Farmers and Farm Workers

What are the Symptoms of Lung Disease?

If you have respiratory symptoms like a lingering cough or feeling short of breath, talk to your healthcare provider. Use the Work-Related Lung-Disease Worksheet and make a list of the symptoms you are experiencing, when the symptoms started, and when the symptoms got better.  For instance, you may find while working around livestock you cough but when you are inside your home you feel better.  

Types of Lung Diseases

The tiny particles can get into your lungs and may cause you to cough or get short of breath. The longer you are around these work-related exposures, the more likely you may be at risk of developing a lung disease like:

• Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (including bird fancier’s lung and farmer’s lung)
• Asthma 
• Histoplasmosis
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD (including chronic bronchitis and emphysema)
• Interstitial lung disease (including pulmonary fibrosis)
• Lung infections like pneumonia and flu (influenza)

Lung-related hazardous exposures may include:

• Vapors released from pesticides (including herbicides and fungicides)
• Gases like hydrogen sulfide (found in manure pits), ammonia (found in fertilizer) or nitrogen dioxide (found in silos)
• Fumes from gasoline or diesel
• Dust that comes from hay, grain, livestock and crops
• Extreme heat  or other weather related events that may worsen outdoor air quality
• Bacteria or fungi (mold) from handling and moving moldy crops or hay

How Can I Reduce my Risk?

Your lung health risks depend on the type of farming activities you do.  Some examples of the ways to reduce your risk include:

• Following the safety instructions for storing, preparing, cleaning and applying products like pesticides, herbicides and other chemicals.
• Identifying the times of year and types of activities you may be more exposed to lung health risks. For example, mold grows more in the winter and early spring, and you may breathe in more mold spores when removing crops or hay from barns or storage.
• Keeping silos, livestock pens, barns and other indoor areas ventilated to lower your exposure to dust, mold, and gases. Close doors and windows to indoor areas when doing work that creates dust like harvesting or driving vehicles.
• Reducing mold spore growth by drying and storing grain, hay, or other crops at recommended moisture levels. Use mold inhibitors as needed.
• Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) like NIOSH approved and properly fitted N-95 or N-100 disposable particulate respirator to lower your risk of breathing in chemicals, vapors, fumes and dusts. Wear goggles and protective coveralls over your clothes.
• Regularly clean and maintain areas to cut down on dust. Wet down areas before sweeping to reduce scattered dust.
• Practicing safety behaviors like changing out of contaminated clothes, showering after work and handwashing especially after handling hazardous substances.
• Attending a worker safety and training program to learn about ways to lower your exposure to harmful chemicals, vapors, dusts and gases.
• Keeping yourself healthy by quitting tobacco products like smoking or vaping, staying up to date on vaccines that may prevent the flu or pneumonia, keeping your appointments with your healthcare provider and eating healthy.

Additional Resources

• Work Related Lung Disease Worksheet
• Agricultural Operations - Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration
• Respiratory Protection - Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration