The paper presents the information on reported occupational diseases and suspected occupational diseases in SR in 1996–2003. A special attention is paid to the item 29 of the list of occupational diseases, i. e. diseases from the long-term excessive and one-sided load of extremities at work. The results of evaluated cases of suspected occupational diseases from the long-term excessive and one-sided load in respective years are also analyzed. The total number of notified occupational diseases in respective years shows a declining trend whereas the number of diseases from the long-term excessive and one-sided load as well as evaluations of suspected occupational diseases has the rising trend. These diseases are at the first place in the order of all admitted occupational diseases in the Slovak Republic from 1997. The need of paying attention to the prevention of development of diseases of a locomotor system (targeted preventive examinations, recondition stays in selected professions, an ergonomic arrangement of a working place, reduction or elimination of an excessive physical load by mechanization, automatization, etc.) resulted from the analysis of the data presented in the paper as well as from the data from our and foreign professional literature.

        Key words: occupational diseases, long-term excessive and one-sided load, professions