Allergic Reactions

Your workplace could be the source of your strongest allergies. All work environments can contain allergens; dust, pollen, mites, fungus, and animal danger can even exist in an office setting. Certain occupational environments are more hazardous than others to people who have moderate or severe allergies. In turn, allergic reactions to work environments can cause disabling or otherwise severe medical problems.

If you suffer from severe allergies, you should ask questions in order to determine if the symptoms are a result of your workplace environment.

• Have you previously experienced allergies, or only at your new place of work?
• Do you only experience allergy symptoms while in the workplace, or in other environments as well?
• Is your workplace located in an older building in need of renovation, or another dust and mildew-prone environment?

By asking yourself these questions and others, you can determine if your workplace may be making you sick. If you are suspicious of your workplace, take steps to eliminate over-exposure to allergens.

• Keep your workspaces properly cleaned, maintained, and uncluttered.
• Request that coworkers smoke elsewhere, or talk to your employer about non-smoking areas. Tobacco smoke can aggravate your allergy symptoms.
• Talk to your supervisor about checking the air cleaning and ventilation systems. If these systems are old and out of date, they should be replaced with a more efficient system to improve the quality of air in your workplace.
• Make sure equipment and machinery is enclosed so that emissions, dust, and allergens are contained.

You have a right to a reasonably safe work environment. If yours is dangerous or making you sick, talk to your employer about necessary improvements.

Contact Us

If you have been subjected to debilitating or disabling allergies due to an unsafe working environment, contact the Philadelphia workers’ compensation lawyers of Lowenthal & Abrams at 215-238-1130 to discuss your legal options.