[Important occupational diseases and their prevention]

In spite of the increasing industrialization no increase in tht total number of occupational diseases has been registered during the past 10 years. This fact must mainly be attributed to the improvement in the security measures taken in all occupational fields and the extension of the occupational medical care. Nevertheless, we are actually faced with a high number of occupational diseases. While the frequency of diseases diminished obviously for some occupational diseases, it increases for others partly considerably. The change in the structure of the statistics concerning occupational diseases is, amongst others and besides the continuous change of technic and the development of new products, also due to alterations of the law respective to the accident insurance right. In this connexion it is referred to the deafness due to noisy working conditions. Among the 10 most frequent occupational diseases, which are mainly manifested in internal organs, some--like pneumoconioses and lead-poisoning--are regarded as classic but still actual occupational diseases. Contrary to this, other occupational diseases--like asthma bronchiale or health injuries by halogen-hydrocarbon--became increasingly important only during the last few years. Corresponding details are given. The danger of health through working material or working methods will in most cases be recognized only after years of occupation. Very often the discovered diseases at that time are no longer reversibel. Consequently, the main task of the doctors for occupational diseases is the prevention of occupational diseases. In 1971 the professional associations put together, in cooperation with occupational medical experts, uniform principles for the necessary preventional examinations in the field of occupational medicien. The quality of the tests carried out with reference to suitability and supervision of working places as well as the extension of such tests to all fields of occupational danger will determine whether or not the number of occupational--therefore not fatal-diseases will decrease essentially.