The Encyclopedia of Work-Related Illnesses, Injuries, and Health Issues (Facts on File Library of Health and Living)

449 Pages·2003·2.34 MB·English

by  Ada P. Kahn

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF
WORK-RELATED
ILLNESSES, INJURIES,
AND HEALTH ISSUES
Disclaimer: The material in this book is not intended for application
to specific medical or legal situations. Health or legal questions
should be referred to personal physicians, occupational health care
providers, industrial hygienists, attorneys, or other appropriate
professionals. Information in this book and in references cited is
intended to provide readers with a better understanding of work-
place hazards, need for safety precautions, and major health issues
in the workplace and is not intended to provoke tensions between
employees and their employers.
THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF
WORK-RELATED
ILLNESSES, INJURIES,
AND HEALTH ISSUES
Ada P. Kahn, Ph.D.
Foreword by Delbert H. Meyer, M.D.
The Encyclopedia of Work-Related Illnesses, Injuries, and Health Issues
Copyright © 2004 by Ada P. Kahn, Ph.D.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, elec-
tronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval sys-
tems, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information contact:
Facts On File, Inc.
132 West 31st Street
New York NY 10001
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kahn, Ada P.
The encyclopedia of work-related illnesses, injuries, and health issues / Ada P. Kahn ;
foreword by Delbert H. Meyer, M.D.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-8160-4844-4 (HC : alk. paper)
1. Medicine, Industrial—Encyclopedias. 2. Occupational diseases—Encyclopedias. 3. Industrial
accidents—Encyclopedias. 4. Industrial hygiene—Encyclopedias. I. Title.
RC963.A3K348 2003
616.9’.803’03 dc21—2003011484
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Text and cover design by Cathy Rincon
Illustrations by Dale Williams
Printed in the United States of America
VB FOF 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
CONTENTS
Foreword vii
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction xi
Entries A–Z 1
Appendixes 337
Bibliography 378
Index 387
FOREWORD
njuries are ubiquitous in work environments. injuries are subtler. I remember diagnosing a patient
IWhen the field of industrial medicine began, the with ulnar neuropathy three months after she had
primary concern was to provide first aid after an been issued an expensive ergonomic chair with
accident, such as physical trauma or chemical body armrests. I suggested she either get rid of the chair
injury, and to diagnose occupational diseases, such or at least remove the armrests. Within two months
as skin allergies, contact dermatitis, occupational after she removed the armrests, the ulnar neuropa-
asthma, or pneumoconiosis. thy resolved. Physicians treat many work-related
Today, industrial medicine encompasses a wide injuries that do not warrant loss of work. Conse-
range of multidisciplinary specialists, ranging from quently, there may be considerably more work-
orthopedists who treat the back injuries of con- related injuries than the statistic would reflect.
struction workers, to plastic surgeons who treat Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and
burn injuries, to psychiatrists who treat people their managed care organizations (MCOs) may
dealing with mental health issues. In addition, the have further skewed the data. Physicians forced
field has gained the attention of epidemiologists to make decisions rapidly to comply with organi-
and researchers interested in occupational-related zation rules will not be able to explore all the pos-
allergies, toxic substances, mineral fibers, cancer, sible causes of an illness. Empirical treatment will
inhalation lung diseases, ergonomics, continual use be less focused and thus less effective. Minor
of computers, and repetitive stress issues, just to injuries that normally would not require time
name a few. away from work may progress into something
The Journal of the American Medical Association major and disabling.
reports that 3.6 million Americans were treated at A medical interview can reveal the true source
hospital emergency rooms for occupational injuries of an injury. For example, a patient who attributes
or illnesses in 1998. This translates to an overall back pain to the work environment may come to
occupational injury and illness rate of 2.9 per 100 realize that it occurred on the weekend while
full-time employees over age 15. Injury rates were doing yard work, lifting heavy furniture, or mov-
highest in men and younger workers. The Occupa- ing an aquarium. These correlations take time. A
tional Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) physician complying with the HMO or MCO is
reported that in 2000, occupational injury and ill- expected to see a patient every 12 or 15 minutes
ness rates dropped to their lowest level, 6.1 injuries and may be unable to evaluate the exact causation.
per 200 workers, reflecting an eight-year down- Lack of interview and examination time could
ward trend since the United States began collecting falsely inflate the number of workplace injuries.
this information. A worker’s lifestyle can make it difficult to corre-
Although we may think of external impact on late an illness to the work environment. A smoker
the human body as a workplace injury, many with asbestosis will be more likely to develop lung
vii
viii The Encyclopedia of Work-Related Illnesses, Injuries, and Health Issues
cancer than either a smoker without asbestosis or a rary issues are alphabetically tabulated for easy ref-
nonsmoker with asbestosis. It becomes difficult, erence in this readable, user-friendly compendium
however, to say with certainty that a smoker has of 600 entries. It describes many conditions that
developed lung cancer due to industrial asbestos physicians see every day, including physical and
exposure. This is the assessment that most worker emotional disorders. Preventive measures are also
compensation evaluations must address. included in some instances.
It is the responsibility of the working people of This book is not intended to provide complete
America to understand safety and health issues information on any one topic. Instead, this refer-
related to their work environment and to take the ence is designed for individuals who want an
appropriate precautions. They should also under- overview of work-related issues. Kahn’s earlier
stand their health and safety rights. Workers have books for Facts On File, The Encyclopedia of Mental
the right to refuse a job if they think it will create a Health, The Encyclopedia of Phobias, Fears and Anxi-
potentially unsafe workplace condition. If they are eties, and Stress A–Z, have become popular among
discriminated against for refusing, they can report both professional and lay readers. The Encyclopedia
this to OSHA. Many laws, including the OSHA Act of Work-Related Illnesses, Injuries, and Health Issues
of 1970 and the Asbestos Hazard Emergency will also be an important volume for professionals
Response Act, have whistleblower protections. in many fields, including health care, human
Ada P. Kahn makes an excellent selection of the resources, employee benefits, insurance carriers,
injuries and illnesses that occur in the workplace. employee assistance programs, librarians, and oth-
She covers a wide variety of occupations and out- ers. It gives the type of information employers and
lines the hazards and injuries unique to those occu- employees frequently need.
pations. Psychosocial issues such as burnout,
—Del Meyer, M.D.
bullying, and stress, which affect a worker’s well-
HealthCareCommunication Network
being, are addressed. Kahn interconnects the stress
Volunteer Clinical Faculty
of one worker to the diagnosis of a fellow worker.
UC Davis School of Medicine
For instance, a patient with AIDS in the workplace
Pulmonary Medicine
is not considered infectious. However, coworkers
Sacramento, California
may experience anxiety or panic attacks if they
become aware of that diagnosis. These contempo-
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ompilation of this encyclopedia was possible librarians in the Evanston Public Library, Evanston,
Cbecause of detailed information collected and Illinois; the Skokie Public Library, Skokie, Illinois;
made available by many government agencies, the Winnetka-Northfield Public Library, Winnetka,
research centers and universities, health and trade Illinois; and the North Suburban Library System of
associations, and journals in diverse fields, includ- Illinois.
ing industrial hygiene, safety, public health, health Participation in this endeavor by Delbert H.
care, and human resources. Sources are appropri- Meyer, M.D., is appreciated.
ately cited in relevant entries.
Work on the book was facilitated by assistance —Ada P. Kahn, Ph.D.
from many skilled and knowledgeable reference Evanston, Illinois
ix