Occupational diseases: causes of development and prevention

In various industries and agriculture there are harmful production factors that cause the development of diseases. Such diseases are called professional. All occupational diseases for reasons of development are divided into several groups:

- due to the effect on the body of industrial dust,

- caused by the impact of physical factors of production,

- caused by chemical factors of production,

- due to the influence of biological factors.

Production dust settles on the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract and eventually it leads to the development of pneumoconiosis and dust bronchitis. Professional diseases of this group are found in workers of metallurgical and mining industry, masons, miners, grinders.

The physical factors of production that cause occupational diseases include various types of radiation, high and low temperatures, intense noise, vibration mechanisms. The vibration of the mechanisms leads to the development of a vibratory disease, intense noise to hearing organ diseases, high and low temperatures cause burns and frostbite.

Chemical factors cause acute and chronic intoxication. Especially dangerous are poisoning with salts of heavy metals, various insectofungicides, other inorganic and organic compounds. Getting into the body, even in small amounts, they participate in biochemical reactions occurring in cells and tissues. Chemicals disrupt metabolic processes and cause structural and functional changes in the body.

Industrial toxins can enter the body through the respiratory system and skin, causing occupational diseases of the skin and lungs.

Due to the action of biological factors, infectious and parasitic diseases develop in persons who, due to their professional duties, have contact with infected materials or sick animals.

Diagnose occupational diseases on the basis of sanitary-hygienic characteristics of production, professional history of the patient, the results of clinical, biochemical and functional research methods.

Data of a professional anamnesis are of paramount importance. In a work history, it is necessary to find out the presence of occupational hazards that contribute to the development of the disease, the duration of their action on the patient's body, and the use of collective and individual protective equipment and their effectiveness.

Prophylaxis of occupational diseases consists in technical and sanitary-hygienic measures at enterprises. Workers are assigned a shorter working day, extended leave. They are provided with free medical and preventive nutrition.

In the case of temporary incapacity for work, the cause of which are occupational diseases, workers are entitled to receive assistance in the amount of wages, significant discounts on the purchase of medicines. Enterprises with harmful production factors use mass and individual protection, maximum mechanization of production, remote control of various production processes.

An important role in reducing the incidence of disease is played by preventive medical examinations of workers engaged in production with harmful production factors. Medical examinations are conducted at least once a year. In pneumoconiosis, the mandatory methods of investigation are lung radiography, functional examination of external respiration, blood analysis. At an increased risk of developing a vibrational disease, a cold test, vibration sensitivity, chest X-ray and limbs, and a general blood test are shown.