Compensation for Occupational Diseases by Chemical Agents in Korea

Investigation into the frequency of compensation for occupational diseases (ODs) caused by hazardous chemicals revealed an important opportunity for the improvement and further development of occupational health and safety systems in Korea. In response to concerns after outbreaks of disease due to chemical exposure, specific criteria for recognition of ODs were established and included in the Enforcement Decree of the Labor Standard Act (LSA) and the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act (IACIA) on June 28, 2013. However, the original versions of the LSA and IACIA contain several limitations. First, the criteria was listed inconsistently according to the symptoms or signs of acute poisoning. Second, all newly recognized hazardous chemicals and chemicals recognized as hazardous by the International Labor Organization (ILO) were not included in the LSA and IACIA. Although recent amendments have addressed these shortcomings, future amendments should strive to include all chemicals listed by the ILO and continuously add newly discovered hazardous chemicals as they are introduced into the workplace.

The Investigation of Faculties and Facilities in Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Designated Hospitals

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the hospitals related rehabilitation, which were designated for industrial accident compensation insurance, focusing faculties and facilities by administrative district. METHOD: Total 1,031 hospitals having more than 30 beds were included. We investigated the numbers of hospital beds, medical departments, medical doctors, nurses, physical therapists, and occupational therapists of each hospital with official document of industrial accident compensation insurance. And we classified and analyzed all data by administrative district. RESULTS: The average of each objects were estimated as following orders: total number of hospital beds (131.5); medical departments (5.8); medical doctors (11.2); nurses (33.8); physical therapists (4.2); occupational therapists (0.9). The percentage of hospitals with department of rehabilitation medicine was 28.4% in total, 26.7% in hospital and 35.3% in general hospital. Mean numbers of hospital beds, medical departments, medical doctors, nurses and physical therapists did not showed disparity among the administrative districts. However, the percentages of hospitals with department of rehabilitation medicine and of hospitals with occupational therapists showed disparity among the administrative districts. The regional distribution of hospitals with department of rehabilitation medicine showed similar distribution, as that of occupational therapists. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate faculties and facilities of hospitals under the industrial accident compensation insurance which are related with rehabilitation treatment. We believe that these results would be helpful for constructing certification system of rehabilitation hospital and for further research about rehabilitation treatment associated with industrial accident compensation insurance.

Guidelines for Work-related Diseases

The purpose of the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act is to compensate any occupational accident of workers in a rapid and fair manner. To reduce theburden of proof of causation, there is a way to establish presumptive standards such as 'Guidelines for Work-related Diseases'. A presumptive standard defines a level of evidence sufficient to demonstrate legally a causal relationship between occupation and disease. In Korea, 24 items including physical agents, chemical agents, biological agents and some diseases are enlisted as work-related diseases.