Increased severity of labor is the most important risk factor of occupational diseases at enterprises in the Arctic

Abstract

In Russia, in the structure of harmful production factors that cause the development of occupational pathology, the severity of labor takes the second place. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of increased labor severity on the occurrence, prevalence and structure of occupational diseases in workers at enterprises in the Arctic. The analysis included results of the monitoring study “Working conditions and occupational morbidity” of the population of the Arctic zone of Russia in 2008 – 2018. It was found that in 2008-2018 there was a significant increase in the etiological significance of increased labor severity in the development of occupational pathology: the share of the factor in the total structure of harmful occupational exposures increased from 7.4% to 8.9% (p <0.001), and that of occupational diseases caused by increased labor severity - from 18.6% to 46.9% (p <0.001). Two thirds of occupational diseases caused by the increased severity of labor occur in miners, and diseases of the musculoskeletal system dominate in their structure (80.1%). The risk of developing this group of occupational health disorders in 2018 was higher than in 2008: RR=3,95; CI 3,13-4,99; χ2 =155,9; р<0,001. In contrast to the Russian Federation as a whole, where the increased severity of labor ranks second among the occupational pathology causing factors (24.7%), in the Russian Arctic it came out on top in 2018 (46.9%), exceeding the cumulative effect of all physical factors (44.0%). When carrying out recreational activities and prevention of occupational pathology at enterprises in the Arctic, special attention should be paid to achieving permissible levels of labor severity among workers engaged in mining operations.