A pilot occupational health service for small enterprises: first year experience--the Givat Shaul project

An experimental Occupational Health and Safety Center was established as a pilot project for Israel in the Givat Shaul industrial area of Jerusalem. The center provides occupational health services to those working in its vicinity and is particularly oriented to employees of small enterprises (i.e., fewer than 20 employees). In addition to the routine occupational health services supplied by each occupational health clinic in Israel, the Center's staff also performs safety and hygiene inspections at workplaces, and provides social care services for the working population of the area. This paper summarizes the first year of the project's activities, particularly those of the clinical staff and the safety technician. Projected future activities are also outlined. The effectiveness of this project is currently under study and will be finally evaluated by an independent Hebrew University research team. If their evaluation shows the project to have been successful, establishment of similar centers in other parts of the country will be considered.