- Email: [email protected]
Opportunities for the disabled
in Toronto 2 3 - 2 5 January, 1978, under joint sponsorship of the three groups.
surveillance, biological monitoring, health education and rehabilitation.
Of the 2701 respondents to the survey questionnaire, all of whom had eye injuries, 1138 or 42% were wearing protection at the time of their injury. 10"5% of these had the object or particle that damaged the eye penetrate the lens or body of the protector. Despite industrial safety programmes to which most workers are exposed, the survey reveals that injury rates remain significant.
Other findings include: a minority of doctors and nurses in industry's occupational health services (even those employed full-time) had specialist qualifications in occupational health; the two most important factors in the establishing of an occupational health service were the size of firms and the distance from NHS facilities; the nature of the industry was less important.
Other sessions at the conference examined problems related to injuries to head, foot, ear, the respiratory system, and those resulting from falls that could have been prevented by fall-arresting systems.
Occupational health services A preliminary survey of health care services at work provided by 3000 firms showed that 85% (employing a third of the workforce), did not employ either nurses or doctors and relied entirely on part-time first-aiders. This is stated in a discussion document Occupational Health Services: the way ahead. (HMSO, 50p) published by the Health and Safety Commission. In a substantial minority of other firms, the occupational health services were under day-to-day charge of a nurse. These are two of the findings, included in the document of a survey which was carried out in 1976 by the Employment Medical Advisory Service (EMAS). The document, which also forms part of the Health Departments' series of discussion papers on Preventive Medicine, presents a considered view of current problems affecting the organisation and development of occupational health services, and has been designed to meet the expressed desire of occupational health doctors and nurses for an analysis of their role.
the existing programme of epidemiological surveys and other studies co-ordinated and mounted by EMAS. It also urges employers to meet the cost of group services to support diagnostic facilities, particularly in the radiographical, pathological and audiometric fields. The document suggests that the requirements of periodic medical examinations should be reviewed by the HSC's Medical Advisory Committee to see whether some could now be dispensed with and medical manpower released for more demanding work. It also proposes that the Committee should discuss problems which might arise through possible conflict between the medical profession's duty to preserve confidentiality and the employer's need for information on the health of employees.
One of the most far-reaching recommendations in the document is that a nurse might best be entrusted with the responsibility for organising and providing a local occupational health service, if fully qualified in the subject. A project should be promoted by EMAS to evaluate the practicability of this proposal, the document says. Other recommendations include the encouragement of: a joint provision of occupational health services by firms within the same industry, to further the growth of specialised occupational health services for separate industries (possibly through the Health and Safety Commission's Industry Advisory Committees, when they are set up, or trade associations); larger firms to extend their occupational health services to their smaller neighbours.
The document suggests that the growth of specialised occupational health services, serving a whole industry, would enable all available information on the hazards of that industry, and the health of the workers in it, to be brought together and analysed. This would enable the industry (with EMAS advice) to plan and carry out its own programme of epidemiological surveys and other scientific research as appropriate. EMAS would then be able The document has already been the to concentrate more of its resources subject of extensive consultation with on commissioning basic research, on the professional organisations principally advising industry how best to tackle concerned, the central government Health their own problems, and on studying Departments, and with the Health and problems not peculiar to one Safety Commission's own Medical Advisory industry. Committee. It is now published so that Among other recommendations, the issues presented may be more widely discussed within the professions concerned the document proposes that studies should be made, perhaps by University and in organisations of employers and Departments of occupational health, workpeople. Comments are invited from to evaluate the relative costs and all who may be concerned. benefits of treatment services provided According to the survey, the most by occupational physicians and nurses common activities of the industry's own and the NHS. The first such study occupational health services appear to be might be of alternative methods of treatment, either of acute emergencies or treatment for industrial injuries. minor illnesses, or pre-employment or Studies are also suggested to establish pre-placement medical examinations and the relative costs and benefits of screening procedures. Only in relatively occupational health services as a large firms with well-staffed services were whole. In addition, the document the essentials of preventive medicine suggests that industry's own doctors carried out, such as environmental and nurses s h o u l d participate more in
Opportunities for the disabled A call for better employment opportunities for disabled people was made by Geoffrey Gilbertson, CBE, following his re-appointment by the Secretary of State for Employment as chairman of the National Advisory Council on Employment of Disabled People for a further three year period. Mr Gilbertson said that disabled people had the potential to make a tremendous contribution in the employment market but that too often that potential was not realised because of ignorance or lack of understanding on the part of employers or fellow-workers. He hoped that over the next three years the Council would be able to mak~ progress towards helping disabled people to use their skills and potential to the full and that the Council's new three year term would see a real improvement in the share of job opportunities available to disabled people. Mr Gilbertson continued that three major initiatives had already been taken by the Council: the joint launch with the Manpower Services Commission of Positive Policies, the comprehensive guide to employing disabled people; the preparation of reports on resettling mentally ill people and on arrangements for sheltered workshops to undertake public sector work.
Training safety representatives Proposed guidelines on the paid time off for training which safety representatives will be allowed under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations were published on.6 December by the Health and Safety Commission, in a draft Code of Practice
Time Off.for Training o f Safety Representatives: Proposal to Approve
Applied Ergonomics
March 1978
61
surveillance, biological monitoring, health education and rehabilitation.
Of the 2701 respondents to the survey questionnaire, all of whom had eye injuries, 1138 or 42% were wearing protection at the time of their injury. 10"5% of these had the object or particle that damaged the eye penetrate the lens or body of the protector. Despite industrial safety programmes to which most workers are exposed, the survey reveals that injury rates remain significant.
Other findings include: a minority of doctors and nurses in industry's occupational health services (even those employed full-time) had specialist qualifications in occupational health; the two most important factors in the establishing of an occupational health service were the size of firms and the distance from NHS facilities; the nature of the industry was less important.
Other sessions at the conference examined problems related to injuries to head, foot, ear, the respiratory system, and those resulting from falls that could have been prevented by fall-arresting systems.
Occupational health services A preliminary survey of health care services at work provided by 3000 firms showed that 85% (employing a third of the workforce), did not employ either nurses or doctors and relied entirely on part-time first-aiders. This is stated in a discussion document Occupational Health Services: the way ahead. (HMSO, 50p) published by the Health and Safety Commission. In a substantial minority of other firms, the occupational health services were under day-to-day charge of a nurse. These are two of the findings, included in the document of a survey which was carried out in 1976 by the Employment Medical Advisory Service (EMAS). The document, which also forms part of the Health Departments' series of discussion papers on Preventive Medicine, presents a considered view of current problems affecting the organisation and development of occupational health services, and has been designed to meet the expressed desire of occupational health doctors and nurses for an analysis of their role.
the existing programme of epidemiological surveys and other studies co-ordinated and mounted by EMAS. It also urges employers to meet the cost of group services to support diagnostic facilities, particularly in the radiographical, pathological and audiometric fields. The document suggests that the requirements of periodic medical examinations should be reviewed by the HSC's Medical Advisory Committee to see whether some could now be dispensed with and medical manpower released for more demanding work. It also proposes that the Committee should discuss problems which might arise through possible conflict between the medical profession's duty to preserve confidentiality and the employer's need for information on the health of employees.
One of the most far-reaching recommendations in the document is that a nurse might best be entrusted with the responsibility for organising and providing a local occupational health service, if fully qualified in the subject. A project should be promoted by EMAS to evaluate the practicability of this proposal, the document says. Other recommendations include the encouragement of: a joint provision of occupational health services by firms within the same industry, to further the growth of specialised occupational health services for separate industries (possibly through the Health and Safety Commission's Industry Advisory Committees, when they are set up, or trade associations); larger firms to extend their occupational health services to their smaller neighbours.
The document suggests that the growth of specialised occupational health services, serving a whole industry, would enable all available information on the hazards of that industry, and the health of the workers in it, to be brought together and analysed. This would enable the industry (with EMAS advice) to plan and carry out its own programme of epidemiological surveys and other scientific research as appropriate. EMAS would then be able The document has already been the to concentrate more of its resources subject of extensive consultation with on commissioning basic research, on the professional organisations principally advising industry how best to tackle concerned, the central government Health their own problems, and on studying Departments, and with the Health and problems not peculiar to one Safety Commission's own Medical Advisory industry. Committee. It is now published so that Among other recommendations, the issues presented may be more widely discussed within the professions concerned the document proposes that studies should be made, perhaps by University and in organisations of employers and Departments of occupational health, workpeople. Comments are invited from to evaluate the relative costs and all who may be concerned. benefits of treatment services provided According to the survey, the most by occupational physicians and nurses common activities of the industry's own and the NHS. The first such study occupational health services appear to be might be of alternative methods of treatment, either of acute emergencies or treatment for industrial injuries. minor illnesses, or pre-employment or Studies are also suggested to establish pre-placement medical examinations and the relative costs and benefits of screening procedures. Only in relatively occupational health services as a large firms with well-staffed services were whole. In addition, the document the essentials of preventive medicine suggests that industry's own doctors carried out, such as environmental and nurses s h o u l d participate more in
Opportunities for the disabled A call for better employment opportunities for disabled people was made by Geoffrey Gilbertson, CBE, following his re-appointment by the Secretary of State for Employment as chairman of the National Advisory Council on Employment of Disabled People for a further three year period. Mr Gilbertson said that disabled people had the potential to make a tremendous contribution in the employment market but that too often that potential was not realised because of ignorance or lack of understanding on the part of employers or fellow-workers. He hoped that over the next three years the Council would be able to mak~ progress towards helping disabled people to use their skills and potential to the full and that the Council's new three year term would see a real improvement in the share of job opportunities available to disabled people. Mr Gilbertson continued that three major initiatives had already been taken by the Council: the joint launch with the Manpower Services Commission of Positive Policies, the comprehensive guide to employing disabled people; the preparation of reports on resettling mentally ill people and on arrangements for sheltered workshops to undertake public sector work.
Training safety representatives Proposed guidelines on the paid time off for training which safety representatives will be allowed under the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations were published on.6 December by the Health and Safety Commission, in a draft Code of Practice
Time Off.for Training o f Safety Representatives: Proposal to Approve
Applied Ergonomics
March 1978
61