Table 1.
Examples of criteria reported used or recommended for acceptance of occupational chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in different workers’ compensation systems
| Country or System | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Canada | Workers’ compensation systems have recognized only a few cases of occupational COPD Assessed on a case-by-case basis based on medical “experts” or committees. Ontario: criteria based on age (average loss of FEV1 with age: 33.6 ml/yr), estimated mg/m3 respirable dust × number of years (average loss of FEV1 with dust: 5.8 ml/mg/m3-yr) estimated as a percentage of causation by reduction for smoking pack-years (average loss of FEV1 with smoking: 8.5 ml/pack-year)*. The WSIB’s standard for allowing COPD is based on doubling of the risk of developing COPD after a cumulative dust exposure of approximately 50 mg/m3-yr†. No reported estimate for VGDF. Quebec: agreed relationship to work if <20 pack-years and >20 yr exposure to high level of VGDF. |
| Korea | Compensation is limited to workers exposed to high concentrations of coal mine dust, silica, or cadmium fumes for prolonged periods (119) |
| France | Accepted if listed in tables (coal and iron mines, cotton, Ar), FEV1 < 40% predicted and sufficient duration of exposure or if recognized by a committee of three medical experts (when exposures are not listed in the tables and if disability is >25% or death) (120) |
| Germany | High occupational exposure to irritants, usually for several years Occurrence of symptoms during exposure without or small lag Symptoms with relation to work (not a prerequisite for particulate exposures) No dominant, nonoccupational confounders (atopy, smoking) Phenotype of disease should not be considered (121) |
| United Kingdom | Recognized if >20 yr exposure of coal face work or cadmium fume exposure |
Definition of abbreviations: COPD = chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; VGDF = vapor, gas, dusts, and fume; WSIB = Workplace Safety and Insurance Board.
*
Criteria quoted from Ontario WSIB COPD binder as reported in Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeal Tribunal (WSIAT) decision no. 484/06 (2009); dust type unspecified (http://www.ibew353.org/wsib/new_doc/Case%20Law/WSIAT%20484%2006%20COPD%20&%20Smoking%20Athey%20Divisible%20Injury.pdf).
†
Criterion quoted from WSIAT decision no. 1,923/14 (2014; http://wsiat.on.ca/decisions/2014/1923%2014.pdf).