Claiming for Occupational Asthma

Asthma is a common condition that affects many people. But if you have asthma that has developed because of your job, then it can be even more inconvenient. Claiming for occupational asthma can help you to deal with your condition.

Asthma UK estimate that 9-15% of all cases of adult asthma are occupational asthma. If you develop new asthma symptoms at work, or your childhood asthma comes back, you could have occupational asthma.

You may be at your workplace for a while before you notice symptoms. This is because it takes a while for your immune system to become sensitive to workplace triggers. But once you’ve become sensitive to a substance at work, it can trigger asthma symptoms the next time you encounter it – even if it’s just in small amounts.

Occupational Asthma

Asthma is a chronic condition that makes it difficult to breathe. The muscles around the airways constrict and tighten, preventing oxygen reaching the lungs. In turn, that affects oxygen dispersal through the rest of the body. More than feeling short of breath, a serious asthma attack can make a victim feel as if they are suffocating. Furthermore, such a feeling can be, in extreme instances, fatal. Occupational asthma is when the condition results from or faces aggravation from poor working conditions.

Dust, pollen, and chemical fumes are all common workplace irritants that can trigger asthma. Over time, inflammation of the bronchial tubes occurs, permanently damaging the lungs in some cases.

By law, employers have an obligation to identify potential asthma risks in the workplace. In summary, employers must take relevant steps to protect their employees from harm. For instance, providing things like effective ventilation and adequate safety equipment.

Industries Where Occupational Asthma is Common

Occupational asthma can happen in any environment that has irritants that can cause asthma. For example, a baker could develop chronic asthma from breathing in flour dust. Other trades where workers are also at risk of developing occupational asthma include:

Spray painters.
Farmers and agricultural workers.
Welders.
Carpenters and woodworkers.

Nurses, doctors and other healthcare workers are also at risk of occupational asthma due to natural rubber latex proteins used in the manufacture of gloves worn while doing surgery or performing medical examinations.

Claiming for occupational asthma can not only help address the expense of ongoing medical care, but it can also be a way of acknowledging the physical damage victims endure. Some people who develop occupational asthma need a change of job role where they work, or even to change jobs altogether.

It’s understandable to be worried about losing your job, or income, if your job role changes due to a diagnosis of occupational asthma. This is where claiming for occupational asthma can help; it can help pay for any asthma equipment you may need, such as inhalers, and can help you if you can no longer do the same job because of the condition.

How We Can Help

Here at The Compensation Experts we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with industrial disease claims. This includes claims for occupational asthma. Contact us today by filling in our contact form. Or call us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisors.