TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2020//
TI  - Temporary and permanent unfitness of occupational divers. Brest Cohort 2002-2019 from the French National Network for Occupational Disease Vigilance and Prevention (RNV3P)
JO  - International maritime health
A1  - Pougnet, Richard
A1  - Pougnet, Laurence
A1  - Dewitte, Jean-Dominique
A1  - Loddé, Brice
A1  - Lucas, David
SP  - 71
EP  - 77
VL  - 71
IS  - 1
N2  - BACKGROUND: In France, the monitoring of professional divers is regulated. Several learned societies (French Occupational Medicine Society, French Hyperbaric Medicine Society and French Maritime Medicine Society) have issued follow-up recommendations for professional divers, including medical follow-up. Medical decisions could be temporary unfitness for diving, temporary fitness with monitoring, a restriction of fitness, or permanent unfitness. The aim of study was to point out the causes of unfitness in our centre. <br><br>MATERIALS AND METHODS: The divers' files were selected from the French National Network for Occupational Disease Vigilance and Prevention (RNV3P). Only files with a special medical decision were selected, between 2002 and 2019. <br><br>RESULTS: Three hundred and ninety-six professional divers are followed-up in our centre and 1371 medical decisions were delivered. There were 29 (7.3%) divers with a special medical decision, during 42 (3.1%) medical visit. Twelve (3.0%) had a permanent unfitness. The leading cause of unfitness was pulmonary diseases: emphysema (3), chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (2), asthma (2). Sixteen (4.0%) divers had temporary unfitness. The leading causes were cardiovascular (4 times) and neurological (6 times). Twelve (3.0%) divers had had at least one decompression sickness. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Judgments of permanent unfitness for diving were rare (3.0% of divers), but were because of life-threatening disease. Medical follow-up of occupational divers was justified to decrease the risk of fatal event during occupational dives.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1641-9251
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.5603/IMH.2020.0014
ID  - ref1
ER  -