What are the 2 main elements of occupational disease?
exposure - effect relationship
frequency above average morbidity of the rest of population
What is the IIDB?
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Scheme
employee does not have to make a claim against employer, if they have a condition and their work meets the requirements then they receive benefits
What is required for a disease to be ‘prescribed’?
risk at least doubled
jobs listed against particular disease
who might get anthrax?
animal handlers
Who might get extrinsic allergic alveolitits?
exposure to mould or fungal spores, caring for or handling birds
Who might get Hep B or C?
contact with human blood
Who might get Q fever?
contact with animals and their remains (abattoir workers)
What are the risk factors for leukaemia?
ionizing radiation
nuclear industry
What are the risk factors for cataract?
radiation
glass and metal workers
Who might get ocucpational deafness?
wood workers
foundry workers
What is HAVS?
Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome
What is CTS?
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Who are at risk of decompression sickness?
underwater or tunnel workers
Who might get tendonitis?
meat cutters
assembly workers
Who might get chronic cramp of forearm?
repititive work movement
Who might get prepatellar bursitis?
prolonged kneeling
What is the trend in frequency of workers suffering from MSK disorders?
it is in decline
What is the trend in workers suffering from mental health disorders related to work?
it is increasing, over the last few years
What occupations increase risk of pneumoconioses?
mining
quarrying
sand blasting
granite grinding
What increases risk of COPD?
coal dust
wood dust
textile dust
…
Who might be at more risk of Occupational Asthma?
cleaners, their detergents etc contain a lot of harmful things
What are the 2 main causes of occupational skin diseases?
allergic contact dermatoses
irritant contact dermatoses (often people who work in salons, or vitiligo from photosensitising agents)
What is the importance of occupational history?
evidence that work is a likely cause
diagnosis leads to better management
assisting RTW
Where might you find evidence for workplace irritant exposure?
occupational history
results of exposure survey at work
exposure records
What additional information might help forming diagnosis for OD?
minimum intesity
minimum duration
minimum induction period
maximum latency periods
When is Bradford Hill’s criteria for causation used?
establishing epidemiological evidence to support causal relationship between presumed cause and observed effect
big populations over individual cases basically
What needs to be reported under RIDDOR?
work related accidents causing death / serious injuries
diagnosed cases of certain industrial diseases
dangerous occurences