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Workplace Allergies

According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, allergies affect 19 million American employees every year. Whether you work in an office, a hospital, a hair salon or a factory, allergies brought on by your environment, can cause your performance and health to wane. With the help of medication, avoidance and precautions, you can make your workplace environment virtually allergen-free.

  1. Skin Allergies

    • Skin allergens can cause contact dermatitis and are commonly found in florists, due to allergies to flowers; nurses, due to allergies to latex and iodide; builders, due to chromate in cement; and printers, due to allergies to acrylic dyes.

    Respiratory Allergies

    • Respiratory allergens can cause hypersensitivity pneumonia, rhinitis, and occupational asthma in farmers, due to moldy hay, miners, due to silica exposure; and hairdressers, due to toxic hair-dye fumes. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, occupation-induced asthma accounts for about 5 percent of all asthma cases in the U.S.

    Avoidance

    • By avoiding the allergy-causing substance at your workplace, you can control your allergies. If you have a respiratory allergy, wear a face mask or respirator while on the job, or see if you can do a different job or move to another department within your company. For skin allergies, wear gloves and protective clothing. If these changes are not possible, you might want to consider changing jobs, altogether.

    Medications and Treatments

    • Antihistamines can help by blocking histamine which can cause allergic reactions. Decongestants can help break up excess mucous which forms in nasal passages as a result of inhaled allergens. Allergy shots can help to decrease your sensitivity to common allergens like dust, mold, plants and animals, while hydrocortisone creams can help heal dermatitis caused by skin allergies.

    Precautions

    • Taking precautions to prevent allergies is another step in reducing workplace allergic reactions. Switch from latex to non-latex gloves, if you are a nurse with a latex allergy. If you are a baker who is allergic to wheat, have someone else make the wheat bread, or don't use wheat at all in your products. If you see dust accumulating in your office or a water stain on the ceiling, request to have your office cleaned and the ceiling replaced to prevent dust and mold allergies.

    Law

    • OSHA's Hazard Communication Standards (29 CFR 1910.1200) and Laboratory Standard (29 CFR 1910.1450) require that employees be given information about the health hazards associated with their jobs. Some laws even require employers to give their employees training on what to do if an allergic reaction occurs.

      The Americans with Disabilities act goes further, stating that employers of individuals with allergies may be required to accommodate the employee with protective equipment above that of the non-allergic employee. For example, if an employee in a paint shop is allergic to the fumes from the spray paint, his employer may be required to purchase a respirator, so the employee can continue to perform his job.

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