Pitfalls of using the ILO classification for silicosis compensation claims

Abstract

Background: The International Labour Organization (ILO) Classification of Radiographs of Pneumoconioses is used as the primary tool to determine compensation for pneumoconiosis in Turkey.

Aims: We aimed to evaluate how the ILO classification applied, but obtaining chest radiographs in the workplace for screening until the completion of compensation claim files by the referral centres, based on the ILO reading.

Methods: The study included 320 digital chest radiographs previously taken for screening from eight different ceramic factories and having finalised claim files by referral centres. We used an expert reference panel consisting of five ILO readers to re-evaluate all the radiographs independently using ILO standard films and reached a conclusion based on the agreement among at least three readers. The evaluation primarily included technical quality and silicosis diagnosis with an ILO 1/0 or above small profusion. The results were compared with previous findings.

Results: Sixty-three (20%) chest radiographs were unacceptable for classification purposes according to the ILO technical quality grades. Among the remaining 257 chest radiographs, we diagnosed 103 with silicosis (40%), while the referral centres diagnosed 182 (71%). A discrepancy was found between our results and previous evaluations. We diagnosed silicosis in 50% and 17% of the previous silicosis and normal evaluations, respectively.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the use of the ILO classification for compensation claims may be problematic due to the way of its implementation in Turkey in addition to its subjectivity.

Keywords: Compensation; ILO; pneumoconiosis; silicosis.