Occupational multimorbidity in the nickel industry workers

Figures & data

Table 1. Conditions for occupational pathology.

Indicator	Disease cases (%)
Hazards
Chemical substances of I-IV hazard classes and carcinogens	401 (61.0%)
Work physical demands	126 (19.2%)
Noise	83 (12.6%)
Fibrogenicaerosols	33 (7.4%)
Hand-arm vibration	7 (1.1%)
Whole-body vibration	7 (1.1%)
Technological circumstances
Outdated technological processes	307 (46.7%)
Machines, mechanisms and equipment design flaws	207 (31.5%)
Outdated sanitary industrial installations (ventilation, air purification, heating, etc. in the workshops)	135 (20.5%)
Malfunction of industrial sanitary installations	4 (0.6%)
Lack of personal protective equipment	3 (0.5%)
Outdated personal protective equipment	1 (0.2%)

Table 2. Structure of occupational pathology.

Indicator	Disease cases (%)
Disease category
Respiratory diseases	294 (44.7%)
Injuries, intoxication and other external causes	116 (17.7%)
Musculoskeletal diseases	100 (15.2%)
Ear diseases (Noise effects on inner ear)	83 (12.6%)
Nervous diseases	32 (4.9%)
Malignant neoplasms	30 (4.6%)
Skin diseases	2 (0.3%)
Most prevalent diseases
Chronic bronchitis	183 (27.9%)
Chronic nickel and other metals intoxication	116 (17.7%)
Noise-induced hearing loss	83 (12.6%)
Bronchial asthma	69 (10.5%)
Radiculopathy	50 (7.6%)

Figure 1. Annual number of newly diagnosed occupational diseases and workers with occupational pathology in 2007–2021.

Figure 2. Growing number of occupational disease diagnoses per employee from 2007 till 2021.

Table 3. Age, length of service and number of occupational diseases per employee.

Indicator	Number of occupational diseases per employee
	One	Two	Three	Four	Five or six
Age, years	52.5±0.3	53.3±0.8	54.5±1.0	53.1±2.1	51.1±1.6
Work duration, years	24.8±0.4	26.3±0.9	27.3±1.2	26.9±2.4	26.8±2.2

Table 4. Occupational hazards and circumstances for occupational pathology.

Occupational hazard	Cases of occupational pathology		р
	First group (n=327)	Second group (n=330)
Occupational hazard
Chemical substances of I-IV hazard classes and carcinogens	226 (69.1%)	175 (53.0%)	<0.001
Noise	42 (12.8%)	41 (12.4%)	0.872
Fibrogenic aerosols	25 (7.6%)	8 (2.4%)	0.002
Work physical demands	25 (7.6%)	101 (30.6%)	<0.001
Hand-arm vibration	5 (1.5%)	2 (0.6%)	0.250
Whole-body vibration	4 (1.2%)	3 (0.9%)	0.695
Technological circumstances
Machines, mechanisms and equipment design flaws	94 (28.7%)	37 (31.6%)	0.559
Outdated industrial sanitary installations (ventilation, air purification, heating, etc. in the workshops)	98 (30.0%)	19 (16.2%)	0.004
Outdated technological processes	127 (38.8%)	59 (50.4)	0.009
Others	8 (2.4%)	2 (1.7%)	0.645

Table 5. Occupational diseases categories.

Occupational disease category	Cases of occupational pathology		р
	First group (n=327)	Second group (n=330)
Respiratory diseases	193 (59.0%)	104 (31.5%)	<0.001
Ear diseases (Noise effects on inner ear)	42 (12.8%)	41 (12.4%)	0.872
Injuries, intoxication and other external causes	40 (12.2%)	76 (23.0)	<0.001
Malignant neoplasms	25 (7.6%)	4 (1.2%)	<0.001
Musculoskeletal diseases	23 (7.0%)	76 (23.0%)	<0.001
Nervous diseases	4 (1.2%)	27 (8.2%)	<0.001
Skin diseases	0	2 (0.6%)	0.159

Data availability statement

All data relevant to this manuscript are in the body of the manuscript.