Spirometry (lung-function test) for work
A breathing test that measures how much air you can blow out and how fast, used in occupational health to set a baseline and to monitor for early signs of work-related lung disease.
✓ Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant · last reviewed September 2026 · next review September 2027 · how we review
In short
- It measures how much and how fast you can blow air out, to track your lung function over time at work.
- It is highly technique-dependent: a poorly performed or poorly quality-checked test can be misleading.
- A single result means little on its own — the real value is comparing your baseline with later monitoring tests.
- It does not diagnose a disease by itself; results are interpreted with your symptoms, history and other tests.
A plain-English summary. The detail — including risks and recovery — is below.
At a glance
A general guide. Your specialist will give you advice for your situation.
Can detect early changes in lung function before you notice serious symptoms
Spirometry alone cannot diagnose a specific lung disease — it must be interpreted with symptoms, history and sometimes further tests.
You may feel dizzy or breathless from blowing hard; the operator will let you rest between attempts.
Testing and interpretation by someone trained to a recognised standard, with calibrated equipment.
You may feel dizzy or breathless from blowing hard; the operator will let you rest between attempts.
Any lightheadedness usually settles within a few minutes. You can drive and return to work as normal.
Results are often available quickly. In surveillance, they are interpreted and compared with any earlier tests.
Your employer is told your fitness status only; you can see the fuller detail of your own result.
What is spirometry (a lung-function test) at work?
Spirometry is a test of how your lungs are working. You take a full breath in and blow out as hard and as long as you can into a machine called a spirometer. It mainly measures how much air you can blow out in total (your FVC) and how much you can blow out in the first second (your FEV1).
In occupational health, spirometry is used as part of respiratory health surveillance for workers exposed to dusts, fumes, mists or other substances that can affect the lungs — for example flour dust, isocyanates, welding fume, wood dust or some chemicals. A 'baseline' test is usually done near the start of the job, then it is repeated at intervals so any change over time can be spotted early.
The test does not diagnose a specific disease on its own. It measures lung function and shows patterns (for example airflow that is more obstructed or reduced than expected). Those patterns, alongside your symptoms, history and other tests, help an occupational health professional decide whether work might be affecting your lungs.
Spirometry is very technique-dependent. The numbers are only meaningful if you blow correctly and the test is done and quality-checked to a recognised standard. A poor-quality test can look abnormal when your lungs are fine, or look normal when they are not — which is why who does it, and how, really matters.
Types, options & approaches
There may be different ways to do this. The right approach depends on the clinical question and your circumstances.
Baseline vs monitoring spirometry
| Feature | Baseline | Monitoring |
|---|---|---|
| When | Start of job or programme | Repeated at set intervals |
| Purpose | Record your starting point | Detect change over time |
| Compared with | Predicted normal values | Your own earlier results |
| Main value | A reference for the future | Early warning of decline |
Monitoring is most useful when the baseline and later tests are done the same way, to the same quality standard.
Preparing for your test
- Follow any instructions about inhalers — you may be asked not to use certain ones for a few hours before, but never stop prescribed medication without advice.
- Avoid a large meal, vigorous exercise and smoking shortly before the test, as these can affect results.
- Wear loose clothing that does not restrict your chest or tummy.
- Tell the tester if you have had recent chest, eye, ear or abdominal surgery, a recent heart problem, or are pregnant, as these can affect whether the test is safe to do.
- Mention any current chest infection or cold, which can temporarily lower your results.
- Bring details of previous spirometry results if you have them, so the clinician can compare.
- Be ready to give your best effort and to repeat the blow several times — consistency is what makes the result reliable.
What happens
A trained operator explains and demonstrates the test. You will usually sit upright with a soft clip on your nose. You take the deepest breath you can, seal your lips around a mouthpiece, then blast the air out as hard and as fast as you can and keep going until your lungs feel empty.
You repeat this several times. The operator coaches you to get consistent, good-quality blows, because the result is only valid if the efforts agree closely with each other and meet recognised quality standards. This is why the test can feel repetitive and tiring.
The machine calculates values such as your FEV1 and FVC and compares them with predicted values for someone of your age, height, sex and ethnicity. In occupational surveillance the operator also records your symptoms. The results are then interpreted — ideally by, or with input from, someone trained to a recognised standard such as ARTP certification — and compared with any earlier tests.
Is this test right for me?
A good consultation should explore whether it's the right choice for you now — including reasons to wait or consider something else.
May not be suitable if…
- Spirometry alone cannot diagnose a specific lung disease — it must be interpreted with symptoms, history and sometimes further tests.
- It may be unreliable in people who cannot perform a forced blow well, for example due to certain physical or cognitive limitations.
- It is not the right test for sudden severe breathlessness or chest pain — that needs urgent medical assessment, not routine spirometry.
- It should be deferred, not relied on, when a result would be distorted (recent surgery, acute infection).
Delay or rearrange if…
- You have a current chest infection, cold or flare-up that would temporarily lower your readings.
- You have had recent chest, abdominal, eye or ear surgery, a recent heart attack or unstable heart problem.
- You have used a short-acting inhaler recently and the protocol asks for it to be paused first.
- You feel too unwell on the day to give a proper effort.
Alternatives to discuss
- Peak-flow monitoring kept at and away from work, which can help detect occupational asthma.
- Specialist respiratory referral for fuller lung-function testing or diagnosis.
- Symptom questionnaires and occupational history when a worker cannot perform spirometry reliably.
- Better control of dust, fume or mist exposure at source, reducing the need to monitor lung function so closely.
Before you decide
Use this as a shared-decision checklist. The aim is not just “can this be done?”, but whether it is right for you, now, with the risks and alternatives clearly understood.
What matters most to me?
Think about symptoms, daily life, work, caring responsibilities, sport, fertility, travel, appearance and anxiety — the right choice depends on your priorities, not just the medical facts.
What are all my options?
Ask about waiting, monitoring, medicines, rehabilitation, a smaller or larger procedure, a different test, NHS referral, or a second opinion where that would help.
What would make me pause?
Active infection, pregnancy, unstable medical problems, smoking, medicines that increase bleeding, poor support at home, or feeling pressured are all reasons to slow down and get tailored advice.
What happens if I do nothing today?
For some problems, waiting is safe; for others, delay can make treatment harder. A good consultation should explain the trade-off in plain English.
Benefits
- Can detect early changes in lung function before you notice serious symptoms
- Provides a personal baseline to compare future tests against
- Helps show whether your workplace breathing controls are working
- Can prompt earlier action, adjustments or referral if your lungs are being affected
- Is quick, non-invasive and involves no needles or radiation
Risks & complications
- Feeling lightheaded, dizzy or briefly breathless from the forced blowing
- Coughing during or after the test
- Tiredness from repeated maximal efforts
- A result that has to be repeated because the blows were not good enough quality
- A misleading result if the test is poorly performed or not quality-checked
- Temporary chest tightness, especially if you have asthma
- A normal result giving false reassurance when symptoms are present
- Fainting from repeated forceful breathing
- Worsening of a pre-existing condition (for example after recent surgery), which is why the operator screens for reasons not to do the test
The main 'risk' with occupational spirometry is not physical harm but a misleading result. Because the test depends so heavily on effort and technique, an under-trained operator or a poorly maintained machine can produce numbers that wrongly reassure or wrongly alarm. Ask whether the person doing and interpreting your test is trained to a recognised standard (for example ARTP certification) and whether the equipment is regularly calibrated.
Published figures to discuss
Spirometry itself is very low-risk physically, so the meaningful uncertainty is about accuracy rather than complications. The reliability of a result depends heavily on the worker's effort, the operator's training and coaching, and the calibration of the machine. Poor-quality testing is well recognised in occupational settings and can produce both falsely abnormal and falsely reassuring results, which is why recognised quality standards (such as ARTP certification) exist. We do not quote a complication percentage because serious adverse events are rare and not robustly rate-defined for routine surveillance.
| Figure | Reported range | How to interpret it | Source / confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physical harm from spirometry | Very low in routine screening | Most people tolerate the forced breathing test well; recent surgery, chest pain, haemoptysis or acute illness may require deferral. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
| Poor-quality blow giving a misleading result | Recognised quality issue | Technique, coaching, calibration and repeatability determine whether the tracing is interpretable. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
| Normal test falsely reassuring | Important limitation | Normal spirometry does not exclude occupational asthma, early work-related lung disease or symptoms that vary across shifts. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
| Abnormal result without a clear diagnosis | Common follow-up scenario | An abnormal screen usually needs clinical history, repeat testing, peak-flow monitoring, imaging or specialist review before diagnosis. | Guide sourcesClinical context |
These are literature figures, not a personalised prediction. Your own risks and likely benefits depend on your circumstances, your health, and how your care is carried out and followed up.
What happens afterwards
There is no physical recovery from spirometry. You may feel briefly lightheaded or tired from the effort, but this passes quickly and you can return to normal activity straight away.
- Brief breathlessness or dizziness that quickly settles
- Mild tiredness from the repeated effort
- A short wait for results to be interpreted and compared
- Being told only your fitness status, with detail kept confidential
- Being invited back for the next scheduled test
Aftercare
- Restart any inhalers you were asked to pause, as directed.
- Ask what your result means and whether it has changed from before.
- If you have breathing symptoms — especially ones that improve away from work — report them rather than waiting for the next test.
- Keep using respiratory protection and follow control measures at work.
- Follow up any non-work findings with your GP.
- Note when your next test is due.
- Ask how to see your own report and correct any factual error.
- Instructions on which inhalers to pause, if any
- List of breathing symptoms to mention
- Note of whether symptoms change away from work
- Any previous spirometry results
- Loose, comfortable clothing for the appointment
- Understanding of what is shared with your employer
- Date of your next scheduled test
⚠ Get urgent help if…
- Breathlessness or wheeze that is getting worse, especially if it eases on days off or holidays
- A new persistent cough or chest tightness linked to work
- Waking at night short of breath
- Coughing up blood — seek medical advice promptly
- Sudden severe breathlessness or chest pain — seek emergency help
- Feeling faint or unwell that does not settle shortly after the test
Who to contact: your clinician, clinic or test provider first (keep their number to hand). For urgent advice when you can't reach them, call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.
General guidance — it doesn't replace the specific advice your specialist gives you.
Results & realistic expectations
A good-quality test produces values for FEV1 and FVC that can be compared with predicted normals for someone like you and, crucially, with your own earlier results. A steady decline over repeated tests is more telling than any single value, because it can flag work-related lung disease early.
Results must be interpreted carefully. A normal result does not prove your lungs are completely healthy or that your work is harmless — it reflects one test at one time, done to a certain quality. An abnormal result does not on its own diagnose a disease; it needs to be put together with your symptoms, history and sometimes further tests. This is why interpretation by someone suitably trained matters.
A single spirometry result reflects your lung function on the day. Its long-term value comes from being one point in a series, so monitoring is repeated at intervals — often annually in surveillance, or more frequently early in a high-risk job. Records are kept for many years so that slow, year-on-year changes can be detected and acted on.
Related tests, treatments or support
In occupational health, spirometry is usually combined with a respiratory symptoms questionnaire and forms part of a wider health surveillance programme. In a diagnostic setting it may be combined with reversibility testing, peak-flow diaries (sometimes kept at and away from work to detect occupational asthma), allergy or immunology tests, chest imaging or referral to a respiratory specialist.
Follow-up & long-term care
If your result is abnormal or has declined, you may be recalled for a repeat test, asked to keep peak-flow readings, or referred for specialist respiratory assessment. The occupational health professional also looks at results across similarly exposed workers to judge whether the employer needs to improve breathing controls.
- Attend each scheduled test so trends can be detected.
- Report breathing symptoms early, especially if they change away from work.
- Keep wearing respiratory protection and follow control measures.
- Tell occupational health if your job or exposure changes.
Repeat, follow-on and what comes next
- Tests that do not meet quality standards are commonly repeated before a result is accepted.
- Surveillance spirometry is repeated at intervals by design — a single test is a snapshot, not a verdict.
- An abnormal or declining result often leads to a repeat test or further investigation rather than an immediate conclusion.
Ask what happens if the result is unclear or needs repeating, and what is included if further tests or follow-up are needed.
What good aftercare looks like
- Testing and interpretation by someone trained to a recognised standard, with calibrated equipment.
- A clear explanation of your result, including how it compares with your previous tests.
- Prompt repeat or referral when results are abnormal, declining or poor quality.
- Confidential access to your own report and a route to correct factual errors.
- Group-level feedback that prompts the employer to improve respiratory controls where needed.
What affects the cost
Costs vary a great deal between people and providers, and we don't publish prices. What matters is understanding what drives the cost and making sure your quote is complete. The main things that affect it:
- Whether the test is a one-off baseline or part of an ongoing surveillance programme.
- Whether it is done on-site at the workplace or at an occupational health clinic.
- The training and qualification of the operator and interpreter (for example ARTP-certified).
- Whether a symptoms questionnaire and interpretation are included, not just the raw test.
- Equipment calibration and quality-assurance standards used.
- Any repeat tests or onward referral needed if results are abnormal.
- Whether the operator and interpreter are trained to a recognised standard (e.g. ARTP).
- Whether interpretation and a written report are included, not just the figures.
- How results are compared with the worker's own previous tests.
- What is reported to the employer and what the worker receives.
- What happens, and who is responsible, if a test is poor quality and must be repeated.
- How follow-up or specialist referral is arranged if results are abnormal.
On the NHS? Spirometry is widely used in the NHS to help diagnose and monitor lung conditions; spirometry done for workplace health surveillance is arranged and paid for by your employer.
You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including reports, follow-up and what happens if the result is inconclusive — before you decide.
Consent traps and marketing red flags
These are not small details. They are often where patients lose choice, time to reflect, or realistic expectations.
Consent traps
- Not being told that only fitness status, not the detailed figures, goes to the employer.
- Assuming a normal result proves the lungs are healthy or the workplace is safe.
- Not knowing whether the operator and interpreter are trained to a recognised standard.
- No explanation that a poor-quality test can be misleading and may need repeating.
- Not knowing you can see your own report and correct factual errors.
Marketing red flags
- Spirometry offered without any mention of operator training, calibration or quality control.
- A provider implying a single normal test 'clears' the lungs or proves the workplace is safe.
- Results given as raw numbers with no proper interpretation by a trained professional.
- No comparison with the worker's own previous results in a surveillance programme.
Choosing a specialist safely
- Check the specialist is on the GMC Specialist Register for this area.
- Make sure they work at a CQC-registered service, and look for membership of the relevant Royal College or professional body.
- You're entitled to time to consider and to have your questions answered before you agree — the specialist who looks after you should explain it, not a salesperson.
- Be wary of pressure: time-limited offers or deposits taken before you've had time to think are red flags, not bargains.
- You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including any follow-up — before you decide.
Questions to ask your medical professional
Take this to your consultation. A good specialist will welcome every one of these.
- Is the person performing and interpreting my test trained to a recognised standard, such as ARTP certification?
- How does my result compare with my own previous tests, not just predicted values?
- What will this result change for me, and what happens if it is normal, abnormal or unclear?
- Could my symptoms be work-related, and do they improve when I am away from work?
- How often will I be tested, and what should I report between tests?
- Are you on the GMC Specialist Register for this area, and which Royal College or professional body are you a member of?
- Will you be the specialist who carries out my test, and who looks after me afterwards?
- What are the risks for someone like me, and how often do your own patients have a problem or need it repeated or redone?
- What does a realistic result look like — and what can this test not achieve?
- What are my options, including waiting, doing nothing for now, or choosing a different approach?
- Can I have written information, results and aftercare instructions in a format I can use, including any accessibility or communication support I need?
- What is the total cost in writing, including any follow-ups, and how much time do I have to decide?
Frequently asked questions
Does it hurt?
Why do I have to blow so many times?
Will my employer see my results?
Can a normal result still be wrong?
Is workplace spirometry the same as in hospital?
Can I have it if I have a cold?
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How we made this page
Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant. Written in plain English, checked against NHS, NICE, GMC and relevant Royal College / specialist-society guidance, and kept under review. No clinic paid to appear on this page, and we publish no pricing. This is general information to help you prepare — it is not a substitute for advice from your own clinician. How we review our guides →
Source hierarchy: UK regulator and NHS/NICE guidance first, then relevant Royal College or specialist-society guidance, then peer-reviewed evidence for procedure-specific figures where available.
Sources & standards: HSE — Asthma health surveillance guidance (G402) HSE — Work-related lung disease HSE — COSHH health surveillance ARTP — Spirometry standards and certification Primary Care Respiratory Society — Spirometry certification FAQs
Reviews reflect patients' experience of care, not clinical outcomes. For procedure volumes and outcome data see PHIN.
Last medically reviewed 2026-09-21. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Report an error in this guide.
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