JC Block C - Occupational Medicine Flashcards
Define Occupational health
Promotion and maintenance of highest degree of PHYSICAL, MENTAL and SOCIAL well-being
For workers in all occupations
Describe the relationship between work and health
Good work = therapeutic, promotes recovery and rehabilitation, beneficial to health and well-being
Worklessness = Poor physical and mental well-being, higher mortality
Examples for physical occupational health hazards
Noise
Air pressure
Temperature
Vibration
Examples of chemical occupational health hazard
Solvents, acid and alkalis, gas, dust (pnuemoconiosis included)
Examples of biological occupational health hazard
TB
Strep. suis
Examples of ergonomical occupational heath hazards
Poor posture
Incompatibility between height of chairs/ tables
Body-built of employees
Examples of psychosocial occupational health hazard
Manifestations
Stress, Shift work
Manfestations:
- IBS
- Gastroduodenal symptoms
- HTN
- Chronic headache
- Muscle tension: back/ neck
- More infections
- Fatigue, burnout
- Adjustment disorder
- Anxiety and depression
Compare Occupational Diseases and Work-related diseases
Role of medical practitioner in occupational medicine notification
Notify commissioner of labor if:
- Finds/ suspects a worker that suffers from occupational diseases specified in Schedule 2 of Occupation Safety and Health Ordinance
- Believes a disease is attributable to occupation
Failure to comply = liable on conviction + maximum fine of 10k
Sources of OD notification
Labor Department Occupational health clinics
Doctors in public and private sectors
Employees/ Employers report employee’s compensation cases to Labor Department
Complaints from employees/ union
Role of Occupational Heath Service, Labor department
Investigation notified case and find other affected workers
Advice on compensation
Occupation safety and health (OSH) assessment of workplace and law enforcement
Recommend preventive measures
Monitor occupational disease trend/ pattern
Form governmental OSH strategies
Compare Individual employer’s liability and Collective employer’s liability
Employee’s Compensation Ordinance
What is covered?
Medical expenses
Prosthesis and surgical appliances
Cost of care and attention
Loss of earning potential due to temporary or permanent total/ partial incapacity
at 16 HA hospitals under different specialties
Employee’s Compensation Ordinance
List of assessments and notification time-line
When to arrange medical assessment under Employee’s Compensation Ordinance
Pneumoconiosis and Mesothelioma Compensation Ordinance
Criteria for application
Any person suffering from pneumoconiosis or mesothelioma with any incapacity, pain, suffering, loss of amenities
Resident in HK for at least 5 years
or
Resident in HK for less than 5 years but contracted the disease in HK
Logistics for compensation of Pneumoconiosis and Asbestosis
Logistics for compensation of Pneumoconiosis and Asbestosis
Occupational Deafness Compensation Ordinance
Criteria for application
Occupational Deafness Compensation Ordinance
Criteria for application
Logistics for Occupational Deafness Compensation
List the most common occupational diseases in HK - top 5
- Occupational deafness**
- Silicosis
- Tenosynovitis of hand/ forearm
- Mesothelioma
- TB
Primary prevention of Occupational disease
Primary prevention of Occupational disease
Secondary prevention of Occupation disease
Tertiary prevention of Occupational disease
9 control measures to prevent occupation disease
- Elimination - stop use of causative agent
- Substitution
- Engineering control - enclose, isolate, ventilation…etc
- Administrative control - safety management system, tools and aids, repair and maintenance, job rotations…etc
- PPE
- Environmental monitoring - measure hazards in work place
- Health surveillance - Pre-employment and periodic medical exam
- Personal hygiene and vaccination
- Healthy lifestyle
Outline occupational history
Outline management plan of Occupational disease
Workplace, patient care…etc
Burn-out is a occupational disease
True or false
False
WHO classify it as an occupational phenomenon, not a medical condition
Occupational hazards to healthcare workers during COVID-19
Occupational medicine, Labor department
Scope of their work
Occupational medicine, Labor department
Scope of their work
+ health promotion
