Abstract
The risks to lung health from workplace exposures are often overlooked by workers, employers and health care professionals. We aimed to produce an online tool that allows workers to assess whether their work may pose a risk to their lung health.
ERS and ELF developed an evidence-based digital tool in an industry specific online quiz.
In the first 2 years, 22,393 individuals participated, with a mean age of 43.6 (SE 0.1) years. 34.2% were male. 47% completed in English, 20% in Portuguese, 18% in French, 10% in Dutch and 5% in German. Commonly reported symptoms included nasal symptoms 47%, cough 42%, chest tightness 21% and wheeze 20%. 8,412 individuals reported at least one of these symptoms to be work related, and 6.1% of workers had changed their job because it had affected their breathing. Jobs with high levels of reported wheeze included work in a sports centre, building site, a mine, and where a high chemical exposure may have occurred. The use of guidance (17% overall) and training (11% overall) to prevent respiratory ill health was variable. A lesser proportion than average reported receiving training about potential risks in the hair and beauty work sector (3.2%), farms (8.1%), sport centres (9.2%), bakeries (9.3%) and garages (9.9%). Training was most prevalent (27%) in the worksite described as “in a site of a fire, building collapse, chemical spill or similar”. Lower than average workplace guidance was reported in hair and beauty work (5.3%), bakeries (10.7%) and sport centres (14.6%).
The tool has proved to be a useful resource to reach working populations at risk of respiratory diseases. These findings could be used to focus further social media interventions.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2020; 56: Suppl. 64, 3852.
This abstract was presented at the 2020 ERS International Congress, in session “Respiratory viruses in the "pre COVID-19" era”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2020