N.J.A.C.
8:58-1.5, 1.6, 1.7 requires physicians, physician assistants, and advanced practice nurses to report
to the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH)
any confirmed or suspected case of work-related asthma including:
- New-onset asthma - resulting
from exposure in the workplace to sensitizers or irritants.
- Work-aggravated asthma - with a prior
history of symptomatic or treated asthma who experience an increase
in symptoms and/or an increase in the use of asthma medications within
two years of entering a new workplace setting, or from exposure to
new chemicals or agents in an existing workplace.
- Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome (RADS) -
new-onset asthma that develops within 24 hours following a single,
high-level exposure to inhaled irritants where the patient continues
to be symptomatic for at least three months. Common causes include
smoke inhalation and accidental releases of chemical irritants.
For this purpose, physicians, physician assistants, and advanced practice nurses are to
use the following case definitions to report cases to the NJDOH:
- Possible work-related asthma : symptoms of asthma and
association between symptoms of asthma and work
- Probable work-related asthma : diagnosis of asthma and
association between symptoms of asthma and work
- Confirmed work-related asthma : diagnosis of asthma and
objective evidence of work-relatedness
For a reporting form (OCC-31), download preferred format: PDF [24K]
or Microsoft Word Document [64K]. You can also order copies online or by calling the Occupational Health Surveillance Program at (609)
984-1863.
For more information on diagnosis, please refer to NJDOH Guidelines “Work-Related
Asthma Recognition, Diagnosis, and Reporting”: download [pdf 2.5mb]
or order
online |
Work-related Asthma
