Occupational Illness

1. See Also
   1. Occupational Asthma
   2. Allergic Occupational Asthma
   3. Eye Injury in the Workplace
   4. Return to Work in Lumbar Back Pain
   5. Shoulder-Related Work Restriction
   6. Worker Compensation
   7. Work-Related Skin Disease
   8. Carcinogens in the Workplace
2. History: Occupational
   1. Job History
      1. Employers (include part-time work)
      2. Job titles and responsibilities
      3. Accidents and injuries at each location
      4. Military service
   2. Exposures
      1. Specific exposures (with frequency and quantity of exposure and safety data sheets)
         1. Biological exposures (communicable disease, animals)
         2. Chemical exposures (solvents, fumes, dust)
         3. Physical exposures (noise, radiation, vibration and repetitive motion)
         4. Stressors (work relationships, workload and overtime)
      2. Personal protective equipment
      3. Monitoring data (e.g. lead, radiation badge)
   3. Symptoms attributed to workplace exposure
      1. Similar symptoms in coworkers
      2. Symptom onset after new job or work responsibilities, new work process or materials
      3. Symptoms worse during or immediately after work
3. History: Non-occupational
   1. Habits
      1. Tobacco use
      2. Alcohol use
   2. Household contact history
      1. Others in same household with similar illnesses or symptoms
      2. Others in same household who work with hazardous materials (e.g heavy metals, lead)
   3. Home environment
      1. Heating and cooling (central air, wood stove, carbon monoxide detectors)
      2. Age of home and renovation history
      3. Pets in home
      4. Nearby industrial plant or toxic waste site
      5. Drinking water source
4. Associated Conditions: Common Workplace Attributed Illnesses and Injuries
   1. Noise-induced Sensorineural Hearing Loss
   2. Acute Injuries
      1. Eye Injury in the Workplace
      2. Lacerations
      3. Falls
      4. Burn Injury
   3. Repetitive motion injury
      1. Low Back Pain
      2. Upper Extremity Disorders
         1. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
         2. Lateral Epicondylitis
         3. Shoulder Impingement
   4. Respiratory
      1. Occupational Asthma
      2. Allergic Occupational Asthma
   5. Cancer
      1. See Carcinogens in the Workplace
   6. Skin Conditions
      1. See Work-Related Skin Disease
   7. Ischemic Heart Disease
      1. See Cardiovascular Risk Factors (with attention to associated work related chemical exposures)
5. Resources
   1. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
      1. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/
   2. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
      1. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/
   3. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
      1. http://www.osha.gov/
6. References
   1. Boden (2008) Ann Epidemiol 18(6): 500-6
   2. Goldman (1986) J Occup Med 28(10): 967-74
   3. Schwartz (1991) Am J Med 90(3): 315-9
   4. Taiwo (2010) Am Fam Physician 82(2): 169-74