a premium given only to government personnel exposed to hazardous situations such as but not limited to, assignment in strife-torn

or embattled areas, distressed or isolated stations, prison camps, mental hospitals, leprosaria, radiation-exp osed clinics/laboratories/workshops, disease infested areas and areas declared u nder state of calamity or emergency which pose occupational risks or perils to l ife (Section 4, paragraph (g), subparagraph (vii) of Joint Resolution no. 4). Public Health Workers in x x x other health-related establishments located in di fficult area, strife-torn or embattled areas, distressed or isolated stations, p rison camps, mental hospitals, radiation-exposed clinics, laboratories or diseas e-infested areas or in areas declared under state of calamity or emergency for t he duration thereof which exposed them to greater to greater danger, contagion, radiation, volcanic activity/eruption, occupational risks or perils to life as d etermined by the Secretary of Health or the Head of Unit with the approval of th e Secretary of Health, shall be compensated hazard allowance equivalent to at le ast twenty-five percent (25%) of the monthly basic salary of health workers rece iving salary grade 19 and below, and five percent (5%) for health workers with s alary grade 20 and above 'Environmental hazard' is a generic term for any situation or state of events wh ich poses a threat to the surrounding natural environment and adversely affect p eople's health. This term incorporates topics like pollution and natural disaste rs such as storms and earthquakes. Hazards can be categorized in five types: 1.Chemical 2.Physical 3.Mechanical 4.Biological 5.Psychosocial

Occupational Diseases and other Work-Related Ill-Health The effect that occupation may have on a worker's health is dependent on the exp osure (expressed quantitatively) to relevant agents, and on host factors. Taking a history is often very important in identifying relevant exposures and linking them to ill-health. The concept of "cumulative exposure" i.e. a quantitative me asure of the intensity of exposure and the duration of exposure is important, si nce generally itis the main determinant of risk. Health may be harmed by occupat ional exposures in many different ways, and practically any organ system can be affected. Some examples follow - (starting with the lungs and skin, the organs of first co ntact for most chemical occupational exposures):Skin Eczema/ dermatitis - This can be irritant e.g. caused by detergents, or allergic e.g. as caused by certain rubber chemicals. Cancer e.g. from skin exposure to pitch/tar, or to excessive sunlight Lungs Asthma e.g. from glutaraldehyde in health careworkers, (the image shows a hospit al radiographer loading film processingchemicals, through a closed system, since emanations of sulphur dioxide or of glutaraldehyde can cause asthmatic symptoms ). Other causes of asthmamay include flour, or other agents in bakeries, or di-i socyanates in twin-packspray painting. Allergic alveolitis e.g. Farmer's lung from fungal spores Pneumononiosis e.g. silicosis caused by inhaling quartz Cancer e.g. from asbestos inhalation

Musculoskeletal tenosynovitis and similar conditions back pain from manual handling Nervous and Mental peripheral neuropathy e.g. caused by lead or n-hexane nerve deafness induced by noise mental ill-health e.g. caused by stress, or by chemical exposures such as mercur y Blood/Marrow anaemia e.g. caused by lead, which may impair the synthesis of normal haemoglobi n aplastic anaemia may be caused by high exposures to benzene leukaemia (a cancer of certain white blood cells) caused by benzene Genitourinary and endocrine kidney damage caused by some solvent exposures, or by cadmium bladder cancer e.g. caused by beta naphthylamine, or compounds of similarstructu re (generally aromatic amines, with an aromatic group in the 'para' position to the amine) infertility caused by some chemical exposures e.g. male infertility caused by DB CP (dibromochloropropane). A range of chemicals have been implicated in the pote ntial for endocrine disruption and/or effects on reproduction such as phthalates , glycol ethers, and organophosphates Liver Hepatitis, e.g. toxic from some chemicals or viral e.g. in health care workers Cancer e.g. Vinyl chloride monomer causing angiosarcoma NOTE: In the Great Britain the Employment Medical Advisory Service of the Health and S afety Executive employs medical doctors who should be available to advise worker s or their general practitioners. Some National Health Service Trusts also offer this facility to patients referre d by their general practitioners: A separate page provides more information about the control of risks to health f rom work.