Inside Industrial Medicine: Dr. Manuel Johnston on His Role as an Factory Medical Officer
In this edition of MedBound Times, Dr. Hansini Bhaskaran, BDS, speaks with Dr. Manuel Johnston, a dedicated medical professional whose journey bridges international medical training and occupational health. After earning his MBBS from Nantong Medical College in China, Dr. Johnston returned to India and successfully cleared the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE). His passion for preventive healthcare led him to pursue an Associate Fellow in Industrial Health (AFIH) from Saveetha Medical College, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
With over four years of experience, Dr. Johnston now serves as the Factory Medical Officer at Aditya Birla Group Corporation, where he plays a vital role in ensuring the health and safety of industrial workers. In this conversation, he shares insights into occupational health, the challenges and responsibilities of an industrial medical officer, and the evolving importance of preventive medicine in workplace settings.
Dr. Hansini Bhaskaran: Good morning Dr. Manuel. Can you introduce yourself to our readers?
Dr. Manuel Johnston: Yeah, good morning everyone. I'm Dr. Manuel. I'm an MBBS graduate with four years of work experience in the industrial field. Currently, I am working as a factory medical officer in Aditya Birla Group Corporation. So my work here involves screening patients who come for pre-employment and periodic medical examinations. And I attend to injuries here.
Dr. Hansini Bhaskaran: What inspired you to pursue a career in industrial health?
Dr. Manuel Johnston: During my internship days, I had the opportunity to visit factories. There I saw the role of doctors. It was mostly preventive rather than curative. So I liked the preventive aspect; that's why I pursued a career in this field.
Dr. Hansini Bhaskaran: Can you describe your day-to-day responsibilities as an Industrial Health Medical Officer?
Dr. Manuel Johnston: I do screening of all employees who come to work at this factory. The screening is job-specific. Employees working at high altitudes have to undergo a series of tests meant to assess balance and coordination, like the rhombus test and nystagmus test. The employees working at ground level are asked for routine checkups like random blood sugar, hypertension. All these are mentioned under the Factories Act of 1948. The factory abides by that.
Dr. Hansini Bhaskaran: Can you share some common health concerns or injuries you encounter in your facility?
Dr. Manuel Johnston: In factory premises, mechanical injuries are very common due to unsafe acts of employees. Other than that, the cases are mostly seasonal.
Dr. Hansini Bhaskaran: How prepared is your workplace to handle medical emergencies like accidents, burns, or cardiac events?
Dr. Manuel Johnston: Here we have a fully equipped medical center with two beds. We have all the necessary dressing items, everything to handle all emergencies. We have ECG, audiometry, and PFT. We even have a defibrillator, which we obviously don't use. We are not supposed to! We are just supposed to stabilize the patient and send them to a nearby higher center as per the act. We do have a cardiac ambulance for shifting patients.
Dr. Hansini Bhaskaran: Doctor, can you describe a major workplace incident you managed and what you learned from it?
Dr. Manuel Johnston: I think it was my first month here. A sheet fell on a person's leg and we had a posterior dislocation of the femur. We were managing him. By that time, we received another call for a patient who had an open injury in his right hand. The thing is, we have a single ambulance, so we have to refer them based on the emergency, and we have only two beds. Crowd control was the most hectic thing that day. I improved my team's preparedness to manage crowds and handle patients after this incident.
Dr. Hansini Bhaskaran: How do you promote mental health and stress management among workers?
Dr. Manuel Johnston: We conduct awareness sessions on a monthly basis by the in-house team or we hire specialists for these sessions. We also have a township where we do mental health awareness sessions for the family members as well. Employees also come to me for counselling regarding personal issues or disputes in the industrial premises.
Dr. Hansini Bhaskaran: What's your role in return-to-work decisions after a long medical leave or injury and how do you help them?
Dr. Manuel Johnston: I have worked in three companies so far. The return to work depends on the leave policy of the company. Like in the current company I am working at, if anyone takes sick leave for more than three days, they have to undergo the same medical procedures and examinations before joining back. In chronic conditions like cardiac events, the employees are asked to get a fitness report from their treating physician before entering the factory.
Dr. Hansini Bhaskaran: Can you describe the Factories Act law or OSHA regulations and how you stay updated with these laws?
Dr. Manuel Johnston: In India, most companies abide by the Factories Act of 1948. OSHA is not followed here. So there are specific forms and rules that are still being followed according to the Factories Act. In our company, we have a specific legal team that takes care of statutory compliances. So in case of any updates or any changes in forms or regulations, we are updated by them.
Dr. Hansini Bhaskaran: How do you ensure workers' health needs are met while also managing the occupational priorities?
Dr. Manuel Johnston: In reality, the management's concern is production. But we make sure the employees' needs are met by visiting them. We do shop floor visits twice a week. We interact with them. We encourage them to come to us in case of any needs or emergencies. Also, most of them are migrant workers. So, we communicate with them in their own language so they feel comfortable and approach us if needed.
Dr. Hansini Bhaskaran: What challenges do you currently face in this industry and what can be done to improve them?
Dr. Manuel Johnston: Challenges faced in the industry are mostly budget constraints. I would like to perform tests on food handlers, but the company wouldn't give approval for that due to the budget. The major hazard in the company is a simulation hazard, so I would advise the person working in barrels to go for job rotation. These are the challenges faced. Overcoming them mainly depends on the senior management and how prepared they are for employee wellness. Abiding by statutory compliances is what we can ask for and will get. Other than that, everything depends on the management's perspective.
Dr. Hansini Bhaskaran: How much has industrial healthcare evolved in recent years, Doctor?
Dr. Manuel Johnston: Companies have started giving more importance to industry these days, both as part of statutory compliance and as part of employee wellness. Some companies even have full-fledged hospitals on their premises. The previous company I was associated with had a full-fledged lab for performing these tests for the employees. As far as I have seen, there is a huge improvement. The awareness among employees has increased regarding their health. So the management is acting accordingly.
Dr. Hansini Bhaskaran: What advice would you like to give to young doctors who wish to make a career in industrial health?
Dr. Manuel Johnston: My advice to them would be to think and decide before choosing this. This is more of a managerial role than a doctor’s role. We will not get the satisfaction of treating patients here. If you are really into industrial health and want a desk job, choose this.
MedBound Times expresses sincere gratitude to Dr. Manuel Johnston for sharing his valuable insights on our platform.
