The Ministry of Health added 165 new pathologies to the list of work-related illnesses this Wednesday (29), including anxiety, depression, burnout, leukemia and Covid-19. The list had not been updated for 24 years. The Ministries of Labor and Employment and Social Security were in favor of the changes, which have already been published in the Official Gazette of the Union. The changes will come into effect in 30 days.
According to the ministry, between 2007 and 2022, the Unified Health System (SUS) treated almost 3 million cases of occupational diseases. The majority of notifications (52.9%) are related to serious work accidents.
The survey also shows that 26.8% of notifications were generated by exposure to biological material; 12.2%, due to accidents with venomous animals; and 3.7% due to repetitive strain injuries (RSI) or musculoskeletal disorders. In 2023 alone, there will already be more than 390,000 reported cases of work-related illnesses.
The ministry also points out that the changes to the list will contribute to the structuring of assistance and surveillance measures that enable healthier workplaces.
