Health Performance 1998
Workplace related Carcinogens
PDO and contractor employees are potentially exposed to 426 chemical substances present on work locations. Of these chemical substances only 7 are carcinogens, mutagens or chemicals toxic to reproduction. These chemical substances are; asbestos, benzene, dichloromethene, formaldehyde, methanol, hexane and ethanol.
The probability that any employee is exposed to these chemicals in excess of the Occupational Exposure Limits (OEL) and/or Biological Limit Value (BLV) is less than 0.1 %. Or in practical terms; exposure of one of more employees is so unlikely that probability is close to zero.
Measured Potential Exposure
The following objective data have been collected concerning potential personal exposures.
Noise:
PDO / Contractors1. / Total number of work sites / 75 / 49
2. / Total number of work sites with fixed sources of noise exceeding 85 dB(A) / 63 / 42
3. / Total of people who are potentially exposed to noise exceeding 85 dB(A) / 372 / 1048
Occupational Health Road shows
In 1998 a total of 47 occupational health roadshows have been organised in the interior and at the coast attended by about 3500 PDO and contractor employees. Are you interested ? Here are the VIEWGRAPHS of the occupational health roadshow 1998.
Sickness & Absenteeism
Sickness absenteeism measures absence from work due to any sickness or injury, whether work related or not.It is reported as:
Sickness Absence % = (Total number of absence days of employees) / (Total number of available calendar days) x 100
The overall rate for PDO for 1998 was 0.76%, based on the confirmed sick leave periods registered by the Integrated Medical Information System (IMIS).
Occupational Illness
It is the aim of PDO to report all occupational illnesses. PDO medical officers have started to reportnew cases of occupational illnesses since April 1997.
What is an occupational illness?
An occupational illness is defined as a work related abnormal condition or disorder (except any caused by a work injury), which is caused or mainly caused by exposure to health hazards at work.
Why are we reporting occupational illnesses?
Health is a line management responsibility. It is impossible to manage health related problems unless line managers have data that give an idea about the extent of the problem. Reliable illness data will help them to learn about the health problems of staff and manage them better.
Data of illness reports will not be used as a basis for comparing performance between operating units. Data are meant to be used by operating units to manage their own performance over time.
A total of154 cases of occupational illnesses were reported in 1998. Of these 14 cases were classified due to contaminated food (Salmonella gastro-enteritis), 21 cases due to mental stress, 69 as disorders due to repeated trauma (repetitive strain injury or backache) and27 cases as Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL). Tables 1 and 2 give an overview of all identified cases in 1998.
Table 1
Identified cases of occupational illness of PDO employees in 1998,
number of cases per unit and the TROIF per unit
T - unit / 33 cases / TROIF = 14.3
X - unit / 7 cases / TROIF = 13.6
G- unit / 1 case / TROIF = 3.6
H - unit / 11 cases / TROIF = 12.5
C - unit / 2 cases / TROIF = 17.9
F - unit / 3 cases / TROIF = 23.3
Total / 154 cases / TROIF = 16.8
Table 2
Identified cases of occupational illnesses of PDO employees in 1998.
International classification of diseases of the World Health Organisation
V / Mental and behavioral disorders (stress) / 21 (483 days)
VII / Diseases of the eye / 6
VIII / Diseases of the ear (Noise Induced Hearing Loss) / 27
IX / Diseases of the circulatory system / 1
X / Diseases of the respiratory system / 4
XII / Diseases of the skin / 11 (5 days)
XIII / Diseases of the musculoskeletal system / 69 (279 days)
XIX / Injury, poisoning (exposure to chemicals) / -
Certain consequences of ext. causes (heat stress) / 1
Total / 154 (800 days)
The key performance indicator for occupational health is Total Reportable Occupational Illness Frequency (TROIF). TROIF is defined as the sum of all occupational illnesses per million working hours. The TROIF in 1998 for PDO was 16.8 (based on an estimate of 9.186.474 working hours for 1998).
Of the total of 154 cases of occupational illnesses, 48 cases were registered with sick leave! The total number of sick leave days was 800 calendar days. Of these 800 calender sick leave days, 483 sick leave calender days are related to mental stress cases and 279 calendar days are related to diseases of the musculoskeletal system. The Total Lost Time Occupational Illness Frequence was (TLOIF) 5.2.
Table 3
Identified cases of occupational illnesses of PDO employees in 1998,
Severity of reported illnesses cases
II / Minor health effect, affecting work performance / 106
III / Major health effect, absence from work (LWC), partial/temporary disability / 46
IV / Total/permanent disability / 2
V / Fatalities / -
Total / 154
A significant number of contractor employees visit the PDO Clinics in the interior. Some of the health problems identified by the PDO Medical Officers were clearly work related and confirmed as occupational illnesses. Table 3 gives an overview of the occupational illnesses of contractor employees. Of the total of 161 cases of occupational illnesses, 55 cases were registered with sick leave!
Table 4
Identified cases of occupational illnesses of contractor employees
diagnosed by the PDO Medical Department international classification of diseases of the WHO
V / Mental and behavioral disorders (stress) / 5
VI / Diseases of the nervous system / 1
VII / Diseases of the eye / 9
VIII / Diseases of the ear (Noise Induced Hearing Loss) / -
IX / Diseases of the circulatory system / -
X / Diseases of the Respiratory System / 2
XII / Diseases of the skin / 18
XIII / Diseases of the musculoskeletal system / 102
XIX / Injury, poisoning (exposure to chemicals) / 1
Certain consequences of external causes (heat stress) / 9
Total / 161
The contractor companies were these cases were identified are; Al Rubat Trading (2 cases) Al Turki (3 cases), Al Hamed Suleimany Trading (5 cases), Al-Khurayef, At-Nadha Trading, Arabian Industries (5 cases), Baker Amran, Baker Oil Tools (3 cases), Bahwan Engineering (5 cases), C&S, Consolidated Contractors Co., Dowell Schlumberger (9 cases), Desert line (11 cases), DET Norske Veritas, Deutag, Dodsal Private Ltd, Essar Oil (3 cases) , Galfar Engineering (9 cases), Gulf Petroleum Services (18 cases) , Halliburton (9 cases), Hamdan Trading, Hassan Trading, Mohamed Barwani Petroleum (6 cases), ISCO, Masood John Brown, NTI, Ofsat, OHI Telecommunication (4 cases), Oman Industrial Coating Centre, Oman International Bank, Oman Gulf (3 cases), Safeway Co. LLC, Schlumberger(9 cases), SOCAT (6 cases), Suhail Sud Bahwan, Special Technical Services (14 cases), Tawoos (4 cases) and Truck Oman (3 cases) and United Engineering Services (9 cases), Wattaya Motors LCC.
Non-Accidental Death Cases
In line with the PDO HSE Investigation and reporting procedures, all non-accidental death cases are investigated and reported. The objective of this investigation is to ascertain whether the cause of the death relates to systems and conditions which are managed by the Company and may provide grounds for corrective action.
Table 8
Non-accidental death cases of PDO and contractor employees in 1998
international classification of diseases of the World Health Organisation
IX / Diseases of the circulatory system:
Ischemic heart disease
Embolism
Cardiac arrest due to rhythm disturbance /
10
1
2
X / Diseases of digestive system / 1
Total / 15
Medical Retirement
A total of 52 employees were medically boarded. Two employees requested advice for compensation for health problems related to industrial accidents. 50 employees requested advice for medical retirement.
Results:
4 employees: medicallyfit
25 employees: permanent partial disability
21 employees: permanent total disability
Table 5
Medical retirement, diagnoses medical board cases of 50 PDO employees
international classification of diseases of the World Health Organisation
V / Mental and behavioral disorders (stress) / 6
VI / Diseases of the nervous system / 12
VII / Diseases of the eye / 1
IX / Diseases of the circulatory system / 12
XI / Diseases of the digestive system. / 1
XII / Diseases of the skin / 1
XIII / Diseases of the musculoskeletal system / 12
XIV / Diseases of urogenital system / 2
Total / 50
Table 6
Industrial injury, diagnoses medical board cases of 2 PDO employees
international classification of diseases of the World Health Organisation
XIII / Diseases of musculoskeletal system (deformity) / 1
Total / 2
Medical Evacuations
PDO's medical department provides 24 hrs health care services every day and is fully manned and equipped to deal with emergencies. In 1998 the total number of Casevacs and Medevacs was 243. Table 9 gives an overview of diagnoses of 154 PDO and contractor employees who were evacuated from interior locations to various hospitals in the country for medical reasons. Most cases were referred to hospitals in the capital area.
Table 9
Diagnoses of urgent medical cases of 154 PDO and contractor employees,
examined by PDO medical officers which needed a medical evacuation
International classification of diseases of the World Health Organisation
IV / Endocrine Diseases / 1
V / Mental and behavioral disorders (stress) / 3
VI / Diseases of the nervous system / 11
VII / Diseases of the eye / 1
IX / Diseases of the circulatory system / 56
X / Diseases of the Respiratory System / 6
XI / Diseases of the digestive system. / 35
XII / Diseases of the skin / 1
XIII / Diseases of the musculoskeletal system / 4
XIV / Diseases of urogenital system / 15
XIX / Injury, poisoning (exposure to chemicals) / 2
Total / 154
Of the 56 cases of diseases of the circulatory system, 34 cases were related to ischaemic heart diseases (IHD) including acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Of the 35 cases of diseases of the digestive system, 16 persons were referred for acute appendicitis. Of the 15 cases of diseases of the urogenital system, 10 persons were suffering from an acute attack of renal calculus.
A & D Consultations
PDO recognizes alcohol and drug dependence as a treatable condition. Employees who have an alcohol or drug dependence are encouraged to seek medical advice and to follow appropriate treatment. The role of the PDO medical officers is in particular; assistance towards rehabilitation, to help the employee in identifying and acknowledging his alcohol dependence problem and to influence motivation to go for treatment. The following objective data have been collected since 01/08/97:
Table 10
Consultations PDO and contractor employees for A&D problems in 1998
A&D cases / Number of Consultations / Number of referral
for rehabilitation / Number who
stopped drinking
PDO Employees / 18 / 43 / 7 / 3
Contractor Employees / 10 / 14 / 0 / 1
Table 11
Consultations PDO and contractor employees for A&D problems since 01/08/97
A&D cases / Number of Consultations / Number of referral
for rehabilitation / Number who
stopped drinking
PDO Employees / 42 / 91 / 10 / 6
Contractor Employees / 12 / 18 / 0 / 1
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