special subjects
Overview of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Safety Evaluation of the Workplace
If the injury or illness is work-related, OEM doctors evaluate the conditions that led to the injury or illness. They evaluate workplace safety and ergonomics. They can then recommend ways to prevent future injury or illness. Doctors check for one or more of these types of hazards: Air contaminants (such as dusts and fumes) Chemical hazards (such as asbestos, emissions from diesel or gasoline engines, formaldehyde, and lead) Biologic hazards (such as bacteria or viruses) Physical hazards (such as radiation, temperature extremes, noise, and vibration) Ergonomic hazards (such as lifting, reaching, and repetitive movements) Doctors then talk to the employer about ways to reduce potential risks for workers. The most effective way to reduce risk is to remove the hazard from the workplace entirely. If removal is not possible, the hazard may be replaced with a less dangerous substitute. For example, a newer machine with additional safeguards may be substituted. Other less effective strategies are isolating a process or machine from the worker and changing the way workers interact with the hazard, either by improving training and procedures or by limiting the total time a worker is exposed to the hazard. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is the least effective way to reduce risk, partly because it requires that PPE fit or seal tightly and that workers use it consistently. 