Work-Related Asthma and Exposure to Cleaning Chemicals in California

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has found that nearly 10% of all work-related asthma cases are caused by exposure to cleaning products. The agency goes on to report that most cases involve new asthma that started only after an employee began work. About 20% of these workers used cleaning products directly, such as janitors, and the other 80% attributed their asthma symptoms to cleaning products used nearby.

Work-related asthma, also known as occupational asthma, results from exposure to allergens or irritants on the job. The condition reduces productivity and impacts people’s quality of life. Some workers can even become too disabled to work, while others may have to change jobs to avoid the substance(s) that caused their asthma. Unless occupational asthma is caught and managed early, it will often continue and get worse.

“Exposure to cleaning products and disinfectants at work is one of a number of recognized potential causes of work-related asthma,” said Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager of LA Testing’s Huntington Beach facility. “It is known that some ingredients found in many of these products can trigger work-related asthma in some people and also cause new asthma cases. CDPH suggests avoiding certain ingredients, like bleach (sodium hypochlorite), quaternary ammonium compounds (benzalkonium chlorides) and glutaraldehyde.”

To help prevent work-related asthma, LA Testing provides a wide range of analytical services to identify both chemical and microbial respiratory irritants, and known asthma triggers from occupational environments. They also carry a full line of respirators and have sponsored an educational video about work-related asthma and exposure to cleaning products and disinfectants that can be seen at:  https://youtu.be/ZamXf_bGwqY .

To learn more about this or other indoor air quality (IAQ), industrial hygiene, microbial and environmental testing services, please visit  www.LATesting.com , email  info@LATesting.com  or call (800) 755-1794. For access to indoor environmental quality test kits, visit  www.EMSLTestKits.com .


About LA Testing
LA Testing is California’s leading laboratory for indoor air quality testing of asbestos, mold, lead, VOCs, formaldehyde, soot, char, ash and smoke damage, particulates and other chemicals. In addition, LA Testing offers a full range of air sampling and investigative equipment to professionals and the general public. LA Testing maintains an extensive list of accreditations including: : AIHA-LAP, LLC (AIHA-LAP, LLC EMLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC IHLAP, AIHA-LAP, LLC ELLAP), CDC ELITE, NVLAP, State of California, State of Hawaii Department of Health and other states. LA Testing, along with the EMSL Analytical, Inc. network, has multiple laboratories throughout California including South Pasadena, Huntington Beach, San Leandro, San Diego and Ontario.

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