Medicina dela

Medicina dela, prej imenovana industrijska medicina, je veja medicine, ki se ukvarja z vzdrževanjem zdravja ter preprečevanjem in zdravljenjem bolezni in nenamernih poškodb delovnega prebivalstva na delovnem mestu. Zgodovinsko gledano je bila medicina dela omejena na zdravljenje poškodb in bolezni, ki se pojavljajo pri proizvodnih delavcih med delom. Z leti se je to spremenilo, zaposleni v obratih, tovarnah in uradih so postali upravičeni do zdravstvenih storitev. Zdravstveni programi na visoki šoli ali v šoli se lahko štejejo za razširitev medicine dela.

poklicna bolezen: industrijska doba

nadalje raziskal študij medicine dela v Veliki Britaniji z njegovimi učinki glavnih umetnosti, obrti in poklicev

Bolezni, ki so neposredno povezane s poklici, so prepoznali zgodnji egiptovski in rimski zdravniki. Sodobna medicina dela se lahko začne pri Bernardinu Ramazziniju, italijanskemu zdravniku iz 17. stoletja, ki je močno svetoval, naj se zdravnik, ki želi izvedeti o vzroku za bolnikovo pritožbo, pozanimati o poklicih pacienta. Z industrijsko revolucijo se je število oseb, ki so bile izpostavljene potencialnim nevarnostim pri delu, hitro povečalo. Travmatične poškodbe so postale pogoste, bolezni zaradi vdihanega prahu ter škodljivih plinov in hlapov so prepoznale nemedicinske osebe.

Na začetku so bili poklicni medicinski programi usmerjeni v zdravljenje poškodb ali bolezni, ki so posledica ali med delom. Kmalu se je pokazalo, da je preprečevanje bolj ekonomično kot zdravljenje. Razvite in nameščene so bile zaščitne naprave okoli gibljivih delov strojev. Inženirji so razvili kontrolne programe za odstranjevanje škodljivih prahu in hlapov s pravilnim prezračevanjem delovnih površin ali z nadomeščanjem manj strupenih materialov. Ko inženirji niso mogli nadzorovati okolja, je bil postopek omejen, da bi preprečil ali vsaj zmanjšal izpostavljenost delavcev. Kot zadnjo možnost so delavci nosili zaščitne naprave, kot so maske in posebna oblačila.

With the development of preventive controls, the amount of occupational disease decreased. The development of new processes and new materials, however, produced new hazards at an ever-increasing rate, and constant vigilance was necessary. For example, the recognition that a pulmonary disease can result from exposure to beryllium demonstrated the need for a continued awareness of potentially toxic materials. It also demonstrated that a material once thought to be nontoxic may actually be toxic; this shift may be caused by a change in the physical or chemical characteristics of the material, an alteration in the method by which the material is used, a change in the amount of exposure of individuals to the material, and possible synergism with other materials.

The concern with diseases due to occupation led to concern with the general health of workers, not only because of an interest in their welfare but also because it was good business. A good occupational medical program improved labour-management relations and reduced absenteeism; labour turnover decreased and productivity increased. In many instances, the savings produced by the reduction in premiums paid for workers’ compensation insurance paid for the occupational medical program. Depending on the country and the occupation, the types of health programs vary greatly; large businesses, for example, tend to offer broad coverage, while small plants may have limited medical programs. The comprehensive programs, in addition to providing treatment of diseases and injuries, might include pre-employment examinations and periodic examinations during employment.

Throughout the world there is inadequate knowledge and reporting of occupational disease, and the data are suspect. Published figures for occupational illnesses, for instance, are smaller than for injuries because occurrence of job-related illness is less spectacular than, for example, an explosion of a mine causing a number of deaths. It may take a number of years of observation and research to discover that some particular dust, chemical, or type of physical energy is harmful.

In addition, physicians may have difficulty in deciding that an illness is attributable to the job. Many occupational diseases mimic sickness from other causes, and little is known of the ill effects and signs of continued small exposures to toxic chemicals. Another difficulty arises from the fact that although job-related disease may be suspected, doctors often lack tests to identify such disease as specific. As a result, against every diagnosed case of occupational disease, there may be many incipient or unrecognized cases from the same causes. Introduction of materials of unknown toxicity, as well as changes in industrial operations, may create unrecognized problems in preventing harmful effects until after workers have been affected.