Health and Safety Executive

Table THORR04:

Work-related and occupational respiratory disease: estimated number of cases reported by chest physicians to SWORD and by occupational physicians to OPRA by country(a) and diagnostic category, 2006-2008.

Country Diagnostic category Chest and occupational physicians(p) Chest physicians (SWORD)(p) Occupational physicians (OPRA)(b)(p)
Annual average estimated cases (c) 2006-2008 % of GB total Annual average estimated cases (c) 2006-2008 % of GB total Annual average estimated cases (c) 2006-2008 % of GB total
England Allergic alveolitis 47 92 47 92 - -
Asthma 347 80 266 80 81 80
Bronchitis/emphysema 21 62 20 61 1 100
Infectious diseases 30 64 25 74 5 37
Inhalation accidents 18 68 11 56 7 100
Lung cancer 75 84 74 84 1 100
Malignant mesothelioma 609 84 598 84 10 100
Benign pleural disease 994 89 994 89 - -
Pneumoconiosis 145 83 143 83 3 100
Other 122 83 50 75 72 90
Total diagnoses 2408 85 2229 85 179 82
Total individuals(d) 2377 85 2199 85 179 82
Wales Allergic alveolitis 4 8 4 8 - -
Asthma 31 7 23 7 8 8
Bronchitis/emphysema 8 25 8 26 - -
Infectious diseases 16 35 8 24 8 63
Inhalation accidents 8 31 8 42 - -
Lung cancer - - - - - -
Malignant mesothelioma 58 8 58 8 - -
Benign pleural disease 49 4 49 4 - -
Pneumoconiosis 14 8 14 8 - -
Other 9 6 9 13 - -
Total diagnoses 197 7 181 7 16 7
Total individuals(d) 196 7 180 7 16 7
Scotland Allergic alveolitis - 1 - 1 - -
Asthma 56 13 44 13 12 12
Bronchitis/emphysema 4 13 4 13 - -
Infectious diseases 1 1 1 2 - -
Inhalation accidents - 1 - 2 - -
Lung cancer 14 16 14 16 - -
Malignant mesothelioma 54 7 54 8 - -
Benign pleural disease 78 7 74 7 4 100
Pneumoconiosis 16 9 16 9 - -
Other 16 11 8 12 8 10
Total diagnoses 239 8 215 8 24 11
Total individuals(d) 233 8 208 8 24 11

Notes:

  • (a) A small proportion of cases do not have their country recorded: percentages are calculated from those cases for whom country is recorded and may not sum to 100 due to rounding.
  • (b) Comparisons of rates based on OPRA reports are likely to be misleading because workers in some occupations are much more likely to have access to occupational physicians than those in others.
  • (c) Some physicians report on a sample basis, for one month in each year. Estimated totals for these are calculated by multiplying the actual number of cases reported by 12.
  • (d) Individuals can have more than one diagnosis.
  • "-" means zero or number rounds to zero.
  • (p) Provisional.

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Updated 11.09.09