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1692 BCE
Hammurabi's first legal code to includes laws on construction accidents
The Code of Hammurabi is a set of laws to organize and control society, created in Mesopotamia, around the 18th century BC. C., by King Hammurabi, responsible for founding the first Babylonian empire. The first legal code containing laws on construction accidents was promulgated by Hammurabi (1792 – 1750 BC) Babylon. -
1692 BCE
Egypt Skeletal Muscle Iinjuries
The first musculoskeletal injuries were cited in ancient Egyptian medical papyri in 1600 BC Invention of the lathe. The Satire of the Offices describes dermatological and ocular conditions and physical deformations due to bad posture. Papyri of Ebers and Smith Discuss Hypotheses about diseases and their treatments. Ramses II Better working conditions for those who built his statues. -
500 BCE
500 BCE: Hippocrates pioneers treatment for miners.
The first written references to Occupational Medicine in
the West date back to Hippocrates.
Main contribution: Discards religious elements from the etiology of diseases, studies different events as the cause of illnesses. He was the first to propose PE and AT treatment for miners and metalworkers – he studied lead poisoning (lead poisoning) -
200 BCE
Galen describes diseases in miners and metalworkers
Describes diseases in miners, as well as in tanners. Visits to the workplace in the copper sulfate mines in Cyprus. He recognizes, even without giving solutions, the dangers of acid fog, because these workers carried out their work without clothing and at high speed to avoid suffocation. He described the traumatic injuries and illnesses of gladiators. -
1 CE
Pliny the Elder enunciates preventive measures for miners
I establish preventive regulations for mine workers (lead, mercury and sulfur). He promoted the use of animal bladders placed in front of the nose and mouth to prevent inhalation of dusts and vapors. -
1350
Emergence of Safety and Hygiene in Work
In the 14th century, Safety and Hygiene at Work was born due to rules dictated by an association of artisans to protect and regulate their professions. -
1473
Ulrich Ellembog identifies symptoms of industrial poisoning
In the year 1473, Ellembog discovered the symptoms of industrial poisoning by lead and mercury and suggested at that time the first preventive measures that should be applied to avoid these poisonings; Thus the close link between preventive medicine and occupational medicine is born. -
1555
Georgius Agricola discovers mining-related diseases
He discovered diseases associated with the mining and smelting of gold and silver, suggesting methods of prevention, including ventilation of mines.
He recognized occupational asthma, which he called "ulceration of the lungs" produced by exposure to inhalation of certain types of dust. -
1567
Paracelsus identifies occupational diseases caused by mercury
The 1st monograph dedicated to occupational diseases is attributed to Paracelsus, Swiss doctor and alchemist.
He identified lung diseases of miners, smelters and metalworkers caused by mercury. He laid the foundations of toxicology.
"All substances are toxic; there is not a single one that is not" "The dose is what differentiates the poison from the remedy" (Sola Dosis facit venenum) -
Ordinances of the Indies
They regulated work hours.
They establish obligations of employers -
Important publications
Authors such as Pasa, Pow, Mathius, Libavius and Citio, who highlight the investment in prostheses that corrected or benefited the consequences of accidents. Walter Pope publishes "Extract of a letter.. Concerning the mines of mercury in Friuli" (Enf by Mercury and Carbon Oxide) Kricher in "Mundus Subterraneus" Pathologies of Miners and Ventilation. -
Book on worker illnesses is written
The Italian Bernardino Rammazzini (1633-1714), an Italian doctor, wrote a book about the diseases of workers:
“Of the diseases of workers” (translation and edition in Spanish was done in Argentina in 1949).
This is why Rammazzini is considered the founder of Occupational Medicine.
He described the working conditions and health risks of 52 professions, examining workers' illnesses, their treatment and prevention. -
Sir Percival Pott conducts the first study of occupational cancer
In 1775 he carried out the first study of occupational epidemiology: he described the high incidence of scrotal cancer among chimney sweeps in England.
First occupational cancer registry in history. -
Mathieu Joseph Bonaventure Orfila publishes the first book on toxicology
In 1812 he published the first book dedicated to toxicology.
"Traite des poisons tires des regnes mineral, vegetal et animal; ou, Toxicologie generale" He is considered the father of general toxicology. -
Robert Backer proposes daily factory medical visits
In 1830 he proposed that there should be a daily visit to the factories by a doctor, to realize the harmful effects that working conditions produced on health. In 1830 he became the first factory doctor in history and “inventor” of modern occupational medicine. -
The industrial bourgeoisie and the industrial proletariat
2 social classes are created, the industrial bourgeoisie and the industrial proletariat.
+The children of the proletariat began working at the age of 5, enduring unhealthy conditions.
+Work accidents were very frequent and resulted in a large number of deaths and disabilities.
+The worker was solely responsible for the accident, except for clear and serious fault on the part of the employer.
The workers sued their employers for compensation for their injuries, but there was no justice. -
Charles Turner Thackrah - The effects of trades, jobs and professions
He published in 1832: “The effects of trades, jobs and professions and of civil situations and ways of life, on health and longevity” First scientific study on CYMAT. Pioneer in the fight against child labor. In his time he was considered Ramazzini's heir. -
Manuel Carpio – Mexico Beginning Of The Teaching Of Preventive Medicine
In Mexico, Doctor Manuel Carpio began teaching preventive medicine at the university where he lived based on hygiene in the subject "philosophy and hygiene", a subject that was complemented with micro-biology. -
Edwing Chadwick: reports on the health conditions of the working population in great Britain
The great reformer gave rise in 1842 to a study entitled "reports on the sanitary conditions of the working population in Great Britain."
This work was the basis of the reformers in the 19th century in Europe and the United States. -
USA - New York: the main health laws
Dr. Terris, professor at the New York University of Medicine, implemented “the main health laws” in 1872. Some time later he inaugurated the association of public health and preventive medicine at the same university. He also asked for the New York government's help to implement hygiene and environmental sanitation education for people -
Important events
In 1904, the 1st occupational health institute was founded.
In 1906 the laws on accidents at work were published.
In 1914, preventive medicine was born (Joseph Goldberger).
In 1933, the elements of hygiene were established.
In 1944, the American Public and Preventive Health Association was founded. -
Permanent Commission of Occupational Medicine
Created in Milan in 1906 during the First International Congress on Occupational Diseases. -
Male compensation for injuries on the job
First laws (1909): known as “male workers' compensation laws”, approximately 50 years later changed to “workers' compensation laws” The premise of the system is that men should be compensated for their injuries on the job, fair and timely manner and that employers must be responsible for providing it. The 20th Century is that of Occupational Health and international organizations that began to develop after the Second World War -
Treaty of Versailles - ILO
Peace treaty at the end of World War I that officially ended the state of war between Germany and the Allied Countries. The so-called social stage of Occupational Medicine was born, by establishing in its section XIII the principles that would later govern the International Labor Organization (ILO). In 1950, through its Joint Committee, it established the objectives of Occupational Medicine. -
Background in Colombia
The French model, developed in this decade, handled the concept of hygiene from a physiological perspective and with etiological elements such as contamination with transmissible infectious agents, for which vaccination was used along with public control measures such as environmental sanitation (water management). and excreta, development of the sewage network and drinking water), the development of a healthy environment, a balanced diet, good clothing, cleanliness and exercise.Lain Entralgo -
Occupational Medicine Office
In 1934, the office of occupational medicine was created, initially with a headquarters in Bogota, mainly looking after work accidents and occupational diseases and their evaluation in terms of compensation. -
1918-1946: Labor legislation in Colombia
Law 46 of 1918 Hygiene and health measures for employees and employers.
Law 37 of 1921 Group life insurance for employees.
Law 10 of 1934 Occupational illness.
Law 53 of 1938 maternity.
Law 96 of 1938 Ministry of social protection.
Law 44 of 1939 Mandatory insurance and compensation for work accidents.
Decree 2350 of 1944 Substantive labor code.
Law 6 of 1945 General labor law. Additional Decrees 1600 and 1848 of that same year.
Law 90 of 1946 Social Security Institute -
Colombian society of workable medicine
In 1946, the Colombian Society of Occupational Medicine was founded; Law 90 was approved on December 11 of that year and sanctioned by President Mariano Ospina Perez on December 26. -
Henry Ford - Occupational Medicine
Occupational Medicine was the great ally of Scientific Labor Administration at the beginning of the 20th Century, trying to adapt the worker to his job and not the work to the worker (“anti-ergonomic model”). “The medical team is the section of my factory that gives me the most profit" -
World Health Organization (WHO)
Creation of the World Health Organization (WHO) -
Rrenamed of the COH
In 1957 the Permanent Commission on Occupational Medicine was renamed ICOH:
International Commission on Occupational Health. -
Period: 1979 to 1994 labor legislation in Colombia
Law 9 of 1979 "NATIONAL HEALTH CODE" art. 125 and Res 1016 of 1989 Preventive and occupational medicine program. Res. 2400-2406-2413 and 01405, "STATUTE OF INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HYGIENE" Decree 586 of February 23, 198, "OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH COMMITTEE" Decree 614 of March 14, 1984, determines the bases for the organization and administration of occupational health in the country. Law 100 of 1993 and Decree 1295 of 1994, Professional risks -
Period: 2002 to 2008 labor legislation in Colombia
Law 776 of December 17, 2002.
Unified Circular of April 22, 2004.
Resolution 0156 and 1570 of 2005.
Law 1010 of January 23, 2006.
Resolution 1401 of May 24, 2007.
Resolution 2346 of July 11, 2006. 2007.
Resolution 2844 of August 16, 2007.
Resolution 1414 of April 24, 2008.
Resolution 2646 of July 17, 2008.
Resolution 3673 of September 26, 2008 -
XXI Century
Currently, in the 21st century, the Worker Health model is being developed . Its objective is to ensure the right to health and work for the continuous improvement of the health conditions of workers in their physical and mental dimensions and also, promote healthy interaction between workers and of them with the physical and social environment in the job