There are up to 3,000 estimated new cases of occupational asthma each year in Great Britain. This figure rises to 7,000 when including current asthma conditions that are worsened through work.
Islington seeks to provide residents and employers with the key information to learning more about occupational asthma as well as lessening the risks in the workplace.
Occupational asthma is caused through exposure to asthmagens in the workplace. Examples of these include:
Occupational asthma occurs when exposure to asthmagens in the workplace results in a biological change in a person’s airways. This is known as the hypersensitive state.
Once the airways become hypersensitive the disease is irreversible. Subsequent exposure to the same substance triggers an asthma attack.
Page Last Updated: 31 October 2008