Occupational Asthma and Management

This assignment delves into the complexities of occupational asthma, covering its causes, diagnostic methods, and effective management strategies. It examines various aspects, including the role of PEF records, adherence to medication, and the significance of self-management support frameworks. Furthermore, the assignment analyzes global trends in occupational allergy and asthma, emphasizing the importance of workplace exposure standards and evidence-based policy implementation.

TOXICOLOGY AND
DISEASE REPORT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
LITERATURE REVIEW ...............................................................................................................2
Causes and preventive measures of Occupational Asthma ........................................................2
Suitability methods......................................................................................................................4
OES's assessment........................................................................................................................5
Additional measure.....................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9
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INTRODUCTION
Occupational diseases refer to the disorder that is caused due to workplace environment
and condition. At the workplace, various elements such as wood dust, noise, chemicals and toxic
substances, radiations, inflammation, virus and others can leads to create negative effect on the
workers health state.. Some of the short terms diseases are like breathing problem, rashes, long
term are such as asthma and delayed reactions are expressed in the form of cancer, hearing loss,
etc. Occupational asthma is based on the disordered functioning of lungs, due to which problems
like swell and narrow are caused (Dahme & von Leupoldt, 2015). The key purpose of the study
is to explore hazardous factors that can results in occupational asthma. Moreover, the
investigation will critically analyse various preventive measures & health surveillance methods.
In order to promote workers health, Health and Safety Commission (HSC) formulates
Occupational Exposure Standards (OESs) that are necessary to be followed by employers. Thus,
the study will examine that whether current OESs are sufficient or not to protect workers from
chronic exposure. Lastly, additional measures that are considered appropriate and need to
undertaken as a prevention measures will be recommended.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Literature review is a process in which information is gathered on the basis of secondary
information. It helps in developing the deep understanding about the topic. In this, different
author’s view point on occupational asthma, its causes and preventive measures will be
discussed thoroughly for the critical understanding (Bellin, Collins & Osteen, 2017).
Causes and preventive measures of Occupational Asthma
As per the views of Gatheral and et.al., (2017), Occupational asthma is caused due to
presence of several substances at workplace environment such as wood and grain dust, virus,
fungi, chemicals toxic substances etc. Due to presence of these elements lungs of an individual
starts getting narrow and swell. It results health issues i.e. chest tightness, breathing problems
and coughing.
According to the view of Levy and et.al., (2014), there are some specific industries where higher
risks are identified. Some of them are like furniture industries, due to production of during this
processing of wood large amount of dust evolved. It disturbs the respiration process of the
individual and create problems like asthma. Similarly, various other companies are also present
such as detergent, chemical, etc (Pinnock, & Taylor, 2015). During the manufacturing and
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development process toxic substance or fine dust like particles are released. They plays
significant role in disturbing the respiration process of an individual and affects functioning of
lungs. However, release of company waste into airways also creates direct impact on the health
of the employees and causes problems like asthma.
In the study of Mullaney , O'Reilly & Quinn, (2016), various controlling measures are
founded which are undertaken by both employees and employers so as to minimize its
occurrence. i.e. providing safety guidelines, organising prevention programs, eliminating
workplace smoking. Besides this, manufacturing industries also train their people so as to aware
them about necessary precautions that they must follow during working so as to prevent
themselves from health hazardous. However, on the other side, Peláez and et.al., (2016), stated
that the prevention process is distributed into three levels such as primary, secondary and
tertiary. Under primary stages, elimination of environmental risk is considered for this nutritional
food supplement is provided to the employees. During this process workers are provided with
special diets such as meats, eggs, crabs, etc. With the help of these elements their immune
system is strengthen (Bellin, Collins & Osteen, 2017). However, only proper diet cannot helps
in order to control it. Therefore, secondary step is included; with the help of this process various
early detection and examination process are involved. It helps in determining the health
condition of the employees on the basis of that necessary steps are considered in order to
improve them. Through this process individual is able to minimise or eliminate disability. Under
primary measure, hygienic process is considered by the workers. Along with this proper diet plan
is also provided. On the other hand various learning programs are organised (Dahme & von
Leupoldt, 2015).
On the contrary note, , Pinnock, & Taylor, (2015), early examination is not only
considered as sufficient health surveillance measures. It can be minimised with the help of
tertiary stage, in which, pharmaceutical treatment are applied some of them are like fluticasone
and salmeterol, budesonide and formoterol, etc (Dahme & von Leupoldt, 2015). Through which
possibility of these damage can be reduced. It helps in reducing the ratio of handicap and
disability of the people. Therefore, on the basis of above discussion tertiary preventive measure
is considered as one of the most effective controlling measure. However, Ritz, & Janssens,
(2015), criticized the method stating that the method is highly complex, , time consuming and
expensive as well. Henceforth, it cannot be considered as an affordable method for everyone.
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In despite of this, Seys and et.al., (2014), there are various rules and regulations are also
imposed by the administrative bodies. With the help of their guidance organisation analyse
several factors that can affect health of their employees. On the basis of that necessary
controlling and safety measures are considered by them. It helps in reducing their negative
impact. OEL is considered as the higher limit up to which condition and environment of
workplace can be considered. This is described by the administrative authorities (Gatheral and
et.al., 2017).
Suitability methods
There are various preventive measures are identified that are used in order to control and
reduce the impact of occupational asthma. According to Seys, and et.al., (2014), providing
effective guidelines are considered as one of the most effective approach. With the help of this
process employees are able to make aware with the environment and working conditions. Along
with this it helps them in determining impact on their body (von Leupoldt & Ritz, 2015).
However, it is not considered as an effective step in this process because most of the employees
does not seems interested in knowing the working conditions due to which various health
hazardous are identified on their body. In order to overcome such issues different awareness and
learning programs are organised by the organisation. Through this process employees are
provided with the knowledge about the diseases (Mullaney , O'Reilly & Quinn, 2016).
It supports the employees in order to analyse various situations due to which it can be
caused. von Leupoldt & Ritz, (2015), stated that nutritions diet helps the individual in order to
reduce the impact of the disease. With the help of this process individual is able to strengthen
their immune system, through which they are able to overcome the negative impact of the
disease. However, nutritious diet does not reduce the negative impact of the disease, along with
this people belonging to different categories are not able to afford resources. Therefore, it
become less effective for employees of different background. As per the view of Watkins and
et.al., (2016), smoking is considered as one of the biggest issue that is increasing organisational
asthma, due to this individual is not able to breath and cause long term diseases like cancer. In
order to eliminate this companies are developing rules and regulations, in order to control (Levy
and et.al., 2014).
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OES's assessment
According to Workplace exposure standards for chemicals, (2017) , in order to help employees
to protect the health during explosion to chemicals at workplace, OESs tools are used. On the
advice of Advisory Committee on Toxic Substance OELs are set by Health and safety
commission. OESs are used to recognize concentration where there is no risk to health. The limit
need to be met by the employees. The significant health risks to workers can be expose due to
exposure to substance or mixtures. Some of the significant exposure for workers at workplace
can be inhale of vapours, dust which can cause the airways of the lungs to swell which may
result in occupational asthma . The occupational exposure limit value(OELs) forbid occupational
diseases such as asthma at workplaces. The OELs also protect the workers from the effects of
hazardous chemicals at workplace.
As OESs is considered as “SAFE” concentration and the workers need to meet the
regulation. For approximately 700 substances and mixtures the exposure standard have been
published in Australia. However as stated by Bellin, Collins and Osteen, (2017), a dividing line
between healthy or unhealthy environment is not identified by exposure standards. The variation
in natural biology and the various individual susceptibility means that the adverse effects on
health below the exposure standard can be experienced by some people.
To protect occupational safety and health these standards areas are provided by national
authorities and are enforced by legislation. As per Mason,Scarpa and Maestrelli, (2016), the
exposure standards are only the upper limit that are prescribed by legislation. Above the
workplace exposure standards a business must make sure that a workers is not exposed to
contaminates of hazardous chemical.
According to Stocks, Bensefa-Colas and Berk, (2016), the WHS Act and Regulation
manage four steps in order to reduce the impact of risk on workers in the workplace. In the first
step ot will find the main cause of the disease. In the second step, it will evaluates the likelihood
of the happening. In the third step it will take most effective measures to control that disease. In
the last stage it will review the control measures to see whether is working according to plan or
not.
As stated by Tarlo and Patel,(2017), a public consultation process was examined by
exposure standards in order to review the role of exposure standards at workplace. For the
airborne chemicals at workplace the OELs have been established. It is essential for the
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occupational hygiene to understand the current and growing issues that may have impact on their
professional practice. The proper strategies are implemented to keep the workers below OELs
values .In order to find out whether exposures are acceptable or not personal air sampling is
conducted on employees on regular basis. According to Walters,Robertson and Burge, (2017),
using validated sampling and analytical methods these samples are collected and analysed. To
assess exposure monitoring data against OELs statistical tool are available. A previous
knowledge with the concepts of statistics is required for statistical tool.
Additional measure
As stated by Feary, Pinnock and Cullinan,(2016), in order to reduce the impact of occupational
asthma on health and productivity employers and employees a safe,supportive worksites are
created that will reduce the allergies and irritants. The employer can follow the guidelines of
federal health and safety that will free the workplaces from recognized hazards. The occurrence
of occupational asthma can be reduced by using the personal respiratory protective equipment.
However on the other hand, as stated by Ilgaz,Moore and Burge, (2016), this equipment will not
completely prevent it. In the workplace,the symptoms of asthma need to looked for. The disease
can be confirmed by conducting test such as lung function tests and skin tests. The employees at
workplace need to encourage to quit smoking by conducting smoking cessation programs.
In order to determine the early onset or symptoms of asthma the health surveillance can
be used. However as stated by Moore, Burge and Burge, (2016), it is not so effective method as
it is deemed as secondary prevention. The pre-employment medical assessment can be taken.
This health questionnaire need to be done by all those who are going to work with respiratory
sensitizers. The lung function test and a medical examination need to be included in the pre
employment medical. The risk to getting more severe asthma can be increases due to previous
history of asthma,significant atopy. The routing health surveillance is based on risk assessment.
The health surveillance is required when the risk assessment suggests that there is potential to
develop asthma due to exposure at workplace.
CONCLUSION
Thus summing up the above report it can be concluded that due to presence of several
substance at workplace environment occupational asthma is caused. The risk to occupational
asthma is high at furniture ,chemical and detergent industries. In order to reduce the occurrence
various measures have been taken by the employers and employees at workplace..The prevention
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programs and quit smoking at workplace programs were launched. In order to prevent the
impact of occupational asthma effective guidelines are considered. By these guideline the
workers are made aware regarding the environment conditions of the workplace. The one of the
main cause of occupational asthma at workplace is smoking .In order to eliminate this the firm
need to aware workforce regarding the harm of tobacco.
The OES will help the employees to protect their health during the explosion of
chemicals at workplace. Various rules and regulations are formed by the WHS in order to reduce
the impact of risks at workplace. There is a need to provide the employees with safe workplace
environment .The guidelines from the federal health and safety can be followed at workplace to
maintain safe workplace.
Recommendations
There is a recommendation of prevention,assessment and management of occupational
asthma at workplace .Occupational asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease. The diagnosis of
this disease need to be based on test of positive reversibility with beta 2-agonist. There is a need
to implement allergen avoidance and anti-inflammatory treatment in order to manage asthma
patient eduction. With the great success there is a rapid and long-acting introduction of beta 2-
agonist. There is recommendation for using long acting beta 2 agonists with a combination of
topical glucorticosteroids (Moore, Burge and Burge, 2016) .
This will cure the patients with severe chromic occupational asthma at workplace. The
patients that are suffering from asthma need to be analysed closely for chronic rhinitis .It is
recommended to treat the patients with antihistamine drugs. With immunotherapy the
occupational asthma can also be treated. A full control of disease symptoms without the
unwanted side effects can be achieved with the full the use of new drugs. An appropriate patient
and family history need to be obtained by the physicians .
This will guide them to identify heterogeneity of wheezing phenotype among the
employees at workplace. The avoidance of tobacco smoke in the environment is recommended
by health care professional. The appropriate environmental control ned to be encouraged at
workplace for the employees who are sensitised to dust ,smoke etc. When occupational asthma is
unstable then at that time immunotherapy is not recommanded. In the case of avoiding the
environmental allergens the physicians should not recommend the use of injection
immunotherapy. The employers that are working at the company need to be made educated
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regarding the symptoms and therapy of occupational asthma. In the education programs that re
designed for occupation al asthma the socio-economic and cultural factors need to be taken care
(Dahme & von Leupoldt, 2015).The consultation with the specialist of asthma is recommended.
The smoking programs need to be conducted in the organization in order to make workforce
aware about the consequence of smoking. The intake of smoke can cause problems related to
asthma among people. The rules and regulations needs to be made at firm so as to reduce the sue
of tobacco and other harmful ingredient at organization.
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Cochrane Library.
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von Leupoldt, A., & Ritz, T. (2015). Asthma bronchiale und chronisch obstruktive
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Watkins, K. and et.al., (2016). Opportunities to develop the professional role of community
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Online
Workplace exposure standards for chemicals. 2017. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/exposure-standards/>. [Accessed on 27th
September 2017].
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