PHR2163: Analyzing Occupational Disease - A Safety Management Report

This report provides a detailed overview of occupational diseases, examining their objectives, types, contributing factors, and effects. It highlights asthma, anemia, and heat stroke as key examples, alongside biological, chemical, and physical agents that contribute to these conditions. The report also discusses the potential health effects, such as asthma episodes, irregular heartbeats, and even death. Recommendations for mitigating occupational diseases include eliminating workplace hazards, utilizing personal protective equipment (PPE), and implementing environmental monitoring. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of occupational safety and health, advocating for multi-stakeholder initiatives to reduce risks and improve the well-being of workers. It also underscores the interconnectedness of employee health and patient care, advocating for a holistic approach to health system performance.

DIPLOMA IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (AB107)
INTRODUCTION TO SAFETY MANAGEMENT (PHR2163)
TITLE OF THE ASSIGNMENT : GROUP PROJECT REPORT WRITTING
(OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE)
SECTION 02
PREPARED BY :
NO NAME ID NUMBER
1 NAJLA’ ADRIANNA BINTI SHAMSUN NOORUL KAMAL KNJ210510147
2 NUR FARAH ZULAIKHA BINTI MOHD ROSLAN KNJ210510555
3 NUR INSYIRAH BINTI JEFFRY KNJ210510537
4 MUHAMMAD NABIL QAYYUM BIN KHAIRUL JEFFRI KNJ210510589
5 NIK MOHAMMAD FAHMI BIN NIK ROSSELI KNJ210510480
PREPARED FOR :
LECTURER’S NAME MISS NUR HANIM BINTI ABU ZARIN
DUE DATE FEBRUARY 14, 2022

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1.0 INTRODUCTION
An occupational disease is a medical condition that occurs because of
someone’s workplace or work activities or any illness associated with a specific
occupation or industry. They are typically chronic conditions that have a detrimental
impact on a worker’s everyday life. In order to establish that a worker has an
occupational disease, it must be demonstrated that there is a connection between
the condition and the work performed, that the condition was caused by employment,
and that there was nothing outside of work that could have caused the condition.
Such diseases are caused by a variety of biological, chemical, physical, and
psychological factors that exist in the workplace or are encountered in the course of
employment. Occupational medicine is concerned with the impact of all types of work
on health, as well as the impact of health on a worker's ability and efficiency. A
worker must show, with medical evidence, that it is more likely than not that their
medical condition was caused by their work. If an employee is diagnosed with an
occupational disease, it is crucial to report it to the employer.
Occupational diseases are largely preventable and can be traced back to
poor working conditions. Controlling occupational health hazards reduces the
occurrence of work-related diseases and accidents while also improving worker
health and morale, resulting in lower absenteeism and increased worker efficiency. In
most cases, the moral and financial benefits far outweigh the cost of removing
occupational hazards. Occupational diseases can include a wide range of medical
conditions depending on the work and working conditions, such as repetitive or
stress injuries, hearing loss, asbestosis or mesothelioma, cancer, and skin
conditions.

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2.0 CONTENT OUTLINE
2.0.1 THREE OBJECTIVES OF THE TOPIC CHOOSEN
i. Learn in details about occupational disease
The main aim of learning about occupational disease is to learn everything
there is to know about occupational disease. We discovered after reading certain
articles that occupational sickness is quite dangerous to all workers if they do not
follow the rules or do not wear appropriate PPE. This shows how important it is to
follow the rules in order to avoid being exposed to occupational disease.
ii. Give knowledge
The goal of occupational disease is to provide us with new information. We
had no idea how serious occupational diseases might be until now. We should be
more cautious before starting work if there are items, substances, or liquids that can
cause occupational diseases.
iii. Improve working condition
The goal of learning about occupational diseases is to enhance working
conditions when we start working and to prevent workplace pollution. By studying this
issue, we can prevent occupational accidents and diseases. We must give workers
health care. Aside from that, we must raise awareness and defend workers' physical
safety and lives.

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2.0.2 THREE TYPES OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE
a) Asthma
Occupational asthma is asthma induced by inhaling chemical fumes, gases,
dust, or other toxins while at work. Occupational asthma can develop as a result of
being exposed to a substance to which you are allergic. It can also cause an allergic
or immunological reaction, as well as irritation from a poisonous substance.
Occupational asthma, like other types of asthma, can cause chest tightness,
wheezing, and shortness of breath. The severity of occupational asthma symptoms is
determined by the substance to which you are exposed, as well as the length and
frequency of exposure.
b) Anemia
A disorder in which the body lacks sufficient healthy "red blood cells." Red
blood cells transport oxygen to the body's tissues. The number of red blood cells is
lower than expected. Anemia is defined clinically as a decrease in the oxygen-
transporting capacity of a specific volume of blood caused by an imbalance between
blood loss and blood production. Anemia can cause extraordinary paleness of the
skin and mucous membranes, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, drowsiness,
and weariness.
c) Heat stroke
Heatstroke is a condition that occurs when your body overheats, typically as a
result of extended exposure to or physical effort in hot temperatures. Heatstroke, the
most dangerous kind of heat injury, can occur if your body temperature climbs to 40
degrees Celsius or above. The illness is especially prevalent during the summer
months. Heatstroke necessitates immediate medical attention. Heatstroke can swiftly
damage your brain, heart, kidneys, and muscles if left untreated. The longer you wait
for treatment, the worse the damage becomes, raising your chances of major
complications or death.
I.

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2.0.3 THREE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO OCCUPATIONAL
DISEASE
a) Biological Agents
Bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microbes, as well as the toxins they
produce, are examples of biological agents. They have the potential to harm human
health in a variety of ways, ranging from very mild allergic reactions to major medical
disorders, including death.
b) Chemical Agents
Every workplace contains chemical agents or chemicals. Chemicals include,
for example, inks, toners, adhesives, paints, oils, lubricants, and cleaning fluids.
Chemical agents can exist in a variety of forms, including solids (dust, fumes, fibres,
powders), liquids, and gases. The dangers of a chemical can vary depending on its
form. A chemical agent, for example, may not be toxic in its solid form, but if ground
into a powder or dust, it may be hazardous when breathed into the lungs.
c) Physical Agents
The term "physical agents" refers to a class of energy sources that have the
potential to cause injury or disease to employees. Physical agents include noise,
vibration, electromagnetic radiation, electricity, and temperature extremes.
A.

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2.0.4 THREE EFFECTS OF THE RISK OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE
I. The workers may experience rare asthma episodes.
The effect of the risk of developing asthma varies among individuals. You
may experience rare asthma episodes, symptoms just at particular times of the day,
such as when exercising, or symptoms all of the time. Occupational asthma, like
other types of asthma, can cause chest tightness, wheezing, and shortness of
breath. The worst part about having asthma is that you will have difficulty sleeping
due to shortness of breath, coughing, or wheezing.
II. Irregular heartbeat
Anemia can lead to a rapid or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia). When you're
anemic, your heart pumps more blood to make up for the lack of oxygen in the blood.
This can lead to an enlarged heart or heart failure. Death. If you have anemia, your
body does not get enough oxygen-rich blood. This can cause you to feel tired or
weak. You may also have shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches, or an irregular
heartbeat.
III. As a result, the person dies
There are several effects of heart disease on individuals. This is because
heart disease results in the death of some heart cells. The electrical activity of the
heart and the function of the heart as a pump are also affected. This leads to various
types of complications that can often be classified into short-term complications and
long-term complications. It is also very dangerous when a person suffers from this
disease, because when they are shocked, they can experience this stress and it can
cause death.

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3.0 THREE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE
3.1 Eliminate hazards in the workplace
The best strategy to avoid occupational diseases is to reduce the hazards
that exist in the workplace. So, it is preferable not to use labour techniques that are
potentially hazardous. Employees will not get occupational diseases if there are no
dangers in the workplace. Employees' risk of acquiring silicosis can be reduced by
avoiding hand-dug caisson work, which exposes them to extremely high
concentrations of silica dust.
3.2 Personal protective equipment
While limiting hazards at the source is the best strategy to prevent
occupational diseases, if other control measures fail to remove or minimise hazards
to satisfy relevant criteria, the use of appropriate personal protective equipment
(PPE) will be the last resort. Because PPE alone is insufficient to protect employees'
health, it should be used in conjunction with other management measures. When
utilising PPE, it's important to pay attention to how to wear it correctly. Its
effectiveness, cleanliness, and hygiene, as well as correct storage after use, should
all be checked on a regular basis. Wear earplugs, for example. As a result of this,
workers will be able to lessen the negative impact of noise on their bearings while at
work.
3.3 Environmental monitoring
Environmental monitoring not only indicates the levels of danger in the
workplace but also the effectiveness of current management methods. Employees
working in or around such an environment may be at risk if the amount of danger
exceeds the applicable standards. As a result, continuous environmental monitoring
is critical for avoiding occupational infections.

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3.0 CONCLUSION
Exposure to occupational exposure is a potential cause of almost all
respiratory diseases. The contribution of the work environment to the development
and severity of disease is often under-recognized and certainly under-reported.
Occupational safety and health cannot be dismissed as service delivery issues. The
health and well-being of health workers is an important aspect of employee
motivation and job satisfaction, which affects productivity as well as retention.
The safety of health workers also affects the quality of care; caring for
caregivers should be a priority area of concern for the performance of the health
system. What is good for employee health is also good for patient health. Multi-
stakeholder initiatives that include global principles, national policy advocacy, and the
involvement of professional councils, schools, and health facilities can facilitate OSH
risk reduction measures and fill gaps. The PPE campaign represents an important
approach to implementing occupational safety and health policies, ensuring the well-
being of the health sector’s most important resources and hence the patients and
populations they serve, thus helping to transform the overall health system.
This chapter has provided a brief overview of the major categories of
respiratory diseases and, if possible, will show the role and contribution of
occupational exposure to their occurrence. Little quantitative information has been
presented, but this summary should identify key areas where efforts are needed for
the prevention, diagnosis, management, and compensation of occupational
respiratory diseases in Europe. This chapter has also discussed management and
prevention to make it easier for all employees to always be in the best condition to
work.

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4.0 REFERENCE
Fernanda Coelha. (2018. April 24) Get to know 4 occupational diseases caused by
chemical agents.Seu Site
http://analyticscorp.com/conheca-4-doencas-ocupacionais-causadas-por-
agentes
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2020, March 20) Occupational asthma. Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/occupational-asthma/
symptoms-causes
Occupational disease. (2021, December 13). In Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupational_disease
Occupational Health And Safety. (2017, July 11) Occupational Hygiene. Canadian
Centre
For Occupational Health And Safety
https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/hsprograms/occ_hygiene/occ_disease.html
Workplace Health And Safety. (2019, October 24) 5 Types of Occupational Diseases
and
How to Prevent Them. Xamax
https://www.xamax.co.uk/blog/5-types-of-occupational-diseases-and-how-to-
preventthem.html