Health of the employees both in the corporate and industrial sector is of paramount importance. Growth, efficiency and productivity of any enterprise is directly related to the employees health. A lot of money is spend on treating and managing work related illnesses that are completely preventable with just a little attention towards ergonomics: the processes affecting the employees physical and mental well being.

IHS Occupational Health & Training Division (OH & T) is working with the corporate and industrial sector in Pakistan since 1998 to develop a culture in which health & safety of the employee is of prime importance. In Pakistan Occupational Health & Safety has always taken a back seat. Due to regulatory deficiencies and lack of awareness among the employees and the employers cases of work related injuries generally go unreported. The employees are not well aware of their rights and are not trained in preventing and controlling occupational hazards from affecting their health.

In 1996 when we started IHS Occupational Health Services we received a very lukewarm response; the decision makers were not interested in spending any money on it considering it an extravagance. Gradually due to our consistent efforts many multinationals in Pakistan are adopting health friendly systems and investing in employees health. Our Occupational Health Division is divided into two sub divisions:

1. Health & Safety, and

2. Trainings

HEALTH & SAFETY

IHS specializes in heath & safety related trainings for the corporate and industrial sector. We offer the following trainings conducted by experts of the field:

• Work Place Safety

• Injury & Disease Prevention

• Defensive Driving Practice

• Fire Fighting (Basic to Advanced levels)

• Manual Handling Procedures

• Accident Reporting & Investigation

• Hazard Identification & Risk Analysis

• Ergonomics

• First Aid (Basic to Advanced levels)

Following are the other major areas of expertise of IHS Health & Safety sub division:

1. Health Risk Assessment:

• Identification of all work teams

• Identification of all manual handling techniques

• Identification of procedural tasks & ergonomic structures

• Identification of all associated hazards

• Assessment of the risks

• Ranking of each hazard

• Prioritizing each hazard upon ranking

• Developing an action plan to address the hazards

• Identification and implementation of control measures

Practical First Aid session at Orient Petroleum's Oil Field in Interior Sindh - March 2004

2. Medical Emergency Contingency Plans.
3. Control of recognized occupational hazards.
4. Toxicological Assessment.
5. Pre and post employment medical examinations.
6. Process Safety Assessment (HAZOP, PHA, FMEA)
7. Development of safe work procedures.
8. Ergonomic Assessments.
9. Development of Health & Safety Manuals.
10. Work / Job Safety Analysis (JSA).
11. Environmental Impact Assessment Surveys
12. Environmental Assessments: Light, Noise & Vibration.

Worksite Assessment:

A variety of tools are used to assist in evaluating the health status of a work site.  This baseline information is essential for customizing a health management program:

• On-site Visit, employee interviews and questionnaire
• Organizational Assessment
• Review of Medical Claims Data
• Employee Interest Surveys
• Review of Past Wellness Initiatives

Besides our in-house full time team of safety and occupational health specialists we have on our panel many associated consultants. IHS also has affiliations with international organizations in order to offer high quality services of international standards.

Generally our clients are multinationals and Oil & Gas sector companies. However after the World Trade Agreement local companies in Pakistan are also taking interest in OH.

IHS Occupational Health & Safety Services to the corporate and industrial sector are available on-site anywhere in Pakistan. Generally initial need assessment survey is conducted followed by specific interventions and trainings. 

Click to download course outline:

• Computer Ergonomics

• Ergonomics for the Office Worker

• Office Ergonomics 

• Occupational Health

• Emergency Response Planning

• Fire Fighting Course

• Self Defense For Women

• Surviving an Earthquake

Industrial & Corporate Ergonomic (ICE) Initiative

ICE Initiative is a unique effort by IHS to sensitize the corporate and industrial sector organizations in Pakistan to the benefits gained through correct ergonomic practices. Ergonomics is a relatively new concept in Pakistan although in west it is religiously practiced and considered an essential component of every enterprise, whether small or large.

The adverse health effects of incorrect ergonomic practices cost the company dearly in the form of:  

1. Lost work-hours
2. Increased absenteeism
3. Expense on treatment of illnesses caused by incorrect practices
4. Low employee morale and job satisfaction, leading to high employee turnover

Through the ICE Initiative IHS team of highly qualified Occupational Health Consultants and Ergonomic Experts implement a stepwise program for the corporate and industrial sector companies in a very cost effective manner with the objective to cut expense on treatment, increase out put, productivity and employee morale and satisfaction. Implementation of the ICE Initiative includes the following steps:

Worksite Evaluation : IHS experts will visit your organization and do a ‘need analysis’ through interviews with a cross section of the employees and tailored questionnaires. Information gathered would be confidentially analyzed.

Click here to download an Ergonomics questionnaire for evaluation of adverse effects on health due to office work (Computer Users).

Hazard Prevention and Control Measures: Through the analysis of worksite evaluation a report on preventive and control measures will be given to the management of the company. With mutual consultation and in accordance with the ground realities specific interventions will be devised.

Training (for high-risk employees): Personnel whose job nature put them at a specially high risk of getting affected will be provided training, counseling and guidance.

In association with a delegated staff member IHS experts assist and monitor the implementation of the agreed preventive and corrective interventions and would also be available year round for consultation and follow up, if required, by employees in groups or individually.

Financial Aspects: To make the ICE Initiative affordable and cost effective IHS has devised the following fee system:

• ‘Worksite Evaluation’ fee depends on the number of employees or workstations. We charge one thousand rupee for each employee or workstation analyzed. This includes initial survey, interviews, analysis of findings and submission of a comprehensive report to the management on hazard prevention and control measures.

• Fee for trainings, if required, varies with the duration of course.  A model one-day Workshop on Office or Computer Ergonomics for 15 to 30 employees at client’s premises costs between Forty to fifty thousand rupees. IHS provides all teaching material, course manuals and handouts. For courses outside Islamabad & Rawalpindi client has to arrange for boarding and lodging of IHS trainers. An outline of our standard Ergonomics training is attached.

Occupational Health Trainings

IHS is the market leader in Pakistan in the field of Occupational Health related trainings and consists of highly professional, qualified & experienced trainers. Trainings that IHS Pakistan offers to the corporate, industrial and Oil & Gas sector include First Aid (Basic to Advanced), Occupational Health, Defensive Driving, Fire Fighting, Stress Management, Health & Hygiene, Hazard Analysis, Ergonomics (Office & Computer), etc.

We offers the following workshops and trainings (in brackets is the duration of various modules. Click on the title of training to see brief course outlines):

• First Aid  – Basic to Advanced Level (1-4 days)

• Stress Management (4hrs to 1 day)

• Occupational Health (1-2 days)

• Preventive Healthcare (4 hrs.)

• Disaster Management & Emergency Response Planning (1 day)

• Defensive Driving Practices (One day)

• Health & Safety at the Work Place (1 day)

• Computer (Healthy Computing) & Office Ergonomics (1 day)

• Cell Phone Hazards (2 hrs.)

• Fire Fighting Course (Basic & Advanced) (1-2 day)

• Healthy Eating & Balanced Diet (4 hrs.)

• Self Defense for Women (1-2 days)

IHS has a team of experienced consultants & trainers including Occupational Health & Ergonomic Specialists, Public Health Scientists, Practicing Physicians, Psychologists and Safety Experts. Pre workshop TNA enables us to tailor the content as per participants’ need and requirement.

IHS provides health consultancy to various organizations including oil & gas companies, multinationals, hotels, UN missions, large industrial concerns and the educational sector.

Trainings are conducted at clients’ location or at IHS training rooms in Islamabad and Karachi. Details of content, layout and fee structure for individual courses is available upon request.

General Terms & Condition for Trainings

We tailor all our trainings as per the clients requirement. however the following general terms & conditions apply to all IHS trainings:

• Client has to give a minimum notice of 10 days before confirmation of dates subject to availability of trainers.

• Recommended group size is 12-24 persons.

• Client is responsible for the arrangement of venue and multi media besides traveling, boarding and lodging of the course facilitators in case the course is conducted outside Islamabad.

• Training / Workshop Fee: 50% of the Workshop fee has to be paid in advance at the time of confirmation of dates. Remaining is payable within 7 days of completion of the workshop after receiving the invoice. Payment has to be made by cross check or bank draft in favor of Integrated Health Services. Cash payments are not acceptable.

• On successful completion participants are issued certificates & First Aider Cards (in case of First Aid training).

• A course manual containing all the slides of the training and other details is issued to every participant.

• Copyright Soft Copy of the workshop presentation is available for use by the client organization for future in-house trainings at Rs. 100,000/-(1650 US $).

• Sessions are followed by practical training and activity sessions. It is mandatory for all the participants to perform activities like CPR, artificial breathing, BP check, Fracture management, etc. individually in First Aid courses while in Stress Management trainees have to practice management techniques. Similarly work groups are formed during Ergonomics & OH trainings.

• Pre course, mid and post course MCQ exercises are conducted along with practical tests to evaluate the participants. The highest scorer also receives a special prize related to the subject,  from IHS.

AUDIOMETRY SCREENING

ACTION LEVELS

Lower Exposure Action Value - 80dB(A)

• Provide information instruction and training for employees

• Provision of ear protectors for those who request them

Upper Exposure Action Value - 85dB(A)

• Obligation on employer to reduce noise levels below 85dB(A)

• Provide ear protectors for all those exposed

• Ensure ear protection is worn

• Employees have a duty to wear ear protectors

Exposure Limit Value - 87dB(A)

• Hearing Protection Zones must be clearly identified

• Access is to be restricted

• If the test indicates that there is a risk to the health of the employees exposed to noise, then the employer shall ensure that such employees are placed under suitable health surveillance, which includes testing their hearing.

AUDIOMETRY SCREENING PROCESS

After completing a general Audiometry questionnaire and having the ear canal examined by an IHS Doctor, the Audiometry test is carried out using an audiometer. Results are discussed with the employee and the employer and if necessary the affected employees will also be seen by an ENT specialist. A summary report is sent to the company. 

Audiometry can be carried out at our  Audiometric Booth at Islamabad office or at the company's premises in a quiet room, only if ambient noise levels are suitable.   

FREQUENCY OF TEST (as a guide) 

• Baseline at Pre-employment

• Annual tests for first 2 years

• Thereafter 3 yearly intervals 

• More frequent testing may be required if significant changes in hearing levels are detected or exposure conditions change

REPORTING RESULTS OF AUDIOGRAMS  

IHS Occupational Health Service has adopted a set procedure for the reporting of the results of Audiograms to the clients.

Acceptable Hearing Ability 

Hearing within normal limits.

Mild Hearing Impairment

Hearing loss is slightly more than would be expected for an employee’s age. There is no need for referral at this stage.  The employee will be warned of this hearing loss and ways of how to minimize or prevent further damage or loss will be discussed.

Poor Hearing/Referral

This indicates the presence of a significant hearing loss, a major difference in hearing between one ear and the other or a rapid hearing loss since last test. This may be as a consequence of noise exposure or of a disease process in the ears.  The employee is formally informed and advised to consult with their Company's Physician.

 

Training Participant's of Jamshoro Joint Venture LPG Plant at Jamshoro, Hyderabad - Aug 2005