Work-Related Asthma Prevention Program
California Department of Public Health
Description
The California Work-Related Asthma Prevention Program (WRAPP) aims to identify industries, occupations and exposures that put workers at risk for work-related asthma. By identifying and understanding the risk factors, it can find new ways to help employers and workers prevent work-related asthma. WRAPP’s Cleaning for Asthma-Safe Schools (CLASS) project assists California schools in adopting safer cleaning methods that help protect workers and students from asthma. WRAPP is housed in the Occupational Health Branch.
Resources
Healthy Cleaning and Asthma-Safer Schools Guide and video: The Healthy Cleaning & Asthma-Safer Schools guide and video help school districts transition to healthier and asthma-safer cleaning products and practices.
Cleaning Products and Work-Related Asthma: Information for Workers: This fact sheet describes safer cleaning products and ways to clean at work in English, Spanish, and Chinese.
Cleaning Products and Work-Related Asthma Fact Sheet: Information for Employers: This fact sheet describes how employers can make sure the safest cleaning products and practices are used in the workplace so that people do not get asthma from work.
Green Cleaning Webinar: The webinar describes the benefits of switching to asthma-safer cleaning in schools and outlines steps to help school districts transition to asthma-safer products and methods.
Fact Sheets: On numerous work-related asthma topics.
Work-Related Asthma: What You Should Know: This fact sheet defines work-related asthma, the kinds of jobs that can lead to it, how to identify if a worker has it, and what to do about it. Also available in Spanish.
Safer Products and Practices for Disinfecting and Sanitizing Surfaces: This report provides a wide-ranging alternatives analysis of disinfectant products, including information on environmental and health hazards, surface compatibility, effectiveness for various microbes, best practices, and recommended products.
Green Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting: A Toolkit for Early Care and Education: This toolkit presents practical information on how to keep early care and education (ECE) environments clean and safe using practices and products that are less hazardous and that protect young children and staff from infectious diseases.
2013 Update: Bleach-Free Disinfection and Sanitizing for Child Care: This report provides child care operators comprehensive information on how to meet infection control regulations with bleach-free products approved for that use.
WRAPP works to meet these objectives as stated in the Strategic Plan for Asthma in California, 2014 – 2019:
3.1 Increase awareness and knowledge among health care providers, employers,
workers, and communities about WRA and its prevention
3.1.1 Include WRA in all community efforts focusing on asthma prevention and disparities among adults.
3.1.3 Develop and disseminate information to identified employers on known asthma triggers/causes and their prevention. Utilize existing outreach channels such as trade organization newsletters and publications to publicize information about WRA and interventions, and to collaborate on trainings for employers. Make use of social media to extend outreach to worker populations that may not be reached by traditional means.
3.1.4 Encourage the use of existing resources in the workplace (e.g., employee health clinics) for outreach and education about WRA to workers.
3.1.5 Conduct linguistically and culturally appropriate outreach and education about WRA to workers in high-risk occupations
3.1.6 Collaborate with unions, work centers, and other labor oriented organizations, and promotoras, to distribute materials and conduct training about WRA to workers. Provide information on asthma and asthma risk factors to self-employed workers, such as house cleaners and day laborers.
5A.1 Facilitate the establishment and implementation of comprehensive asthma policies and procedures in districts and schools to ensure the health and well-being of students and staff with asthma
5A.3. Increase the number of qualified personnel in schools and districts to better meet the needs of students and staff with asthma and all school visitors
5A.4. Institute targeted and specialized trainings for district and school personnel on asthma management and indoor environmental quality in schools, to include health personnel, administrators, teachers, front office staff, coaches, maintenance/facility personnel, food preparation workers, and bus drivers
5A.6. Advocate for the resources, financial and otherwise, to support asthma management and healthy indoor environmental quality in schools
Contact Information
Debbie Shrem, MPH
Health Educator
(510) 620-5762