“It’s just an occupational hazard!”: Understanding the Classification of Occupational Injuries and Diseases

Phrases like this often come up in conversations among colleagues, or when people talk with friends and family about the challenges of their work. As mentioned earlier, occupational injuries and diseases are closely related to national labor regulations. But who actually decides which people—or which illnesses—can be considered occupational diseases?

First, we need to understand the classification of occupational injuries and diseases.

In everyday conversation, what people commonly refer to as an “occupational disease” often falls under the broader legal category of occupational hazards. Within this category, there are two main types:

1. Occupational Injury: An occupational injury occurs when a worker suffers physical harm due to an accident, and the injury has a clear causal relationship with the job. Typically, the mechanism of injury is brief, obvious, and relatively easy to identify—for example, falling from a height, being struck or crushed by objects, or sustaining fractures or skin injuries in a traffic accident.

2. Occupational Disease: This category is more complex to determine. It refers to illnesses that are caused or triggered by certain hazards encountered at work, and the disease must also have a causal relationship with the job. Most occupational diseases develop gradually over time—for example, illnesses resulting from long-term heavy lifting, exposure to toxic chemicals, or ionizing radiation that may lead to cancer. However, some conditions can progress rapidly. Severe traumatic events, for instance, may trigger mental or psychological disorders within a relatively short period.

How are these cases assessed?

• Occupational injuries are investigated by the company (represented by the employer) and then reviewed by the Labor Insurance Administration.

• Occupational diseases are first evaluated by a specialist in occupational medicine. If the physician considers the illness to be potentially work-related, they will prepare a diagnostic report, which is then submitted to the Labor Insurance Administration for review.

  
  

By now, you may already have many questions. Don’t worry—this series, “Introduction to Occupational Diseases and Clarifying Common Misconceptions,” will explore these topics one by one in future articles.

Have you ever heard of a situation that, looking back, might have been an occupational hazard? Feel free to share it with us in the comments.