Asthma – an irreversible lung condition that causes inflammation and obstruction of the airways – affects 1 in 10 Canadians, says Dr. Michael Pysklywec, Occupational Health Physician at the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers Inc. His podcast on CCOHS’ most recent health and safety report discusses who is at risk for work-related asthma and how the condition is diagnosed. According to Pysklywec, almost any work sector is at risk, but high-risk industries include healthcare, agriculture and those who work in bakeries and hair salons. Affected workers will have shortness of breath, coughing, chest tightness or wheezing and need to see a doctor immediately to properly identify it. He describes the 3-step process to identifying work-related asthma.
1. The doctor makes a formal diagnosis, usually requiring conventional breathing tests.
2. The doctor suspects work-related asthma and determines if there are sensitizers* in the workplace. Workers can help doctors by providing a clear medical exposure history, paying particular attention to symptoms in and away from work. In addition, it is helpful when workers provide MSDSs as well.
3. Finally, the doctor gives a subjective test, which typically involves a lot of breathing exercises. These exercises are done both while the patient is at work and away from work to compare differences.
“They [workers] need to be aware that if they’re diagnosed with sensitizer-induced, work-related asthma, then they must be removed from any further exposure,” he says. “If they continue to be exposed, their asthma is going to worsen.” From educating workers and employers on what causes asthma to establishing measures that substitute or eliminate potential sensitizers, prevention is the main key in effectively managing this disease. Asthma surveillance programs that consist of breathing tests should be a part of safety programs in high-risk industries, Pysklywec adds. To learn more, read our post on how to prevent work-related asthma here.
*Sensitizers are defined by OSHA as "a chemical that causes a substantial proportion of exposed people or animals to develop an allergic reaction in normal tissue after repeated exposure to the chemical."