The ILO List of occupational diseases

The annual number of non-fatal work-related diseases has been estimated to be 160 million.   The relationship between exposure and the severity of the impairment among workers and the number of workers exposed are important criteria for the determination of occupational diseases. Definitions of occupational diseases are usually set out in legislation. Identification of occupational diseases has an impact not only on provisions of employment injury benefits, but also on national and enterprise level preventive programmes.   The ILO lists of occupational diseases play a key role in the harmonization of the development of policy on occupational diseases and in promoting their prevention.  At national level, the ILO lists isimportant in promoting the inclusion of a range of internationally acknowledged occupational diseases in national lists. The ILO plays a key role in harmonising the development of policy on occupational diseases and in promoting their prevention. The lists of Occupational diseases established by the ILO have always served as an example for countries establishing or revising their national lists. Adding to the lists would imply the extension of preventive measures to control the use of harmful substances and would assist better health surveillance of workers.  Two important ILO lists of occupational diseases are currently being promoted widely by the ILO. The list of occupational diseases appended in schedule I of the Employment Injury Benefits Convention, 1964 (No. 121) is legally binding if a country has ratified the Convention. A ratifying state shall, as a minimum, recognise the occupational origin of all the diseases comprised in this list. The second list of occupational diseases was adopted in 2002 as an annex to the ILO Recommendation No. 194. This list was revised in 2010. This new list annexed to Recommendation No 194 supplements Schedule I of the ILO Employment Injury Benefits Convention, 1964.