Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Statistics
Occupational asthma: estimated number of diagnoses in which particular causative substances were identified. Reported by chest physicians to SWORD and by occupational physicians to OPRA during 2004-2006
| Agent(a) | Chest and occupational physicians(p) | Chest physicians (SWORD)(p) | Occupational physicians (OPRA)(b)(p) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual average estimated cases (c) 2004-2006 | % of all GB diagnoses | Annual average estimated cases (c) 2004-2006 | % of all GB diagnoses | Annual average estimated cases (c) 2004-2006 | % of all GB diagnoses | ||
| Organic | Laboratory animals | 22 | 4 | 10 | 2 | 13 | 9 |
| Flour | 44 | 8 | 40 | 10 | 4 | 3 | |
| Enzymes, amylase | 15 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 3 | |
| Solder/colophony | 15 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 3 | |
| Latex | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | |
| Wood dusts | 13 | 2 | 13 | 3 | - | - | |
| Grains | 18 | 3 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 3 | |
| Other creatures (mites, dogs, horses) | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | - | - | |
| Vegetables, spices and tea dusts | 9 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | |
| Fish & crustaceans | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | |
| Other biological substances | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Fungi and moulds | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | |
| Chemical | Isocyanates | 51 | 9 | 43 | 11 | 7 | 5 |
| Glutaraldehyde | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | - | - | |
| Medicines, antibiotics | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | |
| Formaldehyde | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Chlorine | 9 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | |
| Pesticides, herbicides and insecticides | 4 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 3 | |
| Sulphur dioxide | 8 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | |
| Ammonia | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | - | - | |
| Metallic | Chrome compounds | 10 | 2 | 10 | 2 | - | - |
| Cobalt and compounds | 2 | - | 2 | 1 | - | - | |
| Other welding fumes | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | - | - | |
| Zinc compounds | 7 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 | |
| Aluminium salts | 9 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | |
| Stainless steel welding fumes | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | |
| Platinum salts | 5 | 1 | 1 | - | 4 | 3 | |
| Nickel and compounds | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | |
| Miscellaneous | Cutting oils and coolants | 43 | 8 | 42 | 11 | 1 | 1 |
| Epoxy resins, other resins and hardening agents | 7 | 1 | 7 | 2 | - | - | |
| Acrylics and acrylates | 15 | 3 | 15 | 4 | - | - | |
| Paints | 16 | 3 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 1 | |
| Cleaning products | 7 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 | |
| Glues and adhesives | 6 | 1 | 6 | 1 | - | - | |
| Inks | 9 | 2 | 9 | 2 | - | - | |
| Reactive dyes | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | |
| Hair products unspecified | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | |
| Unspecified chemicals | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | - | - | |
| Other specified agents | 194 | 35 | 133 | 33 | 61 | 42 | |
| Agent unknown | 31 | 6 | 18 | 4 | 14 | 10 | |
| Total number of causative substances(d) | 601 | 455 | 147 | ||||
| Total number of cases(e) | 546 | 403 | 144 | ||||