Essentials of Environmental Health PH 203 Dr. Khaled El-Ezaby Occupational Health Definition: Occupational Health is the promotion and maintenance of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations by preventing departures from health, controlling risks and the adaptation of work to people, and people to their jobs.

Description: Occupational health refers to the identification and control of the risks arising from physical, chemical and other workplace hazards in order to establish and maintain a safe and healthy working environment. These hazards may include chemical agents and solvents, heavy metals such as lead and mercury, physical agents such as loud noise or vibration, and physical hazards such as electricity or dangerous machinery.

Since 1986, the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIESH) has supported training and education programs designed to protect workers and their communities from exposure to toxic materials encountered during hazardous waste operations and chemical emergency response. This includes safety and health training for workers who are involved in hazardous waste removal and comprehensive training and environmental restoration for residents living near heavily polluted industrial waste sites.

Some examples of health problems at work place: • Cuts, broken bones, sprains and strains, or amputations. • Repetitive motion disorders. • Hearing problems caused by exposure to noise. • Vision problems or even blindness. • Illness caused by breathing, touching or ingesting unsafe substances. • Illness caused by exposure to germs or to radiation.

Purpose of the occupational health service: • Improving the health of the worker (s). • Reducing risks to health, detecting disease or assessing risks to health. • Increasing the availability, fitness and productivity of the workforce (and hence profits).