Occupational asthma
[ch 7: page 140]The risk assessment procedure in Regulation 6 of COSHH 2002 (see page 132) also applies to occupational asthma, and employers must protect the health of employees who have developed it.
HSE guidance says employers should review risk assessments regularly, and there should be an immediate review whenever a case of occupational asthma is confirmed. Cases of occupational asthma notified by a doctor in writing must be reported to the enforcing authority under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) (see Chapter 11: Dealing with accidents, injuries and ill health).
Exposure to substances with the potential to cause occupational asthma should be prevented. If prevention is not reasonably practicable, the employer should control exposure. All employees exposed, or liable to be exposed, to a substance that may cause occupational asthma should be under suitable health surveillance (see page 136). Employees should be provided with suitable and sufficient information about asthma and receive proper training.
HSE guidance on asthma can be found on the Asthma page of the HSE website (www.hse.gov.uk/asthma).