Germany: Three new occupational diseases may now be recognised

1. Lesion of the rotator cuff of the shoulder due to long-term, intensive strain

This can affect employees in the textile industry, as well as those working in welding, grinding, assembly, forestry and construction. Damage to the rotator cuff can be caused by long-term and intensive effects such as:

• working with the hands at shoulder level or above;
• frequent repetition of movements of the upper arm in the shoulder joint;
• Work that requires forceful movements in the shoulder area, especially lifting loads,
• Hand-arm vibrations.

2. Gonarthrosis of the knee in professional footballers

Those who have played professional football for at least 13 years, including at least 10 years in one of the top three men’s leagues or one of the top two women’s leagues, may be affected. The following is also taken into account: if, between the ages of 16 and 19, the insured person was employed in a lower football league than the top three men’s leagues or the top two women’s leagues.

3. Chronic obstructive bronchitis, including emphysema, due to long-term exposure to quartz dust.

Those affected are primarily miners (including uranium miners), as well as insured persons working in tunnel construction, furnace bricklaying, metal industry moulding and stone extraction or processing, or in dental laboratories.

How does a disease become an occupational disease?

New occupational diseases follow the recommendations of the Medical Advisory Committee on Occupational Diseases (ÄSVB) at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Only diseases that, according to medical knowledge, are caused by specific occupational influences, such as noise or dust, are considered occupational diseases. Certain groups of people must be exposed to these influences to a significantly higher degree than the rest of the population due to their work. Additionally, in individual cases, the disease must primarily be caused by the harmful influence at work.

If an occupational disease is present, the primary goal is to mitigate the consequences of the disease and prevent it from worsening using all suitable means. To this end, social accident insurance provides benefits ranging from medical care to occupational rehabilitation. If serious physical impairments remain, insured persons receive a pension.

Background: 100 years of occupational diseases

Did you know? Germany has had special insurance cover for people who fall ill as a result of their work for a hundred years. On 12 May 1925, the ‘Ordinance on the Extension of Accident Insurance to Occupational Diseases’ came into force. At that time, only eleven diseases were defined as occupational diseases. These included diseases caused by substances such as lead, phosphorus, mercury and arsenic. Today, the BKV list of occupational diseases comprises 85 diseases. ●