Occupational health Flashcards
Define toxicology
The study of negative effects of chemicals on living things
What considers a substance to be toxic x2
How much of it is necessary to cause harm
How easily it can enter the body
State 4 routes of entry of a toxin
Inhalation, ingestion, injection, absorption through the skin
State what happens to chemicals in the body x4
Distribution
Metabolism- broken down into smaller compounds
Storage- for a long time
Excretion- through feces and urine
Define toxicity and describe its 2 types
Toxicity is the poisonous nature of any substance
High toxicity- substances that can cause harm following exposure to very small amounts
Low toxicity- substances that cause harm following exposure to large amounts
Describe Paracelsus’s fundamental rule of toxicology
Only the dose required makes the difference between a cure and a poison
Describe dose and maximum response
Once the maximum reaction is reached, increasing the dose doesn’t change the reaction
Differentiate between acute and chronic toxicity
Acute- last up to 96 hours, it is brief and sudden
Chronic- long period of exposure of up to 3 months
Define LD50 and LC50
LD50- a dose which when ingested injected or applied directly kills half of the test subjects
LC50- the concentration of a chemical in a test atmosphere that kills half the test subjects within one hour when inhaled
State 3 phases of poisoning
Chemical exposure phase
Toxicokinetic phase is how body handles the toxin > excretion
Toxicodynamic phase is the signs and symptoms of toxic agent >toxicity
Cause of occupational skin disease x4
Irritants
Mechanical
Physical
Biological
Define contact dermatitis and state it’s two subtypes
Inflammation of the dermal layer of the skin characterized by redness crusting and swelling
Primary irritant contact dermatitis
Allergic contact dermatitis
Describe the 2 pulmonary tests
X-rays
Spirometry- screening tests that measures airway resistance to airflow
Define vital capacity and state what its abnormality implies
The maximum volume of air that can be exhaled after maximum inhalation
Reduced VC implies airway obstruction
Define residual volume and state what its abnormality implies
The volume of air remaining in the lungs after maximum forceful expiration
Increase in RV implies airway distention and air trapping disease ie emphysema
Define asphyxiant and describe its two types
It is a chemical substance that causes unconsciousness or death when inhaled
Simple- interfere with gas exchange and displace O2 in the air eg nitrogen
Chemical- interfere with O2 transport by Hb eg hydrogen cyanide
Exposure sources of hydrogen cyanide x3
Chemical burning
Fumigation
Autopsy room activities
Define pneumoconiosis and state its 3 types
It is a disease resulting from dust in the lungs which causes a tissue reaction
Silicosis- crystalline silica
Asbestosis
Coal worker pneumoconiosis
Describe coal worker pneumoconiosis and what it results in x2
Black lung which develops in workers who work underground and get exposed to carbonaceous dust
Results in fibrosis and emphysema
Define silicosis and 2 characteristics
Chronic lung disease caused by inhalation of unsafe levels of silica in dust
Pulmonary function is normal but may develop into massive fibrotic lesions
Describe 3 types of silicosis
Acute; 1-3 years
Accelerated; 5-15 years
Chronic; 20-45 years
Define exposure limits PEL, IDLH, STEL
Permissible exposure limit- concentration of a substance in the air
Short term exposure limits- 1 hour free of exposure between 15 minute exposure intervals four times a day
Immediately dangerous to life and death- max airborne concentration which would not interfere with ability to escape
Define asthma and state 3 responses of airways to irritants
Reversible generalized obstruction of airways
Bronchospasm
Increased production of mucus in airways
Cough
State 4 causes of occupational skin diseases
Irritants- acids and allergens
Mechanical- friction and bruising
Biological- plants and insects
Physical- heat ad cold
State 4 causative agents of occupational asthma
Enzymes, vegetables, animals, metals
Gaps in the Occupational Safety health compared to International Labor Organization x3
Lack of national OSH policy
Lack of operational regulations and guidelines to support the act
Lack of tripartite advisory body with direct responsibility to OSH issues
International Labor Organization code of practice and guidelines x5
Safety and health in the use of machinery
HIV and AIDS in the world of work
Recording and notification of occupational accidents and diseases
Safety and health in construction
Radiation protection of workers
State 5 regular activities related to occupation safety and health
Registration of workplace
Inspection of workplaces
Conducting industrial hygiene surveys
Investigation of occupational accidents, diseases and industrial pollution
Training on safety health and welfare
State institutions that offer training for OSH X3
Universities and colleges
Employers and workers organization
National road safety council
State any 5 occupational health services x5
National system and regulatory responsibility- occupational injuries and diseases
Environmental exposure monitoring- light noise dust
Medical examination surveillance- in potentially dangerous environments
Advisory services- on medical surveillance needs
Integration with primary health care
Describe labor relations act and it’s aim
It is an act that governs the relationship between employees and employers
It aims to protect workers rights and promoting fair employment practices
Define Pellagra and describe its 2 types
A systematic disease caused by severe deficiency of vitamin B3 ie niacin
Primary- deficiency of niacin in the diet
Secondary- body is unable to absorb niacin from the diet
Define social marketing
An approach used to promote health behaviors by developing activities that change and maintain a persons behavior
Describe the 4 Ps of social marketing
Product- the behavior being promoted
Price- the barriers or costs of the behavior
Place- easy accessibility of the behavior
Promotion- communicating to the target audience the benefits and convenience of the behavior
State the process of social marketing x4
Planning and strategy development
Developing and pretesting materials messages and concepts
Implementation of program
Assessing effectiveness and making refinements
Define formative research
It is the process by which researchers define a community, how to access it, its attribute relevant to specific PH issues
Define competitive analysis and its purpose
It is the exploration of environment where target market makes behavior decisions.
It helps practitioners to understand factors ie physical, social, economic that influence the decisions
Describe summative research
It monitors program outcomes and compares objective with immediate and long term outcomes to assess effectiveness of a program
Planning models purpose
They aid in the development and implementation of effective interventions
PRECEDE acronym
Predisposing, Reinforcing, Enabling, Constructs in Educational/environmental, Diagnosis and Evaluation
Define employment act
An act to establish, reinforce and regulate minimum standards of employment with the purpose of ensuring equity necessary for enhancing industrial peace
State 4 fundamental principles of employment act
Equal pay for equal value
No discrimination of employee
Prohibition of forced labour
Remedies for infringement of fundamental principles
Duties of the labor commissioner x3
Inspection of work places
Supplying technical information to other staff
Making proposals and reports
Contract guidelines under employment act x3
Probationary period should not be more than 12 months
Employer or employee should give notice of contract termination
Contract of deceased employee shall be terminated 1 month after their death
Guidelines for sick leave within a year x2
4 weeks on full pay
8 weeks of half pay
Define a constitution
Basic principles and laws of a nation or social group that determine the powers and duties of the government and guarantee certain rights to the people in it
Define workers compensation act
An act to provide for compensation for injuries or diseases contracted by workers in the course of their employment
Describe the use of a medical doctor in occupational health x3
Advisor
Professional expert
Intermediate between management and stuff
How does the constitution of Malawi contribute to health of workers x5
Provision of fair and safe labor
Provides adequate health care
Provision of healthy work environment
Does not allow people to be subject to forced labor
Provides right to form and join trade unions
Application of industrial hygiene in the control of workplace exposures x3
Personal monitoring
Surveillance of the workplace
Use of special equipment to measure content of chemicals radiation and air quality
Define toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics
Toxicokinetics is how a substance enters the body and what happens to it in the body
Toxicodynamics is the physiological mechanisms resulting in toxicity and presentation of symptoms
Application of industrial hygiene in the control of workplace exposures x3
Personal monitoring
Surveillance of the workplace
Use of special equipment to measure content of chemicals radiation and air quality
Describe the sisterhood method
A method used to estimate maternal mortality ratio by questioning women about the number of sisters they have or the number of children their mother delivered
Define social desirability
Participants tendency to answer questionnaires in a way that makes them look good or acceptable instead of facts
Describe 3 examples of frequency measures
Ratio- comparison of any two values
Rate- a measure of frequency in which an event occurs in a given population over a specific period
Proportion- comparison of part to a whole
Define natality birth measure
Rate of birth per unit area of people per unit time
Define proportionate mortality rate
Proportion of deaths in a specified population over a period of time
Weakness of occupational safety and health in Malawi x5
Limited data on accidents diseases and fatalities
Limited human and financial resources
Limited research capacity
Weak Institutional policy and legislation
Limited knowledge on current and emerging issues in OSH
Inadequate equipment for OSH monitoring
Define ergonomics
The branch of science that deals with the people and their working environment
Principles of ergonomics x4
Keep everything within reach
Reduce excessive force and motions
Work in neutral postures
Minimize pressure points
Maintain a comfortable environment
