Abstract Analysis of Occupational Diseases Compensated with the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance from 2001 to 2003 Yeon-Soon Ahn, Seong-Kyu Kang, Kwang-Jong Kim Occupational Safety and Health Institute, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency(KOSHA) Aims: The purpose of this study is to analyze the characteristics of the occupational diseases compensated with the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance that is operated by the Korea Labor Welfare Corporation (KLWC). Methods: Using the KLWC database, we collected 4,240 cases of compensated occupational disease occurring between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2003. We analyzed the characteristics (sex, age, type of occupational disease, exposure material, type of industry and occupation, etc.) of occupational diseases using the KLWC electronic data and compensated with the data of claimed cases investigated by the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA). Results: KLWC approved 4,240 cases, including 1,199 deaths (28.3%). Men accounted for 92.6% (3,925 cases) of the approved cases. The most common age group was 50-59 years of age (n=1,433, 33.8%). The majority of diseases were respiratory diseases (2,906 cases, 68.5%), occupational hearing loss (687 cases, 16.2%), infectious disease (238 cases, 5.6%), intoxication (117 cases, 2.8%), skin diseases (111 cases, 2.6%) and cancer (41 cases, 1.0%). The causal hazardous agents were dust (2,870 cases, 67.7%), physical agents (770 cases, 18.2%), biological agents (301 cases, 7.1%), chemical agents (242 cases, 5.7%), and heavy metals (51 cases, 1.2%). The major types of industry were mining and quarrying (2,708 cases, 63.9%), manufacturing (1,112 cases, 26.2%), health and social work (159 cases, 3.8%) and construction (63 cases, 1.5%). The type of occupation included craft and related trades workers (2,622 cases, 61.8%), elementary occupations (730 cases, 17.2%), senior officials and managers (327 cases, 7.7%) and plant and machine operators and assemblers (225 cases, 5.3%). Conclusions: We were able to elucidate the kinds of occupational disease and the characteristics of workers through this study. Many compensation cases occurred among non-manufacturing and non-mining workers, especially health care workers, and there were various kinds of disease. This suggests that a management policy must be established to prevent occupational diseases occurring among workers in the above types of industry. Key Words: Compensated occupational diseases

Table 1. General characteristics of study subjects Variables No. of workers (%) Year 2001 1,388 (32.7) 2002 1,146 (27.0) 2003 1,706 (40.3) Sex Men 3,925 (92.6) Women 0,315 (07.4) Disease or death Disease 3,041 (71.7) Death 1,199 (28.3) Age 000-19 0004 (00.1) (years) 020-29 0162 (03.8) 030-39 0230 (05.4) 040-49 0759 (17.9) 050-59 1,433 (33.8) 060-69 1,275 (30.1) 070-79 0336 (07.9) 080-00 0041 (00.9) Size of enterprises 000-04 257 (06.2) (No. of workers) 005-49 899 (21.6) 050-299 1,098 (26.3) 300-999 1,093 (26.2) 1000-000 0,824 (19.8)

Table 2. Distribution of the type of occupational disease Kinds of disease No. of workers (%) Respiratory disease 2,906 (68.5) Occupational hearing loss 0,687 (16.2) (including ear drum demage & sudden hearing loss) Infectious disease 0,238 (05.6) Disease by toxic materials 0,117 (02.8) Skin disease 0,111 (02.6) Cancer 00,41 (01.0) Liver disease 00,10 (00.2) Disease by heat and cold 00,16 (00.4) Disease by abnormal pressure 000,3 (00.1) Disease by vibration 0058 (01.4) Mental and behavioral disorders 0002 (00.0) Disease of nervous system 0012 (00.3) Eye disease 0006 (00.1) Nasal disease 0022 (00.5) Hematologic and bone marrow disease 0005 (00.1) Renal disease 0002 (00.0) Cardiac disease 0004 (00.1) Total 4,240 (100.0)

Table 3. Disease classification by hazardous agents Large classification Sub-classification No. of workers (% of Subclassification) Dusts Coal dust 2,628 (91.6) Mineral dust except coal 0,214 (07.5) Asbestos 0013 (00.5) Organic dust 0004 (00.1) Others 0007 (00.2) Unclassified 0004 (00.1) Physical agents Noise 2,686 (89.1) Vibration 2,058 (07.5) Heat and cold 2,016 (02.1) Abnormal pressure 2,003 (00.4) Radiation 2,007 (00.9) Heavy metals Chromium 2,024 (47.1) Lead 2,013 (25.5) Cadmium 2,006 (11.8) Manganese 2,005 (09.8) Arsenic 2,001 (02.0) Cobalt 2,001 (02.0) Nickel 2,001 (02.0) Chemicals Organic solvents 2,137 (56.6) Specific chemicals 2,052 (21.5) Others 2,053 (21.9) Biologic agents Plant 2,035 (11.6) Bacteria 2,149 (49.5) Virus 2,048 (15.9) Protozoa 2,013 (04.3) Rickettsia 2,036 (12.0) Bee 2,007 (02.3) Scabies 2,007 (02.3) Fungus 2,003 (01.0) Unknown 2,003 (01.0) Unclassified 2,006 (100.0)

Table 4. Classification by Industry and occupation No. of workers (% of Subclassification) Industrial Mining & quarrying 2,708 (63.9) classification Manufacturing 1,112 (26.2) Health & social work 0,159 (03.8) Construction 0,63 (01.5) Other community, repair & personal service activities 0,47 (01.1) Agriculture and forestry 0,44 (01.0) Transport 0,32 (00.8) Real estate & leasing 0,24 (00.6) Business activities 0,24 (00.6) Hotels & restaurants 0008 (00.2) Recreational, cultural & sporting activities 0005 (00.1) Private households with employed persons 0005 (00.1) Post & telecommunications 0003 (00.1) Financial institutions & insurance 0003 (00.1) Electricity, gas & water supply 0002 (00.0) Education 0001 (00.0) Job Craft and related trades workers 2,622 (61.8) classification Elementary occupations 0,730 (17.2) Legislators, senior officials and managers 0,327 (07.7) Plant, machine operators and assemblers 0,225 (05.3) Professionals 0,138 (03.3) Clerks 0,115 (02.7) Technicians and associate professionals 0052 (01.2) Service workers 0017 (00.4) Sales workers 0010 (00.2) Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers 0003 (00.1)

Table 5. Hazardous agents and disease classification(except noise induced hearing loss) Disease Disease sub-classification Hazardous agents Respiratory disesase Pneumoconiosis including lung cancer(67) complication(2,843) Coal dust(2,628), Mineral dust(214), Abestos(1) (2,906) Asthma(54) Chemicals(46): Toluendiisocyanate(21), Drug(9), Organic solvents for painting(4), Dye(2), Sulfite(1), Turpentine flux(1), Styrene(1), Epoxyresin(1), Chlorine(1), Formamide(1), Acid anhydrides(1), Formaldehyde(1), Welding fume(1), Chemicals for manufacturing paper(1) Dust(5): Grain dust(2), Organic dust(1), Cotten dust(1), Unclassified dusts(1) Metals(3): Chromium(2), Cobalt(1) Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(5) Pharyngitis & laryngitis(2) Interstitial pneumonia(1) Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome(1) Ammonia(1), Organic dusts(1), Engine exhausts(1), Unclassified dusts(2) Organic solvents(1), Cement dust(1) Asbestos(1) Unclassified dusts(1) Infection (238) Tuberculosis(110) Mycobacterium tuberculosis(110) Typhus fever(36) R. Tsutsugamushi(36) Hepatitis(14) Heptitis A(1), B(10), C(3) virus Malaria(13) Plasmodium spp.(13) Epidemic hemorrhagic fever(10) Hantaa virus(10) Scabies(7) Sarcoptes scabies(7) Chickenpox(6) Varicella zoster virus(6) Measles(4) Measles virus(4) *Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome(AIDS)(4) Cholera(4) Typhoid fever(4) Tetanus(3) Fungal infection(3) Meningoencephalitis(8) Pneumonia & Septicemia(3) Pseudomonas(1) Dengue fever(1) Leptospirosis(1) Melioidosis(1) Epidemic Keratoconjuctivitis(1) AIDS virus(4) Vibrio cholera(4) Salmonella spp.(4) Closridium tetani(3) Fungus(3) Herpes virus(1), Cytomegalovirus(1), Respiratory syncytial virus(1), Cryptococcus meningitidis(1), unknown virus(4) Unknown(3) Pseudomonas aeruginosa(1) Arthropod-borne virus(1) Leptospirosis spp.(1) Pseudomonas pseudomallei(1) Adenovirus(1) * including simple needle stick injury

Table 5. Hazardous agents and disease classification(except noise induced hearing loss) (continued) Disease Disease sub-classification Hazardous agents Infection (238) Methicillin-Resistance Staphylococcus infection(1) Viral cardiomyositis Poststrptococcal Glomerulonephritis(1) Otitis media(1) Staphylococcus spp.(1) Unknown virus(1) Group A, -hemolytic streptococcus(1) Unknown bacteria(1) Intoxication Carbon disulfide intoxication(77) Carbon disulfide(77) (117) Lead intoxication(13) Lead(13) Organic solvents intoxication(12) Oragnic solvents(12) Cadmium intoxication(6) Cadmium(6) Methyl bromide intoxication(5) Methyl bromide(5) Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome(1)Organic solvents(1) Gas intoxication(1) Gas emitted by welding(1) Dental erosion by acid(1) Unknown acids(1) Avascular necrosis of femoral head(1)organic solvents(1) Skin Contact dermatitis(63) Plants- Rhus and many kinds of grass(30) Disease(111) Chemiclas(31)-Organic solvents(12), Waste material(5), Epoxy resin(3), Antibiotics(2), Dye(2), Insecticide(1), Pesticide(1), Rubber glove(1), Water and detergents(1), Cosmetics(1), Unknown chemicals(2) Dusts(2)-Organic dust(2) Cellulitis(21) Dermatitis by bee sting(7) Vitiligo(6) Urticaria(5) Erythema multiforme(2) Dermographism(1) Phompholyx(1) Nummular eczema(1) Scleroderma(1) Stevens-Johnson syndrome(1) Psoriasis(1) Pigmentation(1) Streptococcus pyogenes(21) Bee sting(7) Organic solvents(5), Unknown chemical(street sweeper)(1) Rhus and many kinds of grass(5) Dichlorobenzidine(1), organic solvents(1) Dye(1) Water and salts(1) Heavy metals including nickel(1) Free silica Trichloroethylene(1) Antibiotics(1) Dye(1) Cancer(41) Lung cancer(22) Asbestos(9), Chromium(5), Foundry dust including free silica and PAH(3), Diesel exhaust(2), Tar(1), Asphalt fume(1), Coke oven emission(1), * including simple needle stick injury

Table 5. Hazardous agents and disease classification(except noise induced hearing loss) (continued) Disease Disease sub-classification Hazardous agents Cancer(41) Mesothelioma(2) Asbestos(2) Leukemia(12) and lymphoma(1) Benzene(11), Ionizing radiation(2) Skin cancer(1) Ultraviolet(1) Nasopharyngeal cancer(1) PAH(1) Hepatocellular carcinoma(1) Unknown cancer(1) Overwork and stress(3) Unknown(1) Nasal Nasal septum perforation(16) Chromium(16) disease(22) Sinusitis(3) Chromium(1), Organic solvents(cutting oil)(2) Anosmia(2) Organic solvents(1), Unknown chemicals(1) Rhinitis(1) Organic solvents(cutting oil)(1) Cardiac Angina pectoris(2) Carbon monoxide(1), Organic solvents(1) disease(4) Myocardial infarction(1) Nitroglycerin(1) Dilated cardiomyopathy(1) Carbon monoxide(1) Liver(10) Toxic hepatitis(10) Dimethylformamide(6), Chemicals using by waste material treatment(4) Heat and Sunstroke(10) Solar energy(10) cold(16) Frost bite and necrosis(5) Cold(5) Cryoglobulinemia(1) Cold(1) Abnormal pressure(3) Caisson s disease(3) Abnormal pressure(3) Mental & behavioral Schizophrenia(1) Organic solvents(1) disorders(2) Post-traumatic stress disorder(1) Stress by work-related abrupt hearing loss(1) Nervous system(12) Peripheral neuropathy(4) Parkinson syndrome(4) Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(2) Dystonia(1) Multiple sclerosis(1) n-hexane(2), Arsenics(1), Organic solvents(1) Manganese(4) Organic solvents(1) Electromagnetic radiation(1) Manganese(1) Organic solvents(1) Eye(6) Kerititis(2) Laser(1), Organic solvents(1) Cataract(1) Laser(1) Central retinitis(1) Welding related hazardous ray(1) Choroiditis(1) Subconjuctival hemorrhage with glaucoma(1) Foreign body(1) Foreign body(1) Hematologic Myelodysplastic syndrome(2) Benzene(2) system(5) Aplastic anemia(3) Benzene(3) Renal disease(2) Renal failure(2) Organic solvents(2) * including simple needle stick injury