What Is Prevention?
The term prevention is equated with the term prevention. It includes health protection, technical safety measures and occupational health measures. Prevention measures are intended to contain risks and dangers before serious damage can occur. Above all, work accidents, occupational diseases and work-related health hazards or safety risks are to be prevented through prevention. At the same time, equipment for first aid can be set up preventively.
Preventive Measures for the Mitigation of Health Hazards
1. Hazardous Substances
Primarily in the industrial and construction sectors, hazardous substances can be dangerous to health. In these areas, a lot of work is done with toxic or carcinogenic substances. It is important to take preventive measures to protect the health of employees and to ensure a safe workplace.
2. Physical Exposure
Physical strain exists in almost every workplace. Whether it is one-sided physical strain or an unhealthy sitting posture in the office. In any workplace, it is essential to take preventive measures to avoid the unhealthy strain on the body
3. Working Environment
The general working environment can have an equally negative impact on health. Be it bad air, a lot of noise, lack of lighting or unsafe construction of the site. For productive work, it is important that the workplace meets safety and health standards.
4. Mental Stress
An unhealthy work-life balance as well as a lack of recreational opportunities, long working hours and insufficient compensation through exercise leads to negative stress. Chronic stress is dangerous to health in the long run and should be prevented through appropriate measures.
What Types of Prevention Are There?
According to the Work Protection Law, protecting the health of employees should be a top priority for a company. Preventive measures will protect the health of the team and reduce health risks before they arise.
In general, the working environment should be designed in such a way that hazards are avoided and hazards are tackled at their sources. Individually coordinated protective measures as well as their documentation are required.
The company must ensure that its employees receive regular training in their tasks. Managers can pass on tasks to their team, but are responsible for checking that they are carried out. Employees must always follow the instructions of the employer and ensure that their activities do not endanger themselves or their team.
The types of prevention are divided into primary and secondary prevention:
- Primary prevention
Primary prevention actively promotes health and prevents the development of disease through preventive measures. - Secondary prevention
Secondary prevention describes the early detection of diseases. In the best case, there are no symptoms or only mild symptoms that are detected at an early stage. Often, the prospects of treatment are to be limited in their further development by secondary prevention.
No globally recognized ISO standard yet exists for occupational health. Occupational safety and health standards should be combined in Occupational Safety and Health Management System (OSHMS) in a company