Occupational disease

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Occupational disease
Other namesOccupational illnesses [1]

An occupational disease or industrial disease is any chronic ailment that occurs as a result of work or occupational activity. It is an aspect of occupational safety and health. An occupational disease is typically identified when it is shown that it is more prevalent in a given body of workers than in the general population, or in other worker populations. The first such disease to be recognised, squamous-cell carcinoma of the scrotum, was identified in chimney sweep boys by Sir Percival Pott in 1775[ citation needed ]. Occupational hazards that are of a traumatic nature (such as falls by roofers) are not considered to be occupational diseases.

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Under the law of workers' compensation in many jurisdictions, there is a presumption that specific diseases are caused by the worker being in the work environment and the burden is on the employer or insurer to show that the disease came about from another cause. Diseases compensated by national workers compensation authorities are often termed occupational diseases. However, many countries do not offer compensations for certain diseases like musculoskeletal disorders caused by work (e.g. in Norway). Therefore, the term work-related diseases is utilized to describe diseases of occupational origin. This term however would then include both compensable and non-compensable diseases that have occupational origins.

In a landmark study published by the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization in 2021, 745,000 fatalities from coronary artery disease and stroke events in 2016 were attributed to exposure to long working hours. [2] With these UN estimates, the global burden of work-related cardiovascular diseases has been quantified for the first time.

Occupational disease is expected to be reported less than actual figure. Neither educational material nor educational meeting increase the report of occupational disease. However, reminders on the legal obligation to report the occupational disease seem to increase physician reporting. [3]

Types

Some well-known occupational diseases include:

Lung diseases

Occupational lung diseases include asbestosis among asbestos miners and those who work with friable asbestos insulation, as well as black lung (coalworker's pneumoconiosis) among coal miners, silicosis among miners and quarrying and tunnel operators and byssinosis among workers in parts of the cotton textile industry.

Occupational asthma has a vast number of occupations at risk.

Bad indoor air quality may predispose for diseases in the lungs as well as in other parts of the body.

Skin diseases

Occupational skin diseases are ranked among the top five occupational diseases in many countries. [4]

Occupational skin diseases and conditions are generally caused by chemicals and having wet hands for long periods while at work. Eczema is by far the most common, but urticaria, sunburn and skin cancer are also of concern. [5]

Contact dermatitis due to irritation is inflammation of the skin which results from a contact with an irritant. [6] It has been observed that this type of dermatitis does not require prior sensitization of the immune system. There have been studies to support that past or present atopic dermatitis is a risk factor for this type of dermatitis. [7] Common irritants include detergents, acids, alkalies, oils, organic solvents and reducing agents. [8]

The acute form of this dermatitis develops on exposure of the skin to a strong irritant or caustic chemical. This exposure can occur as a result of accident at a workplace. The irritant reaction starts to increase in its intensity within minutes to hours of exposure to the irritant and reaches its peak quickly. After the reaction has reached its peak level, it starts to heal. This process is known as decrescendo phenomenon. [9] The most frequent potent irritants leading to this type of dermatitis are acids and alkaline solutions. [10] The symptoms include redness and swelling of the skin along with the formation of blisters.

The chronic form occurs as a result of repeated exposure of the skin to weak irritants over long periods of time. [11]

Clinical manifestations of the contact dermatitis are also modified by external factors such as environmental factors (mechanical pressure, temperature, and humidity) and predisposing characteristics of the individual (age, sex, ethnic origin, preexisting skin disease, atopic skin diathesis, and anatomic region exposed. [12]

Another occupational skin disease is Glove related hand urticaria. It has been reported as an occupational problem among the health care workers. This type of hand urticaria is believed to be caused by repeated wearing and removal of the gloves. The reaction is caused by the latex or the nitrile present in the gloves. [13]

High-risk occupations include: [5]

Other diseases of concern

The List of Occupational Diseases of the International Labour Organization (ILO) [15] also includes "mental and behavioral disorders associated with exposure to risk factors" [16] , [17]

Historical

Donald Hunter in his classic history of occupational diseases discusses many example of occupational diseases. [18] They include:

Bernardino Ramazzini in his book, dated 1700, De Morbis Artificum Diatriba, outlined the health hazards of chemicals, dust, metals, repetitive or violent motions, odd postures, and other disease-causative agents encountered by workers in more than fifty occupations.

Prevention

Prevention measures include avoidance of the irritant through its removal from the workplace or through technical shielding by the use of potent irritants in closed systems or automation, irritant replacement or removal [19] and personal protection of the workers.

In order to better prevent and control occupational disease, most countries revise and update their related laws, most of them greatly increasing the penalties in case of breaches of the occupational disease laws. Occupational disease prevention, in general legally regulated, is part of good supply chain management and enables companies to design and ensure supply chain social compliance schemes as well as monitor their implementation to identify and prevent occupational disease hazards.

In literature

The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham

Radium Girls by Kate Moore

In film

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dermatitis</span> Inflammatory disease of the skin

Dermatitis is inflammation of the skin, typically characterized by itchiness, redness and a rash. In cases of short duration, there may be small blisters, while in long-term cases the skin may become thickened. The area of skin involved can vary from small to covering the entire body. Dermatitis is often called eczema, and the difference between those terms is not standardized.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Contact dermatitis</span> Human disease

Contact dermatitis is a type of acute or chronic inflammation of the skin caused by exposure to chemical or physical agents. Symptoms of contact dermatitis can include itchy or dry skin, a red rash, bumps, blisters, or swelling. These rashes are not contagious or life-threatening, but can be very uncomfortable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Latex allergy</span> Medical condition

Latex allergy is a medical term encompassing a range of allergic reactions to the proteins present in natural rubber latex. It generally develops after repeated exposure to products containing natural rubber latex. When latex-containing medical devices or supplies come in contact with mucous membranes, the membranes may absorb latex proteins. In some susceptible people, the immune system produces antibodies that react immunologically with these antigenic proteins. Many items contain or are made from natural rubber, including shoe soles, pen grips, hot water bottles, elastic bands, rubber gloves, condoms, baby-bottle nipples, and balloons; consequently, there are many possible routes of exposure that may trigger a reaction. People with latex allergies may also have or develop allergic reactions to some fruits, such as bananas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hives</span> Skin disease characterized by red, raised, and itchy bumps

Hives, also known as urticaria, is a kind of skin rash with red, raised, itchy bumps. Hives may burn or sting. The patches of rash may appear on different body parts, with variable duration from minutes to days, and does not leave any long-lasting skin change. Fewer than 5% of cases last for more than six weeks. The condition frequently recurs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hairdresser</span> Person whose occupation is to cut or style hair

A hairdresser is a person whose occupation is to cut or style hair in order to change or maintain a person's image. This is achieved using a combination of hair coloring, haircutting, and hair texturing techniques. A hairdresser may also be referred to as a 'barber' or 'hairstylist'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perioral dermatitis</span> Medical condition

Perioral dermatitis, also known as periorificial dermatitis, is a common type of skin rash. Symptoms include multiple small (1–2 mm) bumps and blisters sometimes with background redness and scale, localized to the skin around the mouth and nostrils. Less commonly the eyes and genitalia may be involved. It can be persistent or recurring and resembles particularly rosacea and to some extent acne and allergic dermatitis. The term "dermatitis" is a misnomer because this is not an eczematous process.

Irritant contact dermatitis is a form of contact dermatitis that can be divided into forms caused by chemical irritants and those caused by physical irritants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheilitis</span> Inflammation of the lips

Cheilitis is a medical condition characterized by inflammation of the lips. The inflammation may include the perioral skin, the vermilion border, or the labial mucosa. The skin and the vermilion border are more commonly involved, as the mucosa is less affected by inflammatory and allergic reactions.

An occupational exposure limit is an upper limit on the acceptable concentration of a hazardous substance in workplace air for a particular material or class of materials. It is typically set by competent national authorities and enforced by legislation to protect occupational safety and health. It is an important tool in risk assessment and in the management of activities involving handling of dangerous substances. There are many dangerous substances for which there are no formal occupational exposure limits. In these cases, hazard banding or control banding strategies can be used to ensure safe handling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hand eczema</span> Skin condition

Hand eczema presents on the palms and soles, and may sometimes be difficult or impossible to differentiate from atopic dermatitis, allergic contact dermatitis, and psoriasis, which also commonly involve the hands. Even a biopsy of all these conditions may not result in a definitive diagnosis, as all three conditions may demonstrate spongiosis and crusting on the hands.

A barrier cream is a topical formulation used in industrial applications and as a cosmetic to place a physical barrier between the skin and contaminants that may irritate the skin. There are many other terms for creams designed to protect skin from harmful substances, including skin protective creams, pre-work creams, antisolvent gels, protective ointments, and shielding lotions. Three classes of barrier creams are used: water repellent creams, water-soluble creams, and creams designed for special applications. Barrier creams may contain substances such as zinc oxide, talc or kaolin to layer over the skin. For hand care they are designed to protect against the harm from detergents and other irritants.

Contact stomatitis is inflammation or pain of the oral mucosa caused by external stimuli. It is characterized by cutaneous lesions that may be located where the offending agent contacts the mucosa for a prolonged time. Oftentimes it presents in the mouth after contact with hot food or from ill-fitted dentures or other irritant. Consequently, patients may seek resolve from their dentist rather than a dermatologist. Unlike with allergic contact stomatitis, the skin requires no previous exposure to a stimulant before crafting an immune reaction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Occupational safety and health</span> Field concerned with the safety, health and welfare of people at work

Occupational safety and health (OSH) or occupational health and safety (OHS) is a multidisciplinary field concerned with the safety, health, and welfare of people at work. OSH is related to the fields of occupational medicine and occupational hygiene and aligns with workplace health promotion initiatives. OSH also protects all the general public who may be affected by the occupational environment.

Exposure to ionizing radiation is known to increase the future incidence of cancer, particularly leukemia. The mechanism by which this occurs is well understood, but quantitative models predicting the level of risk remain controversial. The most widely accepted model posits that the incidence of cancers due to ionizing radiation increases linearly with effective radiation dose at a rate of 5.5% per sievert; if correct, natural background radiation is the most hazardous source of radiation to general public health, followed by medical imaging as a close second. Additionally, the vast majority of non-invasive cancers are non-melanoma skin cancers caused by ultraviolet radiation. Non-ionizing radio frequency radiation from mobile phones, electric power transmission, and other similar sources have been investigated as a possible carcinogen by the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer, but to date, no evidence of this has been observed.

Occupational skin diseases are ranked among the top five occupational diseases in many countries.

Job strain is a form of psychosocial stress that occurs in the workplace. One of the most common forms of stress, it is characterized by a combination of low salaries, high demands, and low levels of control over things such as raises and paid time off. Stresses at work can be eustress, a positive type of stress, or distress, a negative type of stress. Job strain in the workplace has proved to result in poor psychological health, and eventually physical health. Job strain has been a recurring issue for years and affects men and women differently.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lip licker's dermatitis</span> Medical condition

Lip licker's dermatitis is a type of skin inflammation around the lips due to damage by saliva from repetitive lip licking and is classified as a subtype of irritant contact cheilitis. The resulting scaling, redness, chapping, and crusting makes a well-defined ring around the lips. The rash may extend as far as the tongue can reach and usually does not occur at the corners of the mouth. It commonly occurs during winter months but some people can have it year-round if lip licking is a chronic habit.

The intense contact between a musical instrument and skin may exaggerate existing skin conditions or cause new skin conditions. Skin conditions like hyperhidrosis, lichen planus, psoriasis, eczema, and urticaria may be caused in instrumental musicians due to occupational exposure and stress. Allergic contact dermatitis and irritant contact dermatitis are the most common skin conditions seen in string musicians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dermatoses induced by Personal Protective Equipment</span>

Dermatoses induced by Personal Protective Equipment are skin lesions that occur due to the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Personal Protective Equipment such as masks, face shields, goggles, gloves and gowns can cause abrasion in the skin and retain moisture in body parts, particularly the face. During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers and general public need to use personal protective equipment, sometimes for extended duration, which may result in skin problems due to friction, pressure, long-term sealing and moisture retention.

References

  1. ↑ "MeSH Browser". meshb.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
  2. ↑ Pega, Frank; Nafradi, Balint; Momen, Natalie; Ujita, Yuka; Streicher, Kai; Prüss-Üstün, Annette; Technical Advisory Group (2021). "Global, regional, and national burdens of ischemic heart disease and stroke attributable to exposure to long working hours for 194 countries, 2000–2016: A systematic analysis from the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury". Environment International. 154: 106595. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106595 . PMC   8204267 . PMID   34011457.
  3. ↑ Curti, Stefania; Sauni, Riitta; Spreeuwers, Dick; De Schryver, Antoon; Valenty, Madeleine; Rivière, Stéphanie; Mattioli, Stefano (2015-03-25). "Interventions to increase the reporting of occupational diseases by physicians". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (3): CD010305. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD010305.pub2. ISSN   1469-493X. PMC   10892532 . PMID   25805310.
  4. ↑ Kanerva's Occupational Dermatology. ISBN   978-3-642-02035-3.
  5. 1 2 HSE (Health and Safety Executive of Great Britain) Skin at work Retrieved on June 20, 2009
  6. ↑ Chew, Ai-Lean; Maibach, Howard I. (2006-06-18). Irritant Dematitis. ISBN   978-3-540-31294-9.
  7. ↑ Coenraads, P. J.; Diepgen, T. L. (1998-02-01). "Risk for hand eczema in employees with past or present atopic dermatitis". International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health. 71 (1): 7–13. doi:10.1007/s004200050243. ISSN   0340-0131. PMID   9523243. S2CID   24878837.
  8. ↑ Elsner, P. (1994-07-01). "Irritant dermatitis in the workplace". Dermatologic Clinics. 12 (3): 461–467. doi:10.1016/S0733-8635(18)30149-9. ISSN   0733-8635. PMID   7923942.
  9. ↑ Wilhelm, Klaus Peter; Zhai, Hongbo; Maibach, Howard I. (2007-11-26). Dermatotoxicology. ISBN   978-0849397738.
  10. ↑ Eichmann, A.; Amgwerd, D. (1992-05-05). "[Toxic contact dermatitis]". Schweizerische Rundschau für Medizin Praxis = Revue Suisse de Médecine Praxis. 81 (19): 615–617. ISSN   1013-2058. PMID   1589676.
  11. ↑ Dahl, M. V. (1988-01-01). "Chronic, irritant contact dermatitis: mechanisms, variables, and differentiation from other forms of contact dermatitis". Advances in Dermatology. 3: 261–275. ISSN   0882-0880. PMID   3152823.
  12. ↑ Safety, Government of Canada, Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and. "Dermatitis, Irritant Contact : OSH Answers". www.ccohs.ca. Retrieved 2016-03-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. ↑ Glove-related hand urticaria: an increasing occupational problem amongst health care workers. Hawkey S, Abdul Ghaffar S.
  14. ↑ "Occupational Illnesses & Workers' Compensation in Connecticut". Jacobs & Jacobs Law. 2022-03-07. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
  15. ↑ List of Occupational Disease. Geneva: ILO, 2010.
  16. ↑ Kim E. A., Kang S. K. Historical review of the List of Occupational Diseases recommended by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Annals of occupational and environmental medicine. 2013; 25(1). 14.
  17. ↑ Eryomin A.L., Zibarev E.V. (2020) Intellectual labour - physiology, hygiene, medicine: retrospective and modern fundamental research. Occupational Health and Industrial Ecology 60(12) 951-957.
  18. ↑ Hunter, Donald (1994). Diseases of Occupations (8th rev. ed.). Hodder Arnold. ISBN   978-0-340-55173-8.
  19. ↑ Handbook of Occupational Dermatology. 2000. ISBN   978-3-662-07679-8.
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