The Scope and Specific Criteria of Compensation for Occupational Diseases in Korea

Song, Jaechul; Kim, Inah; Choi, Byung Soon

doi:10.3346/jkms.2014.29.s.s32

Cited by 11 publications

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“…This amendment increased the official recognition from 9 cancers and 9 carcinogens to 21 cancers and 23 carcinogens. For example, the amendment formally recognized “leukemia and nasopharyngeal cancer [NPC] caused by formaldehyde [formaldehyde] exposure” [ 1 , 2 ]. However, there are few detailed scientific reviews that have considered the relationship between formaldehyde exposure and leukemia in Korea.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does formaldehyde have a causal association with nasopharyngeal cancer and leukaemia?

Kwon

Kim

Song

et al. 2018

Ann of Occup and Environ Med

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BackgroundThe South Korean criteria for occupational diseases were amended in July 2013. These criteria included formaldehyde as a newly defined occupational carcinogen, based on cases of “leukemia or nasopharyngeal cancer caused by formaldehyde exposure”. This inclusion was based on the Internal Agency for Research on Cancer classification, which classified formaldehyde as definite human carcinogen for nasopharyngeal cancer in 2004 and leukemia in 2012.MethodsWe reviewed reports regarding the causal relationship between occupational exposure to formaldehyde in Korea and the development of these cancers, in order to determine whether these cases were work-related.ResultsPrevious reports regarding excess mortality from nasopharyngeal cancer caused by formaldehyde exposure seemed to be influenced by excess mortality from a single plant. The recent meta-risk for nasopharyngeal cancer was significantly increased in case-control studies, but was null for cohort studies (excluding unexplained clusters of nasopharyngeal cancers). A recent analysis of the largest industrial cohort revealed elevated risks of both leukemia and Hodgkin lymphoma at the peak formaldehyde exposure, and both cancers exhibited significant dose-response relationships. A nested case-control study of embalmers revealed that mortality from myeloid leukemia increased significantly with increasing numbers of embalms and with increasing formaldehyde exposure. The recent meta-risks for all leukemia and myeloid leukemia increased significantly. In South Korea, a few cases were considered occupational cancers as a result of mixed exposures to various chemicals (e.g., benzene), although no cases were compensated for formaldehyde exposure. The peak formaldehyde exposure levels in Korea were 2.70–14.8 ppm in a small number of specialized studies, which considered anatomy students, endoscopy employees who handled biopsy specimens, and manufacturing workers who were exposed to high temperatures.ConclusionAdditional evidence is needed to confirm the relationship between formaldehyde exposure and nasopharyngeal cancer. All lymphohematopoietic malignancies, including leukemia, should be considered in cases with occupational formaldehyde exposure.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does formaldehyde have a causal association with nasopharyngeal cancer and leukaemia?

Kwon

Kim

Song

et al. 2018

Ann of Occup and Environ Med

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“…The procedure for amending the specific recognition criteria for ODs in the ED-IACIA and the Enforcement Decree of the Labor Standard Act (ED-LSA) is described in Song et al ( 4 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Compensation for Occupational Neurological and Mental Disorders

Kang

Kim

2014

J Korean Med Sci

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Standards for the recognition of occupational diseases (ODs) in Korea were established in 1954 and have been amended several times. In 2013, there was a significant change in these standards. On the basis of scientific evidence and causality, the International Labour Organization list, European Commission schedule, and compensated cases in Korea were reviewed to revise the previous standards for the recognition of ODs in Korea. A disease-based approach using the International Classification of Diseases (10th version) was added on the previous standards, which were agent-specific approaches. The amended compensable occupational neurological disorders and occupational mental disorders (OMDs) in Korea are acute and chronic central nervous system (CNS) disorders, toxic neuropathy, peripheral neuropathy, manganese-related disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Several agents including trichloroethylene (TCE), benzene, vinyl chloride, organotin, methyl bromide, and carbon monoxide (CO) were newly included as acute CNS disorders. TCE, lead, and mercury were newly included as chronic CNS disorders. Mercury, TCE, methyl n-butyl ketone, acrylamide, and arsenic were newly included in peripheral neuropathy. Post-traumatic stress disorders were newly included as the first OMD. This amendment makes the standard more comprehensive and practical. However, this amendment does not perfectly reflect the recent scientific progress and social concerns. Ongoing effort, research, and expert consensus are needed to improve the standard.Graphical Abstract

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“…The procedure for amending the specific recognition criteria for ODs in the ED-IACIA and ED-LSA was described by Song et al ( 12 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Compensation for Occupational Skin Diseases

Song

Ryou²

2014

J Korean Med Sci

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The Korean list of occupational skin diseases was amended in July 2013. The past list was constructed according to the causative agent and the target organ, and the items of that list had not been reviewed for a long period. The revised list was reconstructed to include diseases classified by the International Classification of Diseases (10th version). Therefore, the items of compensable occupational skin diseases in the amended list in Korea comprise contact dermatitis; chemical burns; Stevens-Johnson syndrome; tar-related skin diseases; infectious skin diseases; skin injury-induced cellulitis; and skin conditions resulting from physical factors such as heat, cold, sun exposure, and ionized radiation. This list will be more practical and convenient for physicians and workers because it follows a disease-based approach. The revised list is in accordance with the International Labor Organization list and is refined according to Korean worker's compensation and the actual occurrence of occupational skin diseases. However, this revised list does not perfectly reflect the actual status of skin diseases because of the few cases of occupational skin diseases, incomplete statistics of skin diseases, and insufficient scientific evidence. Thus, the list of occupational diseases should be modified periodically on the basis of recent evidence and statistics.Graphical Abstract

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The Scope and Specific Criteria of Compensation for Occupational Diseases in Korea

Cited by 11 publications

References 1 publication

Does formaldehyde have a causal association with nasopharyngeal cancer and leukaemia?

Does formaldehyde have a causal association with nasopharyngeal cancer and leukaemia?

Compensation for Occupational Neurological and Mental Disorders

Compensation for Occupational Skin Diseases

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