Occupational Health Risks in Logging and Wood Processing in the Russian Arctic

Abstract

Introduction: Despite the extreme environmental conditions, an extensive economic activity based on the extraction and processing of natural resources is ongoing in the Russian Arctic. The objective of the study was to investigate occupational health risk factors for workers engaged in lumbering and wood processing in the Russian Arctic. Materials and methods: The socio-hygienic monitoring data on working conditions and occupational diseases in the population of the Russian Arctic zone in 2007–2018 were analyzed. Results: In 2007–2018, 222 occupational diseases were identified including 180 cases in wood processing workers, 25 cases in loggers, and 17 cases in people employed in the production of pulp, paper, and paper products. The development of occupational pathology was mainly induced by the increased severity of labor (70.3%) related to imperfection of technological processes (76.1%) and structural limitations of equipment (22.1%). Musculoskeletal disorders prevailed with myofibrosis of the forearm ranking first. All health disorders were chronic with the exception of two cases of acute hydrogen sulfide poisoning. The largest number of diseases (n=117) was diagnosed in 2007-2010 while the smallest (n=14) in 2015–2018 (an 8.36-fold decrease). The risk of developing occupational pathology in 2007 was higher than in 2018, the relative risk being 9.60 (CI: 2.30–40.1; p=0.00014). Over a half (129 or 58.1%) of occupational diseases were diagnosed as a result of self-seeking of medical care while 93 (41.9%) cases were revealed in the course of planned medical examinations. Conclusions: Efficient prevention of occupational diseases in the industry can only be achieved by improving labor conditions and, above all, reducing the severity of labor processes. Reliability of official data on the number of incident cases of occupational diseases among workers involved in timber harvesting and processing in the Arctic raises doubts.