DOES OVEREXPOSURE TO WELDING SMOKE CAUSE ASTHMA

HI. DOES OVEREXPOSURE TO WELDING SMOKE CAUSE ASTHMA I RECENTLY WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ASTHMA.I CANT EVEN BE AROUND WELDING SMOKE ANY MORE IT CHOKES ME ALSO BEING AROUND THE FLUX DUST CAUSES ME TO ITCH AND STING AND HAVE ATTACKS IM 38 YEARS OLD AND HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH WELDING SMOKE BEFORE.WHY NOW? ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE EXPERIENCED SOMETHING LIKE THIS? HOW COULD YOU KNOW WHAT CAUSED THIS SUDDEN ASTHMA PROBLEMB.I RECENTLY WAS TOLD BY MY DOCTOR TO TAKE OFF FROM WORK FOR ONE MOUNTH TO SEE IF IT HELPS.WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PROVE WHAT CAUSES SOMEONE TO COME DOWN WITH ASTHMA.I HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO A LOT OF HEAVY WELDING SMOKE I RUN A MACHINE THAT GOES UP IN THE THICK PART OF THE SMOKE COULD THIS BE WHY? PLEASE HELP THANKS

Occupational Asthma, Specialist, 2/20/2006, 10/20/2016,

Welding fumes can cause occupational asthma. The only really well described cause is from welding stainless steel, where the chrome fumes are the cause. A far wider number of welders appear on surveillance schemes with occupational asthma. There is one well described welder with occupational asthma when welding mild steel. I have seen workers welding through zinc coated steel who have developed asthma (rather then metal fume fever) which is more common following zinc fume inhalation. It is importantant to get objective evidence of the relationship between your welding fume exposure and your asthma. I would suggest that you keep a peak flow record as described in the I'm confused part of this website, and make readings during your days at home and on return to work. Please let us know how you get on.

2/20/2006

Back in November 2002, I was diagnosed with occupational asthma from welding mild steel. I was a welder for Vulcraft, a steel plant for 10 years. It has messed me up pretty bad. I now have to take up to 3 different kinds of medicine to help me breathe. I have never had asthma before in my life. Because of this illness I now cannot ever weld again or even be around welding smoke. I have lost my job because of it. I am now diabled. I have tons of info. on the dangers of welding smoke, if your interested in knowing more just e-mail me. Danny

2/20/2006

for the last 7 years i have been working for a big off road wheel company as a welder,on a flash butt welder,i did have a bit of allergic asthma as a kid mainly from hayfever etc,but the last 7 years my chest has gone manic,paramedics called into work,nights in hospital,constant chest infections,then last year i noticed the fume extraction system at work was not sucking all the fumes away,and my workplace was just a shed full of fumes,weld fumes,burning lubricating oil smoke,paint fumes etc,so i asked my doctor if my workplace was affecting me so he made an appiontment to see a professor at worcester hospital,,after a month of round the clock electronic peak flow test,professor lewis confirmed i was a victim of occupational asthma,i felt so mad to think it was just me getting worse as i got older,the professor advised i remove myself from that enviroment which i did last november 07,,since leaving i have had no asthma symptoms,chest infections,i dont use my inhalors anymore,only if i am around fumes,so i give fumes a wide birth,,,thanks for letting me have my say,,danny

5/10/2008

Thanks for your comments. I'm glad that the occupational asthma was confirmed with peak flows before you were removed from exposure, which is the correct thing to do. Welding fume is one of the commoner causes of occupational asthma. The exact constituents are not sorted out, but many types of welding fume cause occupational asthma.

5/13/2008

Hi all, I am a 38 year old pipe fitter welder, who over the last 7 weeks have experienced some very serious breathing problems and visits to the local hospital, to eventually be diagnosed with occupational asthma. As of April of this year I had a lucky break where an opportunity to become a college lecturer became available, and I jumped at the chance. We're now October and I'm already on my first bout of sickness due to this condition. I'm currently being prescribed with prednisalone 40mg a day reducing to build my lungs up again, and I've also being given a ventolin and budesonide inhaler which I presume are preventers and relievers. I'm still waiting on my asthma clinic appointment to learn more about my condition. I have been exposed to all sorts of solvents,fluxes,solders,dust and arc welding rods over my 23 year career as a pipe fitter welder. To say this has effected me mentally and with my personal life is an understatement, I'm a keen triathlete and 2x ironman as a hobby and was hoping to enjoy many more years competing, I'm currently breathless sitting down let alone competing, I also have a 3 year old son who is on the go 24-7 and I'm worried that I won't be able to enjoy the good times of his growing up as much as I could without this horrible condition, I hope that this helps to anyone and it really feels good to be able to open up to people that are suffering with this dreadful condition.

10/20/2016

Can occupational asthma lead onto other lung diseases such as silica poisoning?

10/20/2016