OCCUPATIONAL ASTHMA - Page 1 of 9

OBJECTIVES

By the end of this module, you should:

have an overview of work-related asthma and its epidemiology;
be able to differentiate between immunological (allergic) and non-immunological (irritant induced) occupational asthma;
be familiar with some of the common causative agents for occupational asthma, the high-risk jobs and associated industries involved;
be able to evaluate a worker with suspected occupational asthma;
be familiar with legislation that pertains to occupational asthma;
be familiar with the management of occupational asthma at an individual and group level;
be familiar with the prognosis of workers with occupational asthma.

This introductory page contains links to other pages in this section. These are included for your convenience, both for reference and for revision purposes. It is strongly recommended, however, that you first access the material in its logical sequence, indicated by the "Next Page" link above.

ACTIVITIES:

View the video snippet of a baker with work-related asthma - this will provide the context for this session. (With acknowledgements to Soul City)

A lecture will provide an overview of occupational asthma.

Work through the in-class exercise.

The inter-block exercise should be handed in before the next block.

REFERENCES:

Jeebhay MF, Quirce S. Occupational asthma in the developing and industrialised world: a review. International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease,11(2):122-33, 2007.

Jeebhay M F, Ehrlich R. Occupational asthma in South Africa. In Paul Potter and Steve Lee, eds. The Allergy Society of South Africa (ALLSA) Handbook of Practical Allergy, 2nd edition. Cape Town, South Africa, Ince Press, 2001;142-159. (http://www.allergysa.org)

Balmes JR. Occupational Lung Diseases. In Current Occupational and Environmental Medicine, LaDou J (editor). Lange Medical Books/McGraw-Hill, 3rd edition, New York, 20:320-344, 2004.

Asthma in the Workplace. Eds Bernstein IL, Chan-Yeung M, Malo JL and Bernstein DI. Marcel Decker Inc., 2nd edition, 1999.

Tarlo SM. Workplace respiratory irritants and asthma. In Occupational Asthma - State of the Art Reviews. Eds. Banks DE, Wang M-L. Hanley and Belfus Inc.: 15(2);471-484, 2000.

Government Gazette. Circular instruction regarding compensation for occupational asthma under COIDA. Circular Instruction No.176. (http://www.labour.gov.za/docs/legislation/ohsa/index.html)

Dhivert-Donadieu H, Godard Ph. Occupational asthma – UNICAP (version 2.01): Allergy and asthma diagnostics Clinical Information software. Pharmacia and Upjohn Diagnostics. France.

European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. Respiratory sensitisers fact sheet. Belgium, 2003.

Jeebhay M. Occupational asthma and allergy among food processing workers in South Africa. Afr Newslett on Occup Health and Safety 2002 ;12 :59-62.