The Board of Directors approved changes to policy on asthma and dermatitis, specifically policy items #29.20 and #30.50 of the Rehabilitation Services & Claims Manual, Volume II.

The policy changes address situations where workplace exposures to a sensitizing agent have caused a worker to develop allergic asthma or contact dermatitis. In some situations, the worker’s acute symptoms may completely resolve when he or she is removed from the workplace that contains the sensitizing agent. In these cases, WorkSafeBC may consider the worker to have a permanent impairment where:

• the worker is left with a significant underlying allergy or sensitivity; and as a result
• the worker must avoid workplaces containing the sensitizing agent.

The policy provides guidance on what is meant by a significant underlying allergy or sensitivity. It also indicates how WorkSafeBC determines whether the worker must avoid workplaces containing a sensitizing agent.

The changes took effect on January 1, 2007. They apply to claims where the worker is first disabled from earning full wages on or after that date.