Health and safety management actions to reduce the impact that medication can have on occupational risks in SMEs.

Introduction: Occupational risks and accidents are a global concern, so this analysis has been undertaken by a multitude of researchers. However, there is a limited body of research specifically addressing the influence of medication on occupational risks and, more notably, the development of measures aimed at controlling or reducing the impact that such medication may have on workplace safety and health. This scientific gap is even greater among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Methods: The general objective of the research presented here is to identify and explore possible health management actions, based on the experience of occupational physicians that could be adopted to reduce the impact of medication on occupational risks in SMEs. To this end, an expert panel was held in May 2023 using the nominal group technique, in which 10 experts in occupational health and safety participated, with open-ended questions, in order to determine these actions. Results: The main results were as follows: discourage, reduce, and control self-medication by doctors based on a greater knowledge of the problem by both groups; improve information and training for employers, prevention services, and workers on the side effects and impact of drugs on occupational accidents; unify or integrate the medical-occupational history with the general clinical history of the working population; and establish alarm systems in the IT tools of the healthcare systems. Discussion: The study not only contributes to a better understanding of the occupational risks associated with medication, but also provides practical recommendations to mitigate them. The findings identify a set of recommendations that, according to the experts' assessment, could help improve preventive management related to medication use in the workplace.