Occupational Diseases in Pyrometallurgical Nickel Refining Workers of Various Specialties

Introduction: Working conditions pose high risks of occupational diseases for employees of over 60 specialties engaged in pyrometallurgical refining of nickel. Objective: To study common and distinctive features of occupational diseases in workers of various specialties involved in pyrometallurgical nickel processing. Materials and methods: We have analyzed data on working conditions and health in a cohort of 1,429 workers of the pyrometallurgical nickel refining shop. The study was conducted retrospectively with start and end points in the years 2007 and 2021. At the first stage, we focused on working conditions and occupational diseases in pyrometallurgical nickel refining workers and at the second stage – specifically on workers of 13 specialties, in whom at least five occupational diseases were diagnosed. Microsoft Excel 2016 and Epi Info, v. 6.04d, were used for data analysis. Results: Working conditions in pyrometallurgical nickel production fall within hazard classes 3.2–4. Fibrogenic aerosols containing respirable particles of nickel compounds are the main occupational risk factor. In 2008–2021, 300 cases of occupational diseases (mainly of the respiratory and musculoskeletal systems) were diagnosed in 129 of 1,429 workers (9.0 %). Occupational diseases were detected in 0.23 to 1.60 % of the workers annually. The highest number of occupational diseases was registered in smelters (n = 80), crane operators (n = 50), and repairmen (n = 21). Occupational multimorbidity (2 to 6 diseases) was observed in 91 (70.5 %) workers. We established a significant variance in incidence rates between the metallurgists of different specialties ranging from 56.8 cases per 10,000 workers in electricians to 464.3 in metal pourers. Musculoskeletal diseases prevailed in the latter (61.5 %), while respiratory diseases were more common in other core personnel (47.4–80.0 %). Sensorineural hearing loss was a more frequent finding in electricians (41.7 %). Conclusion: Knowledge of the features of development and clinical manifestations of occupational diseases in workers of various specialties engaged in pyrometallurgical nickel refining can help differentiate methods of their prevention.