Asthma and Your Workplace in Grand Rapids, Michigan

If you notice that your asthma symptoms (such as coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness of breath) are worse while you’re at work in Grand Rapids and improve on weekends, holidays, or when you’re away from the job, you may have work‑related or occupational asthma.

This is an important issue in West Michigan, where many residents work in manufacturing, healthcare, education, food production, construction, and service industries—jobs that may involve dust, chemicals, fumes, or cold air that can trigger asthma.

What Is Occupational Asthma?

Occupational asthma is asthma that is caused directly by something you are exposed to at work. Over time, your airways become “sensitized” to a substance, and even small amounts can trigger symptoms.

This can happen in many types of workplaces in the Grand Rapids area, including:

  • Manufacturing plants and automotive suppliers
  • Food processing, baking, and restaurant kitchens
  • Construction and painting trades
  • Healthcare facilities (such as Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, and Mercy Health)
  • Laboratories and cleaning services
  • Woodworking shops and furniture manufacturing

Common Workplace Asthma Triggers

Substances that can cause or trigger occupational asthma include:

  • Flour and grains
    • Common in bakeries, food manufacturing, breweries, and food service
  • Isocyanates
    • Chemicals used in paints, spray foams, and as hardening agents; common in auto body shops, construction, and manufacturing
  • Wood dust
    • From species such as western red cedar, redwood, and oak; relevant to carpenters, cabinet makers, sawmills, and furniture shops in West Michigan
  • Strong cleaning products and disinfectants
    • Used heavily in hospitals, clinics, schools, long‑term care, and office buildings
  • Other chemicals and fumes
    • Solvents, metal fumes, epoxy resins, adhesives, and chlorine
  • Animal allergens
    • Animal dander, urine, feces, and proteins in veterinary clinics, research labs, farms, kennels, and grooming businesses

With prolonged exposure, symptoms can begin to persist even when you are away from work, and asthma may become more severe and harder to control.

Occupational asthma is often preventable if triggers are identified early and exposure is reduced or eliminated.

Work‑Aggravated Asthma

Work‑aggravated asthma is different from occupational asthma. In this case, you already have asthma, but your job environment makes it worse.

Common workplace factors in Grand Rapids that can aggravate existing asthma include:

  • Gases or fumes (for example, from welding, cleaning chemicals, or industrial processes)
  • Smoke (including wildfire smoke or smoke exposure for firefighters)
  • Dust (grain dust, paper dust, warehouse dust, sawdust)
  • Cold, dry air – especially important in Michigan’s long, cold winters when outdoor workers and people who work in unheated spaces may breathe in very cold air

Work‑aggravated asthma doesn’t “cause” asthma, but it can lead to more frequent and severe symptoms and more emergency visits.

Jobs and Industries in Grand Rapids with Higher Asthma Risk

Some jobs in the Grand Rapids and West Michigan region are more likely to affect people with asthma because of the triggers in the environment.

Examples include:

Agriculture, Food, and Animal Work

  • Farming and harvesting process workers – grain dust, mold, pesticides
  • Fishers and seafood processing – seafood proteins, fungi
  • Poultry and egg production – egg protein, animal dander, droppings
  • Veterinary staff, breeders, groomers, kennel workers – animal dander, urine, feces
  • Baking and pastry cooks – flour, baking additives, enzymes, fungi

Healthcare and Laboratory Settings

Common in Grand Rapids due to large health systems (Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, Mercy Health):

  • Nurses, doctors, dentists, dental assistants – cleaning chemicals, disinfectants, latex, medications
  • Laboratory workers – animal dander, insects, chemicals, sensitizing agents
  • Medical equipment manufacturing – latex, plastics, disinfectants

Manufacturing, Automotive, and Industrial Work

Significant sectors in the Grand Rapids metro area:

  • Aluminum smelters and metal refining – aluminum compounds, acids, chlorine, metal salts, solder fumes
  • Automotive and motor industry workers – isocyanates, solvents, metal fumes, welding fumes
  • Car repair and panel beating – epoxy resins, organic solvents, paint fumes
  • Foam and plastics manufacturers – adhesives, isocyanates, other chemicals
  • Oil refining and chemical plants – hydrocarbon mists, solvents
  • Electronics and metal work – solder fumes, metal salts, dusts and fumes

Construction, Trades, and Building Services

  • Painting and decorating, spray painting – paint additives, isocyanates, solvents, other chemicals
  • Flooring and tiling – adhesives, sealants, chemical fumes
  • Woodworking, carpentry, sawmills, arborists, sanders – wood dust
  • Carpet and textile factory workers – vegetable gums, fibers, chemicals
  • Printing – dyes, inks, and solvents

Cleaning, Personal Services, and Other Jobs

  • Cleaning and janitorial work (including schools, offices, and hospitals) – detergents, enzymes, disinfectants, bleach
  • Detergent and enzyme manufacturing – enzymes and chemicals
  • Hairdressing and cosmetics – hair dyes, sprays, perfumes, and salon chemicals
  • Floristry and gardening – flowers, pollen, fertilizers, pesticides
  • Warehouse work – dust, exhaust fumes, packaging materials
  • Toy and latex product manufacturing – latex proteins

Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome (RADS)

If you inhale a very high dose of an irritating substance—for example, in an industrial accident, chemical spill, or fire—you may suddenly develop asthma‑like symptoms even if you never had asthma before.

This is called Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome (RADS).

RADS Symptoms and Causes

Symptoms usually begin within 24 hours of a single, intense exposure to:

  • Chemical spills
  • Irritant gases
  • Corrosive mists
  • Solvent vapors
  • Heavy smoke (for example, in firefighting or industrial fires)

Symptoms can include:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Wheezing
  • Coughing
  • Chest tightness

In many people, symptoms gradually improve as the airways heal. However, some workers are left with permanent breathing problems and ongoing asthma‑like symptoms. RADS may help explain higher rates of respiratory issues among firefighters and emergency responders in Michigan.

Ongoing or repeated exposure after a RADS event can lead to more severe asthma and irreversible airway damage.

Preventing Workplace Asthma Triggers in Grand Rapids

Where possible, workplaces in Grand Rapids and Kent County should avoid using substances that can trigger asthma. This is part of creating a safe, healthy work environment and complying with occupational safety laws.

Strategies to Reduce Exposure

  1. Eliminate or substitute the trigger

    • Stop using the hazardous substance if possible.
    • Replace it with a less irritating or safer alternative.
    • Use low‑VOC paints, less allergenic cleaning products, or dust‑controlled equipment.

  2. Engineering controls

    • Install or improve local exhaust ventilation (for example, fume hoods, extraction systems, spray booths).
    • Enclose processes that generate dust, fumes, or vapors.
    • Ensure HVAC systems are well maintained and filters are changed regularly.

  3. Personal protective equipment (PPE)

    • Use NIOSH‑approved respiratory protection (U.S. standard) when needed.
    • Ensure masks and respirators are properly fitted and used consistently.
    • For firefighters and emergency responders, using approved respiratory protection during fires is critical to reduce lung damage.

  4. Work practice and administrative controls

    • Rotate tasks to limit time spent in high‑exposure areas.
    • Provide training on safe handling of chemicals and materials.
    • Maintain good housekeeping to reduce dust build‑up.
    • Implement smoking restrictions and smoke‑free policies.

Employers and employees should work together to develop strategies to reduce exposure to triggers and irritants in the workplace. Ignoring workplace asthma triggers can lead to long‑term health problems and may eventually require changing jobs if exposure cannot be controlled.

What to Do If You Think Work Is Affecting Your Asthma

If you did not have asthma previously but think you developed it after starting a job or being exposed to chemicals, dust, or fumes at work, it’s important to seek medical advice promptly.

Steps to Take in Grand Rapids

  1. See your doctor (GP or primary care provider)

    • Providers at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, Mercy Health, or your local clinic can:
      • Confirm whether you have asthma
      • Determine if it’s likely related to work exposures
      • Help identify possible causative agents
      • Provide an asthma action plan and appropriate treatment

  2. Track your symptoms

    • Note when symptoms occur:
      • During a specific task or shift
      • At night or the morning after heavy exposure
      • Whether they improve on weekends, holidays, or vacation
    • This pattern is often a key clue for work‑related asthma.

  3. Talk with your employer or health and safety representative

    • With your permission, your doctor may contact your employer to:
      • Recommend changes to reduce exposure for you and your coworkers
      • Suggest ventilation improvements or PPE
      • Support modified duties or temporary reassignment if needed

  4. Avoid repeated exposure

    • People with workplace asthma should absolutely avoid ongoing exposure to the trigger.
    • In some cases, you may need to consider alternative work arrangements or a different role if exposure cannot be eliminated or adequately controlled.

Early diagnosis and treatment of workplace asthma are crucial to prevent long‑term lung damage.

Local Resources for Work‑Related Asthma in Grand Rapids

If you live or work in the Grand Rapids or Kent County area, the following resources may help:

  • Your GP or primary care provider

    • At Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, Mercy Health, or local clinics

  • Pharmacist

    • For advice on inhaler technique, medication side effects, and over‑the‑counter options

  • Health and safety representative at your workplace

    • For support in assessing risks and implementing safety measures

  • Kent County Health Department

    • Offers public health information and may direct you to local asthma and environmental health resources

  • Grand Rapids Public Health and local clinics

    • Community health centers may provide asthma education, screening, and referrals

  • Michigan occupational safety and health resources

    • Michigan’s state OSHA program and WorkSafe‑style services can provide guidance on workplace safety and reporting unsafe conditions

  • National asthma organizations (U.S.)

    • For education, guidelines, and support groups

Key Points About Asthma and Your Workplace in Grand Rapids

  • Occupational asthma is generally preventable if you avoid or control asthma triggers in the workplace.
  • Some jobs and industries common in Grand Rapids are higher risk because they involve dust, chemicals, fumes, animal allergens, or cold dry air.
  • RADS (Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome) can occur after a single, high‑dose exposure (such as a chemical spill or fire) and may cause long‑term breathing problems.
  • Ongoing exposure to workplace triggers can cause continued inflammation, excess mucus, and permanent airway damage, making asthma worse.
  • Early medical evaluation, good workplace controls, and cooperation between workers, employers, and healthcare providers are essential to protect lung health in West Michigan’s workforce.