Occupational Asthma

What Can Go Wrong?

• Developing occupational asthma would be rare in the course of your work at the BBC. However the most common substances that you may encounter are resin in solder fumes for those who carry out regular soldering work, and latex foam or isocyanate foam manufacture such as in the making of props visual effects etc.
•  There are many substances that can cause occupational asthma but usually this would only be a problem where chemical substances or dusts are being released into the air and inhaled repeatedly over a period of time.

Legal/BBC Requirements

• Exposure to substances that could cause occupational asthma are covered by the COSHH regulations. 
• A risk assessment of the work must be undertaken, and where appropriate health surveillance measures may be required.

Control Measures

General Controls

• Check the risk phrases of those substances you are using. Those marked R42 have the potential to cause occupational asthma.
• The risk of work with substances that could cause occupational asthma should be assessed, and control measures put in place to minimise exposure. In some circumstances this could be by using local exhaust ventilation.
• It is your duty to ensure you are familiar with the control measures in place to protect you and that you use them correctly.
• Health Surveillance is a regular enquiry into symptoms or regular testing such as lung function tests that can detect the signs of occupational asthma before serious symptoms develop.
• Ask your manager about health surveillance if you are regularly exposed to substances that could cause occupational asthma. This may result in an Occupational Health Referral.
• Talk to your manager at the earliest opportunity if you are experiencing health problems which you believe are related to the work you are doing, especially wheezing or an irritating night time cough and ask to be referred to Occupational Health.
• Check whether health surveillance (regular checks on respiratory symptoms or lung function testing is required).

Division Specific Issues

• No division specific issues.

FAQs/Did You Know? 

• If you work with substances that could cause occupational asthma then a risk assessment should have been carried out – ask your manager to see it.
• Routine health surveillance can help detect symptoms or changes in the lung at an early stage to help prevent further more serious problems occurring. Your manager can refer you to Occupational Health if required.