Occupational Medicine Examinations

The most important examinations in occupational medicine are:

a - Pre-employment examinations

It is believed that not only healthy individuals but also those who have physical defects and have lost one or more of their organs can perform work, and everyone, according to their aptitude and ability, is capable of performing a particular task. Therefore, it is necessary that all job applicants undergo a medical examination before employment to assess their health and ability to work.

∴ The most important goals of the pre-employment examination are:

1) Determining the physical aptitude and capability of the individual for the intended work

2) Protecting the industry, capital, and the health of personnel

3) Determining the limits of the applicant's health and the restrictions they must observe in their subsequent work.

4) Early diagnosis of diseases and their treatment

5) Determining the applicant's prior injuries and defects and recording them in their file so that they are not later counted as work-related injuries.

6) Detecting transmissible diseases among personnel and preventing their spread

7) Determining the frequency and intervals of subsequent examinations to be performed on personnel

8) Establishing a health file and using it in personnel's subsequent visits

9) Becoming familiar with the temperament and health knowledge of personnel. For the successful implementation of this program, the physician, in addition to having sufficient medical knowledge, must also have information about work environments, the manner in which work is performed, and the physical and mental capacity required to perform the work. The pre-employment medical examination depends on the type of work but generally includes the following stages:

1) Taking the applicant's medical history

2) Physical examination and performing paraclinical tests and, if necessary, consultation with other specialists. Special forms are used to record this information. At the end of this examination, the physician must report the results of the examination to the relevant officials, without mentioning the applicant's diseases, ailments, and family history, and specifying clearly whether the personnel is capable of performing the intended work or not, and under what conditions they should work.

 

b - Periodic (recurring) examinations

The aim is to perform medical examinations at specified intervals in order to achieve the following goals:

1) Early diagnosis of diseases and complications caused by work

2) Following up suspicious cases until their condition is clarified

3) Timely treatment and prevention of the progression of individuals' illness

4) Recommending a change of occupation or limiting the work of sick individuals

5) Preventing the transmission and spread of transmissible diseases to others

6) Preventing the occurrence of occupational diseases in individuals who have similar work

7) Studying the harmful effects of substances present in the work environment

8) Determining the effect of the environment on the health and illness of personnel

9) Evaluating prevention and safety methods

 

c - Specialized examinations

In the oil industry's health services, special occupations include drivers, firefighters, security personnel, divers, personnel working on offshore platforms, seafarers, flight personnel, and radiation workers.

The type of clinical and laboratory tests as well as the interval between examinations vary based on the type of substances with which individuals are in contact.

 

d - Examination at the time of job change

Like the pre-employment examination, the worker must be medically evaluated for taking on the new position to ensure they are physically and mentally qualified for the new job. The interval between such examinations depends on the type of work, the environmental conditions, and the age of the personnel.

 

e- Examination at the time of return to work

Whenever a worker has been away from the work environment for a long time due to transfer, assignment, or extended leave, or has been away from the work environment for a period due to an accident or illness, in both cases it is necessary that they be examined once again before resuming work, because in the first case there may have been a change in the worker's faculties or in the work conditions during the long absence, and in the second case the ailment or illness may have so depleted their faculties, or left behind such a physical defect, that they are no longer able to continue their previous work.

 

f- Medical examination upon request

Such examinations are usually carried out at the employer's request to re-evaluate particular individuals or individuals working in a particular unit or section. For example, to investigate the reason for the absences of individuals in a particular part of the workplace.