Reclassification of a Risk of an Occupational Disease in Miners of the Ostrava-Karviná Region (OKR): Evaluation after 15 Years, Assessment of Initial Powder Findings

Overview

The author presents results of the study based on the evaluation of powder findings in the sample of 468 former miners of OKR who were excluded from the risk work on the basis of reclassification (reevaluation) in the period 1990–1991. It was an administrative measure of the Ministry of Health which cancelled all risks of occupational diseases and introduced a new list of occupational diseases to the date of the 1st of May 1990.

In the course of 15 years since the exclusion, the initial powder finding progressed in 127 patients (27 % of the sample) according to the radiograph documentation (evaluated according to ILO). The majority of former light findings progressed to typical RTG signs of pneumoconiosis or to complicated forms of pneumoconiosis.

The findings documents the high risk of the work in mines as concerns the fibrogenic powder in former miners of the Ostrava part of OKR. Former preventive measures – rearrangement to the less risk working positions – is retrospectively evaluated as insufficient. Reclassification despite its shortcomings in a system and purpose is considered as indicated from the current point of view. The current practice of an ununified occupational assessment in patients with an identical initial powder finding at RTG with a different exposure to fibrogenic powder is critisized. Some patients are excluded from the workplace due to the occupational disease, some patients stay at the workplace without appropriate measure. The author proposes two possible ways of managing this disproportion and evaluates the current definition of the category of a miner pneumoconiosis regarding the dynamics of the disease as unsuitable and discriminating for some patients.

Key words:
miner pneumoconiosis, silicosis, reclassification, occupational disease, risk of occupational disease