Back in 1905, New York passed a law prohibiting bakeries from working their bakers more than ten hours a day and sixty hours a week. Fined for imposing a workweek, was it because of hard work that they had a short lifespan or because of the wheat?
Occupational asthma
Definition
Occupational asthma is a lung disorder characterized by attacks of breathing difficulty, wheezing, prolonged exhalation, and cough. It is caused by various agents found in the work place (see also bronchial asthma). These symptoms are usually due to spasms of the muscles lining the airways, which cause them to narrow excessively.
Alternative Names
Asthma - occupational exposure; Irritant-induced reactive airways disease
Causes
There are many agents in the workplace that can cause occupational asthma. Most commonly, these include protein molecules (wood dust, grain dust, animal dander, fungi) or other chemicals (especially di-isocyanates).
Though the actual rate of occurrence of occupational asthma is unknown, it is suspected to cause 2-20% of all cases of asthma in industrialized nations.
The following workers are at higher risk:
- Plastics workers
- Metal workers
- Bakers
- Millers
- Farmers
- Grain elevator workers
- Laboratory workers
- Woodworkers
- Drug manufacturers
- Detergent manufacturers
Symptoms
Symptoms usually occur shortly after exposure to the offending agent (the allergen) and often improve or disappear when the affected person leaves the workplace. The symptoms often worsen as the work week progresses and resolve on weekends or vacations. Some people may experience a delayed onset of symptoms, occurring as many as 12 hours after exposure to the allergen.
