Work-Related Asthma

What Is Work-Related Asthma?

Work-related asthma (also called occupational asthma) is when your job exposes you to airborne chemical fumes, dust, and other irritants that can trigger your asthma. In developed countries, it is one of the most common lung diseases related to work.

There are 2 types of work-related asthma:³

• Occupational asthma: Asthma caused by inhaling or breathing a substance at your job or workplace
• Work-exacerbated (or work-aggravated) asthma: Existing asthma made worse by exposure to specific substances at your work

What Causes Work-Related Asthma?

There are several factors that influence work-related asthma:

• Sex
• Geographic location
• History of allergies
• Smoking or vaping
• Type and intensity of workplace exposure

The workplace can have many asthma triggers. Here are some examples of jobs and related triggers:⁴

Air quality can play a big role in work-related asthma. Any work that causes small particles to enter the air may also create poor air quality in the workplace. You can breathe these small airborne particles into your lungs. People who work outside may also be exposed to outdoor air pollution or pollen.

Poor indoor air quality in the workplace affects more than your lungs. It can also affect mental function, ability to focus, and overall productivity.⁵ 

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Work-Related Asthma?

Work-related asthma symptoms are the same as general asthma symptoms.

Common signs and symptoms of asthma include:

• Shortness of breath
• Cough
• Chest tightness, pressure, or pain
• Wheeze (a whistling sound when you breathe)
• Increased mucus (or thick secretions) from the airways
• Waking at night due to asthma symptoms
• A drop in your peak flow meter reading (if you use one)

How Do I Know If I Have Work-Related Asthma?

You may notice you have more airway symptoms while at work or within several hours after leaving work. But the symptoms typically get better on weekends or during vacations. This can be a sign of work-related asthma.

A doctor can diagnose work-related asthma. They will ask about your medical and family history, do a physical exam, and may have you do peak flow rate monitoring, lung function tests, and allergy tests. In some cases, you may need a chest X-ray. They will need to rule out other lung diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

If you think you may have work-related asthma, tell your doctor about:

• Your job and specific job tasks
• Exposure to asthma triggers, such as chemicals, cleaners, dust, and irritants
• If your symptoms improve when you are away from work
• When your symptoms started, especially if after you started the job

Use a diary or smartphone app to track your symptoms and exposures. Tracking your work history is important. This may help you figure out the cause of your symptoms.

If you are exposed to chemicals at work, as your supervisor for OSHA safety information, including a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), for each chemical.

How Can I Control Asthma at Work?

To control your job-related asthma, you may need to work with your doctor and your employer. Avoiding triggers is the best prevention measure. Together you will need a plan to manage your exposure to triggers and irritants. When your asthma is under control, it can benefit both you and your employer. This can help you be healthier, perform better at your job, and help you miss fewer workdays.

Sometimes, work-related asthma may go away once you are no longer around the substances that trigger your asthma. But if you are constantly around some triggers, such as strong chemicals, your lungs may become permanently damaged. Some people develop disabilities due to long-term, untreated work-related asthma. This is one of many reasons why it is important to address your work-related asthma.

Here are some ways you can control your asthma at work:

• Get treatment for your asthma. If your doctor diagnoses you with work-related asthma, they will prescribe medicine to help you keep your asthma under control. They will also give you an Asthma Action Plan to tell you what medicine to take according to your symptoms. Also, your doctor may make specific changes to your plan and when to get medical advice and care. Finally, have regular medical checkups to so your doctor can check your lungs and help you maintain overall asthma control.
• Reduce your exposure to asthma triggers. Work with your employer to find ways to remove your asthma triggers from your workspace. Talk with them about getting personal protective equipment (PPE) such as N95 masks. Depending on your job and exposures, you may ask if there is another job you can do that does not expose you to any relevant asthma triggers. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has an Asthma-Friendly Work and School Spaces Checklist. You can download, print, and share it with your manager. Review the checklist to see if there are ways to improve your workplace, decrease relevant asthma triggers, and maintain good asthma control.
• Improve indoor air quality. This tip is for your employer and supervisor. Pass this information along to let them know the impact of indoor air quality on their employees.

To reduce work absences due to asthma, employers can improve air quality in the workplace by taking these 10 steps:

1. Improve ventilation in indoor spaces. Use appropriate and effective air cleaning and air filtering devices to remove small particles and harmful irritants from the air.
2. Create a policy for employees that discourages strong scents and odors (no heavy perfume, cologne, essential oils, potpourri, etc.).
3. Supply proper masks for workers exposed to high levels of air pollution (such as N95 respirators).
4. Schedule cleaning and dusting to occur when employees with asthma are not around.
5. Use products that are CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly®.
6. Reduce overall emissions, fuel burning, and exhaust fumes in and around the workplace.
7. Encourage employees to stop smoking and vaping (offer incentives!) and create a no-smoking zone both within around the workplace.
8. Reduce excess moisture and high relative humidity levels (greater than 50-60%) that may cause mold and dust mite growth indoors.
9. Use proper pest control to reduce cockroaches and mice. Schedule these control measures when employees with asthma are not around the workplace (such as evenings or weekends).
10. Install air quality sensors to watch your workplace indoor air quality.

Improving ventilation and filtration also reduces the spread of respiratory illnesses such as the flu and COVID-19.

By improving the air quality of your workplace, it will improve the health of your employees, especially people with asthma.

What Should I Do If I Have Trouble Doing My Job Because of My Asthma?

Asthma, depending on how severe it is, is often considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).⁶

Under the ADA, you can ask your employer to improve your working conditions as long as your requests are reasonable and justified. This is called a reasonable accommodation. Specific accommodations are made on an individual basis because the needs of each person may be different depending upon the situation, especially the potential airborne irritants in the workplace.

Employers may not have to accommodate you if your request would cause an “undue hardship.”⁶ Also they don’t have to make the accommodation if it requires them to make a “fundamental alteration” to a program. But in most cases, you and your employer can work together to find an effective solution.

If exposure to your asthma triggers at work causes you to have asthma symptoms, first try to work with your employer. Talk with your manager or someone in human resources. Developing workable and effective solutions is important for you, your supervisor, and employer.

If you have questions about the ADA, you can call the ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (voice) or 800-514-0383 (TTY). You can also find helpful information at ADA.gov.

What Should I Do If My Employer Will Not Accommodate My Asthma?

If your employer denies your request, you may be able to appeal this decision or work with your human resources department to look into more options.

If you feel you have been treated unfairly, you can file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Many states also have advocacy organizations that can help you with disability issues.

If all else fails, you can also file a private lawsuit to get a court order requiring the business to make necessary changes and accommodations, as well as to possibly pay attorney’s fees. If you lost your job, you might also be able to get your job back and get back pay. Keep in mind that the law does not require all employers to accommodate all requests.