Work-related lung problems are unfortunately quite common. Experts estimate that up to 17% of adult asthma¹ in the U.S. may be caused by work exposure, and even when the condition is not due to work, an estimated 22% of adults see their asthma symptoms worsened in the workplace.

不幸的是，与工作有关的肺部疾病相当普遍。专家估计，17%的美国成年人哮喘案例是由于工作接触造成的，即使这种状况不是由工作所致；专家估计22%的成年人的哮喘症状在工作场所变得恶化。

Thankfully, most types of occupational lung disease are preventable, says Philip Harber, MD, professor in the department of community, environment, and policy at the University of Arizona Mel & Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. "Simple control measures can markedly reduce exposure and the risk," he says.

幸运的是，大多数类型的职业性肺部疾病都是可以预防的，亚利桑那大学梅尔和伊尼德扎克曼公共卫生学院的社区、环境和政策系教授菲利普·哈博医学博士说道。"简单的控制措施可以显著的降低危害和风险，"他说。

Here are the fields that can be risky² for your lung health.

以下这些领域可能有损你的肺部健康。

Construction

建筑业

Workers who inhale³ dust in demolitions⁴ or renovations can be at risk for lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis, a disease that causes scarring and stiffening⁵ of lungs. Many spray-in-place insulation⁶ products can lead to asthma if exposure is not properly controlled.

在拆迁或翻新过程中吸入粉尘的工人可能患肺癌、间皮瘤和石棉肺，这一疾病会导致肺部产生疤痕、变得僵硬。如果控制不当，暴露于现场喷雾隔离产品中或导致哮喘。

Wearing protective gear, including a respirator, when working around older buildings and avoiding smoking (and secondhand smoke) can help.

在老建筑群周围作业时，佩戴防护装备（包括呼吸器）、避免吸烟和二手烟可减少危害。

Manufacturing

制造业

Factory workers can be exposed to dust, chemicals, and gases, placing them at risk for both asthma and COPD. In food plants, diacetyl-a flavoring agent used in microwave popcorn⁷ and some packaged snacks-has been linked to a sometimes deadly disease called bronchiolitis obliterans, a close relative of COPD. The good news? Taking some easy steps such as closing the lids on mixing vessels⁸ can reduce the potential risks.

工厂的工人可能会接触粉尘、化学品和气体，使他们面临患哮喘和慢性阻塞性肺病的风险。在食品工厂里，二乙酰--用在微波爆米花和一些预先包装的零食中的调味剂--与一种有时会致命的、叫做闭塞性细支气管炎的疾病相关，这种疾病是慢性阻塞性肺病的近亲。好消息？采取一些简单的步骤，比如关掉混合容器上的盖子就可以降低潜在的风险。

Newer materials, such as nanoparticles and ITO (indium tin oxide) used to make LCD screens, introduce novel risks to workers.

用于制造LCD显示屏的新型材料，比如纳米颗粒和氧化铟锡，又为工人们带来了新的风险。

Agriculture

农业

Most aspects of agricultural work lead to significant exposures. For example, many agricultural jobs involve exposure to endotoxin, a product of bacterial⁹ growth. Modern animal feeding operations also often put very large numbers of cows, chickens, or other animals in close quarters, sometimes in a single building. In addition to allergic¹⁰ responses, human workers may be potentially exposed to high levels of toxic¹¹ materials such as ammonia or hydrogen sulfide from manure¹² collection pits. These exposures can even be deadly.

农业劳作的很多方面都会导致重大的风险。比如，很多农业劳作涉及与内毒素接触，这是一种细菌生长带来的产品。现代的动物饲养作业往往将很多头牛、很多只鸡或者很多其它的动物养在居住地旁边，有时甚至养在单间房屋中。除了过敏反应外，工人们还有可能暴露于高浓度的有毒材料中，比如粪便坑中的氨或硫化氢。这些风险有时会致命。