asbestosis copd

"Employment is nature's physician and is essential to human happiness" Galen, ca 180 AD. In 2003/04, 30 million working days were lost to illness which were caused by work related issues. Two million people believed they were suffering from work-related illness in 2003/04. And half a million were reportedly suffering from stress or depression or anxiety. 183,000 claimed to have breathing or lung problems. Hearing problems were supported by 81,000, 31,000 problems Skin and heart disease or attack by 66,000.

These appalling figures are a shocking insight into the abuse of health and safety in the workplace. Although these figures have improved slightly now, health problems due to occupations remains a significant problem.

An occupational disease is a chronic disease that occurs as a result of the work. It is when symptoms of the diseases are more prevalent in the bodies of the workers that the general public.

Improving the organization, work practices, addressing issues such as workload (above or below), matching the skills of workers to their posts work and with clear lines of accountability and responsibilities are appropriate measures to prevent diseases that occur in the workplace. The right of patterns of work, safety and the guarantee of a "happy workplace" as well as good communication and safe work practices not only improve safety of the workplace, but also creates a better working environment.

Examples of diseases are:

• Black Lung's disease – usually seen in the industry of coal mining

• Carpal tunnel syndrome – occurs when the median nerve, which extends from the forearm into the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist. The symptoms are usually burning, tingling, itching or numbness in the palm of the hand and fingers, especially the thumb and index and middle fingers with some people even stating their fingers feel useless and swollen, even though they appear fine.

• Radiation sickness – seen in the nuclear industry

• Byssinosis – a disease of the lungs caused by inhaling cotton dust or powder from other vegetable fibers such as flax, sisal hemp, or at work,

• COPD Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – symptoms of COPD are persistent cough / phlegm, shortness of breath and chest infections. Once the damage of COPD has taken effect can not be reversed. COPD is damaged airways in the lungs, causing them to narrow, making it harder for air to enter and exit the lungs.

• Silicosis – the oldest of all jobs related diseases. It develops over time when the silica dust is inhaled into the lungs. A persistent cough with or without sputum, shortness of breath and tightness in chest are all symptoms of silicosis. These usually appear on many years of exposure to high levels of silica dust with lung tissue from damage by fibrosis and being replaced with solid nodules of scar tissue. Even after the exposure stops, the disease still progresses.

• Asbestos – work-related illnesses due to exposure to asbestos can be very serious. Mesothelioma is a cancer of the pleura and asbestosis is a form of fibrosis lung, which are the direct result of asbestos and bronchial cancer.

• Occupational Respiratory Diseases – includes a series of injuries, affecting such things as the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs (airways), the tiny air sacs where oxygen is transferred from the air we breathe in our bloodstream. Other damage can affect the membrane between the lungs and rib cage. Symptoms include chest pain, prolonged cough breathlessness and wheezing

• Occupational asthma – has said that in 2010, cases of occupational asthma was reduced by 30%. Occupational asthma remains the most common work-related diseases. Dust with flour and grains, industrial bakery, farming, transport of grain. Wood dust, Wood hard, western red cedar, carpentry, joinery and sawmilling. Rosin, mostly found in welding fumes, but is also present in glues and floor cleaners latex rubber dust, jobs involving latex gloves used in nursing and dental work. Dust from insects and animals are all causes of Asthma work.

The above list is just a small part of the work related illness and disease that can affect many employees.

About the Author:

Helen is the web master for Accident Consult; specialists in accidents at work claims

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Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Accidents at Work – Disease, Deafness and Other Long-term Injuries