One would think that with all of the stringent OSHA regulations and the global “eco” or “green” movement that work related lung and respiratory disease would be on the decline. It’s not. Even in Southern California, known for its sunshine and clean living, work related lung disease is on the rise and it is something for all of us to be concerned about. Some of us work in warehouses or factories where we are exposed to highly toxic substances – gases, oils, fumes, waste, etc – and in those situations it’s evident that exposure may cause illness or lung issues. However, some of us work outdoors or in clean offices where it doesn’t seem so obvious that we could be in danger of exposure.
Without knowing it, the air we breathe at work may contain excessive amounts of harmful gases, nearly invisible dust, toxic vapors or even smoke. Any or all of these things we breathe could be caused by inadequate ventilation, closed-in working spaces or outside air pollution mixed with substances we’re exposed to while we work. work related lung and respiratory disease may not be something that happens overnight. It may take years of exposure to develop a chronic or even life-threatening conditions. Keeping a watchful eye, and ear, our for new developments in your respiratory history is critical to staying healthy and in some cases, may be grounds for legal action. Even though you should see a doctor if anything ever feels odd about your breathing, there are some things you should be on the lookout for. For instance, lung or upper respiratory irritation, inflammation of your throat or cold-like symptoms, such as a runny nose and scratchy throat. While normal allergies and viral infections cause similar conditions, your should become suspicious of work related lung and respiratory disease if your throat and nose become chronically irritated and if strained breathing problems persist. These conditions may be caused by something you’ve been exposed to at work and could increase your risk of developing bronchitis, flu-like symptoms, asthma or emphysema. If you have what you think are flu like symptoms, it may in fact be something else, something more dangerous as your illness may not in fact be the flu but be caused by something you are exposed to at work. While this article does not constitute medical advice, there are some work-related lung diseases that can make you feel as though you have the flu, which often times can and will be much more than that. The bottom line is that if such symptoms occur again and again when you are at work, this is a clue that your illness may be related to your work. If this is the case, there are certain steps you should take if you suspect you are suffering from any form of work related lung and respiratory disease. Of course the first thing you should do is consult your doctor. After that, if you wish to explore your legal rights as they relate to work related lung and respiratory disease, please call 800-300-0001 toll-free for immediate legal advice.
