FactSheet Do You Have Work-Related Asthma? A Guide for YOU and YOUR DOCTOR Do you have any of these symptoms: cough, wheezing, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, or chest tightness? If the answer is YES, you may have work-related asthma.

What Is Work-Related Asthma? What To Do If You Think You Have Work-related asthma is a lung disease caused or Work‑Related Asthma made worse by exposures to substances in the If you think that you may have work-related asthma, see workplace. Common exposures include chemicals, your doctor as soon as possible. Take this information dust, mold, animals, and plants. Exposure can and a copy of the safety data sheet with you. occur from both inhalation (breathing) and skin contact. Asthma symptoms may start at work or Work-Related Asthma Quick Facts within several hours after leaving work and may • Work-related asthma can develop over ANY occur with no clear pattern. People who never period of time (days to years). had asthma can develop asthma due to workplace • Work-related asthma may occur with changes in exposures. People who have had asthma for work exposures, jobs, or processes. years may find that their condition worsens due to • It is possible to develop work-related asthma even workplace exposures. Both of these situations are if your workplace has protective equipment, such considered work-related asthma. as exhaust ventilation or respirators. • Work-related asthma can continue to cause A group of chemicals called isocyanates are one of symptoms even when the exposure stops. the most common chemical causes of work-related • Before working with isocyanates or any other asthma. OSHA is working to reduce exposures to asthma-causing substances, ask your employer isocyanates and has identified their use in numerous for training, as required under OSHA’s Hazard workplaces. See table below for common products Communication standard. (both at home and work) and common jobs where exposure to isocyanates may occur. Helpful Resources for Workers • If you have a workplace health and safety Why You Should Care About question contact the Occupational Safety and Work‑Related Asthma Health Administration (OSHA) at 1-800-321-OSHA Work-related asthma may result in long-term lung (6742) or go to OSHA’s Workers web page at damage, loss of work days, disability, or even www.osha.gov/workers.html. death. The good news is that early diagnosis and • Additional information on worker protection treatment of work-related asthma can lead to a from isocyanates can be found on OSHA’s better health outcome. Isocyanates Safety and Health Topics page: www.osha.gov/SLTC/isocyanates.

Products and Jobs Where Exposure to Isocyanates May Occur

Common Products* Common Jobs and Job Processes*

• Polyurethane foam • Car manufacture and repair • Foundry work (casting) • Paints, lacquers, ink, varnishes, • Building construction • Textile, rubber and plastic sealants, finishes (plaster, insulation) manufacturing • Insulation materials • Foam blowing and cutting • Printing • Polyurethane rubber • Painting • Furniture manufacturing • Glues and adhesives • Truck bed liner application • Electric cable insulation

*Many more jobs and products may also cause work-related asthma.

For Clinicians: Steps to Diagnose Work-Related Asthma ➨

Diagnosis of Work-Related Asthma: A Guide for Clinicians

1. Consider work-related asthma in ALL adults with 5. Consider referral to an occupational medicine, new-onset asthma or aggravation of previously pulmonary and/or allergy specialist for supplemental controlled asthma. testing and assistance with determining work- relatedness, reducing exposures and protecting the 2. Obtain a detailed medical history that documents worker’s employment status. the patient’s asthma symptoms, allergies, and the relationship of the symptoms to work (onset, • To find an occupational and environmental timing, severity). medicine physician or clinic, visit: −− American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine: www.acoem.org Key Questions: −− Association of Occupational and • Do your symptoms change when you are away Environmental Clinics: www.aoec.org from work (evenings, weekends, vacation)? • Did you have any unusual exposures or Helpful Resources for Clinicians changes in your job processes prior to the onset of symptoms? • Tarlo, Susan M., et al. “Diagnosis and • Do you have any allergy symptoms, such as Management of Work-Related Asthma: runny nose, nasal congestion, or itchy, watery American College of Chest Physicians’ eyes? Are these symptoms worse at work? Consensus Statement.” CHEST Journal 134.3_ suppl (2008):1S-41S. (includes a work-related asthma diagnosis and management algorithm) 3. Document a history of occupational exposures. • OSHA Clinicians’ web page: www.osha.gov/dts/ • An electronic occupational history exposure oom/clinicians form can be found at: www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/ • OSHA Occupational Asthma web page: exphistory/docs/CSEMExposHist-26-29.pdf. www.osha.gov/SLTC/occupationalasthma • An occupational exposures database can be • NIOSH Occupational Respiratory Disease found at: www.aoecdata.org/Default.aspx. Surveillance – State-Based Surveillance Programs • You or your patient may also request a safety data for CA, CT, MA, MI, NJ, NM, NY, OR, TX, WA, WI: sheet (SDS, formerly MSDS) for chemicals in the www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/surveillance/ords/ workplace from your patient’s employer, as per the StateBasedSurveillance/stateprograms.html OSHA Hazard Communication standard, 29 CFR (For work-related asthma reporting in other states, 1910.1200: www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp. contact your local health or labor department.) show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10099. • NIOSH Asthma and Allergies web page: www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/asthma 4. Perform pulmonary function testing (PFT) in accord with American Thoracic Society Standards. • Spirometry AND peak expiratory flow rates This guidance document is advisory in nature and informational in (PEFRs) may assist with diagnosis. content. It is not a standard or regulation, and it neither creates new • For strategies on using spirometry or peak flow legal obligations nor alters existing obligations created by OSHA standards or the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act). Pursuant to diagnose work-related asthma, consult 2008 to the OSH Act, employers must comply with safety and health standards American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) and regulations issued and enforced either by OSHA or by an OSHA- Consensus Statement (referenced below). approved State Plan (a list of State Plans is available at www.osha.gov/ • A normal spirometry result does NOT exclude the dcsp/osp). In addition, the Act’s General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1), possibility of work-related asthma. requires employers to provide their employees with a workplace free • OSHA publications and guidance for from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm. healthcare professionals on spirometry: The mention of any nongovernmental organization or link to its web site www.osha.gov/pls/publications/publication. in this guidance document does not constitute an endorsement by OSHA athruz?pType=Industry&pID=278. of that organization or its products, services, or web site.

This is one in a series of informational fact sheets highlighting OSHA programs, policies or standards. For a comprehensive list of compliance requirements of OSHA standards or regulations, refer to Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations. This information will be made available to sensory-impaired individuals upon request. The voice phone is (202) 693-1999; teletypewriter (TTY) number: (877) 889-5627.

DTSEM FS-3707 03/2014