Occupational standards of care are an important contribution to the prevention, identification and management of workplace health problems. They operationalize evidence-based guidance and typically cut across disciplines and responsibilities for implementation. Fishwick et al. [1], on behalf of the COPD Standard Collaboration Group, present a standard for occupational chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This condition is predicted by the World Health Organization to become the third leading cause of death worldwide by 2030 [2]. For the six leading causes of death in the USA, it has been noted that over three decades the death rate decreased for all except COPD, for which it doubled, and diabetes where it increased by 45% [3]. Workplaces are well placed to take a role in prevention of the 10–15% of COPD attributable to work activity and to promote smoking cessation, thereby addressing the main causes. Methods for early recognition are helpfully explained and, through clinical quality improvement, should become routinely established.
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