Occupational medicine, until 1960 called industrial medicine,
[Encyclopædia Britannica]
/ref> is the branch of medicine
Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pr ...
which is concerned with the maintenance of health in the workplace, including prevention and treatment of diseases and injuries, with secondary objectives of maintaining and increasing productivity and social adjustment in the workplace.[
Therefore, the branch of clinical medicine active in the field of ]occupational health and safety
Occupational safety and health (OSH), also commonly referred to as occupational health and safety (OHS), occupational health, or occupational safety, is a multidisciplinary field concerned with the safety, health, and welfare of people at wor ...
. OM specialists work to ensure that the highest standards of occupational health and safety are achieved and maintained in the workplace. While OM may involve a wide number of disciplines, it centers on preventive medicine
Preventive healthcare, or prophylaxis, consists of measures taken for the purposes of disease prevention.Hugh R. Leavell and E. Gurney Clark as "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting physical and mental hea ...
and the management of illness, injury, and disability related to the workplace. Occupational physicians must have a broad knowledge of clinical medicine and be competent in some important fields. They often advise international bodies, governmental and state agencies, organizations, and trade unions. There are contextual links to physical medicine and rehabilitation
Physical medicine and rehabilitation, also known as physiatry, is a branch of medicine that aims to enhance and restore functional ability and quality of life to people with physical impairments or disabilities. This can include conditions su ...
and to insurance medicine. In recent times, as the burden of disease from psychosocial occupational risk factors is increasingly being recognized and quantified, occupational medicine is increasingly also focusing on addressing these occupational hazards.
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 health.
* 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
Bernardino Ramazzini (; 4 October 1633 – 5 November 1714) was an Italian physician.
Ramazzini, along with Francesco Torti, was an early proponent of the use of cinchona bark (from which quinine is derived) in the treatment of malaria. His m ...
in 1700.
Governmental bodies
United States
*National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH, ) is the United States federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness. NIOSH is part of the C ...
(NIOSH)
*Occupational Safety and Health Administration
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration'' (OSHA ) is a large regulatory agency of the United States Department of Labor that originally had federal visitorial powers to inspect and examine workplaces. Congress established the agenc ...
(OSHA)
Russian Federation
Research Institute of Occupational Medicine
of the Russian Academy of Sciences
The Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS; russian: Росси́йская акаде́мия нау́к (РАН) ''Rossíyskaya akadémiya naúk'') consists of the national academy of Russia; a network of scientific research institutes from across ...
(Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...
)
Non-governmental organizations
International
* International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH)
*Institute of Occupational Medicine The Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) was founded in 1969 by the National Coal Board (NCB) as an independent charity in the UK and retains this charitable purpose and status today. The "Institute" has a subsidiary, IOM Consulting Limited, whi ...
(IOM)
Canadian
* Occupational Medicine Specialists of Canada
United Kingdom
* Faculty of Occupational Medicine
United States
* American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM)
* (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/
See also
* American Board of Preventive Medicine
The American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) is a member of the American Board of Medical Specialties that issues "certificates of special knowledge" in the specialty of preventive medicine. These certificates are known as "Board Certificatio ...
* American Osteopathic Board of Preventive Medicine
* Industrial and organizational psychology
Industrial and organizational psychology (I-O psychology), an applied discipline within psychology, is the science of human behavior in the workplace. Depending on the country or region of the world, I-O psychology is also known as occupational ...
* National Occupational Research Agenda
* Occupational disease
* Occupational Health and Safety
Occupational safety and health (OSH), also commonly referred to as occupational health and safety (OHS), occupational health, or occupational safety, is a multidisciplinary field concerned with the safety, health, and welfare of people at wor ...
* Occupational health nursing
* Occupational health psychology
* '' Occupational Health Science (journal)''
* Occupational hygiene
* '' Occupational Medicine (journal)''
* Trauma und Berufskrankheit
References
{{Authority control
Occupational safety and health
Occupational diseases
Medical specialties