Occupational diseases in Poland in 2013 and their causative agents

摘要

Background: The paper presents the incidence of occupational diseases in Poland (2013). Material and Methods: Occupationaldisease reporting forms, supplied to the Central Register of Occupational Diseases, were used as the study material. The incidencewas specified in terms of rates per 100 000 employed people. Results: The number of new cases was 2214 with the incidence rateof 15.6. The downward trend recorded over several years continues; compared to 2012, the number of new cases decreased by 7.8%.Exposure to dusts (35% cases), mostly inorganic (carbon, asbestos, and industrial dusts containing free crystalline silica) was themost common cause of occupational diseases. Among the organic dusts allergenic effects of flour and vegetable dusts predominated.Every 3rd case of occupational disease was attributable to physical agents, mainly the way the work is done, excessive vocaleffort and noise. The sections of national economy with the highest incidence comprised mining and quarrying (271.1), manufacturing(24.3), education (22.4), agriculture, forestry, hunting and fishing (21.0), human health and social assistance (20.5).Conclusions: The decreased incidence of ‘traditional’ diseases observed over the recent 15 years and the analysis of the 2013 incidenceindicate a need to revise the Polish list of occupational diseases by exposures found in the modern work environment. Particularattention should be paid to conditions prevailing in workplaces with high exposures to industrial dusts containing free crystallinesilica. A considerable variation in the incidence of voice disorders in teachers between individual voivodeships (provinces) pointsto the need for harmonization of the standards of preventive, diagnostic and certification procedures. Med Pr 2014;65(4):463–472