Workplace health and occupational medicine

Occupational health is the clinical base for everything else on this site. Employers rely on it for testing and injury care, and employees rely on it to get back to work safely. Physical therapy is part of that care, and so is the regenerative sports medicine we describe elsewhere.

Read about the history and clinics of Nova Medical Centers. The clinicians who review these guides are listed with their licenses.

Most workplace emergencies are small ones, handled well or badly depending on what was in place beforehand. These guides cover the basics and the rules that apply.

Start with a written plan and the checklist in emergency equipment every office needs. Stock the kit for the injuries you can reasonably expect, starting with first aid kit essentials. For outdoor and cold-storage work, see avoiding cold stress injuries at work.

Drug and alcohol testing rules differ for safety-sensitive transportation work and for most other employers. Our guide explains the main programs and where each applies.

The main programs and rules are explained in our guide to drug and alcohol testing.

Aching, stiffness or tingling that builds with a task is an early warning. Treating it early is cheaper and faster than treating an injury, and a physical therapist can usually tell which part of the job is driving it.

When symptoms persist, a physical therapy evaluation can find the cause. Set-up and habits are covered in our guide to desk and lifting ergonomics. Long-running tendon and joint problems that do not settle are covered in regenerative sports medicine.