Source: International Congress 2015 – Occupational and environmental cohort investigations and population studies

Abstract

AimWe proposed to emphasize the possible differences related to respiratory diseases among a factory producing man made mineral fibres (MMMF) compared with MMMF users in a building site.MethodsThe work conditions have been evaluated by microscope analysis of MMMF levels in the workplace air. The estimation of MMMF exposure impact upon health status has been carried out by investigations focused on the respiratory system. We have studied 85 workers in a MMMF factory (mean age=38.2 yrs, mean length of service=16 yrs,) and 93 constructors (mean age=37.8 yrs, mean length of service=18 yrs).ResultsThe environmental analysis has shown: MMMF mean concentration in the factory varied between 0.65-0.89 respirable fibres (rfb)/cm³ vs 0.25-0.35rfb/cm³ in building site; both concentration has been below the Toxic Limit Value (TLV).Health status: MMMF producers had a higher prevalence of irritative respiratory symptoms (compared to the users) with different clinic aspects: nasal congestion and nasopharyngeal irritation (65% vs 32%), sneezing (63% vs 21%), laryngeal irritation (60% vs15%), dry cough (55% vs 14%) and chest tightness (30% vs 18%).The Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) has put in evidence a distal obstructive syndrome in 35% of the producers (vs 18%) strongly associated with the length of service in both groups (p<0.005).ConclusionsThe higher frequency of symptoms in the factory workers compared with those from the building site seems to be related to the higher level of workplace exposure to MMMF. Even if this level was below TLV values, the exposure to this hazard might be involved in the determinism of the obstructive impairment of the lung function in both groups of exposed workers.


Rating:

Share or cite this content

Citations should be made in the following way:
Micaela Margineanu (Iasi, Romania), Micaela Margineanu, Eugenia Danulescu, Felicia Gradinariu, Carmen Liliana Croitoru, Madalina Ipate, Doina Havarneanu. Respiratory disorders of the producers and users of man made mineral fibres - Comparative study. Eur Respir J 2015; 46: Suppl. 59, 1168

Member's Comments

No comment yet.

Related content which might interest you: Respiratory health in the cotton industry in Pakistan Source: International Congress 2015 – Occupational and environmental cohort investigations and population studies Year: 2015 Preliminary screening for respiratory disease among workers in a garment factory (GF) Source: Annual Congress 2013 –Occupational respiratory diseases: obstructive, interstitial lung diseases and methods of diagnosis Year: 2013 Workers’ respiratory health status in a medium-sized building yard Source: Annual Congress 2013 –Occupational respiratory diseases: obstructive, interstitial lung diseases and methods of diagnosis Year: 2013 Occupational exposure to metal working fluids aerosol and the relationship with the respiratory symptoms and lung functions among machinists Source: International Congress 2015 – Occupational and environmental cohort investigations and population studies Year: 2015 Acute respiratory effects of magnesia dust in climbing halls Source: International Congress 2015 – Work, environment and the epidemiology of asthma Year: 2015 Lung function and element status of foundry workers Source: International Congress 2016 – Occupational and environmental exposures and biomarkers: human studies, animal data, and in vitro methods Year: 2016 Respiratory symptoms, lung function tests and airway responsiveness among automobile spray painters Source: International Congress 2014 – Occupational respiratory diseases: from drug-induced disease to COPD induced by the uranium industry Year: 2014 LATE-BREAKING ABSTRACT: Lung function is associated with air pollution in healthy adults Source: International Congress 2016 – Epidemiological aspects of tuberculosis and other respiratory conditions: from lung cancer to late-onset Pompe's disease Year: 2016 Characteristics of Southeast Asian infant lung function Source: International Congress 2014 – Respiratory physiology and sleep disordered breathing in children Year: 2014 Effect of long-term exposure to traffic-related air pollution on lung function: The ESCAPE project Source: Annual Congress 2013 –Environment and lifestyle: associations with respiratory disease Year: 2013 Lung function and respiratory symptoms in children from an electronic waste recycling area in China Source: International Congress 2015 – Highlights in paediatric epidemiology: air pollution, asthma and primary ciliary dyskinesia Year: 2015 Asbestos exposure,a still present issue for occupational physicians Source: International Congress 2014 – Occupational asthma, abestosis and silicosis Year: 2014 The utility of airfed RPE in the management of workers with metal-working fluid occupational asthma Source: International Congress 2016 – Occupational epidemiology Year: 2016 Effect of exposure to smoke generated from sacred fire on pulmonary function of priests Source: International Congress 2014 – Occupational respiratory diseases Year: 2014 Exposure to household air pollution and respiratory symptoms in Nepal: A cross-sectional study Source: International Congress 2014 – Chronic and acute environmental exposure effect during childhood and in the elderly Year: 2014 Air pollution, lung function, and loss to follow-up in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) Source: Annual Congress 2005 - Traffic, particles and health Year: 2005 Lung function and -inflammation after short term exposures to traffic related air pollution and physical activity Source: Annual Congress 2013 –Indoor and outdoor pollutants: ventilation, sprays, diesel particles, asthma and COPD Year: 2013 Indoor microbial exposure in relation to allergy and respiratory health in adults Source: International Congress 2016 – Prevalence of obstructive airway diseases, methods of diagnosis, and lung function testing Year: 2016 Influence of fine particulate matter from household emissions on selected respiratory and cardiovascular diseases – Initial results Source: International Congress 2016 – Human responses to exposure, including physiological and biomarker outcomes Year: 2016 Asthma prevalence and pulmonary function tests among flourmill workers in Northern Greece Source: International Congress 2015 – Work, environment and the epidemiology of asthma Year: 2015