What are the types of occupational diseases?

On December 11, 2024, the National Health Commission, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the National Disease Control Bureau, and the All-China Federation of Trade Unions issued the "Classification and Catalog of Occupational Diseases" (National Health and Family Planning Commission [2024] No. 39), which adjusted the classification and catalog of occupational diseases and will be implemented from August 1, 2025. The "Classification and Catalog of Occupational Diseases" jointly issued by the former National Health and Family Planning Commission, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the former State Administration of Work Safety, and the All-China Federation of Trade Unions will be abolished at the same time.

According to the latest classification and catalog of occupational diseases, there are 12 categories and 135 statutory occupational diseases in my country (including 4 open clauses). This adjustment adds 2 new occupational disease categories, namely occupational musculoskeletal diseases and occupational mental and behavioral disorders, and adds 1 new occupational disease in each category. First, carpal tunnel syndrome is added to the category of occupational musculoskeletal diseases (limited to manufacturing workers who perform repetitive or forceful wrist operations for a long time). Second, post-traumatic stress disorder is added to the category of occupational mental and behavioral disorders (limited to emergency rescue personnel such as people's police, medical and health personnel, and fire rescue who participate in emergency response). This adjustment fully draws on the advanced experience of other countries and for the first time includes musculoskeletal injuries and psychological and mental diseases in the scope of statutory occupational diseases. Although there is only one disease in each category, it is a good start for future expansion.

Next, let us familiarize ourselves with the Classification and Catalogue of Occupational Diseases.

1. Occupational pneumoconiosis and other respiratory diseases

1. Pneumoconiosis

1. Silicosis

2. Coal Workers' Pneumoconiosis

3. Graphite pneumoconiosis

4. Carbon black pneumoconiosis

5. Asbestosis

6. Talc pneumoconiosis

7. Cement pneumoconiosis

8. Mica pneumoconiosis

9. Potter's Pneumoconiosis

10. Aluminum pneumoconiosis

11. Welder Pneumoconiosis

12. Foundry workers' pneumoconiosis

13. Other pneumoconiosis that can be diagnosed according to the Diagnostic Criteria for Pneumoconiosis and the Diagnostic Criteria for Pneumoconiosis Pathology

2. Other respiratory diseases

1. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis

2. Byssinosis

3. Asthma

4. Pneumoconiosis caused by metals and their compounds (tin, iron, antimony, barium and their compounds, etc.)

5. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease caused by irritating chemicals

6. Hard Metal Lung Disease

2. Occupational skin diseases

1. Contact dermatitis

2. Photocontact dermatitis

3. Photoelectric dermatitis

4. Melanosis

5. Acne

6. Ulcers

7. Chemical skin burns

8. Leukoplakia

9. Other occupational skin diseases that can be diagnosed according to the General Principles of Diagnosis of Occupational Skin Diseases

3. Occupational eye diseases

1. Chemical eye burns

2. Photoelectric ophthalmia

3. Cataract (including trinitrotoluene cataract)

4. Occupational ear, nose, throat and oral diseases

1. Noise-induced hearing loss

2. Chromium nose disease

3. Tooth erosion

4. Blast deafness

5. Occupational Chemical Poisoning

1. Poisoning by lead and its compounds (excluding tetraethyl lead)

2. Mercury and its compounds poisoning

3. Poisoning by manganese and its compounds

4. Poisoning by cadmium and its compounds

5. Beryllium disease

6. Poisoning by Thallium and Its Compounds

7. Poisoning by barium and its compounds

8. Poisoning by vanadium and its compounds

9. Poisoning by phosphorus and its compounds

10. Arsenic and its compounds poisoning

11. Arsine poisoning

12. Chlorine poisoning

13. Sulfur dioxide poisoning

14. Phosgene poisoning

15. Ammonia poisoning

16. Unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine poisoning

17. Nitrogen oxide poisoning

18. Carbon monoxide poisoning

19. Carbon disulfide poisoning

20. Hydrogen sulfide poisoning

21. Phosphine, zinc phosphide, and aluminum phosphide poisoning

22. Poisoning by fluorine and its inorganic compounds

23. Cyanide and nitrile compound poisoning

24. Tetraethyl lead poisoning

25. Organotin poisoning

26. Nickel Carbonyl Poisoning

27. Benzene poisoning

28. Toluene poisoning

29. Xylene poisoning

30. Hexane poisoning

31. Gasoline poisoning

32. Monomethylamine poisoning

33. Poisoning by organic fluorine polymer monomers and their thermal decomposition products

34. Ethylene dichloride poisoning

35. Carbon tetrachloride poisoning

36. Vinyl chloride poisoning

37. Trichloroethylene poisoning

38. Allyl chloride poisoning

39. Chloroprene poisoning

40. Poisoning by amino and nitro compounds of benzene (excluding trinitrotoluene)

41. Trinitrotoluene poisoning

42. Methanol poisoning

43. Phenol poisoning

44. Pentachlorophenol (sodium) poisoning

45. Formaldehyde poisoning

46. ​​Dimethyl sulfate poisoning

47. Acrylamide poisoning

48. Dimethylformamide poisoning

49. Organophosphate poisoning

50. Carbamate poisoning

51. Chlorhexidine poisoning

52. Methyl bromide poisoning

53. Pyrethroid poisoning

54. Poisoning by indium and its compounds

55. Propylene bromide poisoning

56. Methyl iodide poisoning

57. Chloroacetic acid poisoning

58. Ethylene oxide poisoning

59. Other chemical poisonings that have a direct causal relationship with exposure to occupational hazards and are not mentioned in the above items

VI. Occupational diseases caused by physical factors

1. Heat stroke

2. Decompression sickness

3. Altitude sickness

4. Aviation sickness

5. Hand-arm vibration disease

6. Laser-induced eye damage (cornea, lens, retina)

7. Frostbite

VII. Occupational Radiation Diseases

1. Acute radiation sickness caused by external exposure

2. Subacute radiation sickness

3. Chronic radiation sickness from external exposure

4. Internal radiation sickness

5. Radiation skin diseases

6. Radioactive tumors (including lung cancer caused by high radon exposure in miners)

7. Radiation-induced bone injury

8. Radiation-induced thyroid disease

9. Radiation-induced gonadal disease

10. Radiation-related injuries

11. Radiation cataract

12. Uranium and its compounds poisoning

13. Other radiation injuries that can be diagnosed according to the Diagnostic Criteria for Occupational Radiation Diseases (General Principles)

8. Occupational infectious diseases

1. Anthrax

2. Forest encephalitis

3. Brucellosis

4. AIDS (limited to medical and health personnel and police officers)

5. Lyme disease

IX. Occupational Tumors

1. Asbestos-induced lung cancer and mesothelioma

2. Benzidine-induced bladder cancer

3. Benzene-induced leukemia

4. Lung cancer caused by chloromethyl ether and bischloromethyl ether

5. Lung cancer and skin cancer caused by arsenic and its compounds

6. Vinyl chloride-induced hepatic angiosarcoma

7. Lung cancer caused by coke oven emissions

8. Lung cancer caused by hexavalent chromium compounds

9. Lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma caused by erionite

10. Skin cancer caused by coal tar, coal tar pitch, and petroleum pitch

11. Bladder cancer caused by β-naphthylamine

10. Occupational musculoskeletal diseases

1. Carpal tunnel syndrome (limited to manufacturing workers who perform repetitive or forceful wrist work for a long time)

2. Bursitis (limited to underground workers)

11. Occupational Mental and Behavioral Disorders

1. Post-traumatic stress disorder (limited to emergency rescue personnel such as police officers, medical personnel, fire rescue personnel, etc. who are involved in handling emergencies)

12. Other occupational diseases

1. Metal smoke heat

2. Femoral vein thrombosis syndrome, femoral artery occlusive disease or lymphatic occlusive disease (limited to scraping workers)