| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Nursing |
| Level | Entry level |
| Reports to | Factory Medical Officer or HSE Head |
| Direct reports | None |
| Experience | 2 to 5 years in nursing, ideally with occupational or emergency exposure |
Occupational Health Nurse job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Occupational Health Nurse
Department: Nursing
Reports to: Factory Medical Officer or HSE Head
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
An Occupational Health Nurse runs the health centre inside a factory or plant. They provide first aid and emergency care for workplace injuries, conduct pre-employment and periodic medical checks, manage occupational illness and fitness, and promote health and safety at work. The role links healthcare with industrial safety and compliance. In an Indian manufacturing plant the occupational health nurse treats on-site injuries, keeps medical and injury records, supports statutory health checks, coordinates with the safety team, and helps keep the workforce healthy and fit for duty.
Key responsibilities
- Provide first aid and emergency care for injuries and illness at the plant.
- Conduct pre-employment, periodic and fitness medical checks for workers.
- Manage the occupational health centre, its supplies and emergency readiness.
- Maintain medical, injury and health check records as required.
- Support statutory health checks and occupational health compliance work.
- Coordinate with the safety team on workplace hazards and injuries.
- Promote health, hygiene and wellness among the plant workforce.
- Refer serious cases to hospital and coordinate the response.
- Track injury trends and support prevention with the safety team.
- Support health during night shifts and manage the centre roster.
Requirements
- B.Sc Nursing or GNM
- Registration with the state nursing council
- Occupational health nursing training is an advantage
- 2 to 5 years in nursing, ideally with occupational or emergency exposure
KRAs and KPIs for a Occupational Health Nurse
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Emergency readiness | First aid and emergency response ready and delivered without delay |
| Health checks | Pre-employment and periodic medical checks completed on schedule |
| Records | Medical, injury and health check records complete and compliant |
| Compliance | Statutory occupational health requirements met with no lapse |
| Injury support | Workplace injuries treated and referred correctly and recorded |
| Prevention | Injury trends shared with safety to support prevention |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: First aid and emergency supplies, Vital signs equipment, Occupational health records, Audiometry or screening tools, Ambulance coordination.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: Senior Occupational Health Nurse, OHC In-charge, Occupational Health Officer
Interview questions for a Occupational Health Nurse
- How do you respond to a serious injury on the shop floor?
- What do you check in a pre-employment medical for a factory worker?
- How do you run periodic health checks for hundreds of workers?
- How do you keep occupational health records compliant?
- How do you work with the safety team to prevent injuries?
- How do you handle a heat or chemical exposure case at the plant?
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What does an occupational health nurse do?
An occupational health nurse runs the health centre inside a factory or plant. They provide first aid and emergency care for workplace injuries, conduct pre-employment and periodic medical checks, manage occupational illness and fitness, and promote health and safety. They keep medical and injury records, support statutory health checks, and coordinate with the safety team to keep the workforce healthy.
What qualifications does an occupational health nurse need?
A B.Sc Nursing or GNM with registration with the state nursing council is the usual base, and occupational health nursing training is an advantage. Employers value first aid and emergency skills, comfort with health screening and records, and the ability to work with the safety team, since the role sits between healthcare and industrial safety.
How is occupational health nursing different from hospital nursing?
Occupational health nursing happens inside a workplace, focusing on injury first aid, medical fitness checks, prevention and compliance for workers, often as the only nurse on site. Hospital nursing treats sick patients in a ward with a full clinical team. The occupational health nurse combines nursing with workplace safety and record-keeping duties.