| It has become clear that the very nature of | | | | The rapid change caused by technology is |
| work has changed in the past few generations. | | | | having a health impact on employees also. |
| What are the future challenges facing the | | | | Most humans become stressed when exposed to |
| occupational health and safety field? | | | | constantly changing conditions, and this is |
| | | | becoming a major health concern. The proper |
| Just about everything has changed as a result | | | | training of employees and the care with which |
| of a technological revolution that has swept | | | | change is introduced to their work |
| over the developed world in the last quarter | | | | environment has become a concern of |
| of a century. The changes have impacted our | | | | occupational health as well as the training |
| day to day life and they have impacted our | | | | department. |
| workplaces. Some of these work related | | | | |
| changes have been studied and already there | | | | It is hard to predict the future. The aids |
| has been some understanding of them and | | | | epidemic has changed the look of first aid |
| efforts to deal with them. Others are still | | | | kits around the industrial world. Rubber |
| not understood and in some cases, not even | | | | gloves and blood clean up kits became |
| recognized. Stress related problems and | | | | standard as a reaction to the possibility of |
| ergonomics have become serious work place | | | | blood borne infection. What the next disease |
| issues. What are the future challenges of | | | | might require is a bit hard to predict. It is |
| occupational health safety? | | | | going to be necessary to keep flexibility in |
| | | | health planning in order to be able to |
| Perhaps, the biggest challenge of | | | | quickly respond to changing situations. |
| occupational health safety in the future will | | | | |
| be simply keeping up with progress. One of | | | | Another problem that should loom large in the |
| the features of the modern technological age | | | | future is the ever increasing cost of health |
| is rapid change. This rapid change presents | | | | care. An occupational health and safety |
| two distinct problems to occupational health | | | | management plan that includes the providing |
| and safety programs. If a company is failing | | | | of health services must be constantly aware |
| to provide the most up-to-date safety gear | | | | of the rising costs and the efforts of the |
| and following the most advanced standards for | | | | insurance industry to provide alternative |
| good health, they are failing in their | | | | plans for coping with them. One thing is |
| mission to provide the best and safest work | | | | certain. Over the entire world, the |
| environment for their employees. Keeping up | | | | government has taken an interest in worker |
| with rapid change is going to remain a | | | | health and safety. Government regulation |
| challenge. | | | | becomes more and more demanding, and |
| | | | compliance becomes more and more essential. |