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.
Is Occupational Diseases Cause major Physical problems like Rapid Ageing,Heart diseases,etc?
[quote_box_center]Fast growth of Industry is the major positive inspiration of a developing country.But their is a hidden fact is Industrial workers is the victim of this 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[/quote_box_center]
[quote_box_center]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[/quote_box_center]
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
Each of the above component has to be tailored to suit a particular industry.The size and nature of the industry,the numberof people employed,the type of polutant and Hazards encountered in work place and ofcourse financial constraints of the industry have to be taken into account while implementing the occupational health programme.