Criteria for reaching decisions on the definition of occupational medical exams in critical activities: model proposition and examples of application for working at height

Abstract

Introduction:

in Brazil, there is a considerable disparity between medical examination protocols used to evaluate workers who carry out critical activities.

Objective:

to propose and verify the applicability of a model based on criteria for reaching decisions on the definition of occupational medical exams that assess the capacity of workers engaged in critical activities.

Methods:

essay based on bibliographic research. The proposed model is based on the ALARP (As Low As Reasonably Practicable) principle of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The model was applied to two clinical conditions that can result in acute events of loss of consciousness and lead to falls during work at height, if no security measure was adopted: diabetes and epilepsy.

Discussion:

our results showed that the proposed model was applicable for both examples analyzed, offering subsidies for the occupational physician to decide on the need to investigate clinical conditions that may lead to fatal accidents during the performance of critical activities.

Keywords:
decision-making; medical examination; risk management; occupational health; occupational accidents