Overview on the identification and compensation criteria of work-related musculoskeletal disorders abroad / 中国职业医学

ABSTRACT

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders(WMSDs) are common disorders that endanger the occupational health of workers in the world. Some foreign countries have included it in the categories of occupational diseases or compensable work-related diseases. In the lists of occupational diseases in European countries, Australia, Japan, South Korea and other countries, the inclusion of WMSDs in the occupational disease classifications, related diagnostic items and included diseases is not inconsistent. Individual countries assign WMSDs based on a causal relationship between work-related exposures and musculoskeletal disorders. Assessing the relationship between occupational risk and diseases involves two issues the extent to which a disease can be attributed to an occupational risk, and the extent to which claimants with such occupational risk can demonstrate its existence. Compensation for WMSDs mainly includes three types medical care expenses incurred during workers′ medical treatment, wage losses during worker′s absence from work due to the diseases(temporary and permanent), and benefits for family members whose death due to occupational diseases. Compensation is mainly paid in the form of daily allowance, retirement pension, disability pension, funeral expenses, survivor′s pension, and others, which varies from country to country. At present, our country has planned to include WMSDs in the categories of occupational diseases. It is suggested that the WMSDs diagnosis/identification and compensation standards should be formulated based on the actual situation of our country and the experience of relevant countries and regions in the world, so as to do a good job in the identification, prevention and control of WMSDs and ensure the occupational health of workers.