AN OVERVIEW ON OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS IN AYURVEDA

Dr. Vibha.S 1 and Rashmi. B. M 2 . 1. PG Scholar, Dept of PG Studies in Roga Nidana and Vikriti Vignana, Government Ayurvedic Medical College, Bengaluru. 2. Assistant Professor, Dept of PG Studies in Roga Nidana and Vikriti Vignana, Government Ayurvedic Medical College, Bengaluru. ...................................................................................................................... Manuscript Info Abstract ......................... ........................................................................ Manuscript History Received: 08 February 2019 Final Accepted: 10 March 2019 Published: April 2019


Discussion:-
Occupational health and hazards through the ages : 1. In the past, it was customary to think of occupational health as entirely related to factories and mines; hence the terms 'industrial hygiene' and 'industrial health' were used. But modern concepts of occupational health accepts all types of employment including mercantile and commercial enterprises, service trades, forestry and agriculture and includes the subjects of industrial accidents, toxicology in relation to industrial hazards, industrial rehabilitation and occupational psychology. 2. ERGONOMICS (ergon=work, nomos=law)-It involves designing of machines, tools, equipment and manufacturing processes, lay-out of the places of work and environment in order to achieve greater efficiency of both man and machine. The application of ergonomics has made a significant contribution to reducing industrial accidents and to the overall health and efficiency of the workers. 1a 3. International Labour Organization (ILO) was started in 1919 as one of the UN agencies. It serves as an international forum for all work-related issues. It is also concerned with international labour standards, social protection and work opportunities for all.

Fact about occupational hazards:
Occupational Health services are non-existent for a majority-85% of Indian workers in unorganized sector.

Pneumatic tools like drills and hammers
Fine blood vessels of the fingers become sensitive to spasm.

Arc welding
Intense conjunctivitis, keratitis, redness and pain in eyes.

IONIZING RADIATION
Medicine and industry like-X-rays and radio-active isotopes Cell proliferation, production of reactive oxygen species, hypoxia, vascular damage.

Rasayana and Vajikarana yogas
536 CHEMICAL HAZARDS: The chemical hazards are on the increase with the introduction of newer and complex chemicals. Chemical agents act in three ways:

Local action:
Some chemicals cause dermatitis, eczema, ulcers and even cancer by primary irritant action; some cause dermatitis by an allergic reaction. Some chemicals, particularly the aromatic and amino compounds such as TNT and aniline are absorbed through the skin and cause systemic effects.

Ingestion:
Occupational diseases may also result from ingestion of chemical substances such as lead, mercury, arsenic, zinc, chromium, cadmium, phosphorus etc. Usually these substances are swallowed in minute amounts through contaminated food or cigarettes. Much of the ingested material is excreted through faeces and only a small proportion may reach the general blood circulation.

Inhalation:
Dust within the range of 0.5-3 microns is a health hazard, producing a lung disease known as PNEUMOCONIASIS, after a variable period of time. This disease gradually cripples a man by reducing his working capacity due to lung fibrosis and other complications. Growing masses of cysts localized in the lungs, brain, heart and kidneys.

Viral or bacterial
Inflammation of the brainheadache, fever, confusion, drowsiness, and fatigue SCHISTOSOMIASIS Parasitic flatwormsschistosomes Pain abdomen, diarrhea, bloody stool, blood in the urine. Long time affection leads to liver, kidney and bladder damage.

Mechanical hazards:
The mechanical hazards in industry centre round machinery, protruding, and moving parts etc. About 10% of accidents in industry are said to be due to mechanical causes. Also working for long hours in non-physiological postures is the cause of fatigue, backache, diseases of joints and muscles and impairment of the worker's health and efficiency.

Psychosocial hazards:
The psychological hazards arise from the workers' failure to adapt to an alien psychological environment. Frustration, lack of job satisfaction, insecurity, poor human relationships, emotional tension are some of the psychosocial factors which may undermine both physical and mental health of the workers. The health effects can be classified into 2 main categories:

538
Psychosomatic illhealth: Includes fatigue, headache, pain in the shoulders, neck and back; tendency to get afflicted with peptic ulcer, hypertension, heart disease and rapid ageing.

Occupational hazards in ayurveda:
There are various references in the vast Ayurvedic texts about this. Some of those are considered here:

सदाऽऽतु रााः श्रोत्रियराजसे वकास्तथै व वे श्या सह ऩण्यजीववभ ाः॥२७॥
This is a verse from the 11 th chapter of Charaka Samhitha, Kalpa Sthana 3 , which indicates that the above mentioned 4 types of people are always prone to ill health by virtue of their professions. They are:

श्रोत्रिय-
Vedic priests, ever busy in chanting holy hymns fail to attend the regimens good for their health, instead they always suppress the natural urges, never take food on time, untimely voiding of stools and urine and other untimely regimens.

राजसे वक-
They forego the healthy regimens as they are always busy in their work of providing protection to the king.

वे श्य-
A courtesan has to comply to the wishes of the men and their entertainment, hence fails to take care of her health.

ऩण्यजीवव-
Merchants lead a very sedentary lifestyle, again because of their profession, hence prone to diseases. 1. Management of diseases in the above mentioned four kinds of people is by the administration of 'Phala sarpi'. This pacifies the aggravated vata dosha because of suppression of urges and also cures vibandha and sarvangaruja. 2. Acharya Sushrutha has mentioned the following factors as causatives of the aupasrgika rogas: gatra sparsha, nishwasa, saha bhojana, saha shayya-asana, vastra mala anulepa leading to diseases like kushta, jwara, shosha and netra abhishyanda. 4 According to this reference, these diseases spread from one human to another. These can be compared to the biological hazards. 3. In the Chikitsa Sthana of Charaka Samhitha, various references are seen related to this in the Vata vyadhi Chikitsitam adhyaya: 5

दु ाःखशय्यसनात ्-
Improper sitting or seating arrangements at the work place leads to vata dosha prakopa, thereby leading to many diseases.

गज-उष्ट्र ्-अश्व शीघ्रयानाऩतं सनात ्-
Occupations involving travelling excessively like drivers, or when they fall from a height from fast moving vehicles, will be victims of many vata doshajanya vyadhis.
One more reference is from the 29 th chapter of Chikitsa Sthana of Charaka Samhitha, in which Vata-rakta disease is explained:

अभ घातात ्-
The disease Vata-rakta is caused is caused by injury.

OTHER SPECIFIC FEATURES EXAMINED BY ANUMANA AND PRATYAKSHA PRAMANAS:
Sign of the physician Conclusion:- 1. Pre disposition to occupational hazards can be checked by assessing an individual using Ayurvedic principles and tools. 2. In relation to environment of individual i.e., prakriti, to the environment he or she is exposed to so as to work on a preventive level and to have a decrease in prevalence rate of these occupational diseases. 3. We can apply this knowledge with an intention of screening the individuals. 4. * Based on the inherent prakriti of an individual, he can be assigned a specific profession that is unique to him and complements his constitution.E.g.: A person of Vata prakriti may be given a job that involves good oration, while a Pitta prakriti person fares well in valorous jobs and a Kapha prakriti person excels in statesmanship.** The psychological make-up of an individual also plays a crucial role in the selecting and excelling in the workfront. E.g.: A person of Gandharva Kaya should be encouraged and allowed to pursue feats in the arts/music/dance/ /fashion/ creative arenas.By doing this maximum productivity is attained both by the individual and by the society at large. 5. The Sara pariksha is an excellent assessment tool for both qualitative as well as quantitative status of an individual. This is a very excellent contribution by Ayurvedic science. 6. There are numerous references in Ayurveda indicating that the topic of occupational hazard was well studied and developed a long time back: Charaka Samhitha explains the ideal hospital set-up and in Sushrutha Samhitha, Vranitagara is explained. This shows that the occupational hazards encountered by medical professionals were well taken care of and the zoonotic diseases were controlled. Also explains the dimensions of each and every unit in a Chikitsalaya and the furnitures and fixtures used. This is nothing but Ergonomics, explained far back. 7. Various types of Dhupana formulations show the prowess of our Acharyas in the field of disinfection. 8. Most importantly, in Ayurveda, any occupation was considered as a material means (artha) to attain deliverance (moksha). Thus the spiritual, emotional, and physical aspects of an occupation are dealt here.