Occupational asthma cases notified to OSH from 1996 to 1999.

AIMS To update notifications to the Occupational Safety and Health Service of the Department of Labour (OSH) Notifiable Occupational Disease System (NODS) from June 1996 to the beginning of 1999. METHODS All notifications received for non-asbestos related occupational respiratory disease were reviewed to confirm the clinical diagnosis, occupational causation, and to identify the causative agent where possible. RESULTS 54 cases of asthma were notified, of which 21 (39%) were accepted as being occupationally caused. These cases arose from 'predictable' industries. CONCLUSIONS NODS offers sentinel data from interested practitioners and workplaces. Occupational asthma and other occupational respiratory diseases remain poorly notified to this system. NODS confirms the presence of occupational asthma in New Zealand from predictable and preventable causes not dissimilar to other countries. This data collection system needs supplementation by other mechanisms.