OCCUPATIONAL MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS IN ROMANIA statistics, legislation

1
OCCUPATIONAL MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS IN ROMANIA
(statistics, legislation)

• Adriana Todea
• Aurelia Ferencz
• Institute of Public Health, Bucharest

2
"Lighten the Load" Campaign

• The aims of the campaign
• promoting actions to prevent occupational
  musculoskeletal disorders (MSD)
• Managing the retention, rehabilitation and return
  to work of those who suffer or have suffered from
  MSDs. Employers, employees and government working
  together to tackle MSDs

3
Musculoskeletal strain

• Romanian legislation
• Occupational morbidity on national level due to
  musculoskeletal disorders (data from the National
  Registry of Occupational Diseases)

4
Legislation

• Government Decision 1425/2006 regarding
  Application norms of the Law 319/2006
• Annex 22 regarding the List of occupational
  diseases with compulsory reporting
• Government Decision 355/2007 regarding employees
  health surveillance

5
Annex 22 (1)

• OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE
• Mononeuropathy of upper limbs
• Carpal, ulnar, radial tunnel syndrome
• Epitrochlear syndrome
• Other mononeuropathies of the upper limbs

• CAUSE
• Repetitive movemements
• Vibrations
• Extreme positions of the joints

6
Annex 22 (2)

• OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE
• Bursitis, epycondilitis, synovitis, tendinitis,
  tenosynovitis
• Meniscus lesions
• Arthroses, periarthritis
• Spine deformations
• Diskitis, herniated disk
• Fractures

• CAUZA
• Handling weights
• Repetitive movements
• Recurrent microtrauma
• Extreme, forced, prolonged position with joint
  strain pressure, torsion
• Mechanical vibrations

7
GD 355/2007 Annex 1

• Card no. 127 Musculoskeletal strain
• Periodical medical exam (clinical exam ECG)
• Contraindications
• Congenital malformations of the musculoskeletal
  system, depending on specific occupational strain
• Inflammatory or degenerative musculoskeletal
  disorders, tenosynovitis, miositis.

8
Data regarding temporary inability to work

• In Romania, a great number of the days away from
  work is due to musculoskeletal disorders from
  physical strain (22).
• (according to the National Center for organizing
  and sustaining the health informational and
  informatics' system).

9
Comments on occupational morbidity (1)

• Weak points
• A small number of new cases (47 new cases
  reported in 2006)
• The difficulty of reporting (traps)
• most diseases due to strain are work-related
• the need of hard evidence (occupational risk
  assessment)
• workplace visit position, dynamic/static
  effort, weight lift greutati (how much?), rhythm,
  how many times in a shift, the duration of
  sustained effort, flat/inclined surface,
  increasing factors (cold microclimate, mechanical
  vibrations, other noxes, associated mental
  stress).

10
Comments on occupational morbidity (2)

• Strong points
• The number of reported cases is growing (the
  number of new cases reported in the past six
  years is doubled)
• The percent from the total number of ODs reported
  is 5 (five times higher in 2006 than 2000).

11
The evolution of number of new reported cases of
occupational musculoskeletal disorders
12
The evolution of the percentage of new reported
cases of occupational musculoskeletal disorders
13
Counties

• Dolj (20)
• Alba (4)
• Bucuresti (4)
• Cluj (3)
• Iasi (2)

14
Most frequent types of disorders

• Chronic arthrosis
• Epicondylitis
• Tenosynovitis
• Carpal tunnel syndrome

15
Occupations

• founder
• ballerina
• stock control clerk
• miner
• tool maker
• acrobat

• farmer
• baker
• metal worker
• miller
• instrumental performer
• locksmith

16
Activities

• Food industry
• Sport activities
• Mining of metal ores
• Manufacture of basic metals
• Machinery and equipment industry
• Transport services
• Agriculture and related service activities
• Manufacture of wood and of products of wood
• Construction

17
October 24th, 2007 Lighten the Load
The health and safety of workers exposed to
musculoskeletal strain - a current priority