Occupational diseases

OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES, CLASSIFICATION AND GENERAL PRINCIPLES FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF THE NATURE OF OCCUPATIONAL AND WORKING ABILITY EXPERTISE E. Petrova

2. Dynamics. As new risk factors appear with new technologies, new nosological units (diseases) may manifest. For example, vinyl chloride disease, dental technicians’ pneumoconiosis, etc. On the contrary, when certain adverse risk factors of the working environment are eliminated, some occupational diseases are likely to be excluded from the List of occupational diseases.

 

3. Specific legislative consequences. Depending on the degree and the severity of an occupational disease the patient with such disease has the right for:

 

• Pension for OD. Patients receive pension when a permanent disability appears.

 

• Patients with OD receive higher payment for a temporary disability than the usual pension for a general disability.

 

• A single compensation for material damages (such as drugs, special diet, sanatorial treatment, etc.), and for moral losses (for exampleq, lack of opportunity for adequate socialization due to the disease) can be asked for.

 

Occupational injury (OI). It is each sudden health injury, resulting from an occupational accident during, in connection with or on the occasion of implemented work, as well as during any work activity, performed in the interest of the enteiprise, which causes disability or death. Occupational injury is also the one that occurs while going to or from work. The OD and OI are equal in their compensation. Employers compensate OD and OI in Bulgaria only once. Differences between OD and OI

2. The occupational disease is a chronic condition. The etiological relationship between OD and a risk factor has to be proved because it is not known. It is not obligatoiy for the patient with an OD to have temporary or permanent disability.

Definition of occupational disease (OD). Occupational diseases (OD) are a group of diseases, which appear exclusively or predominantly due to adverse effects of the work environment harmful factors or of the manufacturing process, and they are included in the List of occupational diseases. The List of occupational diseases is specific for each country, and it is related to the specificity of the industries in a given state, as well as to the technological level of enterprises. A disease which is not included in the List of occupational diseases, could be recognized as an OD in case of establishing a permanent disability or death that is mainly and directly caused by the working activity of the employee. The complications and the consequences of the OD are also assigned to the occupational diseases.

 

Characteristics of the occupational diseases

 

1. Occupational diseases are a multiprofile disease group. They affect different organs and systems in the organism (liver, gallbladder, lungs, central and/or peripheral nervous system, etc.).

1. The occupational injury is an acute condition (for example, trauma or acute poisoning). The cause - effect relationship in cases with OI is clear. The factor causing Ol is well known. A temporary disability is always assigned. A permanent disability or death can occur.