Hi. I have concerns about what I may be inhaling at work. I work for an equine competition yard. After an event at the premises, the arenas are graded by a tractor which stirs up a large amount of dust. The arena surface is made up of shredded rubber and sand. I am working in the arena whilst this takes place. Do you think there is any risk to my health?
Thanks for your question on Chat Doctor. I can understand your concern. Single time exposure of this kind of chemical dust is usually not harmful. But if you are having recurrent exposure of such dusts then you are at risk of lung diseases. So no need to worry much at present. Watch for symptoms like excessive coughing, breathing difficulty, unbearable chest pain etc. If any of these symptoms appear then consult doctor. Otherwise, no need to worry. Hope I have solved your query. I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.