Identifying Occupational Disease

Question 1

List 4 types of causes of illness (with regards to occupational health assessments).

Answer 1

1 - Coincidental.

2 - Index cases (first case of a disease).

3 - Exacerbated by work.

4 - Caused by work.

Question 2

How should an occupational disease be diagnosed?

Answer 2

1 - History of presenting complaint.

2 - Occupational history.

3 - Examination.

4 - Investigations.

Question 3

List 6 questions that would be suitable to ask when taking an occupational history.

Answer 3

1 - What do you do for a living?

2 - What do you do at work?

3 - What do you use at work?

4 - How long have you been doing this type of work?

5 - Do you have more than one job?

6 - Have you done any different work in the past?

Question 4

List 5 occupational hazards.

Answer 4

1 - Infections.

2 - Musculoskeletal injuries.

3 - Allergens.

4 - Violence.

5 - Stress.

Question 5

Give an example of a disease to which health care workers have a higher than normal risk.

Answer 5

Tuberculosis.

Question 6

List 3 occupations and, for each, give an example of an irritant a worker in that occupation might encounter.

Answer 6

1 - Engineering and coolants.

2 - Construction and epoxy resins.

3 - Cleaners and disinfectants.

Question 7

What is the most common type of adult-onset asthma?

Answer 7

Occupational asthma.

Question 8

List 5 examples of irritants that can cause occupational asthma.

Answer 8

1 - Isocyanates.

2 - Flour.

3 - Cleaning products.

4 - Wood dusts.

5 - Enzymes, e.g. amylase.

Question 9

How many lung disease deaths each year are attributable to past exposures at work?

Answer 9

12,000.

Question 10

What is silicosis?

How does silicosis cause death?

Answer 10

• Fibrosis of the lungs due to inspired crystalline silica.

- Death occurs by heart failure.

Question 11

List 5 complications of silicosis.

Answer 11

1 - Lung cancer.

2 - Tuberculosis.

3 - Kidney disease.

4 - Arthritis.

5 - COPD.

Question 12

What is pneumoconiosis?

List 2 examples of specific forms of pneumoconiosis.

Answer 12

• Fibrosis of the lungs due to the inhalation and retention of dusts.

1 - Coal worker’s pneumoconiosis is caused by inhalation of coal dust.

2 - Silicosis.

Question 13

List 2 examples of extrinsic allergic alveolitis.

Answer 13

1 - Farmer’s lung, caused by mould on straw.

2 - Metal fume fever due to lead.

Question 14

What is food flavour lung?

Answer 14

Bronchiolitis obliterans caused by diacetyl butter flavouring.

Question 15

Define prescribed disease.

Answer 15

A disease for which benefits are payable.

Question 16

What are the criteria for a prescribed disease?

Answer 16

The disease must be matched to both an occupation and an exposure.

Question 17

What is the name of the benefit given to people with a prescribed disease?

Answer 17

Industrial injuries disablement benefits.

Question 18

What is RIDDOR?

Answer 18

• Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013.
• A law that puts duties on employers and employees to report occupational diseases.

Question 19

List 4 reporting systems for occupational disease.

Answer 19

1 - Survey of work-related illness (SWI).

2 - Death certificates.

3 - Surveillance of lead workers.

4 - Via the health safety executive (HSE).

Question 20

According to the survey of work-related illness (SWI), what are the 5 most common categories of occupational disease?

Answer 20

1 - Mental health.

2 - Musculoskeletal.

3 - Respiratory.

4 - Skin.

5 - Hearing loss.