The Israel Institute for Occupational Safety and Hygiene estimates that approximately 1,239 people die each year from illnesses caused by exposure to hazardous materials and inhalation of particles at work, as well as from cardiovascular diseases linked to long working hours. This emerges from a new study presented last week at the Institute’s annual conference, marking the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, which is observed each year on April 28.
The study, conducted by Dr. Michael Maiman, Head of Occupational Health Development at the Institute, seeks to estimate the mortality rate in Israel from occupational diseases using the “attributable fraction” method, which examines the proportion of cases of a given disease that can be attributed to exposure to occupational risk factors. This method is used by the International Labour Organization and the World Health Organization to assess the global burden of occupational morbidity and mortality. The estimate of the scope of the phenomenon in Israel was based on cross-referencing overall mortality rates from various diseases with the proportion attributable to occupational causes for each disease, as reported in publications by these international organizations.
For example, based on the assumption that about 4.9% of cancer deaths are influenced by occupational exposure to chemicals and particles, the Israel Institute for Occupational Safety and Hygiene estimates that approximately 568 people die each year from occupationally induced cancer. Similarly, assuming that about 11.5% of deaths from respiratory diseases are affected by occupational exposure to chemicals and particles, the Institute estimates that around 147 people die annually from work-related respiratory conditions.
Heart diseases linked to occupational exposure to hazardous substances are responsible for the deaths of about 69 Israelis each year, and an additional 15 Israelis die from kidney diseases with a similar occupational origin (based on the assumption that 1% of those who die from heart and kidney diseases were affected due to exposure to hazardous substances and particles during their work).
In addition, studies published in 2021 indicate that approximately 4.9% of deaths from stroke and heart disease are caused by long working hours—defined as more than 55 hours per week. Accordingly, the Israel Institute for Occupational Safety and Hygiene estimates that about 336 Israelis die each year from heart disease, and 104 from cerebrovascular diseases, linked to long working hours. It should be noted that the study relies on global statistical data to estimate the situation in Israel, without conducting an in-depth examination of the specific characteristics of the Israeli labor market or local levels of exposure to hazardous materials, particles, and extended working hours.
At the opening of the conference, the Institute’s acting Director General, Moshe Ba-Gad, addressed the concerning picture. According to him, the economic damage is estimated at around 4 billion shekels annually, a sum that could have funded the addition of approximately 1,800 hospital beds or around 2,800 classrooms in the education system. “These figures are not sufficiently reflected among decision-makers, and this is a ‘red flag’ that requires immediate action.”
Ba-Gad emphasized that occupational cancer is not a fate that must be accepted—it can be prevented through proper training, a safe working environment, and effective enforcement. He called for coordinated action among all stakeholders, government, employers, enforcement bodies, and academia, to eradicate the phenomenon and reduce the scope of illness. He further noted that certain sectors involve particularly high exposure to hazardous materials, and that efforts to reduce harm to workers should be concentrated there.
Despite the difficulty of proving a causal link between the workplace and disease, he stressed that strengthening the ability to identify and establish such a connection would enable more precise guidance and more effective enforcement, thereby saving lives. According to him, the Israel Institute for Occupational Safety and Hygiene is committed to working in cooperation with government ministries and all actors in the labor market, with the understanding that there are gaps in awareness of regulations and guidelines. “Everyone who leaves home in the morning to earn a living must return home safely,” he concluded, emphasizing that through synergy between training, enforcement, and research, it is possible to overcome the statistics and save lives.
