Your company may require you to take certain health and safety measures, as your job involves handling chemicals that could be damaging to your wellness. However, according to a new study, carried out at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, asthma is still a health concern in the workplace, as many people are exposed to chemicals despite the known risks and recommendations for protective equipment.
The risks of chemical exposure have long been known and that there are well-established recommendations for handling chemicals and protective equipment, and yet many cases of asthma – which is among the most common adult diseases in the world – are still caused by exposure to toxic substances at work. Therefore, Sahlgrenska Academy researchers tracked asthma cases among 13,000 randomly selected adults in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Estonia from 1980 to 2000. The study revealed that 429 people had asthma during this period. The total incidence was 1.3 asthma cases per 1,000 men, and 2.4 cases per 1,000 women, and 7% of cases among women were linked to workplace exposure.
‘To be able to work proactively, it is essential to show which substances at work increase the risk of asthma and which occupations are high-risk,’ explained Linnea Lillienberg, researcher at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg. ‘Some people are more susceptible than others. For example, people with hay fever have asthma more often if they’re exposed to proteins from plants and animals. But if we look at individuals with no increased susceptibility, the risk was greater among those who were exposed to epoxy and diisocyanates, which are found in glue, varnish and foam plastic. Among women without hay fever, the risk was particularly elevated among those who handled detergents.’
So does your occupation put your wellbeing at a high risk of asthma attacks? The study listed several high-risk occupations:
- Spray painters, as you are exposed to diisocyanates in paint
- Plumbers, as you handle adhesives and foam insulation
- Cleaners, as you handle detergents
- Heath care and social services personnel, as you are exposed to detergents and latex in latex gloves, especially if your gloves contain powder
- Food and tobacco industry workers, as you are exposed to proteins from the vegetable kingdom
- Hair stylists, as you handle chemicals in bleach
- Nail beauticians, as you use fast-acting glue