Professional paper
https://doi.org/10.31306/s.64.1.7
Recognizing COVID-19 as an occupational disease in the European Union countries
Ivana Krišto
; Grad Zagreb, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Cvetan Kovač
; Nezavisni hrvatski sindikati, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Marinko Đ. Učur
; Rijeka, Hrvatska
Abstract
Designated bodies in the European Union are working to establish the connection between COVID-19 disease and the workplace and/or specific branch of economy. It is a complex interdisciplinary matter (from the aspect of health protection and safety at work) involving recognition of COVID-19 as originating at work, in addition to the issues as to whether it is an occupational disease or injury at work, according to the national criteria implemented in individual countries. Furthermore, it needs to be established whether the disease is an occupational disease or an injury at work, irrespective of its origin at work. How different EU countries regard these issues varies from country to country.
Both health care workers and workers in other branches of economy are exposed to the risk of contracting SARS CoV-2 virus and developing COVID-19 disease, depending on the category of risk. Of interest here is the professional work and high-risk professions, given the epidemiologic, clinical, medical history and indirect evidence. What is of essence is the exposure to the risk at work. Evidence must be non-ambivalent and far more specific than that proving injury at work or disease related to work (clinical manifestation, lab results, hygiene and other tests, serious complications, specific symptoms, duration of symptoms, their intensity, and other diagnostic procedures). The procedures are complex, for they involve businesses, workers and deadlines, all prescribed by the heterogeneous norms of each state.
To enforce definitive standard guidelines, given the current COVID-19 pandemic situation, the EU needs to bring forth a set of uniform common criteria for recognizing COVID-19 as an occupational disease. These criteria are the focus of this paper.
Keywords
pandemic, EU, criteria, COVID-19, recognized occupational disease
Hrčak ID:
274933
URI
Publication date:
5.4.2022.
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