Industry Specific Studies Required To Understand Impact Of Dust Exposure

Expert workplace illness lawyers at national law firm Irwin Mitchell have called for industry specific studies to examine the impact exposure to dust in the workplace on the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

New studies of non-smokers have indicated that the occupational contribution to COPD is substantially greater than the 15 per cent that was previously thought.

As the number of people who smoke decreases the impact of dust exposure at work on the development of COPD is expected to become more prominent.

If you or a loved on has suffered a respiratory disease due to work, our specialist industrial disease claims team could help you to secure compensation.

Satinder Bains, a Partner and expert work-related illness expert at national law firm Irwin Mitchell, said:

Expert Opinion

Exposure to dust affects hundreds of people every year and it is clearly an area where measures need to be taken as exposure is avoidable. <br/> <br/>“These latest studies indicate that there is a lot more work to be done to understand the impact workplace exposure to dust has on the development of COPD among employees. <br/> <br/>“It is crucial that more industry-specific studies are conducted to better characterise the effects of dust exposure in an ageing workforce, particularly in industries where retirement is postponed, as a longer career can lead to more years of exposure to dust, increasing the possibility of workers developing life-limiting conditions. <br/> <br/>“In our work we have represented a number of people who have developed a wide range of illnesses as a result of exposure to dust at work and hope that further studies will lead to employers taking a greater responsibility for keeping workers safe from exposure. Satinder Bains - Partner