The document provides a comprehensive overview of occupational diseases (OD) and work-related diseases (WRD), including their definitions, criteria for identification, and historical context since the first ILO list in 1925. It distinguishes between OD and WRD based on causation, with OD being directly caused by work and WRD influenced by multiple factors, and outlines the epidemiological criteria for establishing causal relationships. Additionally, it discusses various classifications and lists of diseases recognized by international and national standards for compensation and reporting purposes.

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Dr. Ahmed-Refat AG Refat
Occupational
Diseases List
 History of Occupational Diseases (O.D) Listing
 Definition of O.D and Work-Related Diseases (WRD)
 Criteria for identification of O.D
 International List of O.D
 Prescribed Occupational Diseases

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I- History of O.D Listing
In 1919, the year of its creation, the "ILO" declared
that anthrax was an occupational disease.
In 1925, the first ILO List of Occupational Diseases
was established by the Workmen’s Compensation
i.e., Occupational Diseases Convention (No. 18).
The Current O.D List is … "ILO's list of O.D- 2010"

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Definition of OD & WRD
Occupational Disease =
“…a disease contracted as a result of exposure
( over a period of time ) to risk factors arising from
work activities ”
OR:".. a disease that is caused or made worse by occupation".

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In the third edition of the ILO’s Encyclopaedia of
Occupational Health and Safety, a distinction was
made among the pathological conditions that could
affect workers in which diseases due to occupation
(occupational diseases) and diseases aggravated
by work or having a higher incidence owing to
conditions of work (work-related diseases) were
separated from conditions having no connection
with work. However, in some countries work-related
diseases are treated the same as work-caused
diseases, which are in fact occupational diseases.
The concepts of work-related diseases and occupational diseases have
always been a matter of discussion.

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Occupational Diseases, having a specific or a
strong relation to occupation, generally with only
one causal agent.
Work-Related Diseases, with multiple causal agents,
where factors in the work environment may play a
role, together with other risk factors, in the
development of such diseases, which have a
complex etiology..

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"Legal" Definition
of
Occupational Disease
“Occupational diseases are
those that are included in international or national
O.Ds lists, and are usually compensable by national
workers’ compensation schemes and are
recordable under reporting systems.

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For occupational diseases,
work is considered the main cause of the disease.
Work-related diseases are
those where work is one of several components
contributing to the disease. Such diseases are
compensated only in very few cases and in very few
countries.” (ILO, 2005).

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General criteria for
identification and
recognition of
occupational
diseases

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The causal relationship is established
on the basis of :
 Clinical and pathological data,
 Occupational history and job analysis,
 Identification of occupational risk factors
 The role of other risk factors.

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Epidemiological and toxicological data
are useful for determining the causal
relationship between a specific
occupational disease and its
corresponding exposure in a specific
working environment or work activity.

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As a general rule, the symptoms are not sufficiently
characteristic to enable an occupational disease to
be diagnosed as such without the knowledge of the
pathological changes caused by the physical,
chemical, biological or other factors encountered in
the exercise of an occupation.

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It is therefore normal that, as a result of
improvements in knowledge regarding the
mechanisms of action of the factors in question, the
steady increase in the number of substances
employed, and the quality and variety of suspected
agents, it becomes more and more feasible to make
an accurate diagnosis, while the range of diseases
recognized as occupational in origin is broadening.

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The recognition of a disease as being occupational
is a specific example of clinical decision-making /
applied clinical epidemiology.
Deciding on the cause of a disease is
not an “exact science”
but rather a question of judgment
based on a critical review of all the available evidence,
which should include a consideration of
Epidemiologic Criteria for Causality !! as follows:

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Epidemiologic Criteria for Causality
1- Strength of association. The greater the impact of
an exposure on the occurrence or development of a
disease, the stronger the likelihood of a causal
relationship.
2-Consistency. Different research reports have
generally similar results and conclusions.

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Epidemiologic Criteria for Causality –cont..
3-Specificity. Exposure to a specific risk factor results
in a clearly defined pattern of disease or diseases.
4-Temporality or time sequence. The exposure of
interest preceded the disease by a period of time
consistent with any proposed biological mechanism.
5-Biological gradient. The greater the level and
duration of exposure, the greater the severity of
diseases or their incidence.

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Epidemiologic Criteria for Causality-cont..
6-Biological plausibility. From what is known of
toxicology, chemistry, physical properties or other
attributes of the studied risk or hazard, it makes biological
sense to suggest that exposure leads to the disease.
7- Coherence. A general synthesis of all the evidence
(e.g. human epidemiology and animal studies) leads to
the conclusion that there is a cause–effect relationship
in a broad sense and in terms of general common
sense.

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Epidemiologic Criteria for Causality-cont..
8-Interventional studies. Sometimes, a primary
preventative trial may verify whether removing a specific
hazard or reducing a specific risk from the working
environment or work activity eliminates the development
of a specific disease or reduces its incidence.

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To incorporate a specific disease in the O.D -List,
the following criteria must be considered :
(i) there is a causal relationship with a specific agent,
exposure or work process;
(ii) they occur in connection with the work environment
and/or in specific occupations;
(iii) they occur among the groups of persons concerned
with a frequency which exceeds the average
incidence within the rest of the population; and
(iv) there is scientific evidence of a clearly defined
pattern of disease following exposure and plausibility
of cause
.

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Endless / comprehensive List
or.. Evidence-Based List !!!???
According to the WHO, at the workplace,
workers are exposed to:
- Chemical risk factors: 100,000
(Carcinogens: 400)
- Biological agents: 200
- Physical factors: 50
- Adverse ergonomic conditions: 20
- Allergens: 3000

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Occupational Disease Lists
A number of types of lists of occupational diseases exist.
A list of diseases that is agreed at national level for
compensation purposes is called: Prescribe Diseases List
In Europe, there are the two extremes :
Sweden, which has an open list,
and France, which specifies the symptoms, the type of
work and the time limit;
Other countries fall between these two extremes.
In most countries, to be recognised as occupational, a
disease must be on the list.

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Prescribed OD List & OD List
Lists of diseases devised for compensation/benefit
purposes are generally shorter than lists compiled for
prevention purposes; the latter will necessarily
include diseases that may or may not yet be formally
recognised officially as diseases, and may include new
and emerging diseases.

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The classification of ‘occupational’ relates to the cause
and not the nature of the disease, and most
countries have drawn up a list of ‘prescribed diseases’,
for which compensation or benefits are payable.
In most countries, there is an agreed list of diseases, for
which compensation or benefit is payable through the
social insurance system, and these are referred to
as ‘prescribed diseases’. The diseases on this list are
agreed at national level and are normally restricted
(within the list) to an association with an occupation
or work activity.

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A disease is considered ‘prescribed’
if the risk to workers in a certain occupation is
substantially greater than the risk to the general
population,
and the link between the disease and the
occupation can be
established in each individual case or presumed
with reasonable certainty.

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Classifications of occupational diseases
have been developed mainly for two
purposes:
(1) notification for labour safety
inspection and health surveillance and
(2) social security (compensation)
purposes.

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An occupational disease is not
characterised merely by the disease
itself, but by a combination of a
disease and an exposure, as well as an
association between these two.

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The hierarchy of classification systems
1. Diseases caused by agents
1.1 Diseases caused by chemical agents
1.2 Diseases caused by physical agents
1.3 Diseases caused by biological agents
2. Diseases by target organ
2.1 Occupational respiratory diseases
2.2 Occupational skin diseases
2.3 Occupational musculoskeletal diseases
3. Occupational cancer
4. Others
NB:
The classifications contain both categories defined by the causative agent and categories
defined by the medical diagnosis. Cases of a given disease may therefore fall into several
categories

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ILO List of Occupational Diseases -2010

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1. Occupational diseases caused by exposure to agents arising
from work activities
1.1. Diseases caused by chemical agents
1.1.1. Diseases caused by beryllium or its compounds
1.1.2. Diseases caused by cadmium or its compounds
1.1.3. Diseases caused by phosphorus or its compounds
1.1.4. Diseases caused by chromium or its compounds
1.1.5. Diseases caused by manganese or its compounds
1.1.6. Diseases caused by arsenic or its compounds
1.1.7. Diseases caused by mercury or its compounds
1.1.8. Diseases caused by lead or its compounds
1.1.9. Diseases caused by fluorine or its compounds
1.1.10. Diseases caused by carbon disulfide
1.1.11. Diseases caused by halogen derivatives of aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons
1.1.12. Diseases caused by benzene or its homologues
1.1.13. Diseases caused by nitro- and amino-derivatives of benzene or its homologues
1.1.14. Diseases caused by nitroglycerine or other nitric acid esters
1.1.15. Diseases caused by alcohols, glycols or ketones
1.1.16. Diseases caused by asphyxiants like carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfi de, hydrogen
cyanide or its derivatives

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1.1.17. Diseases caused by acrylonitrile
1.1.18. Diseases caused by oxides of nitrogen
1.1.19. Diseases caused by vanadium or its compounds
1.1.20. Diseases caused by antimony or its compounds
1.1.21. Diseases caused by hexane
1.1.22. Diseases caused by mineral acids
1.1.23. Diseases caused by pharmaceutical agents
1.1.24. Diseases caused by nickel or its compounds
1.1.25. Diseases caused by thallium or its compounds
1.1.26. Diseases caused by osmium or its compounds
1.1.27. Diseases caused by selenium or its compounds
1.1.28. Diseases caused by copper or its compounds
1.1.29. Diseases caused by platinum or its compounds
1.1.30. Diseases caused by tin or its compounds
1.1.31. Diseases caused by zinc or its compounds
1.1.32. Diseases caused by phosgene
1.1.33. Diseases caused by corneal irritants like benzoquinone
1.1.34. Diseases caused by ammonia
1.1.35. Diseases caused by isocyanates
1.1.36. Diseases caused by pesticides
1.1.37. Diseases caused by sulphur oxides
1.1.38. Diseases caused by organic solvents

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1.1.39. Diseases caused by latex or latex-containing products
1.1.40. Diseases caused by chlorine
1.1.41. Diseases caused by other chemical agents at work not mentioned in the preceding items
where a direct link is established scientifi cally, or determined by methods appropriate to national
conditions and practice, between the exposure to these chemical agents arising from work
activities and the disease(s) contracted by the worker
1.2. Diseases caused by physical agents
1.2.1. Hearing impairment caused by noise
1.2.2. Diseases caused by vibration (disorders of muscles, tendons, bones, joints, peripheral
blood vessels or peripheral nerves)
1.2.3. Diseases caused by compressed or decompressed air
1.2.4. Diseases caused by ionizing radiations
1.2.5. Diseases caused by optical (ultraviolet, visible light, infrared) radiations including laser
1.2.6. Diseases caused by exposure to extreme temperatures
1.2.7. Diseases caused by other physical agents at work not mentioned in the preceding items
where a direct link is established scientifi cally, or determined by methods appropriate to
national conditions and practice, between the exposure to these physical agents arising from
work activities and the disease(s) contracted by the worker

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1.3. Biological agents and infectious or parasitic diseases
1.3.1. Brucellosis
1.3.2. Hepatitis viruses
1.3.3. Human immunodefi ciency virus (HIV)
1.3.4. Tetanus
1.3.5. Tuberculosis
1.3.6. Toxic or infl ammatory syndromes associated with bacterial or fungal contaminants
1.3.7. Anthrax
1.3.8. Leptospirosis
1.3.9. Diseases caused by other biological agents at work not mentioned in the preceding items
where a direct link is established scientifi cally, or determined by methods appropriate to
national conditions and practice, between the exposure to these biological agents arising from
work activities and the disease(s) contracted by the worker

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2. Occupational diseases by target organ systems
2.1. Respiratory diseases
2.1.1. Pneumoconioses caused by fi brogenic mineral dust (silicosis, anthraco-silicosis,
asbestosis)
2.1.2. Silicotuberculosis
2.1.3. Pneumoconioses caused by non-fi brogenic mineral dust
2.1.4. Siderosis
2.1.5. Bronchopulmonary diseases caused by hard-metal dust
2.1.6. Bronchopulmonary diseases caused by dust of cotton (byssinosis), fl ax, hemp, sisal or
sugar cane (bagassosis)
2.1.7. Asthma caused by recognized sensitizing agents or irritants inherent to the work process
2.1.8. Extrinsic allergic alveolitis caused by the inhalation of organic dusts or microbially
contaminated aerosols, arising from work activities
2.1.9. Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases caused by inhalation of coal dust, dust from stone
quarries, wood dust, dust from cereals and agricultural work, dust in animal stables, dust from
textiles, and paper dust, arising from work activities
2.1.10. Diseases of the lung caused by aluminium

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2.1.11. Upper airways disorders caused by recognized sensitizing agents or irritants inherent to
the work process
2.1.12. Other respiratory diseases not mentioned in the preceding items where a direct link is
established scientifi cally, or determined by methods appropriate to nati onal conditions and
practice, between the exposure to risk factors arising from work activities and the disease(s)
contracted by the worker
2.2. Skin diseases
2.2.1. Allergic contact dermatoses and contact urticaria caused by other recognized allergy
provoking agents arising from work activities not included in other items
2.2.2. Irritant contact dermatoses caused by other recognized irritant agents arising from work
activities not included in other items
2.2.3. Vitiligo caused by other recognized agents arising from work activities not included in other
items
2.2.4. Other skin diseases caused by physical, chemical or biological agents at work not included
under other items where a direct link is established scientifi cally, or determined by methods
appropriate to national conditions and practice, between the exposure to risk factors arising
from work activities and the skin disease(s) contracted by the worker .

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2.3. Musculoskeletal disorders
2.3.1. Radial styloid tenosynovitis due to repetitive movements, forceful exertions and extreme
postures of the wrist
2.3.8. Other musculoskeletal disorders not mentioned in the preceding items where a direct link
is established scientifi cally, or determined by methods appropriate to national conditions and
practice, between the exposure to risk factors arising from work activities and the musculoskeletal
disorder(s) contracted by the worker
2.4. Mental and behavioural disorders
2.4.1. Post-traumatic stress disorder
2.4.2. Other mental or behavioural disorders not mentioned in the preceding item where a direct
link is established scientifi cally, or determined by methods appropriate to national conditions
and practice, between the exposure to risk factors arising from work activities and the mental
and behavioural disorder(s) contracted by the worker .

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3. Occupational cancer
3.1. Cancer caused by the following agents
3.1.1. Asbestos
3.1.2. Benzidine and its salts
3.1.3. Bis-chloromethyl ether (BCME)
3.1.4. Chromium VI compounds
3.1.5. Coal tars, coal tar pitches or soots
3.1.6. Beta-naphthylamine
3.1.7. Vinyl chloride3.1.8. Benzene (1. Synonyms: Benzol, benzole, coal naphtha, cyclohexatriene, phene, phenyl hydride,
pyrobenzol. (Benzin, petroleum benzin and Benzine do not contain benzene).2. Formula: C(6)H(6) (CAS Registry Number: 71-43-2)
3.1.9. Toxic nitro- and amino-derivatives of benzene or its homologues
3.1.10. Ionizing radiations
3.1.11. Tar, pitch, bitumen, mineral oil, anthracene, or the compounds, products or residues of
these substances
3.1.12. Coke oven emissions

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3.1.13. Nickel compounds
3.1.14. Wood dust
3.1.15. Arsenic and its compounds
3.1.16. Beryllium and its compounds
3.1.17. Cadmium and its compounds
3.1.18. Erionite
3.1.19. Ethylene oxide
3.1.20. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV)
3.1.21. Cancers caused by other agents at work not mentioned in the preceding items where a
direct link is established scientifically, or determined by methods appropriate to national
conditions and practice, between the exposure to these agents arising from work activities
and the cancer(s) contracted by the worker
4. Other diseases :
4.1. Miners’ nystagmus
4.2. Other specific diseases caused by occupations or processes not mentioned in this list where a
direct link is established scientifically, or determined by methods appropriate to national conditions and practice,
between the exposure arising from work activities and the disease(s) contracted by the worker .

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Notification
of occupational
diseases

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Notification of occupational diseases
In addition to the diagnosis of occupational
disease, additional information should be
included in the notification.
ILO has defined the minimum information to be
included :
(a) enterprise, establishment and employer
(b) person affected by the occupational disease
(c) occupational disease

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A- Enterprise, establishment and employer
(i) name and address of the employer
(ii) name and address of the enterprise
(iii) name and address of the establishment
(iv) economic activity of the establishment
(v) number of workers (size of the establishment)

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B- Person affected by the occupational
disease
(i) name, address, sex and date of birth
(ii) employment status
(iii) occupation at the time when the disease
was diagnosed
(iv) length of service with the present employer

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C- Occupational disease
(i) name and nature of the occupational disease
(ii) harmful agents, processes or exposure to
which the O.D is attributable
(iii) description of work which gave rise to the
condition
(iv) length of exposure to harmful agents and
processes
(v) date of diagnosis of the occupational disease