Vinyl chloride disease

Acute and chronic diseases of workers exposed to vinyl chloride in the manufacture of vinyl chloride and its polymers are listed as nr. 1302 in the Occupational Disease Ordinance. If employers are exposed to vinyl chloride and show characteristic symptoms of the illness it has to be registered with the accident insurance. Pathological symptoms of integuments, bones, blood vessels, liver and blood were first observed in the 1970s in vinyl chloride workers caused by deficient occupational health and safety. Current safety and health concepts are used to reduce the concentration of vinyl chloride and its metabolites in the workplace and vinyl chloride dis-ease has therefore taken a back seat. Regardless of industrial safety persons with symptoms of vinyl chloride disease in areas of production of polyvinyl chloride in the past have already been registered. Furthermore the importance of vinyl chloride will rise in newly industrialized countries. Because of deficient occupational health and safety programs symptoms of vinyl chloride disease in workers have already found there.