Abroad|21/01/25

GERMANY: Three new occupational diseases recognised

Home > The news of EUROGIP and occupational risks in Europe > GERMANY: Three new occupational diseases recognised

Under a new regulation adopted on 11 December 2024, three new diseases have been added to the list of occupational diseases and may be recognised as such under certain conditions. These are damage to the shoulder rotator cuff, gonarthrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Damage to the rotator cuff of the shoulder affects several professions: workers in the textile industry, welding, grinding, assembly, fish processing, abattoirs, forestry and construction. This damage is caused by prolonged and intensive stress.

Recognition of gonarthrosis concerns professional footballers, i.e. those who have played for at least 13 years, including 10 years in the top three men’s leagues or the top two women’s leagues. Activity between the ages of 16 and 19 in a lower league is also taken into account.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, including emphysema, affects people exposed to quartz dust. This includes miners (including uranium miners), tunnel construction workers, plasterers, sandblasters, furnace masons, shapers in the metallurgical industry, as well as those involved in the extraction and processing of stone and fine ceramics. Dental laboratory workers are also affected.

The States must now accept this regulation. Pesticide-induced Parkinson’s syndrome’ has not yet been included. The matter is still being clarified, but the disease can already be recognised via the supplementary system.

To find out more

Discover other news

Community news

08/10/25

Healthy Workplaces Good Practice Awards 2025

This competition recognizes innovative and sustainable approaches to occupational risk prevention across Europe. This year, the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) is awarding prizes for the introduction of digital systems in the workplace.

News

23/09/25

PSR prevention: next EUROGIP report announced in Marseille

At the end of September, EUROGIP was invited by Carsat Sud-Est to present an overview of mental health in the workplace abroad. On this occasion, Anna Piazza, researcher at EUROGIP, revealed some details of her upcoming report on the prevention of psychosocial risks (PSR) in the workplace in Europe and internationally.