THE list of occupational diseases has been expanded to include a severe impact on sleep, post-traumatic stress disorder and a clear deterioration in familial relationships resulting in impairment or disability.
New additions to the list also include high blood pressure caused by working conditions, cancer or diseases caused by exposure to hazardous material, a loss of speech in addition to depression, anxiety and panic attacks.
Details, which also include the percentage of disability and impairment of each condition, were released by Health Minister Dr Jalila Al Sayyed in the Official Gazette.
“A chronic inability to perform any activity (inside or outside the house) in addition to severe forgetfulness, a lack of focus, neglecting personal hygiene or an extreme inability to enjoy life is categorised as a 65 per cent disability,” stated Dr Al Sayyed in the attachment published with the official decision.
“This requires constant monitoring and hospital treatment in addition to a radical amendment in the employee’s duties.
“It is also considered a 60pc disability if an employee’s mental state is impacted severely leading to an inability to self-care and a higher risk of being left along without supervision.”
Meanwhile, other psychological illnesses and behavioural impairment listed in the decision include loss of language abilities and sleep disruption at various degrees – which could reach up to 50pc of an impairment or disability.
Exposure to hazardous chemicals, biological materials as well as infectious and parasitic diseases were also included in the official list of occupational injuries in addition to dermatological diseases, skin allergies and respiratory illnesses.
“Illnesses caused by stress and exhaustion include a 100pc disability due to an internal brain haemorrhage or a blockage in arteries which results in incurable hemiplegia – one-sided paralysis,” added Dr Al Sayyed in the official documents.
“Meanwhile, hemiparesis – which is a weakness or inability to move on one side of the body – results in an impairment ranging from 15pc to 80pc while a loss of speech is categorised from 10pc to 50pc.”
Other illnesses listed include liver diseases, cardiovascular abnormalities, digestive system illnesses and respiratory conditions which are evaluated based on the need for medication or surgical intervention to determine the degree of impairment.
Meanwhile, the loss or deterioration of sight and hearing as well as speech impairment were also listed with disability ranging from 0pc to 30pc depending on the degree of impairment.
Body mutations – such as scars or skin grafts – as well as loss of teeth, loss of balance, seizures and sleep abnormalities were also included in addition to spinal cord impairment with disabilities ranging from 7pc to 100pc.
Loss of limbs or amputation of extremities, broken bones and head injuries are also included in the list of occupational injuries along with nerve damage and muscle weakness.
The new additions to occupational injuries has come into effect starting this week after being published in the Official Gazette.
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