Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a respiratory condition that causes breathing problems, including coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and mucus production. It is one of the most common chronic respiratory diseases in Canada, and was the fourth leading cause of death in Canada in 2012 [1,2]. Smoking is the most common cause of COPD, although the American Thoracic Society and European Respiratory Society estimate that 14% of all COPD is caused by workplace exposures [3].
Possible occupational risk factors
Results shown here are for diagnoses of COPD prior to age 65, which are more likely to be related to exposures at work than COPD diagnoses among older individuals.
Workers in these groups may be exposed to dusts (including grain dusts, and mixtures of plant, animal and microbial dusts) and pesticides, which may increase risk of COPD. Farm workers may also be exposed to diesel engine exhaust while driving diesel-powered tractors and using other diesel-powered equipment.
Workers in these groups may be exposed to flour and dusts from other food products that increase their risk of COPD.
The textile industry includes establishments that make yarn, cloth, carpet and other textiles. Workers in these groups may be exposed to dusts (including cotton and man-made fibre dusts) which may increase the risk of COPD.
Workers in forestry, pulp and papermaking, and wood machining occupations may be exposed to wood dust, a possible COPD risk factor, during tasks such as cutting timber, chipping wood, processing pulp, and making wood products.
Workers in construction trades are exposed to several possible risk factors for COPD, including many different dusts and fibres (e.g. asbestos, silica, cement, concrete and wood dusts) and fumes (e.g. diesel exhaust, asphalt, and welding fumes).
Workers in this group perform a variety of tasks including drilling and blasting, and cutting, handling and loading minerals, waste and other materials. They may be exposed to a variety of possible risk factors for COPD, including silica and diesel engine exhaust.
Metal processing workers can be exposed to metal fumes and dusts when performing tasks such as melting, heat-treating, rolling, moulding, casting, extruding, and plating metal.
Workers in these occupations and industries may be exposed to several risk factors, including dust and chemical fumes from the production of rubber or plastics, which may increase the risk of COPD.
Figure 1. Risk of COPD diagnosis among workers employed in each industry group relative to all others, Occupational Disease Surveillance System (ODSS), 2006-2016
The hazard ratio is an estimate of the average time to diagnosis among workers in each industry/occupation group divided by that in all others during the study period. Hazard ratios above 1.00 indicate a greater risk of disease in a given group compared to all others. Estimates are adjusted for birth year and sex. The width of the 95% Confidence Interval (CI) is based on the number of cases in each group (more cases narrows the interval).
Figure 2. Risk of COPD diagnosis among workers employed in each occupation group relative to all others, Occupational Disease Surveillance System (ODSS), 2006-2016
