NSW Government logo NSW Government SafeWork NSW logo SafeWork NSW
  • About
  • News
  • Contact
  • Roadmap
  • Safety
    starts here
  • Your
    industry
  • Advice &
    resources
  • Legal
    obligations
  • Notify
    SafeWork
  • Compliance &
    prosecutions
  • Licences &
    registrations
  • Home
  • Resource library
  • Workplace management of respiratory conditions including asthma
  • Managing respiratory conditions in the workplace
Share
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • email
Print PDF

Managing respiratory conditions in the workplace

Failure to correctly manage workplace respiratory hazards may put workers at risk of exposure to these preventable occupational diseases. It can also lead to an at-risk worker suffering ongoing respiratory difficulties, the need for higher doses of medication and a substantial, possibly irreversible, decline in lung function and associated disability.

It is important that there is communication between the PCBU, worker, treating physician and health and safety representative (where applicable) to ensure respiratory hazards and conditions, whether pre-existing or otherwise, are effectively managed.

Where necessary, consult with building managers and other relevant parties – it’s more likely that suitable, long term solutions to the problem can be found when everyone works together.

In complex situations, PCBUs should establish a clearer picture of the issue by obtaining the services of an appropriately qualified person (such as an occupational hygienist with skills in air quality) and then appropriate control measures can be developed in consultation with the affected workers. In these situations, the workplace conditions may need to be monitored and recorded as part of the workplace risk management program.

Identify hazards

Effective control and management of respiratory conditions, including asthma, starts with recognising potential sources.

Identify workplace activities that may put someone at risk of exposure. Talk (consult) with all of your workers about anything that could result in them being exposed to a respiratory illness. Analyse workplace incident reports. Check audits of the workplace layout and work practices. There may be a need for a competent person such as an occupational hygienist to assist in the identification process.

Consider who is at risk. Do you have any workers with pre-existing respiratory conditions?

Assess risks

To assess the risks of exposure to a respiratory illness, take into account:

  • the health effect of the air contaminant you are dealing with
  • the higher level control measures needed to control exposure ie. local exhaust ventilation or process enclosure
  • the type and frequency of exposure – What factors could contribute to exposure?
  • access to emergency and medical services
  • knowledge and training of workers
  • availability and use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
  • suitability of equipment used for the task
  • individual risk factors for each at-risk worker, such as pre-existing respiratory conditions
  • effectiveness of current risk control strategies

Control risks

To control the risks, follow the hierarchy of controls as much as possible. Use higher level controls first. Only use administrative controls and PPE to supplement the higher controls you’ve implemented. A combination of controls can be used.

Eliminate the hazard

  • have well-designed work premises and work processes
  • have plant equipment that is automated / remote controlled where possible

Isolate the hazard

To reduce the number of people exposed:

  • isolate high-risk work processes in ventilated enclosure
  • segregate high-risk work areas

Substitute the hazard

  • substitute chemicals and other hazardous substances for less hazardous types, where practicable

Engineering controls

  • install effective local exhaust ventilation
  • provide plant with enclosed cabins that filter out air contaminants and are air-conditioned

Administrative controls

Administrative controls and personal protective equipment should be part of a comprehensive control program – not the sole strategy for reducing exposure to respiratory hazards.

Administrative controls don’t remove the hazards - they limit or prevent people's exposure to them, and can include:

  • rotate worker tasks to limit their individual exposure time
  • ensure sufficient warnings are placed in high visibility areas to remind workers of the hazards arising from working in a high dust environment
  • regular workplace air quality monitoring, as required
  • implement work health assessments – before commencing employment and ongoing (see Section 3 for further guidance)
  • develop, in consultation with the worker and treating doctor, a workplace respiratory management plan, such as a workplace asthma management plan (see Section 4 for further guidance)
  • introduce workplace emergency respiratory management kit/s, such as an 'Asthma emergency management kit' (see Section 5 for further guidance)
  • develop safe work procedures, in consultation with workers, for:
    • regular inspection and maintenance of workplace emergency respiratory management kit/s
    • first aid and emergency situations, ensuring appropriate staff are qualified / competent to provide treatment in such situations and ensuring emergency communication equipment is appropriate and operational at all times.
    • prohibiting eating, drinking, smoking or applying cosmetics in areas where there is a risk of exposure to, or contamination by, causative agents
    • a buddy system, so colleagues can observe if at-risk workers are in respiratory difficulty; using their inhalers more often than usual; etc
    • a workplace flu vaccination program, that particularly encourages at-risk workers
    • good housekeeping
    • regular inspection and maintenance of plant and equipment air filter and duct systems (including work cars) for dust, pollens and fungus spores
    • monitoring of environmental conditions for outdoor workers – particularly pollen count, wind chill factor and wind direction
  • regular supervision and frequent health checks of at-risk workers
  • availability of alternative low-risk duties, where practicable
  • train and inform workers in risk identification, assessment (where applicable), and control measures

Personal protective equipment (PPE)

  • all PPE should be compliant with relevant Australian Standards
  • ensure appropriate suitable PPE is available, and used
  • provide appropriate respiratory protection, such as approved respirators; be they positive pressure air supplied respirators, powered air purifying respirators, single or double cartridge respirators (with or without built in goggles), disposable respirators, etc. Ensure PPE fits workers correctly
  • provide rubber boots or plastic disposable overshoes if the floor is likely to be contaminated
  • provide non-porous waterproof dressings to workers with broken skin
  • provide appropriate clothing where required eg plastic aprons, overalls, head coverings
  • provide a range of waterproof gloves, such as sterile and non-sterile, powder-free latex and vinyl, neoprene and nitrile. (Relevant SDSs provide valuable guidance)
Back to top

Print entire guide

  • Safety starts here
    • Safety overview
      • First aid in the workplace
      • Emergency plans
      • If you get injured at work poster
      • Mandatory injury register
      • When an incident occurs
      • Health and safety training in the workplace
      • Workers compensation insurance
      • Return to work program
    • Safety support
      • Your rights and responsibilities for health and safety
      • Training & orienting workers
      • Getting workers to contribute to health and safety
      • Managing risk in the workplace
      • Workplace inspections
      • Investigating and reporting incidents
      • Supervisors
    • Building a health & safety culture
      • Building a high performing health &safety culture
      • Active health & safety management
      • Planning for health & safety
      • Leadership & commitment
    • Consultation@work
      • Your duty to consult
      • Consultation case studies and videos
      • Workgroups
      • Safety committees
      • Health and safety representatives
      • Safety complaints
      • Resolving issues
      • Consultation tools to help
      • Entry permits
    • Physical safety at work (the basics)
      • Emergency plans
      • Facilities at work
      • Instruction and training
      • Personal protective equipment (PPE)
      • Pregnancy
      • Sedentary work
      • Violence
      • Bushfire smoke
    • Mental health & safety (the basics)
      • Alcohol and other drugs
      • At risk workers
      • Mental health @ work
      • Workplace stress
      • Workplace bullying
    • SeasonalSAFE
  • Your industry
    • Accommodation and food services
      • Hospitality
    • Administrative and support services
    • Agriculture, forestry and fishing
      • Plant nurseries
      • Farming
    • Arts and recreation services
    • Building and construction
      • House construction
      • Construction work
      • Demolition
    • Education and training
    • Financial and insurance services
    • Health care and social assistance
    • Information media and telecommunications
    • Manufacturing
      • Leading safer manufacturing workplaces
    • Personal care and other services
    • Public administration and safety
    • Rental, hiring and real estate services
    • Retail trade
    • Transport, postal and warehousing
    • Wholesale trade
  • Advice & resources
    • Campaigns
      • SafeWork NSW Awards
      • Dust strategy
      • International Day of Mourning
      • Asbestos awareness
      • Mentoring program
      • Safe Work Month
    • Free advisory visits and workshops
    • Rebate programs
      • Small business rebate
    • Video library
    • Incident animations
    • Online safety webinars
    • SafeWork Wrap newsletter
    • Translated resources
      • Arabic health and safety resources
      • Chinese health and safety resources
      • Filipino health and safety resources
      • French health and safety resources
      • German health and safety resources
      • Hindi health and safety resources
      • Korean health and safety resources
      • Malay health and safety resources
      • Nepali health and safety resources
      • Thai health and safety resources
      • Vietnamese health and safety resources
  • Legal obligations
    • Employer and business obligations
      • Directors and officers
      • Due diligence
      • Primary duty of care
      • Duty to consult
      • Register of injuries
      • Injuries at work
      • Return to work programs
      • Managing hazards and risks
    • Worker obligations
    • Diversity
    • Visitor obligations
    • Contractors and labour hire
    • Volunteering
    • Strata title and body corporate
    • Legislation
  • Notify SafeWork
    • Incident notification
    • Asbestos notifications
    • Blasting notifications
    • Carcinogenic substances notification
    • Demolition notifications
    • Fireworks displays notifications
    • Hazardous chemicals notifications
    • Lead notifications
    • Notification of silicosis diagnosis
  • Compliance & prosecutions
    • Incident information releases
    • Improvement, prohibition and penalty notices
    • SafeWork inspectors
    • Enforceable undertakings
    • Prosecutions
    • Deed of agreement
    • Contact our Legal Services
    • Joint Taskforce: Food Delivery Rider Safety
  • Licences & registrations
    • Licences
      • Evidence of identity
      • Regularly check licences
      • Asbestos work licences
      • Demolition licences
      • Explosives and fireworks licences
      • High risk work licences
      • Traffic Control Work Training
    • Plant registrations
      • Plant item registration
      • Plant design registration
      • Cancelling plant registration
      • Changes to registration documents
    • Registered training organisations (RTOs)
      • How to become an approved RTO to deliver asbestos training
      • General construction induction RTOs
      • High risk work RTOs
      • HSR training providers
      • Traffic controller training
    • White cards
  • Resources
    • Hazards A-Z
    • Resource library
    • Risk radar
    • Speak Up Save Lives
Community
  • Events
  • Accessibility
  • Stakeholder Engagement Strategy
  • Order a Publication
  • Subscribe to the SafeWork Wrap
Legal
  • Privacy
  • Right to Information
  • Terms
  • Disclaimer
  • Copyright
Related sites
  • SIRA (workers compensation)
  • SafeWork Awards
  • TestSafe
  • Get healthy at work
  • Centre for WHS
  • icare

Contact

Contact us 13 10 50

Follow us

  • facebook
  • instagram
  • twitter
  • youtbue
  • linkedin
Send us your feedback

Follow us

  • facebook
  • instagram
  • twitter
  • youtbue
  • linkedin
  • Sitemap
  • nsw.gov.au
  • Ministerial media releases

A division of the Department of Customer Service

NSW SafeWorks logo NSW SafeWorks NSW SafeWorks logo NSW SafeWorks