Occupational Health

- promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social
well-being of workers in all occupations by preventing departures from health,
controlling risks and adaptation of work to people, and people to their jobs.

Occupational Health Status around the world

 Health and Safety Facts and Figures

 Magnitude of the Global Problem of Occupational Diseases

Occupational Health in the Philippines

 Philippine Setting
- 1,500 work accident cases were reported annually nationwide
- In 2006, only some 2.2 million workers in enjoy effective OSH protection and services.

 Occupational Safety and Health Standards (OSHS)

10 core competencies of Occupational Physicians must have

 Clinical
 Environmental Health
 OEM-related Laws and Regulations
 Work Fitness and Disability Engagement
 Toxicology
 Hazard Recognition, Evaluation and Control
 Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management
 Health and Productivity
 Public Health, Surveillance and Disease Prevention
 OEM-related Management and Administration

Clinical
 Provide evidence-based clinical evaluation and treatment of injuries and illnesses that
are occupationally and/or environmentally related
 Should maximize the patient’s functional recovery

Environmental Health
  Recognize potential chemical, physical, and biological environmental causes of health
concern to the individual and to the community health

 Know about the health effects of the broad physical and social environment, like
housing, urban development, etc.

OEM-Related Law and Regulations

 Comply with regulations important to occupational and environmental health

 Provide expert testimony, write expert opinion reports, and provide peer review.

 Interact knowledgeably with other medical professionals and nonmedical professionals

Work Fitness and Disability Management

 Determine whether a worker can safely be at work and complete required job tasks

 Assist the patient in identifying personal functional goals

 Develop a management plan that aligns the patient’s goals with the job requirements.

Toxicology

 Recognize, evaluate, and treat health effects of exposures to toxic agents

 Manage medical surveillance and biological monitoring programs for toxicological

exposures

Hazard Recognition, Evaluation, and Control

 Assess the risk of an adverse event from exposure to physical, chemical, biologic,
ergonomic, or psychological hazards

 Collaborate with qualified safety and health care professionals

 Understand the core principles of industrial hygiene

Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management

 Protect the national workforce from health and economic consequences of disasters.

 Collaborate with the employer management team to plan for workplace response to
disasters

Health and Productivity

 Identify and address individual and organizational factors in the workplace to optimize
the health of the worker and enhance productivity.

Public Health, Surveillance, and Disease Prevention

 Manage medical surveillance programs for the workplace, as well as the public

 Apply primary, secondary, and tertiary preventive methods

OEM-Related Management and Administration

 Manage comprehensive occupational and environmental health programs and projects

 Understand the health care benefits, workers’ compensation systems, laws and
regulations applicable to the population

 Sensitive to the diverse needs and cultural backgrounds of the patients