How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 54 severe cases of toxic inhalation and respiratory distress. These injuries often manifest as acute difficulty breathing, chemical-induced asthma, or severe coughing that requires emergency medical intervention.
The long-term consequences of these exposures can be debilitating, often leading to chronic respiratory conditions that limit your ability to perform physical labor. You may find that your earning capacity is reduced due to ongoing lung sensitivity and the need for long-term medical monitoring.
Inhaled toxic fumes at work? Check what benefits you may be owed.
Free Benefits ReviewWhat causes Toxic Inhalation and Respiratory Injuries
Inhalation of harmful substances accounts for 93 percent of these severe cases. This typically occurs when you are exposed to hazardous vapors, chemical mists, or airborne contaminants without adequate ventilation or proper respiratory protection equipment.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inhalation of harmful substance | 50 |
| 2 | Fire— small-scale, limited | 2 |
| 3 | Exposure to harmful substances— unspecified | 1 |
| 4 | Exposure to harmful substance—multiple routes of exposure | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Health Care accounts for 22 percent of all reported respiratory injuries, often due to exposure to cleaning agents and chemical fumes in clinical environments. Manufacturing follows at 20 percent, where you may encounter toxic gases and airborne debris during production and maintenance tasks.
Real cases like yours
These incidents often involve sudden exposure to chemical fumes, anhydrous ammonia, or mold in environments where ventilation systems failed to protect you. If your injury occurred because of inadequate safety protocols or exposure to hazardous substances in your work area, an attorney can help you determine if your employer failed to meet safety standards.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | WI | Transportation & Warehousing | "On June 22, 2025, at approximately 4:30 PM, an employee was working in a field with knife-style anhydrous applicator equipment used to fertilize corn. The employee inhaled anhydrous ammonia. The employee had difficulty breathing and speaking. They were hospitalized with a respiratory tract injury/irritation." | |
| 2025 | PR | Health Care | "A nurse was working in the emergency department when they experienced nausea, difficulty breathing, and a cough due to chemical fumes. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | OH | Health Care | "An employee was getting water in the breakroom when the odor from an air freshener that was sprayed in a patient's room wafted into the room. The employee breathed in the air freshener and was hospitalized with an asthmatic episode." | |
| 2025 | OH | Manufacturing | "An employee was outside, participating in fire extinguisher training onsite. She extinguished a fire and then the chemical from the fire got in her face. She started coughing and was hospitalized with trouble breathing." | |
| 2025 | TX | Health Care | "An employee was hospitalized on May 22, 2025, due to respiratory issues caused by mold exposure; when her work area was tested, mold was identified." | |
| 2025 | NY | Manufacturing | "An employee was performing a routine tank change when phosgene gas was released. The employee was exposed to the gas for about a minute. After about six hours, the employee developed respiratory distress symptoms. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | CT | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was sorting packages. A spray adhesive was used to repair a belt 8-10 feet away; the vapors traveled to the employee, who suffered a chemical-induced asthma attack with dizziness, difficulty breathing, and brief loss of consciousness. The employee was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | AL | Other Services | "An employee was performing torquing and bolting activities to secure a manway on a vessel in a confined space. They were exposed to an unidentified chemical substance. The employee was hospitalized with weakness and difficulty breathing." | |
| 2025 | IL | Manufacturing | "On May 8, 2025, an employee developed a cough while cleaning up chemical sewage from the floor. He was hospitalized, having suffered an allergic reaction to chemical product vapors." | |
| 2025 | PA | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was sitting in the cab of his truck at the end of the day. He had just finished driving for 8-10 hours. Exhaust from the truck had been leaking into the cab. The employee began having difficulty breathing and was sweating profusely. The employee was hospitalized for an asthma attack triggered by carbon monoxide." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.