Occupational illness refers to illnesses caused by contact with dust particles, radiation or other hazardous elements during a worker's occupational activities with enterprises, public institutions and individual business units.

China's top legislative body, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), adopted and implemented an amendment to the Law on Occupational Illness Prevention and Control in a bid to better protect worker's legal rights.

Physical ailments that are affecting a growing number of white-collar workers in China will likely be added to the official list of occupational diseases, including death from overwork, ocular injury by working long-term in front of a monitor, occupational cervical spondylopathy, a chronic degenerative condition of the cervical spine, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

职业病是指企业、事业单位和个体经济组织的劳动者在职业活动中，因接触粉尘、放射性物质和其他有毒、有害物质等因素而引起的疾病。

《全国人民代表大会常务委员会关于修改〈中华人民共和国职业病防治法〉的决定》日前经全国人大常委会通过并开始实施，以最大限度保护工作者合法权益。

其中，过劳死、长期视频作业导致的眼部损伤、职业性腰背痛、颈椎病、“鼠标手”等白领易患疾病都有望纳入职业病目录。