COPD and bakery ovens
what impact could there be on someone with COPD who has recurrent chest infections, working in an enclosed environment with bakery ovens? A warm environment obviosly but with a low ceiling and only a desk fan - single operator use. This chap is 61, worked in a bakery for 33 years but only the last few exclusively with the ovens; is a non smoker and was diagnosed with COPD 10 months ago and since then has had 2 severe chest infections necessitating sickness absence. I am trying to ascertain what impact the lack of ventilation and heat may have on his COPD and whether this could be exacerbating or making him more prone to chest infections.
thank you
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COPD in lifelong non-smokers is rare. Bakers asthma in longstanding bakers often looks more like COPD than asthma, and I think should be seriously investigated in your patient. Making peak flow readings before, during and after a 2 week holiday away from the bakery may help with the diagnosis.
A hot environment is better for a patient with COPD than a cold environment, and would not be a contraindication to working in the bakery provided that the bakery was not the cause of the airflow obstruction. Bakers asthma remains one of the most common causes of occupational asthma, and one of the types that may present more than 20 years after the first exposure
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thank you this is very helpful. The gentleman tells me that he was told he definatly does not have asthma although is being treated with serotide and ventolin plus visclair - steroids previously. He also currently does not actually work in the bakery itself - the ovens are enclosed and seperate. From your suggestion I will contact his GP with a view to further investigation
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