Assessing the Impact of a Complex of Harmful Occupational Factors on the Development of Chronic General Somatic Diseases in Mineral Processing Plant Workers

Introduction. Numerous studies carried out at mineral processing enterprises show that working conditions are accompanied by the impact of a whole range of harmful production factors on workers. Despite the introduction of new technological processes and modern equipment, noise and aerosols of predominantly fibrogenic action remain the leading harmful factors of the production environment in processing plants. In this regard, the prevention of the adverse effects of environmental factors and the labor process on the health of workers remains relevant.

The study aims to assess the impact of harmful industrial factors on the development of chronic diseases in workers of the processing plant in order to improve the quality of medical examinations and increase the detection of chronic pathology.

Materials and methods. The object of the study was employees of a processing plant. The authors have analyzed the results of a special assessment of working conditions and periodic medical examinations. The total number of employees involved in the development amounted to 348 people. The scientists have formed two professional groups: employees of the processing plant and a comparison group (repair and technical personnel). A cross-sectional study was conducted, during which experts analyzed the prevalence of chronic general somatic diseases among employees. The reliability of the results was assessed using the Student's coefficient.

Results. As a result of the conducted research, it was found that the working conditions of employees of the processing plant contribute to: an increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases with an increase in length of service from 59.6±5.2 (sick persons per 100 employees) with an experience of up to 15 years, to 78.3±4.5 with an experience of 15 years or more (p<0.05); a significantly high prevalence among employees chronic diseases of the endocrine system (39.0±3.7 per 100 employees), compared with the comparison group (28.4±3.4 per 100 employees); a significant increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue with an increase in work experience among workers under the age of 40 — from 12.3±4.3 with a length of service of up to 15 years, to 34.8±9.9 with a length of service of 15 years or more (p<0.05); an increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases of the circulatory system among workers with an increase in work experience: with a work experience of up to 15 years — 6.7±2.7, and with a work experience of 15 years or more — 18.1±4.2 (p<0.05).

Limitations. The study was limited to a sample of the surveyed employees of one ore processing enterprise.

Conclusion. The data obtained allow us to talk about the industrial conditionality of diseases of the endocrine system, diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue, and diseases of the circulatory system.

Ethics. All employees of the processing plant have given informed consent to the use of personal data for statistical processing.

Contributions:
Golovkova N.P. — research concept and design, editing, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article, writing the text;
Kuzmina L.P. — research concept and design, editing, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article;
Leskina L.M. — research concept and design, editing, responsibility for the integrity of all parts of the article, writing the text;
Tolmachev D.A. — research concept and design, editing;
Khokhlova O.V. — research concept, text writing, editing.

Funding. The study had no funding.

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Received: 15.12.2025 / Accepted: 22.12.2025 / Published: 25.04.2026

1. Izmerov N.F., Chebotaryov A.G. Results of the Institute's research and development objectives in occupational medicine in the mining industry of Russia. Gornaya promyshlennost’. 2013; 108(2): 34–38. https://elibrary.ru/qyokvt (in Russian).

2. Chebotaryov A.G. Forecasting of working conditions and occupational diseases in employees of mining enterprises. Gornaya promyshlennost’. 2016; 127(3): 54–57. https://elibrary.ru/wjxjbp (in Russian).

3. Novikov N.I., Podyapolsky D.V., Novikov G.V. The Role of Ferrous Metallurgy in the Development of the National and Regional Economy. Vestnik Kemerovskogo gosudarstvennogo oblastnogo universiteta. 2014; 58(2): 254–258. https://elibrary.ru/smmxpj (in Russian).

4. Slobodenyuk N.V. On the Issue of Comprehensive Development of the Resources of the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly. Vestnik Moskovskogo gosydarstvennogo oblastnogo universiteta. 2009; 1: 127–130. https://elibrary.ru/puznpb (in Russian).

5. Preobrazhenskaya E.A., Sukhova A.V., Zorkina L.A., Bondareva M.V. Hygienic Assessment of Working Conditions and Health Status of Employees at Mining and Processing Plants. Gigiena i sanitariya. 2016; 95(11): 1065–1070. https://elibrary.ru/xsnrrv (in Russian).

6. Dyomina A.A., Babina S.A., Yanina T.I., Gumennaya A.S. The Influence of Ecology and Technological Processes on Workers' Health. V kn. «Materialy III Vserossijskoj molodezhnoj nauchno-prakticheskoj konferencii «Ekologicheskie problemy promyshlenno razvityh i resursodobyvayushchih regionov: puti resheniya» Kemerovo; 2018: 24–26. https://elibrary.ru/ytfihj (in Russian).

7. Chebotarev A.G., Pfaff V.F., Gibadulina I.Yu. The state of working conditions, occupational morbidity and improvement of medical and preventive support for employees of mining enterprises. Gornaya promyshlennost'. 2021; 3: 139–143. https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2021-3-139-143 https://elibrary.ru/xlkzzl (in Russian).

8. Chebotarev A.G. The state of working conditions and occupational morbidity of employees of mining enterprises. Gornaya promyshlennost'. 2018; 137(1): 92–95. https://elibrary.ru/xlkzzl https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2021-3-139-143 (in Russian).

9. Lozovaya E.V., Karimova L.K., Gaunellina M.K., Mavrina L.N., Beigul N.A., Salimgareeva T.M. Hygienic assessment of working conditions for female employees of mining and processing plants. Meditsina truda i ekologiya cheloveka. 2015; 3: 114–120. https://elibrary.ru/uwakqv (in Russian).

10. Prokopenko L.V., Golovkova N.P., Chebotarev A.G. Problems of improving working conditions and preventing occupational diseases at enterprises in leading sectors of the economy. Medicina truda i prom. ekologiya. 2012; (9): 24–32. https://elibrary.ru/pcyatj (in Russian).

11. Preobrazhenskaya E.A. The Role of the Production Environment in the Formation of ENT Pathology in Workers of Mineral Processing Plants. Zdravoohranenie Rossijskoj Federacii. 2011; (4): 73–74. https://elibrary.ru/ofvldz (in Russian).

12. Sukhanov A.V., Preobrazhenskaya E.A., Ilnitskaya A.V., Kiryakov V.A. Health Status of Workers of Mineral Processing Plants under Modern Technologies of Mineral Processing and Preventive Measures. Zdravoohranenie Rossijskoj Federacii. 2017; 61(4): 196–201. https://elibrary.ru/zizwrr (in Russian).

13. Averin V.A., Polyakov A.D. Modern problems of health protection of workers in mining and processing production. Sanitarnyj vrach. 2015; 9: 22–23. https://elibrary.ru/pulntl (in Russian).

14. Chebotarev A.E., Lagutina G.A. Working conditions, occupational morbidity and medical and preventive care of employees of mining enterprises. Gornaya promyshlennost'. 2014; 118(6); 75–80. https://elibrary.ru/tfozfl (in Russian).

15. Baranova N.A., Rushkevich O.P., Lutsenko L.A. Occupational health of workers of ferruginous quartzites and preventive measures. Medicina truda i prom. ekologiya. 2009; (8): 34–37. https://elibrary.ru/kvrmtp (in Russian).

16. Kiryakov V.A., Sukhova A.V. Occupational Risk of Musculoskeletal Diseases in Workers at Mining and Processing Plants. Medicina truda i prom. ekologiya. 2015; (9): 68. https://elibrary.ru/umgpzv (in Russian).

17. Bukhtiyarov I.V., Chebotarev A.G. Hygienic Problems of Improving Working Conditions at Mining Enterprises. Gornaya promyshlennost'. 2018; 5 (141): 33–35. https://elibrary.ru/vmkdfs (in Russian).

18. Bukhtiyarov I.V., Chebotaryov A.G., Kur'yev N.N., Sokur O.N. Actual issues of improving working conditions and preserving the health of employees of mining enterprises. Medicina truda i prom. ekologiya. 2019; 59(7): 424–429. https://doi.org/10.31089/1026-9428-2019-59-7-424-429 https://elibrary.ru/ejxzmd (in Russian).

19. Askerova Z.F., Chashchin V.P., Denisov E.I. Professional'nyj risk dlya zdorov'ya rabotnikov gornodobyvayushchih predpriyatij. SPb.: Nordmedizdat; 2010. (in Russian).

20. Chebotaryov A.G., Semyontsova D.D. Comprehensive Assessment of Working Conditions and Occupational Diseases among Employees at Mining and Metallurgical Enterprises. Gornaya promyshlennost'. 2021; 1: 114–119. https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2021-1-114-119 https://elibrary.ru/ubonqd (in Russian).

21. Egorova A.M., Lutsenko L.A., Tatianyuk T.K. Hygienic Risk Factors for Workers' Health in the Production of Iron Ore Pellets. Zdorov'e naseleniya i sreda obitaniya – PH&E. 2021; 29(8): 15–22. https://doi.org/10.35627/2219-5238/2021-29-8-15-20 https://elibrary.ru/xlrxnm (in Russian).