Spirometry

Spirometry is a test used to determine how well a person's lungs work. The test measures how much air the person can exhale during a forced breath. Results are determined by comparing how much air the person exhales during the first second and how much total air the person exhales. The amount of air a person can exhale during the first second of the test is known as "forced expiratory volume in 1 second," or FEV1. The total amount of air a person can exhale is known as "forced vital capacity," or FVC. This test must be done initially before the worker's first work shift of the week and at least 35 hours after the worker's last exposure to cotton dust. The test must then be repeated during a typical work shift. This second test must be done at least four hours into the shift, no later than 10 hours after beginning work, and no more than one hour after the worker is no longer exposed to cotton dust. The results of this test are then compared to a table of expected FEV1 and FVC values for a person's age, sex, and race.

To learn more about Cotton Dust Safety visit our Cal/OSHA Cotton Dust Safety Online Training web page.