010). Kletz (1984) visualized the potential of also applying the concept to the prevention of pollution (environmental aspect) and the avoidance of small continuous leaks into the atmosphere of the workplace (occupational health/industrial hygiene aspect), but he did not evolve it further. 

The adoption of the inherent concept to health started later than safety and environment due to its more complicated underlying principle. Its need to consider both toxicological and technical design disciplines makes the occupational health element receive much less interest in the design of chemical plants rather, active works have been done dominantly from the medical point of view (Hassim, 2010). Health hazards are actually as threatening as, if not more threatening than, process safety hazards. Many do not realize the fact that each year, more people die from occupational-related diseases than by industrial accidents (Wenham, 2002). 

Let us continue with this same example and assume that occupational health and regulatory authorities are eager to know the inherent toxieily of this new material, even if large particles predominate at all stages of the manufaeturing process. They argue that some small respirable particles are present and eould... 

An essential element of any medical program is informed patient consent prior to the performance of any test or procedure. Although informed consent is not specifically mentioned in the ACOEM components of occupational and environmental health programs, it is inherent in the ethical practice of medicine. The ACOEM Code of Ethical Conduct (adopted October 25,1993) states that physicians should relate honestly and ethically in all professional relationships. Also, the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics has issued guidance relative to patient consent, confidentiality of medical records, and communication of the results of tests and procedures (AOEC, 1987). 

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