Work & Health

And
Health & Work
A/Prof Chia Sin Eng
Vice Dean (Academic Affairs)
Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health
Joint Associate Professor
Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
 Undergraduate Student
Exchange Programme

Community projects local /

overseas
 Common Understanding
Can I be the center of attention?
I get distracted easily because I am always
concern about students not understanding
the lecture.
When I ask you a question, you have the
right to remain silent or call a friend/foe to
answer for you.
 We
teach
by layering
 Likewise
You should
Learn by layering
WORK

HEALTH
 YOUR WORK
CAN AFFECT
YOUR HEALTH
YOUR HEALTH
CAN AFFECT
YOUR WORK
YOUR WORK CAN AFFECT
YOUR HEALTH

Accidents and injuries

Obvious diseases
Hidden diseases
Incurable diseases
YOUR WORK CAN AFFECT
YOUR HEALTH

Accidents and injuries

YOUR WORK CAN AFFECT
YOUR HEALTH

Accidents and injuries

Obvious diseases
YOUR WORK CAN AFFECT
YOUR HEALTH

Accidents and injuries

Obvious diseases
Hidden diseases
Mental Stress
YOUR WORK CAN AFFECT
YOUR HEALTH

Accidents and injuries

Obvious diseases
Hidden diseases
Incurable diseases
YOUR HEALTH CAN AFFECT
YOUR WORK

Decrease productivity
Danger to self
Danger to others / community
YOUR HEALTH CAN AFFECT
YOUR WORK

Decrease productivity
YOUR HEALTH CAN AFFECT
YOUR WORK

Decrease productivity
Danger to self
YOUR HEALTH CAN AFFECT
YOUR WORK

Decrease productivity
Danger to self
Danger to others / community
WHAT IS OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH?

WORK - HEALTH

identify potential dangers and hazards at the

workplace
prevent diseases and injuries
promote healthy and productivity workforce
HAZARDOUS FACTORS AT
THE WORKPLACE
Safety
Physical
Chemical
Biological
Ergonomic
Psychosocial
HAZARDOUS FACTORS

SAFETY
How many violations of Safety
Standards can you find?
HAZARDOUS FACTORS

PHYSICAL
One quarter of Israeli teens are at risk of developing
hearing loss due to frequent use of personal music
players at high volume, according to a recent Tel Aviv
University study.

Haaretz News 14 Dec 2011

 Construction worker dies from
heatstroke
A construction worker collapsed and died in April
2009, only two days after he arrived here from China
to work.

Mr Tian Wei, of Liaoning in north-eastern China

where the average temperature is between 6 and
11C, succumbed to heatstroke after working in the
sun for five hours in a yard in Kranji Loop.
HAZARDOUS FACTORS

CHEMICAL
HAZARDOUS FACTORS

BIOLOGICAL
Rojak poisoning: 146 cases reported

Source: AsiaOne Thu, Apr 09, 2009

HAZARDOUS FACTORS

ERGONOMIC
Design of products to optimize them for human use
HAZARDOUS FACTORS

PSYCHOSOCIAL
 WoRk StRessors

Retraining Regionalization
Reorganisation Relocation
Reengineering Recession
Retrenchment
 Occupational Health
Involves disciplines such as:

Toxicology Psychology Chemistry

Hygiene Physiology Physics
Engineering Ergonomics Statistics
Medicine Epidemiology Nursing
Safety Anthropometry Etc
Risk Assessment &
Management
 What is RISK?

Risk = f (Likelihood, Severity {Hazard})

What is RISK of drowning?
What is RISK of drowning?
Risk = f ( very likely
, major )

Risk = f (Likelihood, Severity)

Risk =
What is RISK of drowning?

Risk = f ( , )

Risk = f (Likelihood,
Severity)

Risk = low
 What is Risk Assessment?
A tool to
Identify hazards
Evaluate risks associated with the hazards
Determine and prioritize measures / actions
to control the hazards
 Why perform Risk Assessment?
Required by Law
WSH (Risk Management) Regulations 2006
3. Risk assessment
(1) In every workplace, the employer, self-employed person and principal shall
conduct a risk assessment in relation to the safety and health risks posed to any
person who may be affected by his undertaking in the workplace.
4. Elimination and control of risk
(1) In every workplace, the employer, self-employed person and principal shall
take all reasonably practicable steps to eliminate any foreseeable risk to any
person who may be affected by his undertaking in the workplace.
(2) Where it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate the risk, the employer,
self-employed person or principal shall implement
(a) such reasonably practicable measures to minimise the risk; and
(b) such safe work procedures to control the risk.
 Why perform Risk Assessment?
Required by Law
Good for Business
Reduce staff absenteeism
Save money
Enhance reputation
Good for Employees
Safer and healthier workplace for all
Improve staff morale and motivation
How to do a Risk Assessment?

Identify Hazards
Evaluate Risk
Implement Controls
 Hazard Identification
The most important step in any Risk Assessment
hazards can only be controlled if they are identified

Each task is analyzed for potential hazards

Chemical Biological
Physical Safety

Ergonomic Psychosocial

2 main approaches:
Process / activity based
Trade / occupation based
 Hazard Identification
Process based

Chemical Biological
Physical Safety
 Hazard Identification

Chemical Biological
Trade based
Physical Safety
Occupation
 Hazard Identification
2 main approaches:
Process / activity based
Trade / occupation based
Chemical Biological
Physical Safety

2 target populations:
people in the environment
people going into the
environment
 Risk Evaluation

Assess Severity (Hazard):

Injury and ill health
Other descriptors
Biological
Safety

Assess Likelihood:
Usually underestimated
Consider existing controls
 Risk Evaluation
NUS Risk Matrix

Likelihood

Remote (1) Occasional (2) Frequent (3)

Severity

Minor (1) 1 2 3

Moderate (2) 2 4 6

Major (3) 3 6 9
Risk Evaluation
NUS Action for Risk Levels

Risk Risk Acceptability

Recommended Actions
Score Level of Risk

Low No additional risk control measures required. To continue to monitor to

<3 Acceptable ensure risk do not escalate to higher level.
Risk

Acceptable to carry out the work activity; however, task need to be

reviewed to bring risk level to As Low As Reasonably Practicable.
Medium Moderately
34 Interim control measures such as administrative controls can be
Risk Acceptable
implemented. Supervisory oversight required.

Job must not be carried out until risk level is brought to at least medium
risk level.
Risk controls should not be overly dependant on personal protective
High Not equipment. Controls measures should focus on Elimination, substitution
>4
Risk Acceptable and engineering controls.
Immediate Management intervention required to ensure risk being brought
down to at least medium level before work can be commenced.
 Risk Control
Hierarchy of Controls