HISTORY OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH ESSAY

As has been observed in the course of history, man has evolved from a primitive being to a
modern, thinking and rational being. Likewise, man transforms his environment to meet his needs
and due to these new working conditions, the risk for society begins to increase. health of the
worker, then it is necessary to carry out a risk analysis for the different activities and their effect
on health. Due to these circumstances, a discipline arises that is responsible for evaluating the
work environment and working conditions, which is called Occupational Health, which is have
established clear objectives such as maintaining the work environment in hygienic and safe
conditions in accordance with regulations, carrying out desensitization, training and updating
programs related to the protection of the health and well-being of workers. Occupational health
has been contributing to increasing well-being and Productivity, by improving the working
conditions and living conditions of people who hold a position, helps preserve, maintain and
improve the individual and collective health of workers, in order to avoid accidents and illnesses in
the workplace. In our country, the entity in charge of standardizing everything related to
Occupational Health is the Ministry of Social Security, thanks to which great advances have been
made in the prevention, surveillance, diagnosis and rehabilitation of workers' health.

ESSAY HISTORY OF
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH IN
COLOMBIA
essay on the history of occupational health in Colombia

The history of occupational health in Colombia allows us to know what legislation exists and what protection

there is regarding the health of workers, but the greatest importance of knowing the history would be to not

make the same mistakes since there are flaws in the application of the system due to its inefficiency and lack

of prevention at work, which occurs due to ignorance of the law on the part of workers and employers.

Labor legislation in Colombia began until the beginning of the 20th century and these regulations were delayed

due to the existing production systems in the country, which were cheap labor, lack of processes and lack of

policy about the rights and duties of workers. Workers. The changes in laws in the country are detailed

chronologically below:

1,904 job security by rafael uribe uribe

1915, Law 57, occupational accidents and occupational diseases, known as the Uribe Law.

1918 Law 46 hygiene and health measures for employees and employers

1921 law 37 life insurance for employees

1934, Law 10 regulates occupational diseases, unemployment benefits, vacations and employment contracts.

1938 Law 96 creation of the Ministry of Social Protection

1939 Law 44 creation of compulsory insurance and compensation for work accidents

1944, Decree 2350 promulgates the foundations of the substantive labor code and the obligation to protect
workers in their work.

1945 Law 6 General Labor Law deals with labor conventions, labor associations, collective disputes and

special jurisdiction in labor matters.

1,945 decrees 1,600 and 1,848 some amendments to the law 6

1946, Law 90 created the Social Insurance Institute with the objective of providing health services and

pensions to Colombian workers.

1948 Legislative Act No. 77 creates the National Office of Medicine and Industrial Hygiene

1,949 decree 3767 industrial safety and hygiene policies for work establishments.

In 1950, the substantive labor code was issued, which established multiple regulations related to occupational

health such as the working day and mandatory rest.

1964, Decree 3170 approves the regulation of compulsory social insurance for work accidents and

occupational diseases.

1968 decrees 3135 and 1969 decree 1848 regulated the labor and benefits regime of public employees
As a guarantee in the progress of society, the achievement of objectives and goals in companies, occupational

health became important in the industrial, economic, social and legal sectors. This is how Colombia takes

models from other countries and creates a new law.

1979 Law 9 which talks about the protection of the worker's health. The term occupational health was born.

From here, behavioral changes have emerged in both companies and workers, which has given a better

quality of life for Colombian workers and the government has continued to regulate new decrees and laws.

In 1983, through decree 586, the national occupational health committee was created.

1984, Decree 614 of which establishes the bases for the administration of occupational health in the country

and its article 35 creates the legal obligation to design and implement a national occupational health plan.

In 1984, the first national occupational health plan was prepared, the purpose of which was to guide the

actions and programs of public and private institutions and entities, as well as to increase productivity and

establish a plan to avoid the collision of competencies. Within the framework of the “first national congress of

governmental occupational health entities” held in 1990, the second national occupational health plan 1990-

1995 was proposed, whose essential purpose was to reduce the occurrence of work accidents and the

appearance of occupational diseases.

In 1993, Law 100 and in 1994, Decree Law 1295 created the general system of professional risks. Its main

objective was the creation and promotion of a culture of prevention of work accidents and occupational

diseases since before damages were repaired, disability pension, compensation and After this law, prevention,

advice and evaluation of professional risks are carried out. under this system arp professional risk

management was born (they carry out prevention activities, advice and evaluation of professional risks,

provision of health services and payments of economic benefits to their members) ips institutions providing

health services, eps health promoting entities

Colombia is a developing country and the industrial sector represents 31% of what the country produces,

followed by manufacturing and the chemical sector, which is how they have come to export oil and its

derivatives, coal, coffee, ferronickel and flowers. . All this has led to the great use of labor but paid at a low
cost. It can also be added that the majority operate as microenterprises (99%) which provide 63% of

employment and 53% of gross production. In all of these companies, a lot of informality is handled, which does

not address occupational health.

2,000, Law 879 called the Labor Flexibility Law allowed the intermediation of work cooperatives, which in many

cases, give little importance to safety standards.

According to a national survey carried out on health and work in Colombia, only 44% of companies with less

than 50 workers have started some type of occupational health activity, but it also states that there is a greater

risk of accidents in companies with fewer workers, There is a greater risk of occupational diseases in public

administration, social and health services, agriculture, livestock, hunting and forestry.

As you can see, occupational health is about improving the quality of life of the worker and thus avoiding

deaths and occupational diseases that affect the person, their family and the company.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH ESSAY

HISTORY OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

It is important to highlight the evolution of man in relation to work, such as the Paleolithic and
Neolithic era where human beings built the first tools and work instruments based on stone and
stick, the mastery of fire and the use of fire also occurred. ceramics, it is very interesting to see
how man goes from the gathering stage to agriculture and livestock.

When I delve into history, I detail in detail everything that happened in the year 4000 BC. until
what happened today.
In Egypt in the year 4000 BC. A special consideration is highlighted for warriors, embalmers and
weapon manufacturers, who had special laws to carry out their work and avoid accidents,
likewise in Mesopotamia in the year 2000 BC. the aspects of social security are seen in a code ,
this in turn was created by King Hammurabi. These laws were unified and engraved on stones as
symbols of strength, so that everyone knew their duties and rights.
Thanks to the establishment of the economic training society in Greece in 1000 BC. of C. The
emergence of great cultures was possible, such as that of the Greek state and the Roman Empire.
Consequently, in the 4th century BC. of C. Lead and mercury poisoning is described as an
occupational disease, Hippocrates was the one who gave this first definition
In the years 23-79 AD. Pliny the Elder describes a number of occupational diseases.
I think that Rome did not contribute much in the aspect of Occupational Health since it was a
slave state, but it should be noted that it supported the laws in relation to public health. After
this stage I turn to the Middle Ages, which covers what happened between the years 476 D. of C.
In 1453, at this time the states were formed and therefore the responsibility to protect the
citizen, thanks to this the birth of public health was founded.
At this time the work was manual, therefore it was not so dangerous, however, trade
corporations took some measures at this time to protect workers. In the year 1473, Ellen Bog
indicated that the vapors of some metals could be dangerous, which is why she described the
symptoms of poisoning with lead and mercury; Also the doctor George Agricultura in 1556
detected that the aspiration of some particles produced asthma and ulcerations, in 1560
Paracelsus described pneumocosis. BERNARDO RAMAZZINI (1633-1714), He is recognized as the
father of occupational medicine since he was the first researcher to carry out studies on work
activities. Ramazzini cared about the poorest, which is why he made visits to those jobs that had
the worst conditions. hygiene and safety conditions; He published the first book that is
considered a complete treatise on occupational diseases related to the professions until then
known, the book was called “de MORBIS ARTIFICUM DIATRIBE”.

In the modern age, which includes the year 1453 to 1914, the industrial revolution developed.
During this time, the increase in work accidents and occupational diseases was seen, thanks to
the implementation of machines. This is where the need to protect workers from professional
risks comes from. There arises the need to increase preventive study, ensuring work hygiene and
improving the working conditions of human beings.

An important fact is the formation of the Manchester Chamber of Health in 1795, which advised
legislation to regulate working hours and conditions in factories. In 1841, the Mining Law was
enacted, which determined punitive powers for foreseeable injuries caused by unprotected
mining machinery. At the end of the 18th century in the United States there was no industrial
structure; the first spinning factories were established in this country. Massachusetts was
considered the first state to take English legislation on factories and also some clauses of laws
that referred to the most dangerous machines. This was a great advance in the laws, this
influenced the growth of the American industry; I think what the United States did with the
creation of security organizations is important and notable. Thanks to this we can have better
control and quality of work life.

Speaking of our country, Colombia, in terms of occupational health, I indicate that Colombian
legislation did not exist, until recently due to regulations that allowed the state and business
sectors to consult regarding industrial hygiene and safety. It was General Rafael Uribe who spoke
in Colombia about workplace safety in a conference given in Bogota in 1904. Years later, when he
was a senator, he proposed a bill on work accidents which was approved in Congress and became
the law 57 of 1975.
The large oil multinationals influenced the development of occupational health in our country,
because it is a necessity to ensure the well-being of employees. Since, for example, Ecopetrol
handles machinery that is very dangerous and heavy for humans, it is necessary for workers to be
in good health to carry out a task. In 1970, the industrial medicine group was created within the
Department of Health, later in 1977 the Department of Industrial and Fire Safety was created,
then in 1986 the Joint Committee on Occupational Health began to operate; Finally, in 1993, the
Department of Occupational Health and Environment was created with the integration of the
areas of hygiene, safety and environment (HSE).
In conclusion and in accordance with what is stipulated in the occupational health of our country,
Ecopetrol has been a great influence since it has had an important interest in everything related
to the social protection of people, processes and the environment.