RISK OF OCCUPATIONAL, WORK-RELATED, AND SOMATIC MORBIDITY AMONG METALLURGICAL INDUSTRIES WORKERS

Abstract

Presently, occupational and work-related diseases make up a significant share of disability and mortality causes among the working-age population. However, to a greater extent, this is linked with the peculiarities of production rather than injuries at the workplace. In contemporary Russia, the significance of the problem is highlighted by the fact that up to 70% of metallurgical enterprises are the principal employer and mainstay of an entire town for the bulk of the employable population. Objective: To analyze bibliographic databases that provide information on peculiarities of health conditions, the state of the body’s organs, and systems affected by harmful production factors in employees of metallurgical enterprises. Methods: A systematic literature review that addresses the specific topic was carried out using various available sources, including electronic databases of published data such as PubMed, WHO, EU health databases as well as free online resources. Results: A literature review has shown that harmful factors that contribute to occupational health hazards in metallurgical plant workers affect the body as a whole. Along with hard physical work, they cause overloading of organ systems, resulting in multiple organs and systems dysfunctioning. It has been established that the most frequently affected are upper respiratory tract, musculoskeletal, endocrine, genitourinary, immune systems. Also, target organs include the skin, hearing organ, and the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, occupational hazards must be considered when carrying out preventive measures, developing hygienic standards to improve working conditions reducing the risks of developing occupational diseases, and improving the quality of life.

Keywords

• workers of metallurgical production
• morbidity
• occupational risk
• occupational diseases
• occupational diseases.