Occupational illnesses

Biologic and non biologic

Lifted from World Health

Organization
OCCUPATINAL DISEASE

WORK-RELATED DISEASE

An occupational
disease is any
disease contracted
primarily as a
result of an
exposure to risk
factors arising
from work activity.

Work-related
diseases have
multiple causes,
where factors in the
work environment
may play a role,
together with other
risk factors, in the
development of such
diseases.

 The WHO Global Plan of Action on

Workers Health called for improving
the diagnosis, reporting and
registration of occpational diseases
and building capacities for estimating
the occupational burden of diseases

WHOs activities regarding

ocucpational and work-related
diseases include:
Carrying our estimates of the global
burden of disease from major
occupational risks, such as injuries,
airborne exposures, carcinogens,
ergonomic stressors, noise and other
specific risks.

 Incorporating occupational diseases

and their causes in the 11th revision
of the International Statistical
Classification of Diseases and
Related Health Problems.

 Working with ILO to develop

diagnostic and exposure criteria for
occupational diseases and to enable
primary and secondary health care
providers to detect and report such
diseases.

Classification of illnesses
according to hazard
exposure

Non Biological Hazards eg physical

hazards; ergonomic hazards
Biological Hazards exposure to
bacteria, virus, etc

Non biological
Dermatitis due to
irritants and
sensitizers

Use or handling of
chemical agents
which are skin
irritants and
sensitizers

 Cataract produced
Frequent and
by the exposure to
prolonged
the glare of, or rays
exposure to the
from molten glass
glare of or rays
or molten or red
from molten glass
hot metal
or red hot metal

pneumoconiosis
Silicosis

Talc in talc
processors;
cosmetic industry;
silica in mining;
construction work;
sandblasting

asbestosis
Exposure to
asbestos

 Cancer of the lungs

Exposure to plastic
manufacturing
companies

 Noise induced
hearing loss
characterized as
progressive
sensorineural hearing
loss that is usually
bilateral, permanent
and irreversible and
affecting 30006000hertz but worst
at 4000hz

Exposure to
harmful noise
levels in the higher
frequencies

 Vascular
disturbance in the
upper extremities
due to continuous
vibration from
pneumatic tools or
power drills

Occupation causing
repeated motions,
vibrations and
pressure of upper
extremities

 Cancer of the
lungs, liver and
brain

Among vinyl
chloride workers,
plastic workers

biological
anthrax

Work in connection
with animals
infected with
anthrax, handling
of animal carcasses
or parts of such
carcasses including
hides, hoofs, and
horns

 Rabies

Any occupation
involving rabid
dogs

Equine
encephalomyelitis
Any occupation
involving handling
of horses, cattle or
sheep

 Viral hepatitis

Health workers in
the laboratory as
phlebotimist

 Considerations or
requirements of ECC for
compensable illnesses

Pneumonia any of the

following conditions
a) There must be a direct connection between
the offending agent or event and the worker
based on epidemiologic criteria and
occupational risk (eg health care workers
exposed to outbreaks such as SARS, bird
handlers exposed to Cryptococcus)
b) Pneumonia as a complication of a primary
work-connected illness or injury (eg as a
complication of injury to a chest wall with or
without rib fracture that was sustained at
work)

c) Pneumonia as a complication of
chemical inhalation exposure such as
among welders exposed to iron
fumes
d) Clinical diagnosis consistent with the
signs and symptoms of pneumonia
supported by diagnostic proof such
as chest xray and or microbiological
studies

Cardiovascular diseases
1) if the heart disease was known to
have been present during employment,
there must be proof that an acute
exacerbation was clearly precipitated by
the unusual strain by reasons of the
nature of his work
2) the strain of work that brings about an
acute attack must be of sufficient
severity and must be followed 24 hours
by the clinical signs of a cardiac insult to
constitute causal relationship

 3) if a person who was apparently asymptomatic

before being subjected to a strain at work showed
signs and symptoms of cardiac impairment during
the performance of his work and such symptoms
and signs persisted, it is reasonable to claim a
causal relationship subject to the ff conditions
a)If a person is known hypertensive, it must be
proven that this hypertension was controlled and
that he was compliant with TX
b)If a person is not known to be hypertensive during
his employment, his previous health examination
must show normal results in all of the following,
but not limited to: BP, CXR,ECG, CBC, UA

 4) a history of substance abuse must

be totally ruled out

Cerebro vascular accidents

(any of the following
conditions)
a) There must be proof that the stroke must
have developed as a result of the
stressful nature of work and pressures
inherent in an occupation
b) The strain of work that brings about an
cute stroke must be of sufficient in
severity and must be followed within 24H
by the clinical signs of an cute onset of
neurological deficit to constitute causal
relationship

c) If a person who was apparently

asymptomatic before being subjected to
strain at work showed signs and symptoms
of an onset of neurologic deficit during the
performance of his work, and such
symptoms and signs persisted, it is
reasonable to claim a causal relationship
d) There was a history, which should be
proven, of unusual and extraordinary
mental strain or

 Event, or trauma to, or hyperextension of

the neck. There must be a direct
connection between the insult in the
course of the employment and workers
collapse.
E) if the neck trauma or exertion then and
there caused either a brain infarction or
brain hemorrhage as documented by
neuro imaging studies, the injury may be
considered as arising from the work

f) If a person in known hypertensive, it

must be proven that this
hypertension is controlled and that
he was compliant with the
treatment
g) A history of substance abuse must
be totally ruled out.

Occupational Asthma
(all of the following conditions)
a) There was no past medical/clinical history of
asthma before employment
b) Clinical diagnosis consistent with signs and
symptoms of Occupational Asthma and
supported by diagnostic proof such as
obstructive ventilator pattern with significant
bronchodilator response on spirometry (FEV1),
peak flow meter response and/or non-specific
bronchial hyperresponsiveness (metacholine
challenge test)
c) WP exposure to agent reported to give rise to
OA as certified by the medical practitioner

Muskuloskeletal disorders
Refers to traumatic or non
inflammatory, degenerative, and
acquired conditions affecting
muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints,
peripheral nerves and blood vessels
arising in the performance of
assigned task

Prescribed minimum
standards for periodic
medical examinations
designed for the early
detection of
occupational diseases

 Periodic examinations at intervals of

3 months or less if workers are
exposed to:
1) Benzol or amino derivatives of
benzene
2) ionizing radiations
3) organic phosphorus insecticides

Periodic examinations at intervals not

exceeding 6 months in cases of
exposure to following:

lead or its toxic compounds

Mercury
Manganese
Chromium
Carbon Disulfide

Complete medical
examination when
Urine and urinary bladder
alphanaptylamine, betanaptylamine or
benzidine
Eyes and skin exposure to tar, pitch,
bitumen, mineral oil, paraffin or soot
Eyes infrared rays from molten metal
Skin skin irritants and sensitizers

 Audiometric examination excessive

noise with hi frequency
Skin, eyes and blood ionizing radiaton
GI, nervous, blood, skin, mucous
membranes and lungs Arsenic
Blood benzene
Skin and lungs berrylium
Skin and RT nickel and chromium

For an occupational disease and the

resulting disability or death to be
compensable

1) the employees work and working

conditions must involve risk/s that
caused the development of the illness
2) the disease was contracted as a
result of the employees exposure to
the described risks
3) the disease was contracted within a
period of exposure and under such
other factors necessary to contract it

 4) there was no deliberate act on the

part of the employee to disregard the
safety measures or ignore
established warning or precaution

To determine causal
relationship
Includes pre-emp med exam
Periodic med exam
WEM (work environment monitoring)

Medical Benefits

Hospitalization
Medical services
Ward services
PF
Surgical benefit