Final answer:
Occupational exposures can include asbestos, farm work involving pesticides, laboratory chemicals, and medical/nuclear radiation. Workers in these fields face risks to their health, which can result in diseases such as lung cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis, or hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Occupational exposures include a variety of factors where workers might come into contact with harmful substances or environments. Examples of such exposures include asbestos, which can lead to serious lung conditions such as lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis when fibers are disturbed and inhaled. Jobs in agriculture, such as farm work, can result in exposure to pesticides that may lead to acute or chronic health issues. This includes inhalation of fumes during spraying operations in settings such as greenhouses, tractor cabs, or while using rotary fan mist sprayers.
Laboratory and medical/nuclear fields may involve exposure to hazardous chemicals, biological agents, or ionizing radiation. Workers in these fields might utilize personal protective equipment to protect against factors such as radiation exposure from medical imaging equipment, radioactive materials, or other sources of ionizing radiation.
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is considered an occupational disease because it arises from chronic exposure to dust, mold, or allergens in specific work environments, such as poultry farms or cheese factories, leading to an immune response and inflammation of the lungs.