Block 3: Occupational Health Management - Section 1: Occupational Health Service

OHM1.3: Staff responsibilities

Staff Responsibilities:

Taking into account the information provided in the previous pages, and the context of the Primary Health Care Programme, the roles of the various service providers would include:

1. Occupational Health Nurse Practitioner:
1. Administration:
• Responsible for general functioning and efficiency of the OHS.
• Order equipment.
• Prepare budget in conjunction with occupational medicine practitioner.
• Follow up workmen’s compensation claims.
• Maintain statutory records, e.g. drug registers.
• Maintain individual patient records.
• Maintain other records such as absence, daily register and accidents.
• Ensure confidentiality of records.
• Provide monthly and annual reports on the OHS including surveillance reports.
• Provide individual reports to patients, where relevant.
2. Treatment and care of workers with injuries and illnesses.
• Provide primary emergency care.
• Treat minor illnesses and refer as necessary to the doctor.
• Co-operate with external doctors in the treatment of workers.
• Review returning employees, regarding their fitness for returning to work after illness.
• Supervise first aid facilities.
3. Medical screening and surveillance:
• Ensure that all employees have examinations as per the prescribed schedule for that individual or group of workers.
• Perform all aspects of the medical examinations that are not the responsibility of the doctor and to refer problems to the doctor.
• Ensure workers are fully informed as to reasons for the results of medical exams and tests.
• Ensure suitable follow-up for those examinations that reveal health problems.
• Correspond with line management re: fitness for work, light duty, etc.
• Know the plant and hazards pertinent to occupational health.
• Ensure smooth functioning of surveillance programs.
• Ensure adequate follow up of workers with problems detected by surveillance.
• Assist in the compilation and analysis of records, statistics and reports concerning health conditions.
4. Counselling (Employee Assistance Programme):
• Be available and approachable to employees who need individual counselling.
• Run programmes such as alcoholism control, etc.
• Know the area resources for counselling and referring employees with non-occupational health problems.
5. Health and Safety education:
• Individual workers e.g. personal hygiene, safe working practices.
• Participate on the safety committee.
• Contribute to induction and other training programmes.
• Run campaigns, programmes etc. as needed.


2. Occupational Health Doctor:
   The main role of the OHP will be to assist the OHN in the establishment and running of the OHS.
1. Assist with the Health Risk Assessment:
• Assist in the identification and assessment of potential workplace hazards.
• Assist in the Hazardous Chemical Substance risk assessment by conducting/co-ordinating the HCS toxicology review.
• Assist in job analysis (Occupational Risk and Exposure Profiling, or "OREPs"), and in ways in which to adapt the job to the man.
• Advise on health aspects of personal protective equipment.
2. Medical Surveillance Programme:
• Design and produce protocols for medical surveillance programmes (Worker Allocated Surveillance Programmes, or "WASP’s").
• Perform those aspects of the programmes that must be done by a medical practitioner, including assessment of those employees with health problems identified by the surveillance programme.
• Advise management and workers on factors in the working environment which are potential health hazards.
• Assist in the compilation and analysis of records, statistics and reports concerning health conditions.
• Analyse the group implications of individual screening test results
• Advise management regarding the placement or reassignment of workers.
• Assist the OHN with problematic workmen’s compensation cases.
3. Education and counselling:
• Inform and advise management and workers on matters of health and safety including updates on current trends and new legislation.
• Assist the OHN in these training functions as needed.
• Participate in the safety committee as the need arises.
4. Evaluation:
• Regularly review and evaluate all components of the OHS and report to management and workers.
5. Primary clinical care (if referred by the Sister):
• Statutory responsibility for medicines control (purchasing, storing, dispensing and discarding of waste).
• Examine and treat ill and injured employees.
6. Support to the OHN in the following functions:
• Rehabilitation and counselling services.
• Health Promotion initiatives.
• Information dissemination, education and training.
• Liaison and referral network, including participation in Regional Steering Group.
• Health Information System (with administrative support).


3. Risk Officer:
• Participate in hazard evaluation, risk assessment and recommend remedial action.
• Safety Information management, data analysis and reporting.
• Risk management programme coordination.
• Design of Safe Work Procedures.
• Establish the Health and Safety structures (committees, meetings, and communication).
• Regular Safety Inspections and reports.
• Incident investigation.
• Emergency and disaster management.
• Information dissemination, education and training, especially Health and Safety Representatives.


4. Industrial Hygienist:
• Participate in hazard evaluation, risk assessment and recommend remedial action.
• Establish and maintain a hygiene monitoring (environmental control) programme.
• Information dissemination, education and training.