Occupational health is an area where activities for defining health problems in working life and protecting the health of employees take place. The basic principle in these studies is protection. People have had to work since the first periods of their existence, but after centuries, working life has become complicated in the process that started with the industrial revolution and therefore many rules regulating working life have been developed. The purpose of occupational health studies is to protect the health of the employee. In order to protect the health, factors that affect health and impair health should be well known. Two important factors can be mentioned that determine the health level of an employee. These are factors in the workplace environment and the individual's own characteristics. Characteristics such as age, gender, health status, education, some habits, genetic structure of the person are important in determining the health status, but in addition, factors in the workplace environment can have a detrimental effect on health. It is possible to protect the health of employees by making positive both individual and environmental factors. Studies conducted for this purpose are known as "Occupational health practice principles". When we take a brief look at these;
· Placement of suitable job; persons should be placed in jobs appropriate to their qualifications. This placement is provided by "job entry examination". During these examinations, the occupational physician; reports that whether the individual is suitable for the job with the necessary qualifications. The aim is to prevent individuals from working in conditions that may pose a particular health hazard as a result of their placement in inappropriate jobs, in other words to protect the health of the individual.
Identifying workplace risks; it is necessary to determine the health hazards in the workplace environment. Although observations and general information are used in determining these risks, it is essential to make environmental measurements in this regard. The level of the factor is determined with the measurements made in the environment. And the value is compared with the standard values. There is no problem when the level in the environment is below the allowed value, but if it is above the allowed value, these risks must be controlled.
· Control of workplace risks; applications to be made in terms of control of workplace risks mostly include technical and engineering services. For example; such as proper ventilation, suitability, maintenance and proper placement of machines and devices, provision of personal protective devices.
· Periodic control examinations; the main purpose is to detect health problems that may arise with the effect of factors in the workplace environment at an early stage. The occupational physician who performs the workplace examination, in accordance with the legislation, performs these examinations and controls in 6 months- 1 year or longer. According to the legislation, not only the examination but also the some medical verification according to the condition of the health problem. These documents, which have been archived in the event of an occupational disease or an occupational accident that may occur in the employee, will be of great importance for both the employee and the employer. Periodic control examinations are effective not only in health problems that may occur due to the effects of the factors arising from the workplace, but also in the early diagnosis and treatment of some chronic diseases that may arise from genetics, age and lifestyle.
· Providing health and safety services in the workplace; workplace health care is a primary level health service. The main job of this team consisting of occupational physician and occupational nurses is to provide protective health services. They also carry out daily patient examination in polyclinic services. In addition, vaccination services, evaluation and follow-up of the nutritional status of the employees, establishing occupational health and occupational safety committees in order to determine the environmental risk factors and take measures to reduce these risks, meeting in accordance with the legislation and at appropriate times, making implementing decisions; are important services they offer.
Health and safety education; one of the principles of occupational health practice is health education. Employees need to be addressed to the risks at work, their possible health effects and ways to avoid these risks. The subject of personal protective applications should also be included in the trainings. Mainly, it is necessary to continue trainings on issues related to health protection, development and healthy living behaviors, as well as health hazards and ways of protection in the workplace.
For example; in a workplace it is not always sufficient for us to get results if the employer provides personal protectors early and handing them to the individual by giving training on use and carrying out the necessary inspections. Here, the individual's health literacy, health awareness and self-responsibility, that is, taking responsibility for his/her own health are very effective. In my observations as a doctor who has experience in occupational physician for many years and in different business lines; As a result of the health trainings and legal sanctions given to the employee over and over on all these issues we see that they can only show the correct behavior. Occupational health and safety studies, which are based on the aim of protecting the right to life, which is the most fundamental right of people, first go through the formation of safety culture and awareness in individuals. The recent legal obligations have developed the feeling that the material and moral costs of the accidents have resulted heavily. And the occupational health and safety issues should be given importance. Today, stereotyped behaviors that cannot change in a short time in working life are actually among the main causes of occupational accidents. In preventing these accidents, it is necessary to demonstrate safe behaviors and, as a result, to create a culture that supports a safe workplace environment.
For this reason, it is very important for awareness of the employee that to be educated on the basic issues related to environmental risks and the protection and improvement of health, as well as the measures and practices taken in accordance with the legislation in protecting occupational health and employee health and ensuring occupational safety.
