Occupational asthma is the asthma that is triggered if one is exposed to irritants found in the workplace. The workplace may contain many irritants, like dust, gases and fumes of chemicals. If a person with occupational asthma breathes into these irritants, it causes worsening of asthma symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and difficulty catching breath.

Occupational asthma is of two types:

1. Sensitizer-induced asthma: A person develops this asthma after being exposed to a substance (sensitizer) which triggers asthma. This type of asthma takes at least a few weeks to develop. However, it can be delayed for as long as several years.

2. Irritant-induced asthma: This type of asthma develops immediately after being exposed to lung irritants in the workplace.

Both types of asthma can be dangerous. In fact, a worker may face “permanent disability” – which, according to the American Medical Association Guides, is “a loss, loss of use, or derangement of any body part, organ system or organ function” – from occupation asthma. In such case, the worker may be awarded with “permanent disability awards” since the impairment would reduce the worker’s earning potential.

In order to prevent a permanent impairment, a worker may also be moved from the present workplace to another workplace where there is little or no risk of occupational asthma.