12,000 people died from occupational lung diseases this year, figures show

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12,000 people died from lung disease deaths estimated to be linked to exposure at work in the past year, figures show.

The statistics, from the Health and Safety Executive, revealed that of the 12,000, 34% of people died from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and nearly a quarter (24%) died from non-asbestos-related lung cancer.

12,000 people died

An occupational lung disease is when a worker or former employee is diagnosed with a serious lung condition such as asbestosis, mesothelioma, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) caused by their conditions at work. Occupational lung diseases are usually caused by long-term exposure to irritants in the workplace such as dust particles, chemicals, fungal spores or asbestos.

However, occupational lung diseases typically have a long latency (they take a long time to develop following exposure to the agent that caused them). Therefore, current deaths reflect the effect of past working conditions

Prior to the COVD-19 pandemic, the rate of self-reported work-related ill health had been broadly flat. However, the current rate (5,250 per 100,000 workers) is now higher than the 2018/19 pre-coronavirus level.

Overall, there were an estimated 19,000 new cases of breathing and lung problems thought to be caused or made worse by work in the past year. This includes inhalation of wood dust that can cause occupational asthma and, in the case of hardwoods, sinonasal cancer.

Last month, two companies were fined for failing to protect colleagues from exposure to wood dust. Pineland Furniture Ltd in Northwich was fined £16,000 after an inspection showed breaches to safety regulations. Meanwhile, a Norfolk woodworking company was fined £25,000 for failing to control its employees’ exposure to wood dust.

The HSE has now launched a campaign to protect woodworkers’ health. Throughout the next year, HSE will inspect a number of woodwork businesses as part of its strategy to reduce cases of work-related health and to combat occupational lung diseases.

Inspectors will check that woodwork is planned correctly to minimise risk; and that adequate control measures are in place to protect workers’ health.

In 2022/23, HSE carried out more than 1,000 woodworking inspections and found that 78% of businesses were not compliant in protecting workers from respiratory sensitisers (primarily hardwood, softwood and composite material dust). This resulted in 402 enforcement actions taken by HSE.

12,000 people died from occupational lung diseases this year, figures show

12,000 people died from lung disease deaths estimated to be linked to exposure at work in the past year, figures show.

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