Definition

Noun: - A disease or disability that is directly caused by the specific conditions or hazards of a person's job. It typically develops from long-term exposure to harmful substances or from the continuous, repetitive performance of certain work-related tasks.

Usage

This term is used specifically in legal, medical, and workplace safety contexts to describe illnesses contracted as a direct result of one's occupation.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Coal miners are at high risk for pneumoconiosis, a well-known occupational disease.
  • Repetitive strain injury is considered an occupational disease for many office workers and assembly line operators.
  • The company was held liable after the worker developed an occupational disease from years of exposure to toxic chemicals without proper protection.

Advanced Usage

• Legal Context: The term is crucial for determining workers' compensation eligibility. A condition must be proven to be primarily caused by work to be classified as an occupational disease.
  • The court recognized his hearing loss as an occupational disease due to decades of working in a noisy factory.

Variants and Related Words

• Work-related illness: A broader term that may include conditions aggravated by, but not solely caused by, work.
• Industrial disease: A synonym often used in British English, emphasizing diseases common in industrial settings.

Synonyms

• Industrial disease
• Work-related disease
• Job-induced illness

Related Phrases

• "To contract an occupational disease": To develop or acquire a disease from one's job.
  • Several employees contracted an occupational disease from the asbestos in the old building.

Notes

This term is distinct from a workplace accident or injury. An occupational disease develops gradually over time due to exposure or repetitive activity, rather than from a single, sudden event.

Noun

1. disease or disability resulting from conditions of employment (usually from long exposure to a noxious substance or from continuous repetition of certain acts)