Respiratory Health Exposures

Occupational exposures that affect the respiratory health of workers occur in many forms and in many different types of work settings. Respiratory exposures are in the form of dusts, vapors, fumes, and bioaerosols, and can include materials such as silica, asbestos, coal, pesticides, and flavorings. The type and severity of respiratory illness or disease depends on the type of work being performed during inhalation, the type of substance that is inhaled, how long the substance is inhaled, and the location of the lung where the substance lands.