Many people who already have asthma may become wheezy or their chest may tighten when they breathe in dust and fumes at work. This is because the airways in the lungs are already irritable and can react quickly to triggers.

However, sometimes an airborne substance at work can actually cause asthma. This is called occupational asthma. It may take weeks, months or even years to develop.

Symptoms to watch for
Certain workplace dusts and chemicals, when breathed in, may result in serious respiratory problems. The symptoms may start in the form of runny eyes and nose or itchy eyes and nose and may develop into breathlessness, wheezing, tightness of the chest and coughing. Symptoms do not occur the first time you breathe in the substance as it takes a while for the allergy to develop.

After this, each time you breathe in even small amounts of the substance, symptoms will appear. These can reappear even when the individual is not exposed to the substance.

Occupational asthma symptoms are often worse at night or at the end of a shift. So you may improve over weekends and holidays when you are off work. If you develop what you think are occupationally related symptoms, you should immediately consult your GP, or a specialised occupational medicine doctor.

You should also talk to your manager and the safety representative in your workplace. Remember, it is your employer’s responsibility to ensure you do not develop occupational asthma. Your employer is responsible for protecting you from exposure to harmful substances.

Preventing occupational asthma
You should always read the label and the safety data sheet for any chemical used in your workplace. If respiratory sensitisers (substances causing allergies or occupational asthma) are found in your workplace then appropriate safety measures must be taken.

You must be informed of the risks at work and safety measures to be taken and you must be trained in the use of all safeguards implemented at work. You must also comply with all the safety measures and use appropriate protective equipment, including masks. Some respiratory sensitising chemicals are labeled as follows: “may cause sensitisation by inhalation (R42).”

If you are working with respiratory sensitisers, you should have a health check. This will involve completing a questionnaire and may include blowing into a spirometer, which is used by doctors to measure the air entering and leaving the lungs.

By using adequate measures, including enclosed systems, local exhaust ventilation or appropriate masks, you can avoid dust or chemicals that will cause you to develop asthma.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you know if you are working with substances that could cause occupational asthma and that you follow all the safety advice provided.

Substances that cause occupational asthma
Respiratory sensitisers are found in a wide range of jobs, particularly those using:
Flour/grain.
Hair dyes (eg in hairdressing salons).
Isocyanates - used in vehicle spray painting and foam manufacturing.
Laboratory animals - handlers and researchers may be at risk.
Wood dusts - in saw milling, woodworking and timber industries.
Glues/resins. Curing glues and epoxy resins are a risk in the joinery and construction industries.

How to recognise occupational asthma
If you think that a substance at work may be causing your asthma, there are certain clues to look for. For example, during the working week your asthma may get worse, although not necessarily while at work itself. Often, your asthma may only occur or get worse after leaving work, sometimes interrupting sleep.

If your asthma tends to get better when you are not at work, it usually takes several days to notice any improvement.

How to prevent occupational asthma
Sometimes, substances known to cause asthma can be replaced with safer ones. If this cannot be done, then workers can be protected in a number of ways such as:
Sealing off any equipment producing hazardous substances
Fitting extractor fans
Providing masks and protective clothing.

For more information, contact the Asthma Society of Ireland on freephone, 1850 44 54 64.

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