CORPORACIÓN UNIVERSITARIA MINUTO DE DIOS

-UNIMINUTO-
NIT: 800.116217-2

What is Occupational Health?

Occupational Health is the promotion and maintenance of the highest 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.  

Occupational health services

Definitions and functions: "The term 'occupational health services' means services
entrusted with essentially preventive functions and responsible for advising the employer,
the workers and their representatives in the undertaking, on.. 

the requirements for establishing and maintaining a safe and healthy working
environment which will facilitate optimal physical and mental health in relation to
work 

the adaptation of work to the capabilities of workers in the light of their state of
physical and mental health".

The above definition alone is not enough to describe the range of activities carried out by
Occupational Health Services. There are a number of functions listed in the Convention,
and these are summarised hereunder:
o Identification and assessment of the risks from health hazards in the
workplace. This involves surveillance of the factors in the working
environment and working practices which may affect workers' health. It
also requires a systematic approach to the analysis of occupational
"accidents", and occupational diseases. 
o Advising on planning and organisation of work and working practices,
including the design of work-places, and on the evaluation, choice and
maintenance of equipment and on substances used at work. In so doing,
the adaptation of work to the worker is promoted. 

o Providing advice, information, training and education, on occupational

health, safety and hygiene and on ergonomics and protective equipment. 

o Surveillance of workers' health in relation to work. 

o Contributing to occupational rehabilitation and maintaining in employment

people of working age, or assisting in the return to employment of those
who are unemployed for reasons of ill health or disability. 

o Organising first aid and emergency treatment.

 CORPORACIÓN UNIVERSITARIA MINUTO DE DIOS

-UNIMINUTO-
NIT: 800.116217-2

SOURCE: http://www.agius.com/hew/resource/ohsilo.htm