- Project number: F 2591
- Institution: Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA)
- Status: Ongoing Project
- Planned end: 2025-12-31
Description:
Employment-related infections can affect employees in many different sectors of the economy. Subject to certain preconditions, infectious diseases acquired in the workplace can be recognised as occupational diseases if employees have been exposed to a significantly higher risk of infection than the average population.
DGUV Statistics - Figures and long-term trends (DGUV-Statistiken für die Praxis), which is published annually by the German Social Accident Insurance (Deutsche Gesetzliche Unfallversicherung, DGUV), provides an overview of how frequently occupational diseases are reported and recognised. However, it does not include any information about the nature of the infectious diseases contracted or the activities performed by the employees in question.
This project will therefore evaluate data from the German employers’ liability insurance associations and public social accident insurance providers on infection-induced occupational diseases during the years from 2018 to 2022. Additionally, more specific information about diagnoses, occupational groups, and the severity of the conditions suffered will be gathered from these sources. The intention is to answer the following questions:
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How frequently are work-related infectious diseases reported and recognised? Which infectious diseases play a part in these cases?
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Which infectious diseases particularly affect employees in which occupational groups?
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Which diseases are especially harmful for employees due to their severity or outcomes?
The aim of this project is to reach new findings about work-related infectious diseases among various occupational groups, allowing areas of working life in which relevant risks of infection exist to be identified more accurately.
The study’s results could form the basis for assessment methods designed to determine which fields of activity should be targeted by workplace infection control efforts.