5.2. Official data on occupational diseases
Official data on occupational diseases broken down for cleaning jobs could be collected from Belgium
only [93]. The data presented below correspond to occupational diseases notified and recognised as
such by the national authorities.
From the 70 new cases of occupational diseases in cleaning workers in 2006, 20 resulted in a
temporary incapacity, 11 in a permanent disability, and 39 in a financial compensation
(reimbursement of the medical costs due to the disease (Table 16). No clear trend in the disease
figures can be seen for the period 2001 to 2006, where the number of occupational diseases
fluctuated between 50 and 79 cases. About half (47%) of occupational diseases were found in
cleaners over 45 years old, and about 90 % cases were women (Table 17; Table 18).