Search

High ambient temperatures and strenuous physical activity put workers at risk for a variety of heat-related illnesses and injuries. Through primary prevention, secondary prevention, and treatment, OEM health providers can protect workers from the adverse effects of heat. This statement by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine provides guidance for OEM providers who serve workers and employers in industries where heat exposure occurs., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)

Objective: Prescription opioid and benzodiazepine drug use, which has risen significantly, can affect worker health. Exploration of the scientific literature assessed (1) interrelationships of such drug use, occupational risk factors, and illness and injury, and (2) occupational and personal risk factor combinations that can affect their use., Methods: The scientific literature from 2000 to 2015 was searched to determine any interrelationships., Results: Evidence for eight conceptual models emerged based on the search yield of 133 articles. These models summarize interrelationships among prescription opioid and benzodiazepine use with occupational injury and illness. Factors associated with the use of these drugs included fatigue, impaired cognition, falls, motor vehicle crashes, and the use of multiple providers., Conclusion: Prescription opioid and benzodiazepine drugs may be both a personal risk factor for work-related injury and a consequence of workplace exposures.

Context: Latex allergy and sensitization have been an important problem facing health care workers. Providing a latex-safe environment is the intervention of choice., Case Presentation: A 46-year-old surgical pathologist presented with increasing shortness of breath for the previous 4 years. Twenty years before presentation, he noted a pruritic, erythematous rash on his hands, associated with latex glove use. Fourteen years before presentation, during pathology residency, he developed a nonproductive cough, wheezing, and an urticarial rash, temporally associated with use of powdered latex gloves. These symptoms improved while away from work. At presentation, he had one-flight dyspnea. His skin prick test was positive for latex, and pulmonary function testing showed mild obstruction, which was reversible with bronchodilator use. Because the patient was at risk for worsening pulmonary function and possible anaphylaxis with continued exposure, he was removed from the workplace because no reasonable accommodation was made for him at that time., Discussion: The patient's presentation is consistent with latex-induced occupational asthma. Initially noting dermal manifestations, consistent with an allergic contact dermatitis secondary to accelerators present in latex gloves, he later developed urticaria, flushing, and respiratory symptoms, consistent with a type I hypersensitivity reaction to latex. He also has reversible airways disease, with significant improvement of peak expiratory flow rate and symptoms when away from work., Relevance to Clinical or Professional Practice: The ideal treatment for latex sensitization is removal from and avoidance of exposure. Clinicians should consider occupational asthma when patients present with new-onset asthma or asthmatic symptoms that worsen at work.

Objective: No comprehensive national system tracking work-related diseases and injuries exists in the United States. Industry and occupation (I/O) are the missing data elements that would make existing healthcare data useful for occupational health. The authors previously petitioned the National Uniform Billing Committee (NUBC) to adopt I/O standards for states to consider during their healthcare data rulemaking processes. Methods: The NUBC asked for a pilot study to ascertain the potential burden. The time and cost to ask I/O questions in two hospital emergency departments was evaluated. Results: Asking four I/O questions required 48 seconds on average and cost between $520 and $623 per Registrar per year. The annual cost for the two hospitals to gather I/O on every patient was $4160 and $15,000. Conclusions: We conclude no undue burden compared with the estimated $250 billion cost of occupational illnesses and injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]