A worker with chronic cough and reduced FEV1 has spent 12 years in a dusty flour mill. Symptoms are worse during bag tipping, and exposure monitoring

Question

A worker with chronic cough and reduced FEV1 has spent 12 years in a dusty flour mill. Symptoms are worse during bag tipping, and exposure monitoring shows poor local extraction. What is the most appropriate management?

Accepted Answer

Investigate work-related asthma/COPD, reduce flour-dust exposure and arrange respiratory review

Answer

Continue exposure until diagnostic certainty is achieved

Answer

Move him to night shifts when extraction is quieter

Answer

Advise over-the-counter cough medicine and review next year

Answer

Treat as smoking-related COPD without workplace action

Flour-dust respiratory disease — DOccMed MCQ

A worker with chronic cough and reduced FEV1 has spent 12 years in a dusty flour mill. Symptoms are worse during bag tipping, and exposure monitoring shows poor local extraction. What is the most appropriate management?