What kind of jobs might expose me to substances that cause occupational asthma?

• If you are a spray painter, mechanic, work in a car assembly plant or plastics works, you could be exposed to isocyanates.
• If you work in a bakery or food processing plant, you could be exposed to flour dust and enzymes.
• If you work on a farm, you could be exposed to grain dust.
• If you are a nurse, radiographer or darkroom technician, you could be exposed to glutaraldehyde.
• If you are a wood worker, you could be exposed to wood dust.
• If you are a nurse, doctor, dentist or work in a laboratory, you could be exposed to latex (in gloves).
• If you work in the electronics or assembly industry, you could be exposed to solder fume.
• If you work with animals you could be exposed to dust containing proteins in fur, feathers, urine and saliva, for example.
• If you work in metal or electrical processing, the chemical industry, construction or mining, you could be exposed to resins and glues.
• If you work in the engineering industry you could be exposed to the mist or vapour generated by metal working fluids during machining and shaping operations.

All these exposures can cause occupational asthma.