Benefiting From Occupational Health

Post date: Dec 11, 2017 8:28:25 AM

Individuals who spend their whole day at work want to feel safe while they do their jobs. A business can run more efficiently when its employees are in optimal health, and when their surroundings are safe and potential hazards are eliminated. Their physical and mental health are vital to productivity and profitability.

Occupational health doesn’t only benefit employees, but also employers. Businesses who neglect the health off their staff could be susceptible to an occupational lawsuit. Meanwhile, studies have shown that the good health of employees can lead to reduced sick days, decreased insurance costs, and increased productivity.

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As a specialist branch of medicine, occupational health advocates for safe working practices, ergonomics, proper monitoring of health of the workforce, and management of sick leaves or absences due to illness. This branch also encourages employers to implement better work practices for their employees, conduct pre-employment health evaluation, advocate health promotion and education programs, render advise and counseling to employees around non-health-related issues, and provide business heads with guidance with regard to coming up with reasonable adjustments to employees’ present working conditions.

The definition of occupational health and safety today has expanded to include not only the physical sciences and mental health, but has also crossed over into sustainability, with “green” product usage, conservation, and other functions being frequently managed in occupational health and safety programs.

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With the help of physiotherapists, psychologists, occupational therapists, specialist occupational health nurses and doctors, hygienists, and ergonomic experts, occupational health assists companies and their employees. However, some employers don’t have the means to have these services available on-site; occupational health services can be availed of through external partners.

Keeping the workplace a safe zone is also a regulatory requirement, as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the United States (as well as other related organizations around the world) are charged with maintaining a safe working environment. Failure to follow regulations can lead to expensive fines.

Captain Martin Sanders is an officer of the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service and has more than a decade of experience in the field of occupational safety and health. Learn more about Captain Sanders by clicking here.