# 6 OSHA AND THE HEALTH SYSTEM PART 2

WINTER 1975

This Quarterly is global in scope and covers a quick review of the history of OSHA and its use as a needed tool for workers to advance health and safety at the workplace.

Then it segues into an editorial in the American Public Health Association (APHA) by Dr. Howe representing the American Medical Association (AMA). Dr. Howe states that OSHA and NIOSH will force change in the totality of medical care delivery in America followed by a call for professionals to take specific actions include the development of screening to identify workplace causes of illness and disease. Then, the discussion refers to the positive impact employer workplace and provider changes would have toward forcing causes of illness and disease to be reduced. The alternative would be increased litigation and higher malpractice costs. A hypothetic case is developed around cancer causing agents found in the workplace. Then argument is made for health consumerism to create a political force for change.

Comprehensive screening is advanced as a first step to be followed by outlined programmatic changes in hospital based care; specific to the ER., Obstetrics-gynecology, pediatric, pulmonary function, dermatology and occupational safety and health clinics and mental health facilities and inpatient services including pathology.

The improvements called for include changes in certifications of many professional categories especially medical record certification. And reaching further back changes are called for in schools of medical, nursing, social work, allied fields, and public health.

The importance of universal education reaches to agencies of government at all levels. A summation is a clarion call to make OSHA work.