Since the early 1980s, the prevalence of asthma has continued to grow. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that from 2001 to 2011, the number of Americans with asthma grew by 28 percent. Today, about 25 million Americans have the lung disease – and there may be as many as 2.7 million U.S. workers that have work-related asthma.

Occupational asthma can fit into one of two subtypes: asthma caused by specific agents or irritants in the workplace or pre-existing asthma that’s made worse by workplace exposures. Unfortunately, numerous cases of occupational asthma go undiagnosed because many doctors fail to inquire about possible work-related symptoms.

Preventive Guidelines