• Some workers suffer from new occupational diseases
●The scope of occupational diseases is expected to expand
● It is difficult to include cervical spondylosis and other occupational diseases
"Create a healthy China and share occupational health."
April 25 - May 1
China ushered in the 19th Awareness Week of the Law on the Prevention and Control of Occupational Diseases
The pace of work is accelerating, and many workers sigh
"Irregular eating, stomach disease is about to become an occupational disease"
"If you have cervical spondylosis and 'mouse hand', can it be counted as an occupational disease?"
Some workers suffer from new occupational diseases
Occupational diseases refer to diseases caused by exposure to dust, radioactive substances and other toxic and harmful factors in the course of occupational activities.
In reality, only the diseases listed in the catalogue of occupational diseases in China belong to the category of statutory occupational diseases, and patients with occupational diseases can enjoy relevant treatment.
In recent years, new technologies, new materials and new processes have been widely used
New occupations and new ways of working are constantly emerging
Occupational hazard factors are more diverse and complex
The two workers recounted the pain of occupational diseases they were suffering
Master Zhang, who works on metal enamel coatings
Long-term exposure to cobalt, antimony, barium, zirconium and other heavy metals. At work, he found weakness, unsteadiness in his standing, and back pain, and was diagnosed with neuralgia by the hospital. After consulting the CDC, he learned that it was a common disease caused by a variety of heavy metals, but the disease was not included in the category of occupational diseases.
Master Yuan has long been engaged in cleaning machine maintenance
Often dizzy, he applied for an occupational disease medical examination, and after sending the cleaning agent to the institution for mass spectrometry analysis, he learned that the cleaning agent contained dichloromethane. This is the "culprit" that causes damage to Master Yuan's central nervous system and causes dizziness and headaches.
However, although dichloromethane is included in the Classification of Occupational Disease Hazard Factors, the neurological damage it causes is not in the Classification and Catalogue of Occupational Diseases.
The scope of occupational diseases is expected to expand
Diseases are not included in the category of occupational diseases
The relevant guarantee treatment cannot be discussed
The current Classification and Catalogue of Occupational Diseases was revised in 2013
Including occupational pneumoconiosis and other 10 categories of 132 occupational diseases
The kick-off meeting on the revision of the Law on the Prevention and Control of Occupational Diseases will be held in 2020
Proposed to expand the scope of statutory occupational diseases
Zhao Qiusheng, deputy dean of the School of Safety Engineering of China Institute of Labor Relations, pointed out
The Classification and Catalogue of Occupational Diseases should be adjusted flexibly and appropriately in a timely manner
It is difficult to include cervical spondylosis and other occupational diseases
Work with your head down, sit still and move less, and work on your desk for a long time
As a result, many office workers are "entangled" by cervical spondylosis, frozen shoulder, etc.
In 2019, the Occupational Health Protection Initiative was proposed
Cervical spondylosis, frozen shoulder, etc. are listed as diseases that workers should prevent
For a time, cervical spondylosis and other news is expected to be "selected" as an occupational disease
In the "circle of friends" of some employees, they do not shy away
However, due to insufficient occupational specificity
Personal habits are also susceptible to illness
It is therefore difficult to define whether it is due to occupation
Inclusion in the category of occupational diseases is difficult
Experts: Greater attention should be paid to occupational diseases in non-industrial fields
Zhao Qiusheng pointed out
The causes of occupational diseases are mainly physical, chemical and biological factors
More attention was paid to the industrial sector
Insufficient attention is paid to occupational diseases in non-industrial sectors
Consider more industry sectors and broaden your reach
Is the trend of revising the occupational disease catalogue in the future
Occupational diseases reported in Europe in recent years
In the top few
It is a musculoskeletal disease, a mental illness, a headache, and visual fatigue
as well as respiratory diseases
Traditional occupational hazards have not been radically controlled
New problems have emerged
Wu Zongzhi, director of the Occupational Health Department of the National Health Commission, said
Physical and psychological problems caused by illness and work stress
It has become a new challenge to occupational health that needs to be addressed urgently
Can an open clause be added to the Occupational Diseases Catalogue?
In the current Classification and Catalogue of Occupational Diseases, there are open clauses under four types of diseases, such as pneumoconiosis, occupational skin diseases, occupational chemical poisoning and occupational radiation diseases, including other similar occupational diseases diagnosed by relevant diagnostic standards.
Professionals point it out
Similar open-ended clauses are still inadequate
It is recommended to flexibly broaden the scope of occupational diseases
Appropriately increase open-ended clauses
For example, COVID-19 is not an occupational infectious disease
If an open clause is added to the case of occupational infectious diseases
It can provide better health protection for the working group
It was the 19th Awareness Week of the Occupational Disease Prevention and Control Act
At present, various forms of publicity activities are being carried out in various localities
Popularize the knowledge of occupational disease prevention and treatment
Establish the concept of occupational health
Guide workers to strengthen occupational health protection.
Source: Workers Daily