What Is Diesel Exhaust?

Diesel exhaust contains a mixture of thousands of different chemical substances. Many of the components of diesel exhaust, such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxides, hydrocarbon gases and diesel particulate matter (soot), arsenic and benzene, can cause health problems. Diesel exhaust contains 20-100 times more harmful particles than gasoline exhaust.

Health Effects of Diesel Exhaust

Due to expanding use of diesel equipment, more and more workers are exposed to diesel exhaust. More than one million workers are exposed to diesel exhaust and face the risk of adverse health effects, ranging from headaches and nausea to cancer and respiratory disease. Such workers include mine workers, bridge and tunnel workers, railroad workers, loading dock workers, truck drivers, material handling machine operators, farm workers, longshoring employees, and auto, truck and bus maintenance garage workers.