ABSTRACT
The hazardous effect of some airborne pollutants on the respiratory system have resulted in increased interest in the measurements of lung function. The hazardous effects of dust from coal mines [1], hard rock mines [2], and the cotton industry [3] have been recognized and have resulted in an improved working environment in these industries. In addition, chemical vapors and gases, as well as particulates from other industries [4,5], have also been shown to adversely affect the lung. Determining dose-response relationships of these occupational stimuli requires an accurate medical and employment history as well as environmental characterization and quantitative pulmonary function testing. To be most useful, these pulmonary function tests must be accurate, precise (repeatable), sensitive to the environmental stimuli, and readily applicable at the occupational site. This chapter will focus on the standardization of pulmonary function tests and define variables which affect their accuracy and utility in the study of occupational medicine.
