Classification system for work in occupational health services

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Health Services Research
• Workplace Safety

Background:

• The World Health Organization emphasizes the need for research into occupational health services (OHS) to enhance understanding of their priorities and effectiveness.
• Currently, a lack of empirical studies and a common classification system hinders comparative analysis of OHS work.
• This gap limits the ability to assess and improve the efficiency and impact of OHS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and present a feasible, reliable, and relevant classification system for work within occupational health services.
• To establish a standardized framework that facilitates comparison between different OHS studies.
• To align the classification with the core aims of OHS, as defined by Norwegian practices and the International Labour Office (ILO) 1985 convention.

Main Methods:

• The classification system was developed based on the established aims of occupational health services.
• The project involved collaboration with occupational physicians to ensure practical applicability.
• The system was designed with eight distinct categories of work, directly linked to OHS objectives.

Main Results:

• A novel classification system for occupational health services has been successfully developed.
• The proposed classification is demonstrated to be easy to use by occupational physicians.
• The system establishes congruence between the work categories and the fundamental aims of OHS.

Conclusions:

• The developed classification system offers a standardized and practical tool for OHS research.
• Its implementation can facilitate more consistent and comparable studies on OHS effectiveness.
• This advancement supports better knowledge generation and improved efficiency in occupational health services.