Donna J. H. Vosburgh

Session Objectives:

1. Define asthmagens and explain why exposures to asthmagens can be costly to employers and employees
2. Summarize chemical exposure data that is publicly available from the OSHA Technical Center
3. Articulate the prevalence of asthmagens in personal samples collected by compliance officers in 2024

Topic:

The costs of a worker developing occupational asthma can be significant for both the worker and the employer. Occupational asthma is caused by sensitization to a substance or exposure to an irritant at work. The prevalence of asthmagens, which may cause occupational asthma, is currently unknown. This presentation examines the prevalence of occupational asthmagens identified in the analysis of personal samples collected by OSHA compliance officers that were submitted to the OSHA Technical Center for analysis.