COPD Causes, Symptoms and Prevention

• COPD is an incurable lung disease that makes it harder to breathe. It can be fatal.
• Smoking is the leading cause, but workplace exposure to dust, fumes and asbestos also poses significant risks.
• Jobs in “dusty trades,” like construction and manufacturing, increase the likelihood of developing the disease.
• Employers are legally required to protect employees from hazardous substances linked to COPD.
• Prevention is critical. Workplace safety measures include ventilation, proper training and respiratory protective equipment.

COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This term covers several different lung conditions, including emphysema and bronchitis.

All forms of COPD restrict airflow to the lungs, which makes it difficult to breathe. People with COPD are often short of breath or wheezy, particularly during physical activity. They’re also more vulnerable to chest infections.

While symptoms can sometimes be managed, COPD is incurable. It’s also progressive, meaning it gets worse over time. Older people with COPD often struggle with everyday tasks, finding any level of movement too demanding.

COPD can also be fatal. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), COPD is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide.

There are a number of risk factors for COPD, but the biggest cause is smoking. According to the WHO, smoking causes around 70% of cases in high-income countries. (Pollution from burning fuels indoors is the most significant risk factor in low and middle-income countries.)

Smoking isn’t the only risk factor. As early as the 1800s, COPD was linked to “dusty trades” such as textile manufacturing or woodworking. But the relationship between dust and this specific lung condition wasn’t examined until the mid-20th century. In the 1950s, it was noticed miners developed emphysema and bronchitis far more often than the wider population.

Despite this evidence, occupational COPD risks have been historically overlooked. As smoking was quickly identified as the leading cause, research into other environmental factors was thin.

Now, COPD is recognised as a significant work-related risk. Studies have found the ratio for COPD tips towards people exposed on the job, and it’s believed that workers exposed to dust are up to 1.6 times more likely to develop the disease.

Dust exposure isn’t the only occupational risk, either.

Cadmium fumes are linked to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Industries where workers might be exposed to cadmium fumes include metal machining, plastics, paint manufacturing and welding.

Welding fumes are also a suspected risk factor, although there’s currently a lack of definitive proof.

Asbestos isn’t a direct cause of COPD, but exposure to this deadly mineral can cause a range of lung diseases, including asbestosis.

Asbestosis symptoms include shortness of breath and susceptibility to other chest infections. Research suggests that the overall weakening of the lungs caused by asbestosis can make sufferers more likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

There are several different dusts linked to COPD. These are:

• Cadmium dust
• Grain and flour dust
• Mineral dust
• Organic dust
• Silica dust

Silica dust is a significant risk factor. Silica naturally occurs in most rocks, sand and clay, which means it’s found in almost all construction materials. Cutting, grinding and drilling these materials release respirable crystalline silica (RCS). The more high-energy the activity, the more RCS is released.

RCS particles are too small to see with the naked eye. When inhaled, they can cause a range of different lung conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Workers in construction, demolition and masonry are particularly vulnerable because they’re exposed to RCS more often. (Regular exposure increases disease risks.) But anyone who works with silica-containing materials must be protected from inhaling RCS.

It’s been mentioned, but smoking is the biggest risk factor for COPD. Your chances of developing the disease are much, much higher if you both smoke and work in a high-risk industry.

The main symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease include:

• Shortness of breath, which gets worse during physical activity
• Persistent coughing, which often brings up phlegm
• Persistent wheezing
• Frequent chest infections

As the disease progresses, these less common symptoms can develop:

• Chest pain
• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• Swollen ankles

Because the main symptoms overlap with other common lung diseases, the diagnosis of COPD can be difficult. See your GP if you’re over 35 and are a current or former smoker showing any of the main symptoms.

COPD itself can’t be cured, but the right treatment can slow it down. The symptoms can also usually be managed. Below, we’ve summarised some common treatment options.

Quitting smoking is both a preventative measure and a treatment. Smoking causes the disease to develop much more quickly, so quitting after a diagnosis of COPD will help keep the condition in check.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease narrows airways in the lungs. Inhalers do the opposite. They relax the lungs, making it easier to breathe.

The type of inhaler prescribed will depend on the symptoms and progression of the disease. The two main types are short-term and long-term bronchodilator inhalers.

The former should give instant relief, while the latter is used for more long-term symptom management.

If inhalers aren’t effective, you may be prescribed theophylline tablets. These tablets have a similar effect, reducing swelling in the lungs and making it easier to breathe.

Since chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can’t be cured, the only real defence is prevention.

If you work in an industry where exposure to dust, fumes, asbestos and other COPD risk factors is likely, your employer is legally required to protect you.

Under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH), employers must:

• Assess risks from hazardous substances in the workplace.
• Implement control measures to reduce exposure risks.
• Monitor and update control measures to ensure they’re effective.
• Provide training and information to workers on risks, control measures and emergency procedures.
• Conduct health surveillance if there’s a risk of exposure to substances that can cause long-term illness.

Common control measures include:

• Eliminating the use of silica-containing materials.
• Using wet techniques for cutting, grinding or blasting to reduce the risk of dust being released into the atmosphere.
• Isolating dusty machinery or processes from main work areas.
• Installing local exhaust ventilation (LEV) to extract fumes and dust at the source.
• Providing respiratory protective equipment (RPE).

It should be noted that RPE is the last line of defence. It can only reduce residual risks after other more robust control measures have been implemented.

You can read more about controlling workplace exposure on the Health and Safety Executive’s website.

Since COPD is incurable and a major work-related health risk, employers must manage exposure to the hazardous substances that cause the disease, particularly silica dust.

Found in many building materials, silica dust is a well-known cause of lung disease. Our online Silica Dust for Duty Holders course offers comprehensive guidance to employers on controlling exposure risks, keeping staff safe and ensuring compliance with COSHH.