Asthma
Asthma is a respiratory disease in which the air passages narrow, making it difficult to breathe. People can develop asthma after exposure to certain substances, known as sensitizers. Exposure to sensitizers can also trigger or worsen a person’s existing asthma.
When workers become sensitized to a material, they can experience an asthma attack even if only an extremely small amount of the sensitizer is in the air.
The risks
Workplace exposure to sensitizers such as the following can cause or trigger asthma:
| Food manufacturing |
Flour dust Food additives (e.g., sulfites) |
| Health care | Latex |
| Metalworking |
Metalworking fluids Solder fumes Welding gases & fumes |
| Office work |
Animal dander Dust mites Mould Perfumes & scented products |
| Outdoor work |
Pesticides & fumigants Pollens Wildfire smoke Wood dust |
| Painting, insulating, and industrial coating |
Isocyanates Paints & coatings |
| Pest control |
Dust mites |
| Working with wood and wood products |
Western red cedar dust Wood dust |
Resources
Isocyanate Exposure
This video highlights the hazards of isocyanates during the application of finish coatings. Depending on the length of exposure and the level of worker protection, health effects range from burns to...
Indoor Air Quality: A Guide for Building Owners, Managers, and Occupants
The information in this guide will help you maintain good indoor air quality in your building, prevent air quality problems, and correct problems that may arise. It will also help you understand the indoor...
Mould Exposure
This video shows how mould can grow quickly on damp materials such as cardboard, paper, wood and drywall. As mould grows, it releases spores into the air. Exposure to mould spores can affect your health,...
Western Red Cedar Asthma
A pamphlet that explains what occupational asthma is. This pamphlet also explains the symptoms of red cedar asthma, how it is diagnosed, how it is treated, who is susceptible to it, and how it can be prevented.