Occupational respiratory diseases from exposure to fibrogenic dust and chemical aerosols at enterprises in the Russian Arctic

Respiratory diseases caused by fibrogenic dust and harmful chemical factors are among the most common forms of occupational pathology. The aim of the study: a comparative assessment of the development, structure and prevalence of occupational respiratory diseases caused by fibrogenic dust and aerosols of harmful chemicals. We studied the data of social and hygienic monitoring “Working conditions and occupational morbidity” and the Register of extracts from occupational disease records (Order of the Ministry of Health of Russia dated May 28, 2001 No. 176 “On improving the system for investigating and recording occupational diseases in the Russian Federation”) in 2007-2021 in the Russian Arctic. In 2007-2021, chemicals of hazard classes I-IV, allergens and carcinogens occupied third place (8.8%), and aerosols of predominantly fibrogenic action took eighth place (5.5%) in the structure of harmful industrial factors. However, the ratio was the opposite for the number of occupational diseases caused by these factors: 461 (4.46%) and 941 (9.10%) cases out of the total number in the Russian Arctic (n=10,343). The incidence rate for diseases caused by exposure to fibrogenic dust was 1,48 - 8,21 times higher than that of chemicals. The risk of developing respiratory diseases was also higher: OR=3.23; 95% CI 2.89 - 3.61; p<0.001. Significant differences in the conditions and circumstances of their development, prevalence, and nosological entitie were found between the two groups of diseases. Over a 15-year period, a decrease in the annual number of cases was observed both with exposure to fibrogenic dust (R2=0.523) and chemical aerosols (R2=0.614), while a decrease in morbidity rates occurred only with exposure to chemicals (R2=0.573). The obtained data indicate a lower efficiency of occupational respiratory pathology prevention at enterprises in the Russian Arctic and the need to improve it for workers employed in dusty working conditions.