Text size:

• Small
• Medium
• Large

List of occupational diseases

Passed 09.05.2005 No. 66
RTL 2005, 51, 722
Entry into force 20.06.2005

Amended by the following legal instruments (show)

This Regulation is enacted on the basis of Section 23(1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act [ töötervishoiu ja tööohutuse seadus ].

§ 1.  Definition of occupational disease

  A disease is deemed to be an occupational disease if it is referred to in Sections 2–4¹ or if a worker’s illness has been caused by a working environment hazard referred to in Section 5 or 6.
[RT I, 09.12.2022, 17 – entry into force 1 January 2023]

§ 2.  Occupational respiratory diseases and cancers

  The following are occupational respiratory diseases and cancers:
 1) silicosis;
 2) silicosis combined with pulmonary tuberculosis;
 3) asbestosis;
 4) mesothelioma caused by the inhalation of asbestos dust;
 5) pneumoconiosis caused by the inhalation of asbestos dust;
 6) complication of asbestosis in the form of bronchial cancer;
 7) broncho-pulmonary ailments caused by dusts from metals;
 8) extrinsic allergic alveolites;
 9) lung diseases caused by the inhalation of dusts and fibres from cotton, flax, hemp, jute, sisal and bagasse;
 10) respiratory ailments caused by the inhalation of dust from cobalt, tin, barium and graphite;
 11) siderosis;
 12) allergic asthmas caused by the inhalation of substances consistently recognised as causing allergies and inherent to the type of work;
 13) allergic rhinitis caused by the inhalation of substances consistently recognised as causing allergies and inherent to the type of work;
 14) cancerous diseases of the upper respiratory tract caused by dust from wood;
 15) fibrotic diseases of the pleura caused by asbestos;
 16) chronic obstructive bronchitis or emphysema in miners working in underground coal mines;
 17) bronchial cancer caused by the inhalation of asbestos dust;
 18) broncho-pulmonary ailments caused by the inhalation of dusts or fumes from aluminium or compounds thereof;
 19) broncho-pulmonary ailments caused by the inhalation of dusts from basic slags;
 20) respiratory ailments caused by other dust of plant or animal origin not referred to above (flour dust, animal epithelial dust, cotton dust and other organic dust);
 21) respiratory ailments caused by other dust of mineral original not referred to above (quartz dust, asbestos dust, cement dust);
 22) respiratory ailments caused by coal dust and soot;
 23) other respiratory ailments and cancers caused by chemical, physical or biological agents in the working environment.

§ 3.  Occupational infectious diseases and occupational parasitic diseases

  The following are occupational infectious diseases and occupational parasitic diseases:
 1) infectious or parasitic diseases transmitted by animals or remains of animals;
 2) tetanus;
 3) brucellosis;
 4) viral hepatitis;
 5) tuberculosis;
 6) amoebiasis;
 7) other infectious and parasitic diseases caused by biological agents in the working environment.

§ 4.  Occupational diseases caused by physical and physiological agents in the working environment

  The following are occupational diseases caused by physical and physiological agents in the working environment:
 1) cataracts caused by heat radiation;
 2) conjunctival ailments following exposure to ultraviolet radiation;
 3) diseases caused by ionising radiation;
 4) diseases caused by atmospheric compression or decompression;
 5) hypoacousis or deafness caused by noise;
 6) angioneurotic diseases caused by hand-arm vibration;
 7) diseases of the periarticular sacs due to pressure;
 8) pre-patellar and sub-patellar bursitis;
 9) olecranon bursitis;
 10) shoulder bursitis;
 11) diseases due to overstraining of the tendon sheaths;
 12) diseases due to overstraining of the peritendineum;
 13) diseases due to overstraining of the muscular and tendonous insertions;
 14) meniscus lesions following extended periods of work in a kneeling or squatting position;
 15) paralysis of the nerves due to pressure;
 16) muscle and tendon damage caused by overstraining due to rotational movements;
 17) diseases of the intervertebral discs caused by repeated vertical movements in whole-body vibration conditions;
 18) nodules on the vocal chords caused by sustained work-related vocal effort (by voice-related work);
 19) carpal tunnel syndrome;
 20) miner’s nystagmus;
 21) osteoarticular diseases of the hands and wrists caused by overstraining and hand-arm vibration;
 22) other diseases caused by physical or physiological agents in the working environment.

§ 4¹.  Occupational diseases caused by psycho-social agents in the working environment

  The following are occupational diseases caused by psycho-social agents in the working environment;
 1) post-traumatic stress disorder;
 2) other diseases caused by psycho-social agents in the working environment.
[RT I, 09.12.2022, 17 – entry into force 1 January 2023]

§ 5.  Occupational skin diseases and skin cancers

 (1) Occupational skin diseases and skin cancers caused by:
 1) soot;
 2) tar;
 3) bitumen;
 4) pitch;
 5) anthracene or compounds thereof;
 6) mineral and other oils;
 7) crude paraffin;
 8) carbazole (diphenylenimine, dibenzopyrrole) or compounds thereof;
 9) by-products of the distillation of coal;
 10) other chemical, physical or biological agents in the working environment.

 (2) Occupational skin ailments caused by scientifically recognised allergy-provoking or irritative substances.

§ 6.  Occupational diseases caused by chemical agents in the working environment

  Occupational diseases caused by the following chemical agents in the working environment:
 1) acrylonitrile;
 2) arsenic or compounds thereof;
 3) beryllium or compounds thereof;
 4) carbon monoxide;
 5) carbon oxychloride (carbonyl trichloride, phosgene);
 6) hydrocyanic acid;
 7) cyanides and compounds thereof;
 8) isocyanates;
 9) cadmium or compounds thereof;
 10) chromium or compounds thereof;
 11) mercury or compounds thereof;
 12) manganese or compounds thereof;
 13) nitric acid;
 14) oxides of nitrogen;
 15) ammonia;
 16) nickel or compounds thereof;
 17) phosphorus or compounds thereof;
 18) lead or compounds thereof;
 19) zinc or compounds thereof;
 20) copper or compounds thereof;
 21) oxides of sulphur;
 22) sulphuric acid;
 23) carbon disulphide;
 24) vanadium or compounds thereof;
 25) chlorine;
 26) bromine;
 27) iodine;
 28) fluorine or compounds thereof;
 29) aliphatic or alicyclic hydrocarbons derived from petroleum spirit or petrol;
 30) halogenated derivatives of the aliphatic or alicyclic hydrocarbons;
 31) butyl, methyl and isopropyl alcohol;
 32) ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, 1,4-butanediol and the nitrated derivatives of the glycols and of glycerol;
 33) methyl ether, ethyl ether, isopropyl ether, vinyl ether, dichloroisopropyl ether, guaiacol (2-methoxyphenol), methyl ether and ethyl ether of ethylene glycol;
 34) acetone, chloroacetone, bromoacetone, hexafluoroacetone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl n-butyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, diacetone alcohol, mesityl oxide, 2-methylcyclohexanone;
 35) organophosphorus esters;
 36) organic acids;
 37) formaldehyde;
 38) aliphatic nitrated derivatives;
 39) benzene or compounds thereof (benzene compounds with the formula CnH2n-6);
 40) naphthalene or compounds thereof (naphthalene compounds with the formula CnH2n-12);
 41) vinylbenzene and divinylbenzene;
 42) halogenated derivatives of the aromatic hydrocarbons;
 43) phenols or compounds or halogenated derivatives thereof;
 44) naphthols or compounds or halogenated derivatives thereof;
 45) halogenated derivatives of the alkylaryl oxides;
 46) halogenated derivatives of the alkylaryl sulfonates;
 47) benzoquinones;
 48) aromatic amines or aromatic hydrazines or halogenated, phenolic, nitrified, nitrated or sulfonated derivatives thereof;
 49) aliphatic amines and halogenated derivatives thereof;
 50) nitrated derivatives of aromatic hydrocarbons;
 51) nitrated derivatives of phenols or compounds thereof;
 52) antimony and derivatives thereof;
 53) nitric acid esters;
 54) hydrogen sulphide;
 55) shale oil, bitumen, tar, rubber, plastics, artificial resins;
 56) antibiotics and pharmaceutical products;
 57) pesticides;
 58) chemical substances classified as carcinogens, mutagens or reprotoxic substances of category 1 in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures, amending and repealing Directives 67/548/EEC and 1999/45/EC, and amending Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (OJ L 353, 31.12.2008, p. 1);
[RT I, 26.03.2024, 16 – entry into force 5 April 2024]
 59) organic solvents, exposure to which may result in encephalopathies and polyneuropathies;
 60) other chemical agents not listed in points 1–59 but which may lead to disease.

§ 7.  Repeal of Regulation

[Omitted from this text.]