KAREN MICHELL

MSc(Nurs) UCT, BSc(Nurs), RN RM OHNP

Concept Safety Systems cc
SASOHN President
Palace of Versailles 2010
y DefinitionofoccupationalhealthadoptedbyJoint
ILO/WHOCommitteeonOccupationalHealth(1950)
y OHshouldaimatpromotion& maintenanceofhighest
degreeofphysical,mental& socialwellbeingof
workersinalloccupations;
y prevention amongstworkersofdeparturesfromhealth
causedbytheirworkingconditions;
y protection ofworkersintheiremploymentfromrisks
resultingfromfactorsadversetohealth;and
y placing& maintenanceoftheworkerinan
occupationalenvironmentadaptedtohis
physiologicalandpsychologicalcapabilities
RECOGNISED CONSTRUCTION HAZARDS
RECOGNISED CONSTRUCTION HAZARDS
 Systematiccollection
andevaluationof
employeehealthdata
toidentifyspecific
casesofillnessor
healthtrends
suggestinganadverse
effectofworkplace
exposures

(Rogers,1994)
 Physicalhealthassessments
Questionnairesandhistorytaking
Spirometry
Audiometry
Biologicalmonitoring
Xrays

WHATDOYOUNEED?
 Definedasmedicalsurveillanceprogramme
thatisdesignedtocollectandevaluatehealth
datafromtheemployeerelevanttohisactual
workexposures

Toperformriskbasedandnotbroadbrush
approachtheemployerneedstoprovide
informationrelevanttothejob
UnderstandingofjobactivitiesOREP/Man
Jobspecifications
Physicaldemandsofthejob(heavymanual
labour)
Wherehewillwork(e.g.heights,openroad)
Expectedexposures(noise,cementdust)
Aretheconcentrationsorlevelsofexposure
known(noteasy)
Previoushealthdatawhereavailable
 Inmostcasesnot!

Why?
 Highturnoverofstaff
Constantlychangingenvironment
Riskconstantlychanges
Exposuredifficulttomeasure
Harshandvariedweatherconditions
Severalcontractorsonsite
Accesstooccupationalpractitionerscanbe
restrictive
 Ensurecorrectplacementofworker
Collectionofbaselinedataforcomparison
Documentpreexistingconditions
Detectnonoccupationalillnesses
Legalcompliance
 Earlyrecognitionofworkrelatedillness
Preventionofrecurrence
Decreasedabsenteeism
Increasedproductivity
Identificationofhealthandlifestylerisk
factors
Identifyhealthrisksthatmaybeaggravated
bywork
 Mostemployersaretryingtoachievelegal
compliancewithoutconsiderationforthehealth
aspects

Notcosteffective

Doesnotbenefithealthinthelongrun

IfweappliedRBMSwewoulddecreaseourocc
diseaseburden
Failuretoplanthe
constructionprocess
willresultinstructural
collapse
 Failuretoplanforrisk
basedmedical
surveillancewillresult
inoccupationaldisease
Asemployerswehave
theresponsibilityto
ensurethatwedoall
thatisreasonably
practicabletoprevent
this.
 Guidancenotesonhealthhazardsinconstructionwork.
Fromhttp://pdfcast.org/pdf/healthhazardsinconstruction
work
Occupationalhealthservicesandpractice.GCoppee.From
http://www.ilo.org/safework_bookshelf/english?content&nd
=857170174
BenniedeKokerfromMurrayandRobertsfor
useofphotographs