Occupational Health with emphasis on Nigeria.
Definition
Occupational health is the sum total of all activities and programmes that are engaged upon, aiming to attain and maintain the highest level of health and safety of all genre of workers in all occupations. Through the approach of disease prevention, general safety assurance including the manipulations of the work environment to make it conducive to the average man’s physiological make up.
Occupational health is also defined as the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations by preventing departures from health, controlling risks and the adaptation of work to people, and people to their jobs. (ILO/WHO 1950).
THE RATIONALES OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
1. In 1950, ILO/WHO laid down the following rationale for occupational health: The promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupation.
2. The knowledge of occupational health involves that people in certain jobs are exposed to varied factors and elements inherent in their job and job environment, which may precipitate hazard, accidents, diseases, disability and death.
3. It will expose workers to hazard related to some works and their prevention/control measures in order to be safe and healthy while at work and after work.
4. The protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health.
5. The planning and maintenance of the workers in an occupational environment.
6. The adaptation of each man to his job/work.
7. Early rehabilitation and maintenance of the working capacity of the workers.
8. The knowledge will expose public health workers, employers, trade unions and the general public to the importance and relationship of work top health, that of work environment to health, that of attitude/practices/behaviour at work to health, that of machine/equipments/tools to health.
9. The knowledge will promote and maintain the mental, physical and social well being of workers on every occupation.
10. Advising on planning and organization of work and working practices including the design of workplace, and on the evaluation, choice and maintenance of equipment and on substances used at work. In so doing, the adaptation of work to workers is promoted.
Historical background of occupational health with emphasis on Nigeria.
Historically, very little attention and concern were shown for the promotion, protection and maintenance of the safety and health of the workers prior to 1900. However, on a global level, history revealed that health safety, welfare of employees was not existent during the early and dark ages. Society’s attention toward manual labour was disdainful so much that no efforts were made to control the working environment and to provide a healthful comfortable place in which to work. This was so because only slaves did various jobs. The 18th century era brought Industrial Revolution. This time brought with it, mass production of tools, machines/equipments. As a result, from time to time, accidents and injuries started occurring.
This escalation of industrial growth brought about many work problems. People accepted work related illness and injuries as part of the job and lived shorter lives, frequently dying in their 40s and 50s. No connection was made between their work condition and their health.
Their employers attributed their poor health and death to the workers poor conditions at home or their personal habits towards work.
The physicians then were uneducated on the relationship between work and health, so they blamed industrial related diseases to other causes. The first scientific study on occupational hazard was done in early 1900s by the public health service. This necessitated the importance of occupational health service in factories, industries and other work places.
The Examining Board of Liverpool Infirmary introduced the first occupational health service in 1900. The main purpose of the service was to look after the slave dealers carrying black slaves from Africa to Britain Exploration of Africa continued even after the rehabilitation of slave trade. The Royal Niger Company increased trading activities along the coast and waterways of Nigeria leading to granting the company The Royal Charter (Grant) in 1855 empowering the company to administer the territories under the treaty and Act of Parliament. The company organized its own health service, which looked after the workers but the managements in particular. The United Africa Company (U.A.C) invented the service. When the charter was revoked in 1899. U.A.C and John Holt (both British) companies grew into large multinational companies. The occupational health service by then was mainly curative and limited to expatriate employees. In the same 1899 the Royal Naval Patrol and later the Royal West Africa Frontier Force was commissioned to enforce the abolition Act of 1844 and to protect the British commercial interest in Nigeria. All the territories in Nigeria were confiscated and administered by the colonial office.
Lieutenant Colonel Lugard (Late Lord Lugard) being the Commander-in-Chief of the force in Nigeria then asked for the formation of health Service to cater for the health and welfare of soldiers dying because of malaria. Such service embraced both curative and preventive medicine. The medical corps was separated during the 2nd World War to cater for the members of the armed forces alone. This led to the creation of a Public Health Service that became the nucleus of National Health Service at present supervised and administered by the Federal Ministry of Health.
By 1930, some government owned establishments like the Railways and Coal mines started giving some occupational health services. There was also awareness concerning occupational health legislation.
In Nigeria, the endless quest for industrialization was the need to boost the economy. In doing so produced wastes and hazards that are injurious to health and life of the people who are to enjoy the economy. Industries threatened the existence of man e.g. petroleum mining, cement, textile, timber, soap making, mills, breweries, black smiting etc.
Hazard from these industries produced diseases, fire accident, air/water pollution, noise and other forms of environmental degradation like
a. Lead poisoning
b. Phosphorus poisoning
c. Manganese poisoning
d. Anthrax
e. Silicosis
f. Toxic jaundice
g. Benzene poisoning
h. Hypertension in sedentary workers
i. Aniline poisoning
j. Emphysema in mining industry.
Key Occupational Health developments in Nigeria include-
1941: Workman’s Compensation Ordinance was introduced. This was
replaced by Workman Compensation Service of 1987.
1942: Department of labour was created
1945: The labour Code of Ordinance was enacted and replaced by Labour
Decree (later Act of 1974)
1951: Ministry of Labour was created etc.
To be contd.............................................................
Definition
Occupational health is the sum total of all activities and programmes that are engaged upon, aiming to attain and maintain the highest level of health and safety of all genre of workers in all occupations. Through the approach of disease prevention, general safety assurance including the manipulations of the work environment to make it conducive to the average man’s physiological make up.
Occupational health is also defined as the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations by preventing departures from health, controlling risks and the adaptation of work to people, and people to their jobs. (ILO/WHO 1950).
THE RATIONALES OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
1. In 1950, ILO/WHO laid down the following rationale for occupational health: The promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupation.
2. The knowledge of occupational health involves that people in certain jobs are exposed to varied factors and elements inherent in their job and job environment, which may precipitate hazard, accidents, diseases, disability and death.
3. It will expose workers to hazard related to some works and their prevention/control measures in order to be safe and healthy while at work and after work.
4. The protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health.
5. The planning and maintenance of the workers in an occupational environment.
6. The adaptation of each man to his job/work.
7. Early rehabilitation and maintenance of the working capacity of the workers.
8. The knowledge will expose public health workers, employers, trade unions and the general public to the importance and relationship of work top health, that of work environment to health, that of attitude/practices/behaviour at work to health, that of machine/equipments/tools to health.
9. The knowledge will promote and maintain the mental, physical and social well being of workers on every occupation.
10. Advising on planning and organization of work and working practices including the design of workplace, and on the evaluation, choice and maintenance of equipment and on substances used at work. In so doing, the adaptation of work to workers is promoted.
Historical background of occupational health with emphasis on Nigeria.
Historically, very little attention and concern were shown for the promotion, protection and maintenance of the safety and health of the workers prior to 1900. However, on a global level, history revealed that health safety, welfare of employees was not existent during the early and dark ages. Society’s attention toward manual labour was disdainful so much that no efforts were made to control the working environment and to provide a healthful comfortable place in which to work. This was so because only slaves did various jobs. The 18th century era brought Industrial Revolution. This time brought with it, mass production of tools, machines/equipments. As a result, from time to time, accidents and injuries started occurring.
This escalation of industrial growth brought about many work problems. People accepted work related illness and injuries as part of the job and lived shorter lives, frequently dying in their 40s and 50s. No connection was made between their work condition and their health.
Their employers attributed their poor health and death to the workers poor conditions at home or their personal habits towards work.
The physicians then were uneducated on the relationship between work and health, so they blamed industrial related diseases to other causes. The first scientific study on occupational hazard was done in early 1900s by the public health service. This necessitated the importance of occupational health service in factories, industries and other work places.
The Examining Board of Liverpool Infirmary introduced the first occupational health service in 1900. The main purpose of the service was to look after the slave dealers carrying black slaves from Africa to Britain Exploration of Africa continued even after the rehabilitation of slave trade. The Royal Niger Company increased trading activities along the coast and waterways of Nigeria leading to granting the company The Royal Charter (Grant) in 1855 empowering the company to administer the territories under the treaty and Act of Parliament. The company organized its own health service, which looked after the workers but the managements in particular. The United Africa Company (U.A.C) invented the service. When the charter was revoked in 1899. U.A.C and John Holt (both British) companies grew into large multinational companies. The occupational health service by then was mainly curative and limited to expatriate employees. In the same 1899 the Royal Naval Patrol and later the Royal West Africa Frontier Force was commissioned to enforce the abolition Act of 1844 and to protect the British commercial interest in Nigeria. All the territories in Nigeria were confiscated and administered by the colonial office.
Lieutenant Colonel Lugard (Late Lord Lugard) being the Commander-in-Chief of the force in Nigeria then asked for the formation of health Service to cater for the health and welfare of soldiers dying because of malaria. Such service embraced both curative and preventive medicine. The medical corps was separated during the 2nd World War to cater for the members of the armed forces alone. This led to the creation of a Public Health Service that became the nucleus of National Health Service at present supervised and administered by the Federal Ministry of Health.
By 1930, some government owned establishments like the Railways and Coal mines started giving some occupational health services. There was also awareness concerning occupational health legislation.
In Nigeria, the endless quest for industrialization was the need to boost the economy. In doing so produced wastes and hazards that are injurious to health and life of the people who are to enjoy the economy. Industries threatened the existence of man e.g. petroleum mining, cement, textile, timber, soap making, mills, breweries, black smiting etc.
Hazard from these industries produced diseases, fire accident, air/water pollution, noise and other forms of environmental degradation like
a. Lead poisoning
b. Phosphorus poisoning
c. Manganese poisoning
d. Anthrax
e. Silicosis
f. Toxic jaundice
g. Benzene poisoning
h. Hypertension in sedentary workers
i. Aniline poisoning
j. Emphysema in mining industry.
Key Occupational Health developments in Nigeria include-
1941: Workman’s Compensation Ordinance was introduced. This was
replaced by Workman Compensation Service of 1987.
1942: Department of labour was created
1945: The labour Code of Ordinance was enacted and replaced by Labour
Decree (later Act of 1974)
1951: Ministry of Labour was created etc.
To be contd.............................................................
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