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Scientific Reports Apr 2022Exposure to nickel aerosol in the nickel production is associated with greater occupational risk, yet little is known how many workers will develop an occupational...
Exposure to nickel aerosol in the nickel production is associated with greater occupational risk, yet little is known how many workers will develop an occupational disease and claim compensation. The aim of this analysis was to prospectively observe a cohort of nickel electrolysis workers and quantitatively assess confirmed occupational disease claims. We observed a cohort of nickel electrolysis workers (N = 1397, median age 39, 68% males) from 2008 till 2020 in one of the largest nickel producers in the Russian High North. Cumulative incidence of confirmed occupational disease claims in seven occupational groups, including electrolysis operators, hydrometallurgists, crane operators, final product cleaners, metalworkers, electricians and 'other' was analyzed and supplemented with Cox proportional hazards regression, yielding hazard ratios (HR) with their 95% confidence intervals (CI) of occupational disease claims for each group. N patients with occupational disease claims varied from 1 in 2016 to 22 in 2009, and in total 87 patients developed one or more occupational diseases (cumulative incidence 6.2%, p < 0.001 between seven groups). Accounting for 35,527 person-years of observation in total, cleaners exhibited the greatest risk (HR 2.58 (95% CI 1.43-4.64)), also adjusted for smoking, number of non-occupational diseases and group 2 (hydrometallurgists). Smoking was independently associated with having an occupational disease claim in all groups (p < 0.001), as was the number of non-work-related diseases in six groups of seven. Despite consistent improvement in the exposure control measures in nickel production, occupational morbidity persists. More effort is needed to reduce exposure in final product cleaners.
Topics: Adult; Electrolysis; Female; Humans; Male; Morbidity; Nickel; Occupational Diseases; Prospective Studies
PubMed: 35490161
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-11241-5 -
La Medicina Del Lavoro Aug 2020Criteria for diagnosis and compensation of occupational musculoskeletal diseases varies widely between countries as demonstrated by the large differences between...
BACKGROUND
Criteria for diagnosis and compensation of occupational musculoskeletal diseases varies widely between countries as demonstrated by the large differences between countries with comparable economics and social systems (for example, within the European Union). Several countries have a list of occupational diseases and sometimes these lists include diagnostic and attribution criteria, but these criteria are usually not very specific, and they may also be very different.
OBJECTIVES
The aim of this paper is to explicitly define what are the information needed for an evidence-based diagnosis and attribution of an occupational musculoskeletal disease.
METHODS
Based on the general framework of evidence-based medicine, a review is presented of the information required to define: - when a musculoskeletal disease is present, according to the best available techniques; - how to define a relevant exposure to biomechanical risk factors, according to the best available techniques.
RESULTS
Criteria are presented to combine information regarding the diagnosis of a musculoskeletal disease and exposure to biomechanical risk factors for an evidence-based attribution of the disease to the occupational exposure. The criteria use a probabilistic model that combine epidemiologic and medical findings, workplace exposure assessment, and non-occupational factors evaluation.
DISCUSSION
The use of the proposed criteria may improve the process of diagnosis and attribution of an occupational musculoskeletal disease. In addition, it makes possible to associate a probability rank to the attribution and, ultimately, it may improve the overall quality of the decisional process of the occupational physician.
Topics: Humans; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Risk Factors; Workplace
PubMed: 32869763
DOI: 10.23749/mdl.v111i4.10340 -
Journal of Environmental and Public... 2023Working people are exposed to occupational hazards and are at risk of having occupational disease or injury in a rapidly industrializing country like Malaysia. This... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Working people are exposed to occupational hazards and are at risk of having occupational disease or injury in a rapidly industrializing country like Malaysia. This study aims to review and summarize the occupational disease and injury in Malaysia from 2016 to 2021.
METHODS
This study used PubMed and Scopus databases to conduct a systematic literature search using a set of keywords. The selected records dated from 1 January 2016 to 8 September 2021 were extracted into the Mendeley Desktop and ATLAS.ti 8 software. Systematic screening was conducted by two independent researchers and finalized by the third researcher. Data were coded and grouped according to the themes. The results were presented as the table for descriptive analysis and cross-tabulation between the themes.
RESULTS
A total of 120 records were included in this study. Under the theme of main health problems, the findings showed that mental health, infectious disease, and work-related musculoskeletal disorders are the top three problems being discussed in the literature for the working people in Malaysia. The findings also showed an increasing trend of mental health problems during pandemic COVID-19 years. In addition, hospital was the highest workplace where the occupational health problems were reported.. There was substantial work on the mental health problem, infectious diseases, and work-related musculoskeletal disorders as the main health problem among workers in Malaysia in the past five years. The employers must report any occupational health and injury case to the authority and prompt intervention can be initiated.
Topics: Humans; Malaysia; COVID-19; Occupational Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Mental Health; Occupational Health
PubMed: 36761248
DOI: 10.1155/2023/1798434 -
Respirology (Carlton, Vic.) Jun 2022
Topics: Humans; Lung; Lung Diseases; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure
PubMed: 35491400
DOI: 10.1111/resp.14273 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jun 2020Work-related asthma (WRA) includes heterogeneous conditions, which have in common (i) symptoms and signs compatible with asthma and (ii) a relationship with exposures in... (Review)
Review
Work-related asthma (WRA) includes heterogeneous conditions, which have in common (i) symptoms and signs compatible with asthma and (ii) a relationship with exposures in the workplace. The types of WRA described in this review are distinguished by their etiology, comprising of work-exacerbated asthma (WEA), irritant-induced asthma (IIA), and immunologic occupational asthma (OA). There have been significant advances in the definition and characterization of the different forms of WRA by international panels of experts. The present review provides a comprehensive and updated view of the current knowledge on causes and phenotypes of WRA. Health care practitioners should consider WRA in any case of adult asthma, given that one fifth of workers with asthma report symptoms of WEA and it has been estimated that OA represents 10% to 25% of asthma in adulthood. The information provided in this review will facilitate the physician in the recognition of the different forms of WRA, since it has been established that five categories of agents are responsible for at least 60% of WEA cases and seven groups of agents are the cause of 70% of immunologic OA. In addition, there is agreement that IIA can be elicited not only by a single massive irritant exposure, but also by low/moderate repeated irritant exposures.
Topics: Adult; Asthma, Occupational; Humans; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Phenotype; Workplace
PubMed: 32627764
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17134713 -
Journal Der Deutschen Dermatologischen... May 2012Occupational skin diseases are the most commonly reported notifiable occupational diseases. In Germany, 23 596 out of a total of 71 263 reported occupational diseases in...
Occupational skin diseases are the most commonly reported notifiable occupational diseases. In Germany, 23 596 out of a total of 71 263 reported occupational diseases in 2010 were classified as occupational skin diseases (BK No. 5101: "severe or recurrent skin diseases which have forced the person to discontinue all occupational activities that caused or could cause the development, worsening, or recurrence of the disease"). Contact dermatitis (allergic, irritant) of the hands is the most common skin disease and atopic skin diathesis is often an important co-factor. The number of work-related skin diseases is many times higher than the number of notified occupational dermatoses. This CME article explains the legal framework of occupational diseases, the tasks and obligations of the legal statutory work insurance. Typical allergens and irritants of high risk professions are also presented as are the important steps from diagnosis to compensation. Early prevention of occupational skin diseases is very important to avoid severe chronic hand eczema. Therefore the "dermatologist's report" is crucial. Other occupational dermatoses (outside of BK 5101) are briefly mentioned. In recent years the number of notifications of occupational skin cancer due to occupational UV-irradiation has increased. According to recent epidemiological findings, there is a significant and consistent positive association between occupational UV-irradiation and squamous cell carcinoma. Therefore, an important criterion for a new occupational disease is fulfilled.
Topics: Germany; Humans; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Medicine; Skin Diseases
PubMed: 22455666
DOI: 10.1111/j.1610-0387.2012.07890.x -
European Respiratory Review : An... Dec 2017Occupational lung diseases are an important public health issue and are avoidable through preventive interventions in the workplace. Up-to-date knowledge about changes... (Review)
Review
Occupational lung diseases are an important public health issue and are avoidable through preventive interventions in the workplace. Up-to-date knowledge about changes in exposure to occupational hazards as a result of technological and industrial developments is essential to the design and implementation of efficient and effective workplace preventive measures. New occupational agents with unknown respiratory health effects are constantly introduced to the market and require periodic health surveillance among exposed workers to detect early signs of adverse respiratory effects. In addition, the ageing workforce, many of whom have pre-existing respiratory conditions, poses new challenges in terms of the diagnosis and management of occupational lung diseases. Primary preventive interventions aimed to reduce exposure levels in the workplace remain pivotal for elimination of the occupational lung disease burden. To achieve this goal there is still a clear need for setting standard occupational exposure limits based on transparent evidence-based methodology, in particular for carcinogens and sensitising agents that expose large working populations to risk. The present overview, focused on the occupational lung disease burden in Europe, proposes directions for all parties involved in the prevention of occupational lung disease, from researchers and occupational and respiratory health professionals to workers and employers.
Topics: Air Pollutants, Occupational; Early Diagnosis; Environmental Monitoring; Europe; Humans; Lung; Lung Diseases; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Occupational Health; Prognosis; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors
PubMed: 29141963
DOI: 10.1183/16000617.0080-2017 -
The Pan African Medical Journal 2016The essential occupation of well-digger includes wells drilling and maintenance in order to provide water. He comes in contact with various minerals, especially silica,...
The essential occupation of well-digger includes wells drilling and maintenance in order to provide water. He comes in contact with various minerals, especially silica, whose particles unquestionably are a contributing factor to pulmonary diseases known as silicosis. Our study aims to highlight the epidemiological, clinical, radiological and evolutionary features of well-diggers with silicosis. We conducted a retrospective study of 54 well-diggers with silicosis whose data were collected in the Department of Respiratory Diseases at the University Hospital Ibn Rushd of Casablanca from March 1997 to January 2016. All patients were male well-diggers with an average age of 50 years. Smoking was found in 36 cases and a personal history of tuberculosis was observed in eight cases. Chest x-ray showed large opacities in 39 cases, small opacities in 15 cases and septat thickening in 11 cases. Silicosis was complicated by bacterial infection in 37% of cases, by pneumothorax in 4% of cases and by tuberculosis in 20% of cases. Therapeutic approach was established based on these complications. A declaration of occupational disease and compensation was made. Outcome was good in 12 cases, stationary in 17 cases and poor in 16 cases. Silicosis is a common pneumoconiosis among well-diggers. It affects lung function. We here highlight its frequent association with tuberculosis and emphasize on prevention which is the best treatment.
Topics: Bacterial Infections; Hospitals, University; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Morocco; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Pneumothorax; Radiography, Thoracic; Respiratory Function Tests; Retrospective Studies; Silicosis; Smoking; Tuberculosis
PubMed: 28292119
DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2016.25.157.10824 -
Allergy Jun 2016The aim of this document was to provide a critical review of the current knowledge on hypersensitivity pneumonitis caused by the occupational environment and to propose... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
The aim of this document was to provide a critical review of the current knowledge on hypersensitivity pneumonitis caused by the occupational environment and to propose practical guidance for the diagnosis and management of this condition. Occupational hypersensitivity pneumonitis (OHP) is an immunologic lung disease resulting from lymphocytic and frequently granulomatous inflammation of the peripheral airways, alveoli, and surrounding interstitial tissue which develops as the result of a non-IgE-mediated allergic reaction to a variety of organic materials or low molecular weight agents that are present in the workplace. The offending agents can be classified into six broad categories that include bacteria, fungi, animal proteins, plant proteins, low molecular weight chemicals, and metals. The diagnosis of OHP requires a multidisciplinary approach and relies on a combination of diagnostic tests to ascertain the work relatedness of the disease. Both the clinical and the occupational history are keys to the diagnosis and often will lead to the initial suspicion. Diagnostic criteria adapted to OHP are proposed. The cornerstone of treatment is early removal from exposure to the eliciting antigen, although the disease may show an adverse outcome even after avoidance of exposure to the causal agent.
Topics: Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic; Diagnosis, Differential; Diagnostic Imaging; Disease Management; Humans; Occupational Diseases; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Respiratory Function Tests; Risk Factors
PubMed: 26913451
DOI: 10.1111/all.12866 -
Annals of Global Health 2015In the period of transition from a centralized economy to the market economy, occupational health services in Kyrgyzstan have survived through dramatic, detrimental... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
In the period of transition from a centralized economy to the market economy, occupational health services in Kyrgyzstan have survived through dramatic, detrimental changes. It is common for occupational health regulations to be ignored and for basic occupational health services across many industrial enterprises and farms to be neglected.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to demonstrate the present situation and challenges facing occupational health services in Kyrgyzstan.
FINDINGS
The transition from centralized to the market economy in Kyrgyzstan has led to increased layoffs of workers and unemployment. These threats are followed by increased workload, and the health and safety of workers becomes of little concern. Private employers ignore occupational health and safety; consequently, there is under-reporting of occupational diseases and accidents. The majority of enterprises, especially those of small or medium size, are unsanitary, and the health status of workers remains largely unknown. The low official rates of occupational diseases are the result of data being deliberately hidden; lack of coverage of working personnel by medical checkups; incompetent management; and the poor quality of staff, facilities, and equipment. Because Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous country, the main environmental and occupational factor of enterprises is hypoxia. Occupational health specialists have greatly contributed to the development of occupational medicine in the mountains through science and practice.
CONCLUSIONS
The enforcement of existing strong occupational health legislation and increased financing of occupational health services are needed. The maintenance of credible health monitoring and effective health services for workers, re-establishment of medical services and sanitary-hygienic laboratories in industrial enterprises, and support for scientific investigations on occupational risk assessment will increase the role of occupational health services in improving the health of the working population.
Topics: Altitude Sickness; Data Accuracy; Government Regulation; Health Policy; Humans; Kyrgyzstan; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Health; Occupational Health Services; Occupational Medicine
PubMed: 26709285
DOI: 10.1016/j.aogh.2015.08.017