'Asthma at Work - Your Charter' sets out ten recommendations to reduce the impact of asthma in the workplace, and provides information on asthma triggers and symptoms, instructions on what to do if someone is having an attack, and guidelines for employers on making the work environment an asthma-friendly zone.
Each year in the UK, 750,000 employees who have asthma find that things at work trigger their symptoms. A further 3,000 people develop occupational asthma because of the substances they are exposed to while doing their jobs. In a recent poll Asthma UK found that almost 60% of respondents thought changes could be made to their workplace that could improve their asthma.
People with asthma report that cigarette smoke is an extremely common trigger for them at work, which could be prevented by banning smoking in the workplace. However, a wide variety of substances can set off asthma symptoms and affect people working in a wide range of jobs including vehicle repairs (spray paint).
Key recommendations in the new charter include:
- creating smoke-free workplaces
- protecting employees from triggers and from substances that might cause people to develop asthma
- increasing health monitoring where employees are exposed to substances that are known to increase the risk of developing asthma.
The charter was developed in partnership with EEF and other employers, trade unions and statutory bodies including the HSE.
Unlike pre-existing asthma, occupational asthma can be cured if it is identified quickly enough. Yet many people fail to get treatment either because the occupational cause of their asthma is not identified in time or perhaps because they are not aware their condition is caused by work.