Occupational Asthma Causative Agents / Sensitisers

Occupational Asthma Causative Agents / Sensitiers Icon

For many occupational asthma causative agents / sensitisers the risk of occupational asthma is increased as the level of exposure is increased. Try to reduce the exposure as much as possible by extracting, enclosing the agent, by using respiratory protective equipment (RPE) and by using clean working methods. All of the causative agents listed here carry a risk of occupational asthma and employers should provide health surveillance.

To carry out health surveillance assess a worker’s respiratory health before they start work to provide a baseline record. Ensure a regular (at least annual) questionnaire and clinical assessment and follow up the results. If workers are identified as having possible occupational asthma they should be referred to a specialist as quickly as possible.

The causative agents below contain occupational asthma information, resources, references and links. A list of related jobs is also shown. There are many substances that can cause occupational asthma, and only a very few of the more common are mention here.

Recently Discovered Agents

Occupational asthma: Occupational asthma due to Copperleaf (new cause) Occupational asthma due to Copperleaf (new cause)
Occupational asthma: Occupational asthma due to Panax ginseng and Sanyak (Dioscorea batatas); new causes Occupational asthma due to Panax ginseng and Sanyak (Dioscorea batatas); new causes
Occupational asthma: Occupational asthma in a pharmaceutical worker due to Aescin (new cause, well fairly new) Occupational asthma in a pharmaceutical worker due to Aescin (new cause)
Occupational asthma: Asthma in a chemist due to TBTU (new cause) Asthma in a chemist due to TBTU (new cause)
Occupational asthma: Positive challenge to linseed oilcake in chemist Positive challenge to linseed oilcake in chemist
Occupational asthma: Occupational rhinitis due to sodium alendronate (new cause) Occupational rhinitis due to sodium alendronate (new cause)
Occupational asthma: occupational asthma due to chamomile tea dust (new cause) occupational asthma due to chamomile tea dust (new cause)
Occupational asthma: Occupational asthma in a crusher of almond shells (new cause) Occupational asthma in a crusher of almond shells (new cause)
Occupational asthma: Occupational asthma and rhinitis due to Tempico fibres Occupational asthma in brush makers (new cause)
Occupational asthma: Asthma in a florist due to Ivy (new cause) Asthma in a florist due to Ivy (new cause)
Occupational asthma: Eugenol causes occupational asthma and rhinitis (new cause) Eugenol causes occupational asthma and rhinitis (new cause)
Occupational asthma: Occupational Asthma from Hydroxylamine (new cause) Occupational Asthma from Hydroxylamine (new cause)
Occupational asthma: Pork meat as a cause of occupational asthma in butchers Pork meat as a cause of occupational asthma in butchers
Occupational asthma: Sevoflurane and isoflurane cause occupational asthma in healthcare workers (new cause) Sevoflurane and isoflurane cause occupational asthma in healthcare workers (new cause)
Occupational asthma: Occupational Asthma from Achillea millefolium and Carthamus tinctorius (New Cause) Occupational Asthma from Achillea millefolium and Carthamus tinctorius (New Cause)

External Links

List of substances that can cause occupational asthma (HSE, UK)
A list of substances that can cause occupational asthma from the UK Health and Safety Executive. This is not an exhaustive list.