Supervisors info:
Σωτήριος Μάιπας, Εντεταλμένος Διδάσκων, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Ιωάννα Γιαννοπούλου, ΕΔΙΠ, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Νικόλαος Καβαντζάς, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
The exposure of workers to certain environmental factors poses potential health risks that the modern scientific community of Occupational Medicine is called upon to manage. This literature review documents these risks and presents measures and practices for their mitigation. Among the environmental risk factors for workers are exposure to various categories of outdoor and indoor pollutants, exposure to extreme environmental temperatures, noise, radiation, and potentially hazardous chemicals. The health impacts vary, ranging from allergic reactions and injuries to serious health problems, such as respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological diseases, the development of malignancies, and, in some cases, death. Occupational physicians have a responsibility to the community of workers and must not only deploy available protective measures but also conduct regular reassessments of working and environmental conditions, and educate workers and employers, maintaining a framework of productive collaboration with all involved parties.