The interviewee may not be aware that these materials contain asbestos or silica and may deny such exposures if asked narrowly. Any past shipyard or construction work should be suspect for such exposures. For organic dusts, work with grains, textiles, or other agricultural products can be determined rapidly, but other occupational exposures may not be identified as easily. The critical exposure may not be identifiable from the products used but may be inferred from the work process. Any high-temperature process may release heat breakdown products yielding de novo toxins.
Exposures also can occur in nonsalaried vocations.
24 Patients may also ignore past military service as being outside of any work history unless directly asked. These topics represent the core aspects of a targeted occupational history focused on respiratory disease. Table 1 lists the key topics that can be included in such a targeted history. Take me, step by step, through the work process from starting material or first step to the finished product. Taking the occupational history.