Assessment of the risk for the progression of occupational diseases under exposure to harmful occupational factor

Introduction. Currently, there are no clear definitions of unacceptable worker health risk criteria, which are related to incidence indicators of further development of already formed occupational diseases. It refers to cases when a worker with a diagnosed occupational disease continues to work under harmful occupational factor exposure which has caused occupational pathology development.

Materials and methods. According to the archive materials of occupational pathology clinics, risk assessment of further development of occupational disease caused by physical overload, in a group of patients with diagnosed occupational disease, being under follow-up and proceeding their working activity, was carried out

Results. Regulatory documents in the field of occupational fitness expertise, currently effective in Russian Federation, provide the possibility of continuing work under the same conditions for patients with diagnosed occupational disease. However, such policy results in the loss of right to get payment for medical rehabilitation among occupational disease patients. Based on epidemiological survey findings, procedural approaches to assessing the risk of occupational disease deterioration, in case a patient proceeding to work under the same conditions of exposure to adverse occupational factors, as unacceptable, are considered.

Limitations. In patients with occupational pathology of a different profile, working in other conditions, other results may be obtained on the risk of disease progression with continued work.

Conclusions. It is necessary to create and implement an official uniform system for qualifying risk for the development of occupational pathology in patients going on to work in adverse conditions. At the first stage an assessment of risk for the development of these health disturbances, based on the value of occupational morbidity rate index, which takes into account both, the incidence of negative effect on worker’s health, and the severity of health disturbances, can be used.

Compliance with ethical standards. The study does not require submission of the opinion of the biomedical ethics committee and other documents.

Contribution:
Khurtsilava O.G. — concept, editing and approval of the final version of the article;
Boyko I.V. — the concept and design of the study, editing;
Grebenkov S.V. — the concept and design of the study, editing;
Nikanov A.N. — literary review, editing of the article;
Loginova N.N. — concept and design of research, collection and processing of material, statistical analysis, text writing.
All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgement. The study had no sponsorship.

Received: April 28, 2023 / Accepted: August 15, 2023 / Published: October 9, 2023