Asthma & work

If you have developed asthma as an adult, it may have been caused by something at work. Occupational asthma can sometimes take weeks, months or years to develop. Look out for the following signs:

• Your symptoms worsening during your working week, at work or after work
• Your sleep being disrupted because of increased symptoms in your working week
• Your symptoms improving when you are not at work (for example when you are on holiday)

If you notice anything that makes your asthma worse, discuss it with your doctor and with your health and safety advisor at your workplace. Taking action to reduce these triggers, and making your employer aware that your asthma is affected is vital. It is also important that you are referred to an occupational asthma specialist to confirm the diagnosis.