Description
This comprehensive set of university notes provides a detailed examination of occupational lung diseases, authored by Allan R Mbewe. The material is designed for tertiary-level students pursuing degrees, diplomas, or certificates in occupational health, environmental health, public health, medicine, or related professional programmes. It defines occupational diseases as chronic ailments resulting from work activity, outlines their classification under various hazard groups, and focuses specifically on pneumoconiosis—the accumulation of inorganic dust in the lungs. The notes detail major forms such as silicosis, asbestosis, and coal workers' pneumoconiosis, explaining their pathogenesis, clinical features, and the critical role of particle size and exposure duration. It also covers other respiratory conditions like occupational asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, and byssinosis. The resource discusses legal requirements for prevention under Zambian legislation, including the Public Health Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 2010, and the Environmental Management Act of 2011. This is an essential reference for students and health professionals seeking authoritative material on the aetiology, impact, and control of work-related respiratory illnesses, directly supporting academic study and exam preparation in Zambian tertiary institutions. Download these detailed notes to build expertise in occupational lung disease prevention and management.
What's inside
Occupational lung diseases Allan R Mbewe Size and Location of Occupational Respiratory Diseases Outcome Content Occupational pulmonary diseases and control Pneumoconiosis; silicosis asbestosis occupational bronchitis and emphysema occupational asthma byssinosis extrinsic allergic alveolitis Occupational diseases and conditions Definition Occupational diseases are those diseases contracted as a result of a particular employment Many occupational diseases are prescribed approved for compensation in which case benefit is payable under the Social Security laws “Each Member should, under prescribed conditions, regard diseases known to arise out of the exposure to substances and dangerous conditions in processes, trades or occupations as occupational (ILO, 2011) An occupational disease is any chronic ailment that occurs as a result of work or occupational activity. It is an aspect of occupational safety and health (Norway, 2016). Definition Occupational diseases and conditions Cont. Occupational diseases are those diseases contracted as a result of a particular employment Many occupational diseases are prescribed approved for compensation in which case benefit is payable under the Social Security laws Each Member should, under prescribed conditions, regard diseases known to arise out of the exposure to substances and dangerous conditions in processes, trades or occupations as occupational (ILO, 2011) An occupational disease is any chronic ailment that occurs as a result of work or occupational activity. It is an aspect of occupational safety and health (Norway, 2016). Prescribed disease A disease may be prescribed if: It ought to be treated, after having identified its causes and incidence and other relevant considerations, as a risk of occupation and not as a risk common to all persons It can be established with reasonable certainty that the disease was got due to nature of his/her employment. Classification of occupational A summary of occupational diseases may be grouped under the following groups of occupational hazards to which a worker may be exposed to as follows: Physical and or mechanical hazards Biological hazards Psychosocial hazards Ergonomic hazards Chemical hazards 1. Physical and mechanical Heat: Heat cataract, heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, military dermatosis, sun burn Cold: Hypothermia, trench foot, frost bite Light: Headache, vertigo, eye strain, miner’s nystagmus, occupational cataract Noise: Occupational deafness. Pressure: Air embolism, blast (explosion) Vibration: HAVS, dupuytren’s contracture (injury of the palm), bursitis, carpal tunnel syndrome 1. Physical and mechanical cont’d Ionizing radiation: Cancer, leukaemia, aplastic anemia, somatic and genetic effects, ulceration, sterility. Ultraviolet radiation: Welding affecting eyes leading conjunctivitis and keratitis (welder’s flash) symptoms Electricity and electromagnetic fields: Burns and electric shocks 2. Biological hazards Originate from living things which are capable of causing illness or disease in humans. Encountered by workers at their workplaces; through inhalation, ingestion skin Considered under the following headings: Bacteria Fungi viruses parasitic worms Plants miscellaneous Diseases caused by biological hazardsa) Bacteria Diseases caused by biological hazards: Bacteria cont. Diseases caused by biological hazards Cont. b) Fungi Diseases caused by biological hazards Cont.c) Viruses Diseases caused by biological hazards Cont. c) Viruses Diseases caused by biological hazards Cont. d) Worms Diseases caused by biological hazards Cont. e) Miscellaneous 3. Psychosocial hazards and conditions Workers’ failure to adapt to an alien psychosocial work environment: Frustration lack of job satisfaction Insecurity poor human relationships emotional tension 3. Psychosocial conditions cont’d Psychosocial health effects can be classified in two main categories: Psychological and behavioural changes: including hostility Aggressiveness Anxiety Depression Tardiness Alcoholism drug abuse Sickness absenteeism 3. Psychosocial conditions cont’d Psychosomatic illness: including fatigue Headache pain in the shoulders neck and back propensity to peptic ulcer hypertension heart disease and rapid ageing 4. Ergonomic conditions Poor organisation and arrangement of work and working equipment Poor job movements: in relation to handwriting or typewriting may cause cramps Friction and pressure may cause bursitis, cellulites i.e. beat hand, traumatic inflammation of the tendons or associated with tendon sheaths of the hand forearm i.e. tenosynovitis 4. Ergonomic conditions and hazards cont’d Poor manual handling injuries and conditions can be both external and internal. External injuries: cuts, bruises, crush injuries and lacerations to fingers, hands, ankles and feet. Includes more serious internal forms of injury: muscle and ligament tears, hernia (ruptures), prolapsed intervertebral discs and damage to knee, ankle, shoulder and elbow joints Introduction: Pneumoconiosis Pneumoconiosis = accumulation of inorganic dust in lungs, following non-neoplastic tissue …
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