US EPA

2071811 

Technical Report 

Occupational Asthma 

Seaton, A 

1984 

NIOSH/00130981 

Morgan 

498-520 

Occupational asthma is examined. In industry, workers may become sensitized to powders, fumes, and gases in the workplace. Different types of asthmatic reactions are discussed as well as different causes. Atopic and non atopic individuals are examined, and recommendations are made. Two classes of substances that provoke occupational asthma are discussed. Grain dust such as those found in wood and animal industries can cause responses similar to allergic asthma. Chemicals such as isocyanates and components of epoxy resins can also cause asthma. Most patients complain of cough and sputum and are usually diagnosed as having dyspnea and rhinitis. Careful examinations to rule out allergies associated with smoking are suggested. If the patient is suspected of having occupational asthma, different tests are recommended, including lung function tests, skin tests, and radioallergosorbent tests for immunoglobulin-E antibody. New hazards are periodically discovered at the workplace, and procedures suggest that the examiner obtain samples or lists of compounds from the patient's place of work for analysis. The types of occupational asthma discussed are those experienced by cereal workers, woodworkers, and workers allergic to animals, isocyanates, epoxy resins, metals and their salts, aluminum (7429905) due to soldering, and proteolytic enzymes contained in washing powders.