Occupational Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Cases Evaluated by Workers' Compensation in Korea

Abstract

Objectives: To analyse the characteristics of occupational COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) cases that were evaluated by the Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute (OSHRI) of the Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency (KOSHA). Methods: Using the OSHRI database from KOSHA, we collected 13 cases of occupational COPD that had been evaluated from 1998 to 2007. Results: Four cases had been evaluated as occupational COPD: 1) a nonsmoking road sweeper exposed to automobile exhaust gases and trash dust; 2) an oxygen welding worker exposed to cadmium fumes; 3) a cotton mill air conditioner cleaning worker exposed to cotton dust; and 4) a foundry grinding worker exposed to dust, gases, vapors and fumes. Nine cases had been evaluated as non-occupational COPD: 1) 4 cases in which smoking was determined to be the main cause rather than occupational exposure; 2) 1 case that was evaluated as another respiratory disease (severe tuberculosis sequelae); 3) 1 case that had been misdiagnosed as COPD; 4) 2 cases in which the exposure levels in the workplace environments were too low; and 5) 1 case that had developed before the employment. Among these 13 cases, a shipyard grinding worker had been evaluated in 2006 as having had a low occupational hazard, but a similar case (a foundry grinding worker) was evaluated as having had a high hazard in 2007. Conclusions: Proper evaluation of occupational COPD demands an accurate diagnosis of COPD itself and also the exclusion of other respiratory diseases that have similar symptoms; an investigation of the relevant occupatioonal hazards and the amount of the exposure; and a consideration of smoking history. The evaluation should also take into account any substantial loss of life due to occupational hazards as well as any disease-free periods.