Possible health factors limiting the choice of occupation are assessed in a comprehensive health examination performed in the 8th grade (at the age of approximately 14 years).
Information about health factors limiting the choice of occupation and, on the other hand, health risks in different occupations is provided for the students.
If needed, an educational plan is drawn up together with the pupil and in co-operation with the school guidance counselling, parents and, if necessary, with other bodies (e.g. specialized health care, health insurance system, employment office).
The student counsellor has information on different options for assisted education.
Extensive health examination in the upper level of comprehensive school
In the examination occurring in the 8th grade (in a 9-grade basic school system, at the age of approximately 14 years), the following are determined:
the pupil's chronic diseases and symptoms
visual acuity and colour vision
hearing acuity
hopes and plans for further education
success at school and possible problems with learning.
A clinical examination is performed.
A stand on health limitations is taken.
As necessary, follow-up of a symptom or illness and a re-examination at the age of 15
Additional examinations as necessary (e.g. more precise examination of colour vision, allergy tests with deliberation)
Information provided to the pupil, the parents, the student counsellor, specialised health care
Health factors limiting the choice of occupation
General
True restrictions are few. Educational orientation and choice of a profession is primarily determined by motivation to the career in question.
Possible limitations are individually considered in relation to the planned field of education (symptom characteristics, severity, need for medication and other treatment).
Special requirements for the health of students exist on certain fields of education based on regulations concerning occupational safety or prevention of communicable disease.
Transport by land, water and air, building trade and health care branch in the secondary vocational education
A separate medical certificate is required on some of these fields, whereas the applicant's own account on possible health limitations is sufficient on others.
Atopic dermatitis and hand eczema
There are no absolute restrictions for a student with mild atopic eczema provided that the eczema is mainly manifested in the winter and does not occur in the hands.
Persons with atopic eczema who also have had eczema in the hands are ill-suited to any kind of work that entails skin irritation of the hands (continuously wet or dirty working conditions, exposure to chemicals, work that requires frequent hand-washing or continuous wearing of tight rubber or plastic gloves).
Hair-dressing
Nursing and other care work
Food industry
Animal tending
Cleaning
Branches involving exposure to chemicals
Surface finishing (painter)
Contact allergy is a limitation for tasks that involve dealing with contact allergens causing symptoms (rubber, nickel, fruits, vegetables and spices cross-reacting with leaf-tree allergy).
Allergic contact dermatitis may be caused by exposure to work-related allergizing chemicals.
Owing to the risk of allergic respiratory ailments, a pupil with atopic eczema should avoid work involving exposure to flour dust as well as cattle and animal tending.
Asthma and allergic rhinitis
Mild asthma that is controlled by moderate medication is not a restriction.
Occupations with constant exposure to dust or actual allergens are, however, ill-suited for persons with asthma or allergic rhinitis.
Work involving exposure to
flour dust (bakeries)
animal dust (cattle and animal tending)
textile dust
wood dust
Barbering-hair dressing
The amount of exposure, possibilities for protection and individual ability to follow protective instructions should be considered.
A person with severe asthma is usually not suited for heavy physical work or for continuous working in a cold or dusty environment.
Vision defects
Defective vision correctable with eyeglasses in general is not a limitation.
Some jobs have detailed visual requirements.
Deck staff of ships
Railway engine drivers
Professional pilots and aircraft fitters
Police and certain duties in the defence forces
Completely normal colour vision is required for some lines of work.
Deck staff of ships
Railway engine drivers
Professional pilots and aircraft fitters
Electricians (power current)
Colour vision is of importance
in weak current electrical fitting (telecommunications, electronic and instrument fitting)
in producing illustrations in the graphic industry
in the work of painters, laboratory assistants, cosmetologists, hair-dressers and fashion designers
professions of art and communications.
If a screening test indicates defective colour vision and the pupil aspires to one of these sectors, an ophthalmologist's determination of the degree of the defect in colour vision is needed, and a stand on the choice of occupation is taken on the basis of it.
In addition, the organizer of the education can be consulted.
Hearing defects
Weakened hearing is a limitation if coping on the job or general safety require a certain level of hearing or if the work, owing to the level of noise, poses a risk of weakened hearing among individuals with a hearing defect of inner-ear origin.
Good hearing determined in detail is a prerequisite in certain transport tasks in navigation and air traffic, on the railway and in professional traffic.
If the pupil has a hearing defect of inner-ear origin and is considering a line of work involving exposure to noise (e.g. the automobile body, wood, metal or process industry, building construction), the opinion of an otologist is recommended.
Epilepsy
Not suited to be a professional driver in land, water or air traffic nor to be a driver of heavy vehicles on land.
Other restrictions are relative, specific to the individual and specific to the work.
If epileptic attacks do not remain completely absent with medication, occupations involving accident risk are to be avoided (falling, hazardous machinery, danger of electrical accident or fire).
Other limiting factors and diseases
Diabetes, rheumatic disease, heart defects, neurological handicaps and rare diseases require individual solutions and often call for co-operation with the body responsible for treatment.
In cases of mental disease or learning difficulties, the load involved in the course of study and in the future work should also be considered.
Problematic use of or addiction to alcohol or drugs is a restriction in many occupational fields. In certain situations it is possible to test students of an educational institution for drugs.
In certain occupations, the person must declare his/her possible criminal record.
Co-operation
A negotiation between the pupil's counsellor, the nurse, the doctor, the pupil and his/her parents should be readily arranged, if needed.
Agreement is reached on further measures, e.g.
further investigations on the health limitations of the pupil relevant for his/her choice of a profession
the employment office's occupational guidance
an interview with or a visit to the educational establishment, if needed.
Co-operation with the employment office's occupational guidance is called for particularly in the case of pupils with a chronic disease or handicap.
As needed, the pupil is referred to the occupational guidance psychologist for
guidance discussion
aptitude tests
work and educational trials.
The division of tasks is agreed upon with specialised health care personnel, and information about examinations and observations made in school health care are provided to them.
Doctor's statements
Diseases and handicaps noteworthy with respect to the choice of occupation, their treatment, the tasks they hinder, and the types of work that can make them worse are pointed out.
If necessary, a statement is compiled for the employment office's occupational guidance.
Depending on national legislation and policies, adolescents in special education may be entitled to some form of financial or other support, for example, to rehabilitation allowance. Find out about local possibilities.