Module 2:

2-B EVALUATION OF RISKS AND HAZARDS

MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE

BESO SAFETY TRAININGS & CONSULTANCY SERVICES

DOLE Accredited OSH Training Organization: No. 1030-061721-127

thebesoproject@gmail.com #AngatAngEpektibo
 OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of the module, participants will be able to:

• Discuss medical surveillance and biological

monitoring as strategies in examining health
conditions of workers.
• Explain the role of these strategies in preventing
occupational illnesses.
• Describe the different steps in conducting medical
surveillance.
 CONTENTS

• Role of biological monitoring and medical surveillance

as part of workplace monitoring.

• Definition of workplace monitoring and its different

strategies.

• Definition of biological monitoring.

• Definition and purpose of medical surveillance.

• Steps in conducting medical surveillance.

 INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE

Ambient or Environmental Monitoring, Biological Monitoring, and Medical Surveillance

are the three important tools in the prevention of diseases due to toxic agents in the general
or occupational environment.
 AMBIENT MONITORING

AMBIENT MONITORING OR WEM

• the measurement of contaminant in the workplace

• this helps pinpoint work areas with high or low exposure

levels of contaminants

• involves identification and

assessment of environmental
factors that may affect workers’
health, Source: ILO
 BIOLOGICAL MONITORING

BIOLOGICAL MONITORING
• Measurement of a substance, its metabolites or its effects in
body tissues, fluids or exhaled air of exposed person.
• Assess exposure and health risk of workers.
• Complements exposure assessment by air sampling.
 BIOLOGICAL MONITORING
(TISSUES AND FLUIDS USED IN STUDIES)

• Hair sampling: used mostly for analysis of metals that are

deposited in the hair shaft as it grows.
• Exhaled air: usually used for volatile compounds, such as
solvent vapors.
• Testing of saliva: used as a non-invasive procedure to
analyze a variety of chemical exposures, including metals.
• Urine: the most commonly collected fluid.
THE ROLE OF BIOLOGICAL
MONITORING
 MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE

MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
• a planned program of periodic examination of employees
• the ongoing systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and
dissemination of data for the purpose of prevention
• the objective is to provide information to the employer, which
assists with the elimination, control and minimization of health risks,
and to prevent, detect and treat occupational diseases
 THE ROLE OF MEDICAL
SURVEILLANCE

ROLE OF MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE

• Systematic monitoring of health events and exposures in
working populations to prevent and control occupational
hazards and their associated diseases and injuries

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
• To gather information on cases of occupational diseases /
illnesses and on workplace exposures
• To distill and analyze data
• To intervene on the basis of data to alter the factors that
produced health events and hazards
• To disseminate organized data to necessary parties:
workers, employers, government agencies
 MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
(PURPOSE)

• The fundamental purpose of surveillance is to detect and

eliminate the underlying causes such as hazards or
exposures of any discovered trends and thus has a
prevention focus.

Reasons for medical surveillance at work:

• Identify adverse health effects related to the work at an early
stage.
• Check an individual’s medical fitness for specific jobs or
tasks.
• Promote general health and well-being.
 AIM OF MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE

• Establish worker’s health status when they start to work in

an environment where they are exposed to particular
hazards.
• Establish if a worker needs to be removed from a certain
work environment or if a worker can return to that
environment.
• Ensure that workers can seek appropriate medical
treatment.
• Show if the company’s prevention and control measure are
working effectively.
• Show that hazards need to be removed and controlled
more effectively.
EXPOSURE – DISEASE PARADIGM
 MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
(WHEN TO CONDUCT)

Criteria for conducting health surveillance includes when:

• an individual being exposed to a hazardous substance

that is linked to an identifiable disease of adverse health
effect

• there is reasonable chance that the disease or adverse

health effect may occur under the conditions of work

• there are valid techniques of detecting the disease or

adverse health effect
 MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
(SCHEDULE/FREQUENCY)

Medical Surveillance Programs establish the following

examination and testing schedule:

• Before workers assignment to specific tasks.

• At periodic intervals during employment.

• On resumption of work after a

prolonged absence for health
reasons.
• On and after the termination of
assignments involving hazards.
MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
(TYPE OF HEALTH EXAMINATIONS – RULE 1960)

MEDICAL CLASSIFICATION
CLASS
• Physically fit for any work.
A

• Physically under-developed or with

correctible defects, (error of refraction
CLASS
dental caries, defective hearing, and
B
other similar defects) but otherwise fit
to work.

• Employable but owing to certain

impairments or conditions, (heart
disease, hypertension, anatomical
CLASS
defects) requires special placement
C
or limited duty in a specified or
selected assignment requiring follow-
up treatment/ periodic evaluation.

• UNFIT or UNSAFE for any type of

employment (active PTB, advanced
CLASS
heart disease with threatened failure,
D
malignant hypertension, and other
similar illnesses).
 STEPS IN MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
OF OCCUPATIONAL AND WORK-RELATED DISEASES

1. Hazard and Exposure Assessment

2. Identification of Adverse Health Outcome for Each
Occupational Hazards
3. Selection of Medical Screening Tests
4. Interpretation of Data and Recommendation
5. Communication of Results
6. Documentation or Recordkeeping
7. Evaluation of Control Measures
FACTORS AFFECTING RESPONSE TO
POSSIBLE WORK-RELATED DISEASE
 PHYSICAL HAZARDS
AND THEIR POSSIBLE HEALTH
OUTCOME
 PHYSICAL HAZARDS
(EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE)

Temperature Radiation Vibration Noise

Rash; cramps Burns Fatigue Interferences

Exhaustion Sickness Strains Stress

Stroke Aging Carpal tunnel Tinnitus

Hypothermia Cancer HAVS Headaches

Frostbite DNA mutations Raynaud’s Hearing loss

 PHYSICAL HAZARDS
(1. NOISE – ILL-HEALTH EFFECTS)

Types of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL)

Temporary Threshold Shift (auditory Permanent Threshold
fatigue) Shift
• Temporary loss of hearing acuity after • Irreversible loss of
exposure to loud noise hearing
• Recovery within 16-48 hours
PHYSICAL HAZARDS
(1. NOISE – ILL-HEALTH EFFECTS)

How sound travels

from external ear
to the brain.
 PHYSICAL HAZARDS
(1. NOISE – ILL-HEALTH EFFECTS)

Other Harmful Effects of Noise

• Hypertension
• Hyperacidity
• Palpitations
• Disturb relaxation and sleep
 PHYSICAL HAZARDS
(1. NOISE – SIGNS OF HEARING LOSS)

• Difficulty in understanding
spoken words in a noisy
environment
• Need to be near or look at
the person speaking to
help understand words
• Familiar sounds are
muffled
• Complaints that people do
not speak clearly
• Ringing noises in the ears
(tinnitus)
PHYSICAL HAZARDS
(2. VIBRATION – HAVS HEALTH EFFECTS)

Injuries which can be

caused by hand-arm
vibration.
 PHYSICAL HAZARDS
(2. VIBRATION – HAVS HEALTH EFFECTS)

HAVS develops in workers who use hand-held power work

equipment.
 PHYSICAL HAZARDS
(2. VIBRATION – WBV HEALTH EFFECTS)

Whole-body Vibration Health Effects:

• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Headache
• Disorders of the spine
 PHYSICAL HAZARDS
(3. INADEQUATE ILLUMINATION - EFFECTS)

• Poor illumination
• acute effects: visual fatigue, headaches,
double vision, painful irritation, lacrimation,
conjunctivitis

• chronic effect: miner’s nystagmus

• Excessive brightness
• effects due to glare: discomfort annoyance lacrimation
and visual fatigue
• blurring vision

• Occupational effects of visual fatigue

• loss of productivity, increased accident
rate, more mistakes, lowering of quality,
miner’s nystagmus
visual complaints
 PHYSICAL HAZARDS
(4. EXTREME TEMPERATURE – HEAT ILLNESS)

Disorders Clinical Features

• Prickly heat • Pruritic rash

• Heat cramps • Cramps in the body, usually legs

• Dizziness, fainting attack, blurring

• Heat exhaustion of vision, cold, clammy and sweaty
skin

• Cyanosis, muscle twitching,

• Heat stroke disorientation, delirium,
convulsions
PHYSICAL HAZARDS
(4. EXTREME TEMPERATURE – ILLNESS SIGNS)
 PHYSICAL HAZARDS
(4. EXTREME TEMPERATURE – COLD ILLNESS)

COLD-RELATED ILLNESSES
Hypothermia • The most severe cold injury caused by excessive loss
of body heat, symptoms can range from mild to
severe and include nausea, fatigue, dizziness,
irritability or euphoria, pain in the hands, feet or ears,
and severe shivering.
• SEVERE CASES: shivering may stop, pupils become
dilated, pulse and breathing become slowed, inability
to walk or stand, confusion or disorientation, and loss
of consciousness.
Frostbite • Symptoms include inflammation of the skin in
patches and slight pain.
• SEVERE CASES: burning or prickling sensations
can accompany blisters. Tissue damage can also
occur without feeling pain.
 PHYSICAL HAZARDS
(4. EXTREME TEMPERATURE – COLD ILLNESS)

COLD-RELATED ILLNESSES

• Symptoms include
Chilblain redness, swelling, tingling
and pain.

• Top layers of the skin

freeze and turn white,
Frostnip numb and hard, while
deeper tissue feels
normal.

• Symptoms caused by
Immersion prolonged wet or cold
foot / feet include tingling,
trench foot numbness, itching, pain,
swelling and blisters.
 PHYSICAL HAZARDS
(5. ABNORMAL PRESSURE – DANGERS TO HUMANS)

DANGERS OF ABNORMAL PRESSURE

Anoxia • The absence of oxygen.
• Low levels of oxygen.
• Occur while ascending to a high altitude or when
Hypoxia
oxygen in air has been replaced with another gas.
• Altitude sickness is a form of hypoxia.
Hyperoxia • An increased concentration of oxygen in air.
Evolved gas • Associated with absorption of nitrogen into the
effects body tissues.

• A delayed effect of decompression sickness.

Aseptic necrosis
of bone
 PHYSICAL HAZARDS
(6. RADIATION – IONIZING HEALTH EFFECTS)

Sources Health Effects

X-rays • Cancer, congenital

Gamma rays defects, death

Melanoma
• a type of skin cancer
• leading cause of death from skin disease
• excessive exposure to sun light
 PHYSICAL HAZARDS
(6. RADIATION – NON-IONIZING EFFECTS)

Sources Health Effects

• Skin redness, premature

Ultraviolet skin ageing, and skin
cancer

• Corneal and conjunctival

Infrared burns, retinal injury,
cataract

Laser • Skin and eye problem

 CHEMICAL HAZARDS
AND THEIR POSSIBLE HEALTH
OUTCOME
 CHEMICAL HAZARDS
(EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE)

Effects Chemical Agent Industry/Process

• Renal Diseases • Mercury,

• Battery, chemical
– Acute/chronic renal cadmium,
industries, pesticide
failure chloroform

• Respiratory Diseases
• Solvents,
– Irritation, • Chemical industries
ammonia
inflammation

• Mining, construction,
– Pneumoconiosis • Inorganic dust
sandblasting, coal

– Cancer • Chromium • Plating, metal refining

 CHEMICAL HAZARDS
(EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE)

Effects Chemical Agent Industry/Process

• Battery
• Blood Diseases
• Lead manufacturing, lead
– Anemia
smelting

• Solvent and soap

– Aplastic anemia • Benzene
manufacturing

• Skin Diseases
– Allergic/contact • Plastic epoxides • Plastic, varnish
dermatitis

• Machine-tool
– Acne • Cutting oils, grease
operators

– Skin cancer • Arsenic, tar • Petroleum refinery

 CHEMICAL HAZARDS
(EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE)

Effects Chemical Agent Industry/Process

• Liver Diseases • Carbon • Cleaning fluids, dry

– Acute liver toxicity tetrachloride cleaners

• Battery
• Cardiovascular Diseases
• Lead, cadmium manufacturing and
– Hypertension
recycling

• Degreasing, dry
– Atherosclerosis • Carbon disulfide
cleaning

• Fluorocarbon, • Refrigeration,
– Arrythmias
trichloroethylene solvent workers
 CHEMICAL HAZARDS
(1. ORGANIC SOLVENT – HEALTH EFFECTS)

• The impact will be based on the concentration of the

solvent and duration of exposure and the toxicity of the
solvent.

• Effects of Exposure
– Headaches
– Tiredness
– Dizziness to behavioral changes
– Unconsciousness
– Death

• Almost every organic solvent is health hazard if swallowed or

inhaled more than the listed quantity.
• Most of the organic solvents are skin irritants if came contact with
the skin.
 CHEMICAL HAZARDS
(2. ACIDS – HEALTH EFFECTS)

SHORT-TERM LONG-TERM

• Eye, nose, and respiratory tract • Gastritis

irritation • Chronic bronchitis
• Inflammation and pulmonary edema • Dermatitis
• Oral exposure – corrosion of the • Photosensitization
mucous membranes, esophagus, and • Dental discoloration and
stomach erosion
• Dermal contact – severe burns, • Laryngeal and lung cancer
ulceration, and scarring
• Body tissue damage and chemical
burns
• Severe irritation of the throat and
stomach
• Destruction of tissue of internal
organs
CHEMICAL HAZARDS
(3. DUSTS – HEALTH EFFECTS)
 CHEMICAL HAZARDS
(4. HEAVY METALS – HEALTH EFFECTS)

Health Effects of Breathing Welding Fumes

Acute exposure to welding • Eye, nose and throat irritation, dizziness and
fume and gases nausea.
Prolonged exposure to • Lung damage and various types of cancer,
welding fume including lung, larynx and urinary tract.
• Metal fume fever, stomach ulcers, kidney
Health effects from certain damage and nervous system damage.
fumes • Prolonged exposure to manganese fume can
cause Parkinson’s-like symptoms.
• Displace oxygen in the air and can lead to
Gases such as helium,
suffocation, particularly when welding in
argon, and carbon dioxide
confined or enclosed space.
• Can form, posing a serious asphyxiation
Carbon monoxide gas
hazard.
 CHEMICAL HAZARDS
(5. GASES – CHEMICAL ASPHYXIANTS: CO)

Concentration of Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Health Effects

% Volume of Air ppm Health Effects

Possibly headache, mild frontal in 2-3
0.02 200
hours
Headache, frontal, and nausea after 1-2
0.04 400
hours

Headache, dizziness and nausea in 3/4

0.08 800 hour, collapse and possible
unconsciousness in 2 hours

Headache, dizziness and nausea in 20

0.12 1200 minutes; collapse, unconsciousness,
possibly death in 2 hours
 CHEMICAL HAZARDS
(5. GASES – CHEMICAL ASPHYXIANTS: H2S)

Concentration of Hydrogen Sulfide and Health Effects

% Volume of Air ppm Health Effects

0.0002 0.02 Odor detected by human nose.

0.001 10 Irritation of the eyes, nose and throat.

Headache, dizziness and nausea;

0.005 50
coughing and breathing difficulty.

Severe respiratory tract irritation, eye

0.01 100 irritation, convulsions, coma and death in
severe cases.
BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS
AND THEIR POSSIBLE HEALTH
OUTCOME
 SELECTED INFECTIOUS DISEASES
AND OCCUPATIONS

Agents / Disease Occupation

• Colds, influenza, scarlet
• May be contracted anywhere
fever, diphtheria, smallpox

• Silica workers, people exposed to heat

• Tuberculosis and organic dusts, and medical
personnel

• Veterinarians, laboratory research

• Rabies (e.g. dogs, bats,
workers, agricultural workers,
rats, pigs, cats)
warehouses

• Farmers, outdoor workers, animal

• Fungus
handlers

• Farmers (spores in soil) or anyone in

• Tetanus
contact with manure, agriculture
 SELECTED INFECTIOUS DISEASES
AND OCCUPATIONS (TUBERCULOSIS)

TUBERCULOSIS (TB)
• Is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium
Tuberculosis.
• It usually affects the lungs.

• Other parts of the body may

also be infected such as the
bones, brain and it
covering, joints, kidneys,
liver, intestines and heart.

• If not treated properly, TB

can be fatal.
HOW IS TB TRANSMITTED?
TUBERCULOSIS SIGNS AND
SYMPTOMS

• Persistent cough for at least

2 weeks
• Chest pains / back pains
(breathlessness)
• Persistent low grade fever
for more than a month
• Significant weight loss with
or loss of appetite
• Hemoptysis (Blood-tinged
sputum)
• Feeling of weakness
(tiredness)
• Night Sweats
RISK FACTORS OF GETTING TB
DISEASE
OTHER BODY PARTS WHICH CAN BE
AFFECTED BY TB
 TB RANKS NO. 10 CAUSE OF DEATH
OF FILIPINOS IN 2022 (PSA DATA)

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority, Ref. No. 2023-006, January 23, 2023 Preliminary as of October 31, 2022
 WORKPLACE ISSUES IN TB
TRANSMISSION

• Transmission is most likely to occur from TB-infected workers:

– Have unrecognized PTB
– Not on effective anti-TB therapy
– Continue to work despite being infectious

• Host factors that enhance transmission:

– Presence of coughing, sneezing, or other forceful expiratory
measures
– Presence of the acid-fast bacilli in sputum
– Inability to perform coughing and sneezing etiquette

• Work environment factors that enhance the likelihood of

transmission:
– Exposure in relatively small and enclosed spaces
– Inadequate local or general ventilation that results in insufficient
dilution and/or removal of infectious droplet nuclei
– Re-circulation of air conditioning infectious droplet nuclei
 SILICA EXPOSURE AND TB

• Incidence of TB is greater in accelerated or acute Silicosis

• Silica exposure in the absence of silicosis is risk factor for
TB
• Increase silica exposure increases the risk for TB
• Silica exposure and TB results in DEATH 4 years earlier
than TB alone.
• Industries involved:
– Mining, quarrying, tunneling
– Milling
– Foundry work, abrasive blasting, glass
manufacturing
– Stone mason, sand blasting, pottery
making, ceramics and tile
manufacturing, clay production, cement
production
 TB AND HIV

• HIV increases the risk for

TB; the strongest risk
factor for developing.
• The risk of developing TB is
between 20 and 37 times.
• Reactivation of latent TB.
• Re-infection with new
multidrug-resistant TB
(MDR-TB) strains.
• Patients with both HIV and
MDR-TB face complicated
clinical management, fewer
treatment options and
poorer treatment outcomes.
 SELECTED INFECTIOUS DISEASES
AND OCCUPATIONS (HIV/AIDS)

• Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV): this virus attacks the

body’s immune system, the system which gives our bodies
the ability to fight infection.

• Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS): serious and

usually fatal condition in which the body’s immune system is
severely weakened and cannot fight off infection
 SELECTED INFECTIOUS DISEASES
AND OCCUPATIONS (HIV/AIDS)

• HIV
• HIV weakens the body’s ability to fight even the most simple disease.
• Destroys the immune system and causes AIDS

• HIV Infection
• Is the successful entry of HIV in the body, weakening the immune
system and leading to a variety of diseases.

• AIDS
• Is the final stage of HIV infection characterized by a combination of
signs and symptoms.
• It can take years for a person infected with HIV, even without treatment,
to reach this stage.
• Having AIDS means that the virus has weakened the immune system
to the point at which the afflicted individual becomes susceptible to life
threatening infections.
 SELECTED INFECTIOUS DISEASES
AND OCCUPATIONS (HIV/AIDS)

• Body fluids with high viral load

• Blood
• Semen
• Vaginal and cervical mucus
• Breast milk

• HIV remains dormant in the body for several years before

some unknown factors trigger the infections associated with
AIDS.
• Median incubation period can be as long as 10 years.
• During the incubation period, person living with HIV are in
asymptomatic stage and may look healthy and unaware of
their infection status.
 SELECTED INFECTIOUS DISEASES
AND OCCUPATIONS (HIV/AIDS)

Source: Department of Health - HARP, December 2022

 SELECTED INFECTIOUS DISEASES
AND OCCUPATIONS (HIV/AIDS)

as of December 2022

109,282

861
Dec. 2022
Dec. 2022
25-34 yo 820
Dec. 2022
41

Source: Department of Health - HARP, December 2022

 SELECTED INFECTIOUS DISEASES
AND OCCUPATIONS (HIV/AIDS)

Source: Department of Health - HARP, December 2022

HOW CAN A PERSON BECOME
INFECTED WITH HIV?
HIV/AIDS SYMPTOMS
 HIV/AIDS IN THE WORKPLACE

• HIV/AIDS is a workplace issue

– Impact is felt by both workers and employers together
with their families

• HIV primarily affect people who are in the peak of their

productive life.

• Workplace intervention can help limit the spread and

mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS.

“Nine out of ten people living with HIV and AIDS are of working age – most of
those at risk are also working women and men.” – Juan Somavia, Director General
of the ILO, Statement for World AIDS Day 2005.
HIV/AIDS IN THE WORKPLACE
(IMPACT ON WORKERS)
HIV/AIDS IN THE WORKPLACE
(IMPACT ON EMPLOYERS)
 SELECTED INFECTIOUS DISEASES
AND OCCUPATIONS (HEPA B)

• HEPATITIS B is a potentially life-threatening liver infection

caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV).

• It can cause chronic liver disease, placing persons at risk

for cirrhosis and cancer of the liver.

• There are approximately 7.3 million or 16.7% of Filipino

adults infected with chronic hepatitis B.

• Most people infected acquired it

from birth or in early childhood.
HEPATITIS B is 50x to 100x more infectious than
HIV and can live outside the body for more than 7
days. – Manila Doctors Hospital Facebook Page, July
20, 2019
HOW IS HEPATITIS B TRANSMITTED?
SIGNS AND SYPMTOMS OF HEPA B
 WHO ARE AT RISK FOR HEPA B?

• Infants born to a mother infected with

Hepatitis B virus
• Individuals born in endemic area
• People with family history of liver disease
• Health Care Workers
• Patients undergoing hemodialysis
• Recipients of blood transfusion
• Sexual partners of Hepatitis B virus
carriers
• Patients with Sexually Transmitted
Infections (STIs)
• IV drug users
• People with multiple sexual partners
ERGONOMIC HAZARDS
AND THEIR POSSIBLE HEALTH
OUTCOME
ERGONOMIC HAZARDS
(HEALTH EFFECTS – MUSKULOSKELETAL DISORDERS)
OTHER HEALTH HAZARDS
AND THEIR POSSIBLE HEALTH
OUTCOME
 STRESS

STRESS
the harmful physical and emotional responses that occurs
when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities,
resources or needs of the worker
COMMON WORKPLACE STRESSORS
STRESS SYMPTOMS
HOW STRESS AFFECTS THE BODY
DETERMINANTS TO
WORKER’S HEALTH
 WORKERS’ HEALTH PRACTICES
(SUBSTANCE ABUSE)
DRUGS
• Are chemicals that affect a person in such a way as to bring
about physiological, emotional, or behavioral change.

DANGEROUS DRUGS
• Are those that have high tendency for
abuse and dependency, these substances
may be organic or synthetic, and pose
harm to those who use them.

DRUG ABUSE
• Exists when a person continually uses a drug other than its
intended purpose. This continued use can lead to drug
dependence, a state of physical and psychological
dependence or both on a dangerous drug.
WORKERS’ HEALTH PRACTICES
(SUBSTANCE ABUSE)
 MOST COMMONLY ABUSED DRUGS

Source: DOLE-OSHC Occupational Health Package

 MOST COMMONLY ABUSED DRUGS

Source: DOLE-OSHC Occupational Health Package

 MOST COMMONLY ABUSED DRUGS

Source: DOLE-OSHC Occupational Health Package

 SIGNS OF DRUG ABUSE

• Declining interest in work.

• Suddenly changes friends (hangs out with
individuals known for their drug use)
• Becomes pessimistic, irritable and anxious all
the time
• Asks to be left alone a lot
• Is always tired (or makes it as an excuse to be
left alone)
• Becomes careless and often involved in
accidents
• Becomes implicated in a lot of fights
• Frequent mood swings
• Sudden change in appearance and conduct
• Loss of interest in hobbies or sports
• Exhibits poor judgment
• Finds it difficult to concentrate
 SUBSTANCE ABUSE AS A
WORKPLACE ISSUE

Source: DOLE-OSHC Occupational Health Package

 NEGATIVE IMPACT OF SUBSTANCE
ABUSE ON THE WORKPLACE

Source: DOLE-OSHC Occupational Health Package

EFFECTS OF TOO MUCH ALCOHOL IN
THE BODY
WORKERS’ HEALTH PRACTICES
(IMPROPER NUTRITION)
WORKERS’ HEALTH PRACTICES
(SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE)
ROLE OF SAFETY OFFICERS
IN CONDUCTING MEDICAL
SURVEILLANCE
 MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
(ROLE OF SAFETY OFFICERS IN CONDUCTING MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE)

1. RISK ASSESSMENT

• Each job task or work area shall be assessed by the responsible

supervisor with assistance from the Safety Officer using the HIRAC
process, self-assessments/inspections, prior exposure monitoring
results, or employee complaints of exposures or health effects.

2. SELECTION OF GOALS AND TARGET POPULATION

• Enrollment in Medical Surveillance: The Safety Officer with the
assistance of the supervisor, shall be responsible for informing the
Physician/Nurse when baseline, termination, and project/task-specific
medical monitoring is required.
 MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
(ROLE OF SAFETY OFFICERS IN CONDUCTING MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE)

3. INTERVENTION

• Physician/Nurses and the Safety Officer shall establish medical

monitoring content and frequency based on an understanding of
the job/task demands, exposures to employees, the medical
effects of specific exposures, the impact of specific medical
conditions on job/task performance and safety, and legal and
regulatory requirements.

4. COMMUNICATION, EDUCATION, COUNSELING, AND

FURTHER MEDICAL EVALUATION
• Employees enrolled in any medical surveillance program shall
receive safety training.
 MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
(ROLE OF SAFETY OFFICERS IN CONDUCTING MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE)

5. RECORDKEEPING
• Hazard re-assessment documents (new HIRAC), whenever a change in
production, process, equipment, or controls occurs that may alter the initial
employee exposure assessment results, are to be maintained by the
Safety Officer and work supervisor whose employees are affected.
 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH DEFINITION:

• The promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of

physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all
occupations – TOTAL HEALTH OF ALL AT WORK.

• The prevention amongst workers of departures from health

caused by their working conditions.

- WHO / ILO
questions
 KEY POINTS

• The purpose of medical surveillance in occupational

health is prevention of illness.

• When illness arises from a particular exposure, medical

surveillance is necessary.

• There are various health effects for every health hazards

present in the workplace.

• We can refer to Safety Data Sheet on the health effects

of chemicals used in the workplace.
 KEY POINTS

• Medical surveillance and biological monitoring are

strategies done to check for any abnormalities in the
body at physiological and cellular levels.

• Safety Officer must classify the risk of the health

hazards before implementing appropriate control
measures to address them.

• Medical surveillance has to be followed by preventive

action and evaluation of the effectiveness of
intervention.
THAT WOULD BE ALL. THANK YOU!