Industrial diseases are caused in certain working conditions when an employer has failed to disclose proper and safe working practises and has not provided the right equipment required to safely perform job tasks.
Certain industrial diseases may last a life time, causing difficulties in many aspects of life. The most common types of Industrial Disease include the following:
Respiratory Disease
Poor working conditions can give rise to asbestosis, lung disease and asthma. Collectively, these lead to many complications in breathing, difficulty in exercising, heart disease, deformities and generally a reduced life span.
Industrial Deafness
Working in manual labour such as building and construction means exposure to noisy equipment and machinery. Continuously working in noisy conditions without being provided protective head gear can lead to hearing impairment or total deafness.
Skin Disease
The two most common industrial skin diseases are dermatitis and mesothelioma, both caused by exposure to harsh conditions over numerous years without having the adequate means for protection. More often than not, industrial skin diseases are untreatable thus leaving a scar for life.
Repetitive Strain Injury
Employers have a responsibility to ensure that their employees are working without the risk of repetitive strain injury (RSI). RSI, as the name suggests, is caused by performing the same tasks over a number of years. Vibration white finger and hand-arm vibration are two common types of RSI’s that affects nerves, joints and blood vessels.
