What is Occupational Health?
Occupational Health consists of programs and services aimed at preventing or reducing work-related adverse health outcomes. Occupational health applies the disciplines of medicine, biology, epidemiology, engineering, economics, education, politics, and the law to protect workers from hazards in the workplace. These programs and services are necessary to anticipate, identify, assess, communicate, and control occupational illness and injury threats. These threats may occur in various worksites such as research laboratories, weapons depots, satellite communication control rooms, or hospitals. Occupational health services are tailored to the hazards that are anticipated or identified.
Occupational Health vs Occupational Medicine
Occupational Medicine Definitions:
A medical specialty aligned with environmental medicine and aviation medicine under the umbrella of preventive medicine. Occupational medicine focuses on the prevention of work-related injuries and illnesses in employees and groups of employees, and provides medical advisory support to human resource personnel and line managers who make civilian employment decisions regarding hiring, retention, termination, and accommodation. Diagnosis and treatment may, but does not necessarily, occur as part of occupational medicine practice. Occupational medicine practitioners work closely with disciplines that monitor and analyze potential work-related hazards, to include industrial hygiene, laboratory science, ergonomics, and safety. (DODD 6490.02E, AR 40-5)
Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM) is a board-certified specialty under Preventive Medicine that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of work-related injuries and illnesses. OEM is the medical specialty ranked among the highest in satisfaction and lowest in professional burnout. (ACOEM)
Occupational and Environmental Exposure Information for Service Members and Veterans
Environmental Conditions at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan Information for Service Members and Veterans
Update: May 2023
