What is occupational lung disease?

Occupational lung disease is an umbrella term for conditions caused or made worse by exposure to harmful substances at work. These are not rare or exotic illnesses. They are often well known conditions such as occupational asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, silicosis and asbestosis. What links them is time and exposure. Unlike a workplace accident, occupational lung disease usually develops slowly. Dusts, fumes, vapours and fibres enter the lungs day after day, often at levels that don’t cause immediate alarm. The damage accumulates quietly, sometimes over decades, until symptoms emerge long after the exposure began.

Why is it important to prevent occupational lung disease?

Occupational lung disease remains one of the leading causes of work-related ill health in the UK. In regions with a strong industrial heritage the legacy of past exposure is still being felt. The importance of prevention lies in one uncomfortable fact, damage to the lungs is often permanent. Once scar tissue forms or airways become chronically inflamed, medicine can manage symptoms but cannot restore what has been lost. Preventing new cases is not only about individual wellbeing; it is about breaking a cycle that has followed generations of workers home from the factory floor.

What are the symptoms of occupational lung disease?

The challenge in identifying occupational lung disease symptoms is that they can easily be confused with the effects of smoking, ageing or seasonal illness. However, normalising symptoms can be one of the biggest barriers to intervention. So what are some of the common symptoms?

• Sore eyes
• Wheezing
• Chest tightness
• Regular blocked or running nose
• Sore throat
• Coughing
• Breathlessness

What are the most common hazardous substances that cause occupational lung disease?

Dust is one of the most devastating hazards, particularly respirable crystalline silica found in construction, manufacturing and stone work. Asbestos, although banned, still poses a risk during refurbishment and demolition of older buildings. Metal fumes from welding, wood dust from carpentry, flour dust in bakeries and chemical vapours from paints, cleaning agents and solvents all have the potential to harm. What makes these hazards especially insidious is that many are part of everyday processes. They are not always visible, and their smell, if present at all, does not reliably indicate danger. A clean, well organised workplace can still harbour airborne risks that only monitoring will reveal.

How can you prevent occupational lung disease?

Prevention begins with recognising that exposure is not inevitable. The most effective control measures remove the hazard at source, whether by substituting a less harmful material or changing a process so that dust or fumes are not generated in the first place. Where this is not possible, engineering controls such as local exhaust ventilation can capture contaminants before they reach the breathing zone.

Safe systems of work matter just as much. Good housekeeping reduces settled dust that can be re-suspended, while maintenance ensures control measures continue to function as designed. Respiratory protective equipment has its place, but it should be the last line of defence, properly selected, fitted and used as part of a broader strategy rather than a quick fix. From the worker’s perspective, awareness is key. Understanding the risks associated with specific tasks, using controls correctly and reporting concerns early can make the difference between long term health and avoidable illness.

What are employer’s obligations?

Under UK health and safety law, employers have a clear duty to protect workers from harm. This includes assessing the risk of hazardous substances, implementing appropriate control measures and ensuring that exposure limits are not exceeded. Training and information must be provided so that workers understand both the risks and the reasons behind the controls in place. Employers are also responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of these measures and reviewing them when work processes change. In some cases, this extends to providing health surveillance to detect early signs of disease.

What role can health surveillance play?

Health surveillance sits at the intersection of prevention and early detection. It is not about diagnosing disease in isolation, but about identifying changes that may indicate harm from work. Lung function testing, respiratory questionnaires and clinical assessments can establish a baseline, allowing you to track trends over time. When delivered properly, surveillance benefits everyone. Workers gain reassurance that their health is being monitored, while employers receive objective information about whether controls are working. When working with an occupational health provider, this process is framed as a partnership, using data to inform practical improvements rather than apportion blame.

How can you identify workers who have new or worsening symptoms?

Early identification relies on listening as much as measuring. Workers are often the first to notice subtle changes in their breathing or stamina. Creating a culture where these concerns are taken seriously, rather than dismissed as weakness or inconvenience is essential. Regular conversations about health, alongside sickness absence reviews and return to work discussions can reveal patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed. A cough that appears after a job change, or breathlessness that improves during holidays are clues that something is going wrong. When these signs are acted upon promptly, further exposure can be reduced and progression slowed.

Final thoughts

Occupational lung disease develops slowly and often unnoticed until the damage is done. Understanding what it is, recognising the substances that cause it and taking prevention seriously can protect workers’ health for decades to come. Symptoms should never be ignored, and employers have both a legal and ethical responsibility to reduce exposure and monitor its effects. With the right controls, open communication and effective health surveillance, occupational lung disease is largely preventable. The lungs we rely on today are the same ones we will need tomorrow, long after the shift ends.