Most African countries are noted for poor occupational health and safety practices. However, despite numerous occupational health and safety advances in recent years, several occupational health and safety issues still proliferate in most African countries, particularly in Ghana. This study was a review paper aimed at unearthing key issues on occupational health and safety practices in Ghana. W...

BACKGROUND The industrial revolution that took place in the United Kingdom (UK) between 1760 and 1830 led to profound social change. Occupational medicine was concerned with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of occupational diseases, that is, diseases directly caused by exposure to workplace hazards. A similar pattern of development has occurred globally. METHODS A review of relevant l...

OBJECTIVE We utilized job safety analysis (JSA) and hazard identification for work accident prevention in Para rubber wood sawmills, which aimed to investigate occupational health risk exposures and assess the health hazards at sawmills in the Trang Province, located in southern Thailand. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional study which included a walk-through survey, JSA, occupational risk...

the palm wine trade is an important economic activity for many tropical rural areas worldwide. in west africa, palm wine holds high sociocultural and traditional values. wine tappers often climb very tall trees with rudimentary equipment to harvest palm sap and risk severe injuries in the event of a fall. furthermore, the wine quickly ferments beyond the desired taste and alcohol content, reduc...

December 2008, Vol. 98, No. 12 SAMJ Occupational health is vital in any industry to evaluate risks, control hazards, protect staff, and prevent occupational injuries and diseases. Occupational health and safety (OHS) needs in a health care setting are no different from those in a factory or other place of business. Even though the risks to health care personnel are different, the principles and...

Workers and citizens are turning increasingly to the health care system for information about occupational and environmental reproductive hazards, yet most primary care providers and specialists know little about the effects of occupational/environmental toxicants on the reproductive system or how to evaluate and manage patients at potential risk. Although it is unrealistic to expect all clinic...