What is ohc why it is required?
The Brookley Aeroplex-based company is the Mobile Chamber’s Small Business of the Month. The company has always operated under the “glad you asked” philosophy, according to one of its founders, Dr. Terry Taylor, who serves as OHC’s medical director.
“We like to say, ‘We’re glad you asked, so how can we help you?’” he said.
Taylor is one of several providers working at OHC, which approaches patient care in a number of ways. The company operates healthcare centers in Mount Vernon, Alabama, and Pascagoula, Mississippi, in addition to its headquarters on Michigan Avenue across from the entrance to Brookley. Patients can access healthcare in these traditional medical centers, but OHC also operates on-site clinics with its industrial clients, so employee services are available at the workplace. And the company also has a mobile unit that can be scheduled to reach sites when physical exams and hearing tests are needed.
“What we want to do is offer quality services in a timely manner and focus on excellent communication with the employers,” Taylor said.
In 2009, he and one of his co-founders were working in occupational health for a local hospital system when they decided they wanted to strike out on their own, organizing a board of directors including five physicians to help guide the company. Its services were loosely based on others Taylor and his partners saw in operation elsewhere in the marketplace, but OHC quickly became a unique, full-service organization no matter where its client base might be located.
The business model focuses on convenience in providing employee evaluation and care, Taylor said, which is why there are larger health centers near the industrial complexes in north Mobile County as well as the aerospace and shipping hubs in south Mississippi and downtown Mobile.
“The safety program for an employer starts with the hiring process,” Taylor said. “So using a facility that has skilled occupational medicine providers helps them make sure it’s a good fit for the worker for the job they want to do.”
That long-term relationship with the employee could begin as early as a pre-employment drug screening and continue through such unforeseen issues as workplace injuries.
- Factories Act and State Rules
1) In respect of any factory carrying on ‘hazardous process’, there shall be provided and maintained in good order an Occupational Health Centre with the services and facilities as per scale laid down hereunder: -
a) For factories employing upto 50 workers -
i) The services of a Factory Medical Officer on retainer-ship base, in the clinic to be notified by the occupier. He will carry out the pre-employment and periodical medical examination as stipulated in rule 82N and render medical assistance during any emergency.
ii) A minimum of 5 persons trained in first-aid procedures amongst whom atleast one shall always be available during the working period;
iii) A fully equipped first-aid box.
b) For factories employing 51 to 200 workers –
i) An occupational Health Centre having a room with a minimum floor area of 15 sq.mm with floors and walls made of smooth and impervious surface and with sufficient illumination and ventilation as well as equipment as per the schedule annexed of this Rule.
ii) A part-time Factory Medical Officer shall be in overall charge of the Centre who shall visit the factory at least twice in a week and whose services shall be readily available during medical emergencies;
iii) One qualified and trained dresser-cum-compounder on duty throughout the working period;
iv)A fully equipped first aid box in all the departments;
c) for Factories employing above 200 workers;
i) One full-time Factory Medical Officer for factories employing upto 500 workers and one more Medical Officer for every additional 1000 workers or part thereof;
ii) An Occupational Health Centre having at least 2 rooms each with a minimum floor area of 15 sq.metre with floors and walls made of smooth and impervious surface and sufficient illumination and ventilation as well as equipment as per the schedule annexed of this Rule.
iii) There shall be one nurse, one dresser-cum-compounder and one sweeper-cum-ward boy through out the working period;
iv)The Occupational Health Centre shall be suitably equipped to manage medical emergencies.
2) The Factory Medical Officer required to be appointed under sub-rule (1) shall have qualifications included in Schedule to the Indian Medical Degrees Act of 1916 or in the Schedules to the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 and possess a Certificate of Training in Industrial Health of minimum three months duration recognised by the State Government: Provided that –
a) A person possessing a Diploma in Industrial Health or equivalent shall not be required to possess the certificate of training as aforesaid;
b) The Chief Inspector may, subject to such conditions as they may specify, grant exemption from the requirement of this sub-rule, if in the opinion a qualified person is not available for appointment;
c) In case of a person who has been working as a Factory Medical Officer for a period of not less than 3 years on the date of commencement of this rule, the Chief Inspector may, subject to the condition that they said person should obtain the aforesaid certificate of training in a period of 3 years, relax the qualification.
3) The syllabus of the course leading to the above certificate, and the organisations conducting the Course shall be approved by the Directorate General of Factory Advice Service and Labour Institutes or the State Government in accordance with the guidelines issued by the DGFASLI.
4) Within one month of the appointment of a Factory Medical Officer, the occupier of the Factory shall furnish to the Chief Inspector the following particulars:
a) Name and address of the Factory Medical Officer;
b) Qualifications
c) Experience, if any, and
d) The sub-rule under which appointed.
1) A glazed sink with hot and cold water always
2) A table with a smooth top at least 180 cm x 105 cm.
3) Means for sterilizing instruments
4) A cough
5) Two buckets or containers with close fitting lids
6) A kettle and spirit stove or other suitable means of boiling water
7) One bottle of spiritus ammeniac aromaticus (120 ml.)
8) Two medium size sponges
9) Two ‘kidney’ trays
10) Four cakes of toilet, preferably antisentic soap
11) Two glass tumblers and two wine glasses
12) Two clinical thermometers
13) Two tea spoons
14) Two graduated (120 ml) measuring glasses
15) One wash bottle (1000 cc) for washing eyes
16) One bottle (one litre) carbolic lotion 1 to 20.
17) Three chairs
18) One screen
19) One electric hand torch
20) An adequate supply of tetanus texied
21) Coramine liquid (60 ml)
22) Tablets – antihistaminic, antispasmedic (25 each)
23) Syringes with needles – 2cc, 5 cc and 10 cc
24) Two needle holders, big and small suturing needless and materials
25) Suturing needles and materials
26) One dissecting forceps
27) One dressing forceps
28) One scalpels
29) One stethoscope
30) Rubber bandage – pressure bandage
31) Oxygen cylinder with necessary attachments
32) One Blood Pressure apparatus
33) One Patellar Hammer
34) One Peak-flow meter for lung function measurement
35) One stomach wash set
36) Any other equipment recommended by the Factory Medical Officer according to specific need relating to manufacturing process
37) In addition –
a) For factories employing 51 to 200 workers –
i) Four plain wooden splints 900 mm x 100mm x 6mm
ii) Four plain wooden splints 350 mm x 75mm x 6mm
iii) Two plain wooden splints 250 mm x 50mm x 12mm
iv)One pair artery forceps
v) Injections – morphia, pethidine, atronine, adrenaline, coramine, novacan (2 each)
vi)One surgical scissors
b) For factories employing above 200 workers –
i) Eight plain wooden splints 900 mm x 100mm x 6mm
ii) Eight plain wooden splints 350 mm x 75mm x 6mm
iii) Four plain wooden splints 250 mm x 50mm x 12mm
iv)Two pairs artery forceps
v) Injections – morphia, pethidine, atronine, adrenaline, coramine, novacan (2 each)
vi)One surgical scissors
An OHC works with employers and workers to create a healthy and safe work environment by detecting occupational health and safety hazards and developing practical approaches to eliminate or control those hazards. OHCs are essential for bringing health and safety concerns into the open, focusing attention on them, and recommending ways to correct and resolve them.
Some of the duties include:
An OHCs role is to give advice and make recommendations for correcting hazards to the employer.
When working with an OHC, employers are required to:
Employers select the employer members; they cannot out-number the worker members. Each OHC must also have two co-chairs.
An OHC should have balanced representation of workers. For example, a hospital's committee might include a doctor, a nurse, a custodian, and a security guard.
Trade union workplaces - OHC members must be appointed as required by the trade union's constitution and its bylaws. If several unions are present, they must work out an agreement about how their committee members are chosen.
Non-union workplaces – workers must elect their committee members.
Each committee must have two co-chairs, employers select one and workers select the other. Co-chairs are selected at the first meeting. Co-chairs have the same rights and responsibilities as other members, including the right to call and chair meetings.
There must be a quorum at every committee meeting. A quorum means:
Employers and workers should select "alternate" OHC members to ensure that there is a quorum at every OHC meeting.
Members serve a three-year term and can serve more than one term. Ensure that the OHC has a balanced number of experienced and new members at all times.
To set-up a committee, do the following:
