Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM), previously called industrial medicine,Encyclopædia Britannica
/ref> is a board certified medical specialty under the American Board of Preventative Medicine that specializes in the prevention and treatment of work-related illnesses and injuries. OEM physicians are trained in both clinical medicine and

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the de ...

. They may work in a clinical capacity providing direct patient care to workers through

worker's compensation Workers' compensation or workers' comp is a form of insurance providing wage replacement and medical benefits to employees injured in the course of employment in exchange for mandatory relinquishment of the employee's right to sue his or her emp ...

programs or employee health programs and performing medical screening services for employers. Corporate medical directors are typically occupational medicine physicians who often have specialized training in the hazards relevant to their industry. OEM physicians are employed by the US military in light of the significant and unique exposures faced by this population of workers. Public health departments, the

Occupational Safety and Health Administration The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA; ) is a regulatory agency of the United States Department of Labor that originally had federal visitorial powers to inspect and examine workplaces. The United States Congress established ...

( OSHA) and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) commonly employ physicians specialized in occupational medicine. They often advise international bodies, governmental and state agencies, organizations, and trade unions. The specialty of Occupational Medicine rose in prominence following the industrial revolution. Factory workers and laborers in a broad host of emergent industries at the time were becoming profoundly ill and often dying due to work exposures which prompted formal efforts to better understand, recognize, treat and prevent occupational injury and

disease A disease is a particular abnormal condition that adversely affects the structure or function (biology), function of all or part of an organism and is not immediately due to any external injury. Diseases are often known to be medical condi ...

. More recently occupational medicine gained visibility during the

COVID-19 Pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

as spread of the illness was intricately linked to the workplace necessitating dramatic adjustments in workplace health, safety and

surveillance Surveillance is the monitoring of behavior, many activities, or information for the purpose of information gathering, influencing, managing, or directing. This can include observation from a distance by means of electronic equipment, such as ...

practices. In the United States, the

American College of Preventive Medicine The American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) is an American non-profit organization focused on practice, research, publication, and teaching of evidence-based preventive medicine. It publishes the ''American Journal of Preventive Medicine'' ...

oversees board certification of physicians in Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Mission

Occupational medicine aims to prevent diseases and promote wellness among workers. Occupational health physicians must: * Have knowledge of potential hazards in the workplace including toxic properties of materials used. * Be able to evaluate employee fitness for work. * Be able to diagnose and treat occupational disease and injury. * Know about rehabilitation methods, health education, and government laws and regulations concerning workplace and

environmental health Environmental health is the branch of public health concerned with all aspects of the natural environment, natural and built environment affecting human health. To effectively control factors that may affect health, the requirements for a hea ...

. * Be able to manage health service delivery. OM can be described as: :work that combines clinical medicine, research, and advocacy for people who need the assistance of health professionals to obtain some measure of justice and health care for illnesses they suffer as a result of companies pursuing the biggest profits they can make, no matter what the effect on workers or the communities they operate in.Interview with Dr. Stephen Levin/Obituary, Katie Halper, The Nation, February 14, 2012
/ref>

History

The first textbook of occupational medicine, '' De Morbis Artificum Diatriba'' (''Diseases of Workers)'', was written by Italian physician Bernardino Ramazzini in 1700.

Notable Occupational Medicine Physicians

* Dr. Alice Hamilton * Dr. Stephen M Levin * Dr. Archibald Cochrane (Preventative Medicine)

Governmental bodies

United States

* National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) *

(OSHA)

Russian Federation

Research Institute of Occupational Medicine
of the

Russian Academy of Sciences The Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS; ''Rossíyskaya akadémiya naúk'') consists of the national academy of Russia; a network of scientific research institutes from across the Russian Federation; and additional scientific and social units such ...

(

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

)

Non-governmental organizations

International

* International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) * Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM)

Japan

Japan Society of Occupational Health

United Kingdom

* Faculty of Occupational Medicine

United States

* American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) * American Osteopathic College of Occupational & Preventive Medicine (AOCOPM)

Europe

European Society for Environmental and Occupational Medicine (EOM)
Australasia * ANZSOM Australia https://www.anzsom.org.au/ * ANZSOM New Zealand https://anzsom.org.nz/

Notes

References

{{Authority control Occupational safety and health Occupational diseases Medical specialties Occupational medicine

Mission

History

Notable Occupational Medicine Physicians

Governmental bodies

United States

Russian Federation

Non-governmental organizations

International

Japan

United Kingdom

United States

Europe

See also

Notes

References