|
Occupational Asthma is asthma caused by breathing in
substances at work. If you are asthmatic as a result of
your working environment we may be able to help with a
claim for
industrial disease compensation.
When seeking medical advice, doctors usually refer to
the substance causing the symptoms as a
‘respiratory sensitiser’, and it is the sensitiser that
causes the asthma.
Read about
successful compensation claims for asthma related
illness. Legal advice is available today all you have to
do is call 0800 0322210.
Occupational asthma usually develops in one of the
following ways:
1) Allergic reaction - A person
breaths in a sensitiser at work and develops
hypersensitivity. This may take a few weeks or it may
take a few years to occur.
2) Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome
(RADS) - This occurs when a person breaths in
very high concentrations of a substance in the workplace
and as a result develops asthma.
3) Irritants - Breathing in
irritant substances in the workplace over a prolonged
period can result in asthma.
4) Predisposition - A person who
has not previously suffered asthma may develop asthma
after breathing in sensitisers or irritants in the
workplace.
Advice for asthmatics
A diagnosis of occupational asthma usually depends
upon evidence of exposure to a sensitiser or irritant
substance in the workplace, and the person suffering
asthma symptoms which are clearly work- related.
Lung function tests such as peak flow rate charts can
show the relationship between work and other possible
causes of asthma.
Any person of any age or sex may develop asthma as a
result of substances at work.
examples of work types where people may
develop occupational asthma:
Hairdressing salons
Cleaning firms
Metal manufacturers
Bakery
Brewing
Plastics and rubber
Agriculture and horticulture
Textile manufacture and processing
electrical assembly
Motor vehicle bodywork
engineering
Wood working
Factory assembly
Typical substances causing asthma:
Dusts: flour dusts, metal dusts, wood dusts,
rubber/latex dusts, etc Fumes: solvents, detergents,
welding, solder, etc
Animal proteins: eggs, fish, seafood, etc
Dyes: henna (hair dye), carmine (food and drink
colouring), hair bleaches, etc.
Vapours: disinfectants, pesticides, floor coatings,
varnish,etc
The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
Regulations 2002 (COSHH) requires employers to control
exposure to hazardous substances to prevent occupational
illness and disease such as occupational asthma.
COSHH initially came into force in 1989 and has since
been updated. In COSHH a substance hazardous to
health is given a wide definition because it is, for
example, recognised that even naturally occurring
substances such as animal proteins and wood dusts can
cause asthma. Anyone
injured at work because of a health and safety
breach may be entitled to claim compensation.
COSHH places employers under an absolute obligation
to ensure that exposure to a hazardous substance in a
workplace is either prevented altogether or adequately
controlled. If these duties are not met by an employer
and as a result a worker develops occupational asthma
then the worker will be entitled to claim compensation
from his employer. Important health and safety duties
are placed on employers by COSHH, such as to supply
suitable personal protective equipment, good
housekeeping and keeping records. The duties may also
include providing information and training to employees,
and in many circumstances health checks and keeping
health records for employees.
Persons who have developed asthma, chronic bronchitis
or pneumoconiosis (including silicosis and asbestos) as
a result of work may make an application to the
Department for Work and Pensions to receive the benefit
known as Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.
This benefit is dealt with by
Jobcentre Plus, and an applicant may be required to
have a medical examination.
NEWS
Statistics on work-related illness and workplace
injuries in Great Britain, for the period 2007/08 -
15th November 2008
|
