Occupational disease : An occupational disease is any chronic ailment that occurs as a result

of work or occupational activity. It is an aspect of occupational safety and health.

Due to the rapid Industrialization, the industrial worker is placed in a hazardous enviornments.The health
of a worker is influenced by Conditions prevealing in the work place.The term Occupational Health
means the health of a worker in relation to his work and working enviornment.These diseases are known
as Occupational diseases

Major cause of Industrial diseases

Physical Agents::

Heat stress Radiation,noise,Electricity,Vibration etc.are the prominant Physical agents

causing occupational hazards.Here again noise is among the most important suck
agents causing occupational hazards.Noise induced Hearing Loss(NIHL)is detected in
employees who are exposed to high noise areas for a prolonged period

As per the factories act the sound level in a work enviornment should be less than 90
decibel (db) in one shift that is eight hours.But unfortunately many of our industrial
establishments have a higher noise level and that has found to be reason for
the gradual loss of hearing in employees .

The noise induced hearing loss is irreversible and there is no treatment for the
same.Redesigning of noisy areas,isolation of noisy machines,and regular use of hearing
protectors can prevent noise induced Hearing Loss

Chemical Agents

Gasses like chlorine,Ammonia,Sulphur dioxide,;Acids,Alkalis,etc are chemical agents

which will result in occupatioanal Hazards.Chlorine gas used as ableaching agent for
water purification and sewage disinfections can cause shortness of breath coughing
choking ,chest oain and vomiting .Similarly,ammonia gas used in the prduction of
fertilizers and refrigieration can irritate the eyes,nose and produce bronchospasam and
respiratory arrest in severe cases.sulphur dioxide and flurine gas also has ill effects on
human body

Biological Agents

Here the Hazards are due to living organisams cmmon in working enviornment
especially agricultural activities .For example Anthrax is transmitted to man from
animals such as Cattle,Goats,Horses and Pigs.Psittacosis and Ornithosis are seen among
Poultry Famers.

Mechanical Agents

About 10% of accidents in an industry are as a result of defective machinary,Untrained

staff,negligence,carelessness,Lack of concentration in work etc

Psychological Hazards

Failure of the workers to adapt him to self to psychological enviornment leads to

frustration,insecurity,job dis satisfaction,poor interpersonal relationship,and imotional
tension.These can affect the physical and mental health of the worker.The behavioural
changes in a worker will be manifested as aggressiveness,
anxiety,depression,absenteeism,tension,smoking,alchoholism,and irregular food
habits.This may Later develop in the human body as fatigue,body
ache,pepticulcear,hypertension,heart disease and rapid ageing

Occupational Cancers

Charecteristics of occupatioanal cancers are as follows:

1.The appear after prolonged expossure

2.The disease may develop even after cessation of exposure.

3.Average age of incidence can be earlier,than for cancer in general.

4.Personal hygeiene is very important in preventing these cancers.

Prevention Of Occupatioanal dieseases

The general measures for preventing occupational hazards include identifiacation and
substitution of potential hazards,proper ventilation,suppression of dust,good house
keeping,personal protection,training of workers and health surveillances programme

Every industry,Whether big or small Should have a basic occupational health

program.This has becomeMandatory afteramendment to Factories act in 1987

The three Basic components of such programmes are:

1.Work place monitoring & Occupational hygiene

2.Health Surveillance of the work force

3.Personal protective Equipment

Exposures Health effects

Ammonia and dry fertilizers, vegetable crops, bulb Irritant contact dermatitis
plants, fumigants, oat and barley dust, several
pesticides, soaps, petroleum products, solvents,
hypochlorite, phenolic compounds, amniotic fluid,
animal feeds, furazolidone, hydroquinone, halquinol