Answer: According to the provisions of the Classification and Catalogue of Occupational Diseases in 2013, occupational diseases include: occupational pneumoconiosis and other respiratory diseases, occupational skin diseases, occupational ophthalmopathy, occupational ear, nose, throat, and oral diseases, occupational chemical poisoning, occupational diseases caused by physical factors, occupational radiation disease, occupational infectious disease, occupational tumor and other occupational diseases. The most common occupational diseases include pneumoconiosis, noise-induced deafness, leukemia caused by chemical pollution, contact dermatitis, and various chemical poisoning.
The recognition of occupational disease must satisfy that the type of disease in question falls within the scope of the aforementioned occupational diseases. Therefore if an employee suffers from a disease that does not fall within the scope, it is not an occupational disease even if it is due to their occupational activity or work. For example, if an employee is infected by a coworker’s COVID-19 in the workplace, it is not an occupational disease. However, if a medical staff or a police officer is unfortunately infected with AIDS due to work contact, it is an occupational disease. This is the second condition for the identification of occupational diseases.
To determine whether an employee has contracted an occupational disease, and whether the first condition for the identification of occupational diseases, “illness due to occupational activities,” is met, please refer to What is occupational disease?
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