Industrial diseases
click here to WATCH VIDEO
click here to WATCH VIDEO
PNEUMOCONIOSIS
It is defined as a disease of the lungs due to
inhalation of dust, characterized by inflammation, coughing, and fibrosis. The
hazardious effects of dust on the lungs depends upon chemical composition,
fineness, concentration of dust in the air, period of exposure and health
status of the person exposed.
Cuses of pneumoconiosis-
Pneumoconiosis is caused by
workplace exposure to airborne dusts that are breathed into the lung. Exposure
to asbestos, silica, and coal dust are the most common causes of pneumoconiosis.
Types of pneumoconiosis- Silicosis,
anthracosis, byssinosis bagassosisasbestosis and farmer’s lung.
Silicosis - Silicosis is a form of occupational lung disease caused by
inhalation of crystalline silica dust. It is marked by inflammation and
scarring in the form of nodular lesions in the upper lobes of the lungs.
There are three types:
Acute: Symptoms
happen a few weeks up to 2 years after exposure to a large amount of silica.
Chronic: Problems
may not show up until decades after you’re exposed to low or moderate amounts
of silica. It’s the most common type of silicosis. Symptoms may be mild at
first and slowly worsen.
Accelerated : You’ll
notice signs about 5 to 10 years after heavy exposure to silica. They’ll worsen
quickly.
There is no effective treatment for silicosis. Preventive
measures should be applied to prevent it
Anthracosis -Anthracosis is defined
in Bioline as, “the asymptomatic, milder type of pneumoconiosis as caused by
the accumulation of carbon in the lungs due to repeated exposure to air
pollution or inhalation of smoke or coal dust particles. It may take 10-12 years
of exposure to develop.
Common signs are:
Trouble breathing.
Shortness of
breath.
Feeling like you're
not getting enough air.
Decreased ability
to exercise.
A cough that won't
go away.
There is no effective treatment for Anthracosis. Preventive measures should be
applied to prevent it
Byssinosis -Byssinosis is a
rare lung disease. It's caused by inhaling hemp, flax, and cotton particles and
is sometimes referred to as brown lung disease. Byssinosis is an occupational disease that primarily affects workers in
cotton processing industries
Patients with byssinosis usually have
difficulty with cough and feelings of chest tightness. Some develop “Monday
fever” when they are exposed to the dust as they return to work after a break.
The symptoms improve over the course of the week, and usually cause no
long-term effects if the exposure is stopped
There is no effective treatment for byssinosis. Preventive measures should be
applied to prevent it
Bagassosis -Bagassosis belongs to the group of respiratory conditions
classified as interstitial lung diseases or hypersensitivity pneumonitis
A study showed that 11 out of 21 bagasse-shredding workers
developed the disease over 15 months
There is no role for drugs in the management of bagassosis. Being an
occupational hypersensitivity pneumonitis resulting from exposure to the bagasse dust,
avoiding the dust is usually all that is required to treat the condition.
Asbestosis- a lung disease resulting from the inhalation of asbestos
particles, marked by severe fibrosis and a high risk of mesothelioma (cancer of
the pleura).
Symptoms
The effects
of long-term exposure to asbestos typically don't show up until 10 to 40 years
after initial exposure. Symptoms can vary in severity. Asbestosis signs and
symptoms may include:
Shortness of
breath
A
persistent, dry cough
Loss of
appetite with weight loss
Fingertips
and toes that appear wider and rounder than normal (clubbing)
Chest
tightness or pain
Farmer's lung -Farmer's lung is a
hypersensitivity pneumonitis induced by the inhalation of biologic dusts coming
from hay dust or mold spores or any other agricultural products.
Farmer's lung can be controlled, but it can not be cured. In acute cases, the symptoms can be treated with bed
rest and oxygen therapy. Medication can be used to control symptoms in chronic
cases. However, this can be dangerous, because damage to the lungs may continue without the
victim's awareness.
2. Lead Poisioning = Lead is a highly
toxic metal and a very strong poison. Lead poisoning is a serious and sometimes
fatal condition. It occurs when lead builds up in the body.
Lead is found in
lead-based paints, including paint on the walls of old houses and toys. It is
also found in:
art supplies
contaminated dust
gasoline products
sold outside of the United States and Canada
Lead poisoning
usually occurs over a period of months or years. It can cause severe mental and
physical impairment. Young children are most vulnerable.
Children get lead
in their bodies by putting the lead-containing objects in their mouths. Touching
the lead and then putting their fingers in their mouths may also poison them.
Lead is more harmful to children because their brains and nervous systems are
still developing.
Lead poisoning can
be treated, but any damage caused cannot be reversed.
Signs of repeated lead exposure include:
abdominal cramps
loss of appetite
treatment
u
The first step of
treatment is to locate and remove the source of the lead. Keep children away
from the source. If it cannot be removed, it should be sealed. Call your local
health department for information on how to remove lead. They can also help you
reduce the likelihood of lead exposure.
u
In more severe
cases, a procedure known as chelation therapy can be used. This treatment binds
to lead that has accumulated in your body. The lead is then excreted in your
urine.
3 Occupational cancer
Occupational
cancer is cancer that is caused wholly or partly by exposure to a carcinogen at
work.
Occupational exposure to chemicals, dusts, radiation, and certain
industrial processes have been tied to occupational cancer. Exposure to
cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens) may
cause mutations that allow cells to grow out of control, causing
cancer. Carcinogens in the workplace may include chemicals like anilines, chromates, dinitrotoluenes, arsenic and
inorganic arsenic compounds, beryllium and
beryllium compounds, cadmium compounds, and nickel compounds
4 accidents and
injuries - There are hundreds of thousands of accidents – many of them serious
– in workplaces every year. Which includes.
u
Slips,
trips and falls. ...
u
Muscle
strains. ...
u
Being
hit by falling objects. ...
u
Repetitive
strain injury. ...
u
Crashes
and collisions. ...
u
Cuts
and lacerations. ...
u
Inhaling
toxic fumes. ...
No comments:
Post a Comment