About Sepsis

Sepsis is when the immune system responds to a serious infection by attacking the body's own organs and tissues. The infection can originate in many body parts, including the lungs, intestines, urinary tract, or skin.

Sepsis causes the body's normal reaction to infection to go into overdrive. Bacteria from the infection and the toxins they create can change a person's body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure, and prevent the body's organs from working properly.

Sepsis can be frightening because it can lead to serious complications that affect the kidneys, lungs, brain, and hearing, and can even cause death. Sepsis can affect people of any age, but is more common in:

• infants under 3 months, whose immune systems haven't developed enough to fight off overwhelming infections
• the elderly
• people with chronic medical conditions
• those whose immune systems are compromised from conditions such as HIV

If your infant has a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C), seems lethargic, irritable, uninterested in eating, or seems to be having difficulty breathing or appears ill, call your doctor right away.

In older kids, symptoms may include a fever, irritability, difficulty breathing, and lethargy. Your child may also seem irritable, confused, have trouble breathing, have a rash, appear ill, or may complain that his or her heart feels like it's racing. Call your doctor right away if your child has these symptoms.

Source: http://kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_center/newborn_health_conditions/sepsis.html

DOLE issues guidelines on Hepatitis B in workplace

To prevent the spread of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the workplace without discriminating against infected workers, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has issued a seven-point guideline on dealing with the situation.

The guidelines, contained in DOLE Department Advisory No. 5, became effective on Tuesday, 15 days after it was published in a national newspaper.

“This is part of our efforts to ensure decent work. Workers should not only be provided just wages and benefits. They should also be protected from illnesses like Hepatitis B which may hinder their productivity and competitiveness," DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said in an article posted on the government portal on Wednesday.

Under the advisory, all private workplaces will implement a rights-based policy and a program on Hepatitis B that incorporates human rights standards and principles.

The guidelines also cover all workers regardless of their employment status.

Hepatitis B

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) website, Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver.

The virus is transmitted through contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person but not through casual contact, WHO said.

About 2 billion people worldwide have been infected with the virus and about 350 million live with chronic infection.

An estimated 600 000 persons die each year due to the acute or chronic consequences of hepatitis B.

The HBV is 50 to 100 times more infectious than Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) but it is preventable with a safe and effective vaccine, WHO said.

According to WHO, the symptoms of HBV include:
yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice);
dark urine;
extreme fatigue;
nausea;
vomiting, and
abdominal pain.

When infected, people can take several months to a year to recover from the symptoms, WHO said.

The disease can also cause a chronic liver infection that can later develop into cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer.

Risks for workers

The DOLE advisory requires vaccination in all occupations with a conceivable risk of Hepatitis B transmission in the workplace such as health care workers and other workers whose occupation involves the potential exchange of bodily fluids.

DOLE encourages all establishments to provide Hepatitis B immunization for all its workers.

The advisory also requires firms to include a policy on non-discriminatory, confidentiality, work accommodation, and arrangements for workers with Hepatitis B status.

It specifically states the following:

1. There shall be no discrimination of any form against workers on the basis of their Hepatitis B status consistent with international agreements on non-discrimination ratified by the Philippines (ILO C111). They shall not be discriminated against, from pre- to post-employment, including hiring, promotion, or assignment;

2. They shall not be declared unfit to work without appropriate medical evaluation and counseling;

3. Workers shall not be terminated on the basis of the actual, perceived, or suspected Hepatitis B status;

4. Workplace management of sick employees shall not differ from that of any other illness. Persons with Hepatitis-B related illness should be able to work for as long as they are medically fit;

5. Job applicants and workers shall not be compelled to disclose their Hepatitis B status and other related medical information. Co-workers shall not be obliged to reveal and personal information about fellow workers. Access to personal data relating to a worker’s Hepatitis B status shall be bound by the rules of confidentiality and shall be strictly limited to medical personnel or if legally required;

6. Employers shall take measures to reasonably accommodate workers who are Hepatitis B positive or with Hepatitis B-related illnesses;

7. Through agreements made between management and workers’ representatives, measures to support workers with Hepatitis B are encouraged through flexible leave arrangements, rescheduling of working time, and arrangement for return to work.

Workplace policy

To assist employers and workers, Baldoz said the Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC), together with the Department of Health (DOH), will help companies formulate and implement their Hepatitis B Workplace Policy and Program.

She added that the DOLE will also develop a basic information package to educate workers and employees on Hepatitis B prevention and management.

Baldoz said the DOLE's regional offices, the DOH, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and local government units (LGUs), will monitor the compliance of private establishments on the implementation of the Hepatitis B workplace policy and program. – VVP, GMANews.TV

Exercise Can Help Keep Off Pounds

Exercise
Exercise Can Help Keep Off Pounds
Exercise and good nutrition work together to keep you healthy. Regular physical activity helps control your appetite and burns off calories to help lose extra pounds or maintain a healthy weight.

You need to burn off 3,500 calories more than you take in to lose one pound. If you want to lose weight, regular physical activity can help you in either of two ways.

http://www.lifeclinic.com/focus/nutrition/weightmanagementview.asp?artId=1798 

Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) for Women Workers in Small Enterprises and Informal Economy

The GREAT WOMEN Project
Dr. Dulce P. Estrella-Gust, Dr. Ma. Teresita S. Cucueco
Occupational Safety and Health Center


Background

The GREAT Women Project is a collaborative activity between the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women (NCRFW) the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and various GOs, NGOs, LGUs, and private organizations. The Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) has been assisting informal sector workers in the Metro Naga area in applying good OSH practices in their livelihood activities.

Objectives

The general objective of the OSH program is to raise awareness on OSH among working women in the informal sector and to develop their skills for applying good OSH practices. The methods for awareness raising and capability building include research, training, and networking. This presentation reports on the case studies in the Metro Naga area.

Methodology

The OSH survey was conducted in the City of Naga and in the municipalities of Gainza, Milaor, Bula, and San Fernando. More specifically, case studies of hazardous livelihood projects were designed to provide the basis for the OSH training needs assessment on OSH and practical responses; the case studies were related to pili processing, bamboo craft manufacturing including bag and picture frame making, sea grass or agas processing, slippers and bags production from sea grass, and crab paste processing. Safety and health audits were complemented by questionnaire-guided interviews of the workers as well as by focus group discussions with local government officials.


Results

In the study, female workers comprised 75% of the 30 respondents. More than 50% of the respondents were 40 years and older with age-ranges between 20 and 61 years. Frequently used tools included knives, cutters and scissors for pili and sea grass processing; handsaw and “bolo” for bamboo craft manufacturing; and ladles and hand-made scooping utensils for crabpaste and pili processing. Almost all workers using sharp tools were aware of the risk in handling their tools; however less than 5% reported actual accidents, the most frequent being finger cuts. Frequent physical symptoms were joint pains and headaches. Many workers and LGU officials acknowledged the need for safety and health training for workers in the informal sector.


Conclusion and Recommendations

For informal sector workers the living and working areas are usually one and the same. There is continuous exposure to occupational hazards, specifically related to tools, chemicals and other materials. A majority of the respondents stressed the need for a common service facility, close to their homes, for practicing their livelihood activities. They recognized the importance of adopting good OSH practices in their daily work based on greater OSH awareness as well as on tools, materials, facilities and work processes adapted to the needs and means of the informal sector. External support would go a long way in reducing the number of potentially costly accidents and illnesses while improving the quality of products and their sales, thereby raising general working and living conditions in the informal sector.

HEALTH ASSESSMENT OF CHILD WORKERS

HEALTH ASSESSMENT OF CHILD WORKERS IN 
BARANGAY DE LA PAZ, BIÑAN, LAGUNA

This case study is a vital component of the OSHC Action Program on the elimination of child labor in the footwear manufacturing in Binan, Laguna. It is a contribution to the implementation of ILO Convention 182 on the Elimination of the Worst forms of Child Labor. The purpose of this study was to determine the health status of child laborers in Barangay De La Paz in Biñan, Laguna as well as to document and record the working conditions and safety hazards in small scale footwear manufacturing in these areas. Teams from the OSHC visited Purok 4 and 5 of Barangay De la Paz in Biñan, Laguna to conduct an evaluation of 14 pre-selected workplaces in the area, and at the same time, a medical team interviewed and examined 93 working children.

Safety audit of the workplaces showed that most working areas were in the living areas of the worker and their families, posing difficulty in terms of exposure for all members of the family. A variety of hazards were observed, i.e., chemical, physical, biologic and ergonomic stresses. The symptoms most often experienced by child workers during the course of their work were forgetfulness, headache, fatigue and irritability. On physical examination, 30% of children examined were found to have enlarged lymph nodes, usually indicating an on going bacterial or viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. In this connection, it is worth noting that Biñan has the highest prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in the country, therefore a high index of suspicion for children infected with PTB should be entertained. Moreover, more than half of the subjects were noted to be malnourished, thus the synergy between PTB, malnutrition and possible effects of solvent exposure were causes for concern.

The research team recommended that the proprietors of these workplaces and/or their managers be given instruction on basic occupational safety and health. In fact the research was immediately followed by training of trainers coming from the community, which was followed by a series of appreciation courses for the operators and families in Barangay de la Paz. Much of the content of the training modules were taken from the research findings. It was also recommended that attention be given to the nutritional and urgent medical needs of these children. Last, recommendations were given on the follow-up research agenda to further elucidate the health implications of footwear work on children and adults including: The long-term effects of exposure to solvents among footwear operators and workers. Improvement of productivity in the workplaces related to health and safety practices.
http://www.oshc.dole.gov.ph/page.php?pid=111

UPDATE ON WORKPLACE-BASED PREVENTION PROGRAM ON SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES AND HIV/AIDS

The study is a follow-up of the initial assessment carried out by the Occupational Safety and Health Center in 1998 to determine the sustainability of response of the private sector to the HIV/AIDS campaign, as well as to determine what initiatives they have taken to implement the Philippine AIDS Law or Republic Act 8504. Questionnaires were sent to the top 500 companies as well as to the 106 companies who participated in the 1998 initial survey, with replies from 5% percent and 20% of respondents, respectively.

Results of the survey revealed that activities on STD/HIV/AIDS usually implemented by companies were dissemination of printed materials such as brochures and leaflets and the conduct of seminars, training and lectures; the nature of which were still discrete and unsustained activities, with some exceptions. However, despite the provisions of RA 8504 on non-mandatory testing and employment of persons with HIV, there were still some companies who required HIV testing and which had discriminatory policies specifying not to employ HIV (+) individuals. This may be explained from the fact that only 25% to 59% of the companies have heard of the Philippines AIDS Law. From the results, it was apparent that further and more dynamic advocacy is needed to make the workforce aware of RA 8504 and its specific provisions for the labor sector, which basically dwell on the need to provide adequate information and education on RA8504, and to sanction discriminatory practices against HIV positive persons. One major core message is that HIV infection is still rather low in the country, and that Filipinos are still in an ideal situation where focus can still be given to primary prevention efforts through information and education of workers rather than thru HIV testing.

http://www.oshc.dole.gov.ph/page.php?pid=110