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Alex Wilson
14 November 2017
The challenges facing industry in reducing the risk of occupational asthma

Lung disease remains a serious problem in the workplace. This years’ Workplace Healthy Lungs Summit, taking place on 22 November 2017, will describe what the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is doing about it, what you can do, and what science and evidence can tell us.
The latest HSE statistics show that work-related ill health is still a burden on the lives of workers and organisations. According to the latest stats, occupational lung disease accounts for 12,000 of the 13,000 deaths estimated to be linked to exposures at work. There are approximately 18,000 new cases of breathing or lung problems caused or worsened by work each year and, of these, there are 200-300 new cases of occupational asthma each year. This has not changed over the last decade, meaning that there are at least 200-300 cases too many.
Understanding the hazard
Over the last four years we have seen a wide variety of occupational asthma causing agents including isocyanates, flour dusts, wood dusts etc. There are also potentially many more, such as metal working fluids, where there is not yet enough evidence to understand the risks they present.
It is a challenge for organisations to truly understand the risks of these health hazards. The key thing here is an early understanding of the hazard and managing the risk of exposure. However, that can be easier said than done, especially for an organisation without access to the right expertise.
This is where qualified and competent occupational hygienists can provide their knowledge and understanding to bridge the gap. The occupational hygienist provides clarity and focus on understanding the hazard, assessing the risks of exposure and how it occurs in the workplace, and applying the appropriate controls to reduce exposure to a minimum or, in ideal circumstances, to eliminate it.
Guidance and exposure limits
Guidance and workplace exposure limits (WELs) for a number of agents do exist, but the important factor is having the ability to apply the guidance and to make it work.
With a number of occupational asthma causing agents there is really no safe threshold and we should always look to reduce exposure to as low as technically feasible in all situations. Meeting the WEL is not good enough. Getting this message across to the business in both large and SME organisations can be a challenge. Whatever the business, the same barriers still exist.
Hierarchy of control
Using the hierarchy of control should be part and parcel of controlling workplace health risks. The challenge is selling the benefits of investing in controls now to meet a long-term goal with only long-term improvements but paying for it now. There is an over reliance on the use of personal protective equipment and we are increasingly seeing the need to become influencers in the workplace to achieve control and to prevent exposures that could lead to occupational asthma.
There is a real opportunity in improvements in technology and automation. Whereas in the past an employee would perform a task that exposed them to hazards, it is now increasingly common for the operator to manage the machine. The work is enclosed and exposures are significantly reduced and eliminated in some cases. These technologies come at a cost but offer benefits in quality as well as health and safety. We will watch this space as technologies improve.
Alex Wilson, occupational hygienist, Rolls-Royce
Twitter @AlexWilson4582
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/alex-wilson-occhyg
Alex Wilson will speak at this years’ HSL Workplace Healthy Lungs Summit taking place on 22 November 2017. You can book your place here: https://www.hsl.gov.uk/health-and-safety-training-courses/workplace-healthy-lungs-summit-2017
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