Work-related illness

NIOSH is the Federal Institute responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related illnesses and injuries. 

Incident investigation Industrial hygiene exposure incidents and alleged work-related illness can be covered by an incident investigation program... 

Writing a health and safety policy statement is more than just a legal requirement - it is your commitment to planning and managing health and safety. It is the key to achieving acceptable standards, reducing accidents and cases of work-related ill health and it shows your employees that you care for their health and safety. 

All accidents and cases of work-related ill health are to be recorded in the accident book. The book is kept by/at... 

Periodic medical surveillance. The health status of employees should be reviewed periodically to ensure that no work-related illnesses have developed. Reviews may be limited to appropriate organ(s) or organ system(s). The frequency of reviews is related to the potential hazard(s). 

Conducting research to reduce work-related illnesses and injuries. 

In an occupational setting, where prevention of work-related illness is a primary goal, analysis of employee medical information serves as a surveillance mechanism for early detettion of such illness. 

Gordon, F. and Risley, D. (1999). The Cost to Britain of Workplace Accidents and Work Related Ill-Health in 1995196 (2nd edn). London HSE Books. 

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH 1997) states that musculoskeletal disorders, which include disorders of the back, trunk, upper extremity, neck, and lower extremity are one of the 10 leading work-related illnesses and injuries in the United States. Praemer et al, (1992) report that work-related upper-extremity disorders (WUEDs), which are formally defined by the Biureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) as cumulative trauma illnesses, account for 11.0 % of aU work-related musculoskeletal disorders (illnesses). For comparison, occupational low-back disorders account for more than 51.0% of aU WRMDs. According to BLS (1995), the cumulative trauma illnesses of upper extremity accounted for more than 60% of the occupational illnesses reported in 1993. These work-related illnesses, which include hearing impairments due to occupational noise exposure, represent 6.0% of aU reportable work-related injuries and illnesses (Marras 1996). 

Work-related minor injuries must be recorded if they resulted in restriction of work or motion, loss of consciousness, transfer to another job, termination of employment, or medical treatment (other than first-aid). All recognized work-related illnesses and nonminor injuries also must be recorded. 

Section 8(c) of the OSHA Act requires employers to maintain a record of work-related illnesses and injuries in an OSHA 300 Log. Upon request, this record must be made available to employees, former employees or their representatives. Section 2 (b) also places responsibility on workers by encouraging them to (1) reduce the number of occupational safety and health hazards in their workplace, and (2) to strive to achieve safe and healthful working conditions. 

Most state workers compensation coverage provides a relatively long statute of limitations. For injury claims, most states grant between 1 and 10 years to file the claim for benefits. For work-related illnesses, the statute of limitations may be as high as 20 to 30 years from the time the employee first noticed the illness or the illness was diagnosed. An employee who incurred a work-related injury or illness is normally not required to be employed with the employer when the claim for benefits is filed. 

Monnery N.,1998. The costs of accidents and work-related ill-health to a cheque clearing department of a financial services organization. Safety Science, Volume 31, Issue 1, March 1998, Pages 59-69. 

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), part of the Centers for Disease Control, is responsible for conducting research and helping companies prevent work-related illness and injury. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforces the Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard, which specifies safe work conditions, safety training, and effective emergency-response plans. 

Occupational health takes a multidisciplinary approach to providing a positive work environment that minimizes work-related illness and hazards so that workers can perform their jobs safely. In the past, businesses focused on controlling the spread of disease however, the chief goal of occupational health and safety has become the prevention of illness in workers. Prevention of work-related illness helps minimize worker absenteeism, enhances productivity, and promotes economic stability for both the worker and the business. Healthy and safe workers lead to productive businesses, healthy communities, and healthy families. 

The U.S. Department of Labor collects and publishes annual information on the number of work-related illnesses, injuries, and fatalities. The Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities program provides statistics by various industries, occupations, geographical locations, and other diverse parameters. 

Occupational health nurses are registered nurses employed to prevent work-related illness and injury, to provide emergency care at the workplace, and to implement health and safety regulations and standards. Basic nursing training can be in the form of an associate s or bachelor s degree. Most occupational... 

Understands the importance of investigating and keeping adequate records of accidents, dangerous occurrences, near misses, and work related ill-health the procedure for investigating accidents and the information that should be included in the report. 

Medical factors conducive to work-related ill health and... 

Some individual medical factors may lead to increased work-related ill health, disability... 

The effects of work-related illness or injury vary widely, and are in part related to the severity of the condition. Without adequate attention and proper advice and assistance, ptysical and mental impairment will actually be worsened, e g. lack of appropriate... 

Role of vocational retraining in rehabilitating people at work with a work-related illness or injury... 

Bird and Germain do not consider the impact of reduced commitment to work when employees operate in an environment where injuries are common. Nor do they address the costs specifically associated with illnesses that may be associated with health hazards [1]. It is OSHA s belief that the financial impact of work-related illnesses may be even greater than that of work-related injuries, because certain illnesses frequently involve longer absences. 

To complement hazard controls, you also must have good management systems that involve preventive maintenance hazard correction tracking a fair and consistent enforcement of rules, procedures, work practices, and PPE a solid system for responding to unexpected emergencies and a good medical program that helps to identify hazards and minimize harm if injuries and work-related illnesses occur [2]. 

Limit the severity of work-related illness and injury by working with... 

---