CoSHH - Occupational Asthma and the Control of Substances which cause it

This article examines how chemicals that cause occupational asthma can be controlled and is sourced from the CoSHH Approved Code of Practice.

Occupational asthma is a condition characterised by variable air flow limitation which has been caused by the conditions stemming from the workplace. Occupational asthma may be caused by manufactured substances or naturally occurring materials.

All substances which cause occupational asthma are within the definition of substances hazardous to health for the purposes of the CoSHH Regulations. Therefore, CoSHH Regulations apply and should be followed by employers.

In order to assess how health may be affected in the workplace where hazardous substances are being used, a CoSHH assessment needs to be created.

The CoSHH assessment should establish which hazards have the potential to cause asthma during work activity.

It should decide who might be harmed as a result and how. Which activities involving employees are likely to involve exposure?

The risks involved need to be evaluated and then a decision made as to whether existing precautions are adequate or not. If exposure to hazardous substances can be prevented then this is desirable, if not, then the potential risk for each activity should be examined.

Any findings should be recorded and employers with five or more workers must list the most notable findings.

The assessment should then be reviewed and revised as necessary. All relevant measures should be identified to ensure their effectiveness.

Control measures and good working practices for substances which cause asthma should take account of the gravity of the health impacts which may result from a failure of control.

Employers are required by the CoSHH regulations to protect the health of employees who have developed occupational asthma, this is regardless of how low the level of exposure is.

Assessments should be reviewed frequently and should be done immediately wherever a case of occupational asthma is confirmed.

Each time a new case of asthma occurs, the employer should have a set of measures to follow which will include the protection of the person while the cause of the symptoms is being looked into. The assessment and control measures need to be reviewed. Plus the case must be reported to the enforcing authority if a doctor has notified the employer of it in writing.

If at all possible, exposure to substances with the potential to cause asthma, should be prevented .If this is not possible, then employee exposure should be limited to prevent them from developing asthma.

Should an individual develop occupational asthma, then their exposure to the substance must be controlled to prevent further attacks.

Any employee that is exposed to a substance which can cause asthma should be monitored by health surveillance. This should include the upkeep of a health record for each exposed employee.

Employees should also be equipped with suitable and sufficient information including the symptoms of occupational asthma.

They should be given in depth training by employers, including induction training before the job starts.


------

Dale Allen develops systems and online software to help you succeed in HSE CoSHH compliance. Find out more about how to effectively manage and produce a compliant HSE CoSHH assessment free with the UK's leading CoSHH compliance authority, COSHH365.