Occupational Environment: And Health

Occupational Environment and Health Dr. Zhang Qiao Department of Toxicology College of Public Health Zhengzhou University 18-10-2006

Introduction In this section we will introduce the relationship between Occupational Environment and Health － Occupational medicine or Occupational hygiene.

Part 1. Occupational Environment and Occupational hygiene

Part 2. Practice of Occupational Medicine and Occupational hygiene

Part 3. Disease Associated with Exposure to Occupational factors

Part 1. Occupational Environment and Occupational hygiene 1.1. Concept of Occupational Hazards 1.2. Classification of Occupational Hazards 1.3. Concept of Occupational Hygiene 1.4. Occupational Impariment

1.1. Concept of Occupational Hazards

HGP and EGP HGP: Human Genome Project EGP: Environmental Genome Project

Balance: health Disordor: disease Hazard factors

Environment

Host (human body)

Occupational Environment Work is essential for life, development and personal fulfilment. Unfortunately, to a greater or lesser extent, Work can create hazards to the health of workers and those in nearby communities, as well as to the general environment.

Occupational Environment These activities are indispensable such as food production, extraction of raw materials, manufacturing of goods, energy production and services involve processes, operations and materials

Interactions between people and the

Occupational Hazards: refer to the occupational factors in the occupational environment or in the occupational process which have negative effects on a worker’s health.

1.2.

Classification of Occupational Hazards

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Chemical factors

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Physical factors

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Biological factors

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Ergonomic and Psychosocial factors

1.2.1 chemical hazards Chemical hazards, or chemical risk factors, are those chemical compounds to which a worker is exposed in the course of his work and that may produce harmful effects when taken into the organism in doses exceeding the capacity of the body to deal with them.

1.2.1 chemical hazards Chemical factors and chemical classification methods based on different consideration.

Classification depending on their state of aggregation in the atmosphere ① gas ② vapor ③ smoke ④ dust ⑤ fog

Aerosols (colloidal dispersion)

Gas--It shows gas state at general temperature and general atmospheric pressure Such as chlorine (Cl2 ), ammonia (NH3), hydrogen sulfide ( H2S)

Vapor-- It formed by fluid and solid evaporating . Such as mercury (Hg), Benzene. Mercury exposure could cause Hg poisoning and benzene exposure could result in benzene poisoning.

Smoke--It formed by floatable solid particles. It’s diameter is less than 0.1μm. (fume) Such as lead smoke, Zinc smoke etc.

Dust--It is a kind of floatable solid particles. But it’s diameter is more than 0.1 μm. eg. silica dust ( SiO2), asbestos fibers , coal dusts.

Fog-- Suspended fluid small drops in working environment. Such as spraying fluid pesticide, acid fog etc.

1.2.1 chemical hazards Classification based on chemical structure 

Toxicant

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Dust

Toxicant 

Metal and mineral substances: Pb Hg As

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Organic solvents: alcohol, benzene,ketones

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Irritant gases: SO2 NxOy

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Chokedamps(Asphyxiating gases): CO H2S

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Pesticides:

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Plasticizers,organic dyes,etc.

dust 

Organic dust

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Inorganic dust

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Mixture dust

Which factors influence the adverse affects ? 

Dose(concentration)

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Time of exposure

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Way to exposure

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interaction

Exposure level

1.2.2 Physical hazards 

Microclimate: temperature,humidity, air speed and thermal radiation

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Abnormal air pressure

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Noise and vibration

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Radiation

Radiation Nonionizing radiation: UV,

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infrared radiation, microwave, LASER (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation)

1.2.3 Biological agents   

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Vegetation and vegetable dust Substances of animal origin Combinations of substances of vegetable and animal origin Microorganisms and products of their metabolism Insects-mites, ants, mosquitoes

Workers could be exposed to biological factors in some occupational environment, such as work at forest , factory of leather and slaughterhouse. The diseases caused by biological factors such as: aspergillosis, rabies, anthrax, eta.

One form of hypersensitivity pneumonitis is known as farmer's lung because the farmer inhales thermophilic actinomycetes in moldy hay that set off the reaction. The bales in this field are of good quality and less likely to produce this disease.

1.2.4

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Ergonomic and Psychosocial factors The workload and the

intensity of activity are the ergonomic factors that largely determine the effects on health.

Heavy exhausting work and intense mental activity characterized by extreme nervous and emotional strain may cause early functional disorders and pathological changes in the cardiovascular

1.2.5 Combined Effects of Occupational Factors There are usually various occupational factors in the workplace. They may have the

Industrial workers are usually exposed not only to the combined effects of various chemicals but also, at the same time, to the action of physical agents.

1.3 Conception of Occupational Hygiene (Industrial Hygiene)

Occupational Health 

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Occupational health is a multifaceted activity concerned with the prevention of ill health in employed populations. A Joint International Labour Organization/Would Health Organization (ILO/WHO) Committee defined the subject back in 1950 as:

Occupational Health 

The promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well being of workers in all occupations.

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Main aim is to prevent, rather than cure.

Occupational hygiene The generation and release of harmful agents in the work environment can be prevented, through adequate hazard control interventions.

Occupational hygiene The control interventions not only protect workers' health but also limit the damage to the environment often associated with industrialization.

Occupational hygiene If a harmful chemical is eliminated from a work process, it will neither affect the workers nor go beyond, to pollute the environment.

Only the control of occupational hazards can break the vicious circle

Occupational hygiene The profession that aims specifically at the prevention and control of hazards arising from work processes is occupational hygiene.

the science of the anticipation,

Occupational hygiene recognition, evaluation and control of hazards arising in or from the workplace, and which could impair the health and well-being of workers, also taking into account the possible impact on the surrounding communities and the general environment.

Occupational hygiene The goals of occupational hygiene include the protection and promotion of workers' health, the protection of the environment and contribution to a safe and sustainable development.

prevention

treatment

Scopes of action for occupational physicians and

The task of occupational hygiene to recognize to evaluate to predict to control

the occupational hazards

Elements of risk assessment

1.4 Occupational Impariment  

occupational injuries occupational disorders

workrelated diseases

occupational diseases