The occupational environment of workers cannot be considered different from his domestic environment. Both are complementary to each other. The employee takes his worries home and brings his worries from home to work. Stress at work may disturb his sleep just as stress at home can affect his work.
Occupational health represents dynamic equilibrium or adjustment between the employee and his occupational environment.
Taking few preventive measures can help in occupational health like:
- Pre-placement examination: At the time of employment include workers medical examination in detail along with family and occupational history. The purpose of this is to place the right man in the right job, so that the employee can perform his duties efficiently without any detriment to his health.
- Periodical examination: Many occupational hazards require moths or even years for their development. Their slow development very often leads to their non recognition in early stages and this is harmful for the worker. For this, periodical medical checkup of workers is very necessary.
- Notification: National laws and regulation (Factories act 1976, Mines act 1952, Dock laborers act 1948etc) require the notification of cases and suspected cases of occupational diseases. In the factories act a list of 22 diseases is included. The main purpose of notification is to initiate the prevention and protection ensuring their effective application and investigate the working condition.
- Medical and healthcare services: In India the Employees State Insurance Scheme provides medical care not only for the employee but for his family too. Within the working premises medical care facilities like first aid, health education etc should be made available.
- Supervision of working environment: Periodical examination of working environment provides information of primary importance in the prevention of occupational disabilities. The physician should pay frequent visits to the factory in order to acquaint himself with the aspects of working environment like temperature, lighting, ventilation, noise, cubic space etc.
- Maintenance and analysis of records: Proper records are essential for planning and development and efficient operation of an occupational health service.
- Health education and counseling: Ideally health education should start before the employee enters the working environment.