Many jobs come with occupational health issues. Repetitive stress is a common source of issues at jobs in places ranging from offices to farms. Some occupations can lead to exposure to chemicals, radiation, and other hazards, too. Identifying and treating conditions arising from these health issues is important to workers so let's look more closely at why occupational medicine matters.

Initial Exams 

Knowing whether a worker can handle a job is important to both the company and the individual. A person should be in sufficient physical condition to handle the rigors of an occupation week after week. Intake exams give everyone a better picture of employees' overall health and capacity to do the job. They also provide a baseline for assessing the long-term impact of an occupation on a worker's health. This helps a firm deal with workplace compensation claims, move people to light duty, plan retirements, assess workplace hazards generally, and even disclose risks to later new hires.

Intervention

Ideally, an occupational health regimen will allow doctors to intervene before problems become unmanageable. Suppose an employee at a computer-aided drafting and design firm is developing wrist issues from repetitive motions. The company and the workers can assess ways to mitigate repetitive stress. For example, they might investigate a more ergonometric workstation setup to reduce the impact of repetitive motions.

Workers also can enter physical therapy programs to treat conditions. A factory worker might need PT to address back pain, for example. Treating the condition can get them back on the job and extend their lifetime work opportunities by handling the issue before it becomes debilitating. 

Compliance 

Many industries, government agencies, and unions impose occupational health requirements on businesses. Broadly speaking, this benefits workers the most. However, there is a two-way street. A union laborer may have to follow the occupational health process from the collective bargaining agreement while they pursue a compensation claim for a workplace injury. Both sides need occupational medicine to ensure compliance.

Periodic Reviews 

Just because a worker feels fine doesn't mean all is well with their body. Periodic reviews allow the worker and the business to potentially catch problems early. Reviews also can assess the impact of non-work factors, such as age-related conditions like arthritis. Similarly, periodic reviews offer a workforce-level picture of how environmental factors affect employees. A company may discover it needs to review practices related to personal protective equipment, for example, if an unexpected number of workers show signs of exposure-related health issues.

To find out more, contact a company like XstremeMD.