Role of the occupational physician in mental health services

The in-plant operation of an Occupational Health Service offers numerous opportunities to the physician for observation of persons manifesting unusual behavior or aberrant work practices. At times of placement, periodic reexamination, or dispensary visitation, personality flaws can be detected that might cause the worker at a later date to file a claim for psychiatric injury. Through good communicative skills, the physician in industry must work closely with managers and trade union representatives in the prevention of untoward responses to work-environment stressors. Behavioral patterns indicative of withdrawal from the work role, as seen in absenteeism, tardiness, repetitive injury, or psychophysiologic illness, can be identified early and the employees manifesting such behavior can, and should, be referred for appropriate counseling or therapy. The occupational physician plays multiple roles and none is more important than recognizing workers alleging or experiencing true stress disorders.