What are occupational respiratory disorders?



Definition:

Occupational respiratory disorders are disorders which a person gets due to his/her work.
Pneumoconioses are a group of lung diseases occurring out of the specific occupation, caused by inhalation of insoluble dust, over a prolonged period of exposure. characterics:
  • fibrosis of the lung
  • parenchyma followed by its complications.
It is usually progressive and permanent,
Clinical Features:
  • persistent cough
  • progressive breathlessness gradually cripples the person by reducing the working capacity due to fibrosis of the lungs
complications
tuberculosis, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary hypertension, cor pulmonale and even carcinoma in some cases.
There is no treatment or cure for pneumoconioses.
Prevention is the only intervention. Therefore, it is essential to prevent these diseases from arising.
Factors influencing pneumoconioses are:
•Concentration of the dust in the air: Higher the concentration, greater the health hazards.
 •Composition of the dust: More complicated the composition of the dust, greater the health hazard.
•Size of the dust particles: This is the most important determining factor. Smaller the size of the dust particle, greater the tissue reaction.
•Duration of exposure: Longer the duration of exposure to the dust, greater the health hazard.
 •Individual susceptibility: Better the health and nutritional status, lesser the chances of development of pneumoconiosis early.
Common pneumoconioses, their causative agents and the industries of the occurrence
Inorganic (Mineral) dusts
Silica -Silicosis (Sand stone industry, stone quarrying and dressing, granite industry, pottery and ceramic industry, gold, silver, mica and steel industry)
Asbestos -Asbestosis (Asbestos cement factory, fireproof textiles, brake lining gaskets)
Iron -Siderosis (Iron ores and mines, iron and steel industries)
Coal dust -Anthracosis( Coal mines)
Aluminum -Aluminosis (Aluminum industries)
Barium -Baritosis (Photography, printing, barium diagnostic works)
Beryllium- Berylliosis (Beryllium mining, manufacture of alloys)
Organic (Vegetable) dusts
Cotton dust- Byssinosis (Textile industries)
Sugar cane dust (Bagasse) -Bagassosis (Cane sugar factories, paper and card board factories)
Tobacco dust- Tobaccosis (Tobacco factories (Beedi, Cigar, Cigarette)
Mouldy hay (Grain dust) -Farmer’s lung (Agricultural industry)

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