Health assessment for confined space work permit at a regional hospital in Thailand

Abstract

Introduction: Health assessment for confined space work permit is an occupational health service. The sub-committee of Association of Occupational and Environmental Diseases of Thailand settled Guideline for Health Examination of Confined-space Workers,. According to Guideline for Health Examination of Confined-space Workers^,, the minimum tests include complete blood count, spirogram, electrocardiogram, and chest X ray. The minimum physical examinations are blood pressure, pulse rate, weight, height, body mass index, whispering test, far vision test, and general medical examination. The health questionnaire is also included. Objective of the descriptive study was to describe the workers^, health abnormalities which were detected in Rayong hospital^,s health examination to declare workers^, fitness for work in confined space.

Method: Rayong hospital provided health examination for 715 confined space workers in 2013. The abnormalities were identified using Guideline for Health Examination of Confined-space Workers^,.

Result: 97.20% of confined space workers were male. The workers, average age was 29.69 years old. The abnormalities of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), chest X ray, electrocardiogram, spirogram, and complete blood count (CBC) were 8.11%, 3.64%, 1.82%, 1.40%, 2.66%, 0.83% and 0.42%, respectively. There were 108 workers who did not get the work permits.

Discussion and Conclusion: Raised blood pressure (BP > 140/90) was the most common and controllable abnormalities. Most of the chest X ray abnormalities were not changed from previous result and did not affect the work permit. Ischemic pattern from electrocardiogram should be reevaluated by cardiologist. Spirogram and CBC were necessary in health examination for work permit. The abnormalities were lower than normal population which may be due to healthy worker effect.

Key words: Confined space, Fitness for work, Occupational health service, Work permit, Association of Occupational and Environmental Diseases of Thailand