Is your workplace affecting your breathing? ‘Your Lungs at Work’ quiz now available in Dutch and German

German and Dutch language speakers will now be able to assess whether their lung health might be at risk due to their workplace, using the ‘Your Lungs at Work’ quiz.

The quiz was launched in November 2017 in English, and is also available in Portuguese and French. The German and Dutch versions are available from the 14 March 2019. This is to coincide with the launch of the Ministry of Social Affairs campaign on dangerous substances in the Netherlands. This campaign will see ‘Your Lungs at Work’ presented to the Secretary of State by Longfonds, a Dutch health fund and patient organisation.

ELF also attended the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) meeting earlier this month to promote the quiz, and to learn from other organisations who are also raising awareness about workplace health.

About ‘Your Lungs at Work’

The short quiz asks questions on respiratory symptoms and the workplace. It then gives you a summary with tips on how to protect your lungs at work – and may recommend making an appointment with a healthcare professional for further investigation.

Many people are exposed to harmful substances at work, such as cleaning products, fumes and dusts. Without proper protection in place, regularly breathing in these things can cause or worsen lung conditions including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer and silicosis.

Your Lungs at Work also includes factsheets on a range of different workplaces. These factsheets cover some of the hazards and associated lung health issues, as well as steps people can take to reduce their exposure.