Work-related respiratory disease

Meredith SK, McDonald JC. 1994. Work-related respiratory disease in the United Kingdom, 1989-1992 Report on the SWORD project. Occup Med 44 183-189. 

Respiratory sensitisers may be referred to as asthmagens. In 1989 Surveillance of Work Related Respiratory Disease (SWORD) was started and contains reports by respiratory and occupational physicians. 

SWORD Surveillance of works related respiratory disease... 

N10SH. 1999. Work-related lung disease surveillance report 1999. Washington, DC U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Division of Respiratory Disease Studies. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 96-134. 

Environment and health-related problems are dominated by risks emanating from fibre dusts, which are released during the production and processing of mineral wool products and in refurbishment and/or demolition work. If the fibres are sufficiently small and are inhaled, they can enter the lung. They can also induce skin and respiratory diseases and some are also potentially carcinogenic. 

ROSS, D.J., SALLIE, B.A. MCDONALD, J.C. (1995) SWORD 94 surveillance of work-related and occupational respiratory disease in the UK. Occupational Medicine, 45, 175-178. 

The first element in risk assessment is knowledge of the chemical exposures of a workforce to see if a known sensitizer is present. A chemical becomes accepted as a cause of occupational asthma if there are at least two convincing clinical case reports from independent centres. Specialist clinicians are likely to be aware of the published literature at an early stage and may be a useful source of informal information. There is currently much interest in publishing lists of sensitizers. One is available in a recent textbook (Chan-Yeung and Malo, 1993). The Health and Safety Executive in the UK, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in the USA and other agencies may publish lists with updates. Other sources of information on causes are reporting schemes such as SWORD (Surveillance of Work-related and Occupational Respiratory Disease) in the UK (Ross el al., 1995) and SENSOR (Sentinel Event Notification System for Occupational Risks) in some states in the USA (Matte et al., 1990). 

According to 1904.35, You must inform each employee of how he or she is to report an injruy or ilhiess to you. Section 1904.46 explains An injury or ilhiess is an abnormal condition or disorder. Injiuies include cases such as, but not limited to, a cut, fractiu e, sprain, or amputation. Illnesses include both acute and chronic illnesses, such as, but not limited to, a skin disease, respiratory disorder, or poisoning. The definition also notes that injiuies and illnesses are recordable only if they are new, work-related cases that meet one or more of the Part 1904 recording criteria. 

Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, NIOSH. 1984. Work-related allergies in insect-raising facilities. Morbid. Mortal Weekly Rep. 33 448, 453-454. 

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