Workplace surveillance of occupational asthma
As a 21 year career nurse in the RAF, the last 13 as a Occupational Health Nurse with particular interest in Occupational Asthma. What concerns me is that I have come across the diagnosis of Occupational Asthma maybe twice in this time.
Are the RAF, contary to my own experience, providing safer environments to work in that in "civvy" street?
Are the military under reporting incidences of Occupational Asthma?
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This is somewhat of a loaded question! Occupational asthma does occur in the aviation industry. Isocyanate-containing spray paints pose a special problem when aircraft are being painted, as aeroplanes dont fit into conventional spray booths. Painting of commercial aircraft is sometimes done in a hurry when the aircraft are available, making forward planning difficult. In addition I have seen a number of military electronics workers with occupational asthma from soldering fluxes, some from epoxy resins used in the manufacture of aircraft interiors, and one due to tetrazine in detonators. Welders and those exposed to coolant oils are also in high risk jobs.
How often these are recognised depends on where you are working, what type of industrial processes you cover, and how hard you look. I believe surveillance medicals are part of your practice, some may be transfered at the first sign of a problem before the diagnosis is confirmed. This can produce a good result for the individual, provided that employment is maintained, but doesn't help to control the environment which produced the problem.
I would appreciate a response from a military or aviation occupational health professional.
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I have seen someone who appears to have been sensitised to asthma following an acute exposure (accidental spillage) of "avtur" whilst refuelling a jet. Is exposure to aviation fuel a recognised asthma sensitiser, or is it simply a trigger agent?
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