Respiratory diseases in hard metal workers: an occupational hygiene study in a factory.

A hygiene study of a hard metal factory was conducted from 1981 to 1984. All workers exposed to hard metal were medically examined and their exposure to cobalt measured. Eighteen employees had occupational asthma related to exposure to hard metal, a prevalence rate of 5.6%. Nine had a positive bronchial provocation test to cobalt and reactions of the immediate, late, or dual type were elicited. Exposure measurements suggest that asthma may be caused by cobalt at a mean time weighted average concentration below 0.05 mg/m3. Only two of the nine individuals with cobalt asthma had a positive patch test to cobalt. Chest radiographs of three workers showed diffuse shadows of category 1 or over. X ray microanalysis of lung biopsy specimens from two of these three workers showed the presence of tungsten, titanium, cobalt, nickel, and some minerals. One of the two was diagnosed as having pneumoconiosis due to exposure to silica in a steel industry and the other was suspected of having pulmonary fibrosis caused by dust generated from the carborundum wheels used to grind hard metal. There were no cases with interstitial pneumonitis in the factory.     

Respiratory hazards in hard metal workers: a cross sectional study

A cross sectional study was conducted on 513 employees at three hard metal plants: 425 exposed workers (351 men, 74 women) and 88 controls (69 men, 19 women). Cough and sputum were more frequent in workers engaged in "soft powder" and presintering workshops compared with controls (12.5% and 16.5% v 3.5%). Spirometric abnormalities were more frequent among women in sintering and finishing workshops compared with control women (56.8% v 23.8%) and abnormalities of carbon monoxide test were more frequent in exposed groups than in controls; this difference was more pronounced in women (31.4% v 5.6%) than in men (18.5% v 13%). No significant correlation was observed between duration of exposure and age adjusted lung function tests. Slight abnormalities of chest radiographs (0/1, 1/1 according to ILO classification) were more frequent in exposed men than controls (12.8% v 1.9%) and mostly in soft powder workers. In subjects with abnormal chest radiographs FVC, FEV1 and carbon monoxide indices (fractional uptake of CO or CO transfer index or both) were lower compared with those with normal chest radiographs. Although relatively mild, the clinical, radiological, and functional abnormalities uncovered call for a regular supervision of workers exposed to hard metal dust.     

Respiratory hazards in hard metal workers: a cross sectional study.

A cross sectional study was conducted on 513 employees at three hard metal plants: 425 exposed workers (351 men, 74 women) and 88 controls (69 men, 19 women). Cough and sputum were more frequent in workers engaged in "soft powder" and presintering workshops compared with controls (12.5% and 16.5% v 3.5%). Spirometric abnormalities were more frequent among women in sintering and finishing workshops compared with control women (56.8% v 23.8%) and abnormalities of carbon monoxide test were more frequent in exposed groups than in controls; this difference was more pronounced in women (31.4% v 5.6%) than in men (18.5% v 13%). No significant correlation was observed between duration of exposure and age adjusted lung function tests. Slight abnormalities of chest radiographs (0/1, 1/1 according to ILO classification) were more frequent in exposed men than controls (12.8% v 1.9%) and mostly in soft powder workers. In subjects with abnormal chest radiographs FVC, FEV1 and carbon monoxide indices (fractional uptake of CO or CO transfer index or both) were lower compared with those with normal chest radiographs. Although relatively mild, the clinical, radiological, and functional abnormalities uncovered call for a regular supervision of workers exposed to hard metal dust.     

Biological monitoring of cobalt in hard metal factory workers

Purpose

The main aim of this study was to investigate the cobalt (Co) concentrations in urine along 4 months and their relationship with Co concentrations in blood and haemoglobin (adducts) in 34 workers from a hard metal manufacturing plant where metallic Co and Co oxide were used. Furthermore, the excretion kinetics of Co was investigated and the half-lives of Co in blood, plasma and urine were calculated along 18 days of non-exposure in the same workers.

Methods

Co was analysed, in all biological samples, by ICP/MS.

Results

Wide fluctuations in the urinary Co concentration were observed throughout the work shift and during the work week. A highly significant linear correlation was found between Co concentration (geometrical mean) in urine samples provided each Thursday (end shift) during 16 subsequent weeks and levels of Co-haemoglobin adducts or blood Co concentrations at the end of the same period. The Co elimination kinetics in globin calculated along 18 days without Co exposure was slow, being related to the physiological metabolism of haemoglobin, while in blood, plasma and urine Co half-lives were 12.3, 9.1 and 5.3 days, respectively.

Conclusion

Co concentrations in haemoglobin or blood are highly related to the geometrical mean concentration of urinary Co when samples are collected weekly for several subsequent weeks. The biological monitoring of occupational exposure to Co in hard metal facilities provides reliable results by using the Co concentrations in haemoglobin or in whole blood. The urinary findings, though, do not show the same reliability because of their wide daily and weekly fluctuations.

     

Respiratory findings in spice factory workers

The respiratory consequences of working in the spice industry were studied in 92 female spice factory workers (mean age, 36 yr; mean exposure, 12 yr). A control group of 104 female workers employed in a nondusty industry was also studied. The prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms was significantly higher in the exposed than in the control group. In particular, the prevalence of dyspnea (57.6%), chronic cough (22.8%), chronic phlegm and chronic bronchitis (19.6%), nasal catarrh (37.0%), and sinusitis (22.2%) was high when compared to controls (p less than .01). Among spice factory workers, a high prevalence of acute symptoms during the workshift was recorded. Acute reductions in lung function were statistically significant over the workshift for forced vital capacity (FVC), -2.0%; forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1.0), -3.0%; and for maximum expiratory flow rates at 50% (FEF50), -8.3% and at 25% (FEF25), -15.2% measured on maximum expiratory flow-volume (MEFV) curves. No difference was found in across-shift ventilatory function in workers with or without chronic respiratory symptoms, except for FEF25 (with symptoms, 16.7%; without symptoms, 9.6%). Preshift administration of 40 mg of disodium cromoglycate (DSC) inhaled 15 min before the workshift significantly diminished acute reductions in FEF50 and FEF25 in exposed workers. Monday preshift FEF50 and FEF25 in exposed workers were significantly lower than in control workers (p less than .01), which suggests an early irreversible component to this illness.     

某汽车制造厂职业卫生现况调查

某汽车制造厂是中日合资的一家大型汽车制造厂 ,是郑州市重点保护企业之一 ,年产量 960 0余台。主要危害因素为噪声、电焊尘、毒物。为了预防控制和消除职业病危害 ,防治职业病 ,保护劳动者健康及其相关权益 ,根据《中华人民共和国职业病防治法》第二十四条、第三十二条及第三十六条的规定 ,我所于 2 0 0 3年 7月 5～ 12日对该厂有害作业场所进行了现场监测 ,对接害作业工人 62 2名进行了体检 ,结果如下。1　调查内容与方法1 1　调查内容　根据劳动卫生学要求对该厂驾焊车间、底盘零件车间、油漆车间等生产车间进行现场调查 ,确定监测内容为…     

某仪表厂职业卫生状况调查分析

目的　了解某仪表厂作业工人的健康状况、卫生习惯、职业卫生知识了解程度、职业防护情况以及车间空气中汞浓度测定、作业工人岗位防护设施等职业卫生状况。方法　询问、体检及现场监测作业场所空气中汞浓度。结果　该仪表厂71 0 %的接汞作业工人岗位未安装防护设施 ,77 8%的作业工人岗位地面、墙壁、天花板散落汞珠 ;抽查 3个车间的空气中汞浓度均超过国家卫生标准 ,就业前体检率为 5 6 4% ,定期职业性体检率为 90 6% ,有 86 8%的接汞作业工人尿汞浓度超过正常上限值 ,5 0 %以上的接汞作业工人缺乏职业卫生知识。结论　该仪表厂职业卫生问题比较严重 ,对汞危害的预防应采取综合的防治措施     

Respiratory health of cigar factory workers

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether occupational exposure to raw tobacco causes respiratory or allergic diseases, an excess of respiratory symptoms, a decrease in lung function, or parenchymal changes in chest radiography among Finnish cigar workers. METHODS: This cross sectional study included all Finnish cigar workers (n = 106) exposed to raw tobacco and also a group of unexposed matched referents. Data were collected with a self administered questionnaire, flow volume spirometry, measurements of diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide, chest radiography and skin prick tests. A questionnaire was also sent to former workers of the factory. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the groups in the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and chest radiography findings. Nine of 102 tobacco workers had pulmonary fibrosis of at least 1/0 (according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) 1980 classification) and the corresponding figure was five for the referents. The tobacco workers tended to have a low forced vital capacity (FVC), and they had impaired forced expiratory volume in 1 second and lower means of the maximal expiratory flow at 25% of the FVC significantly more often than the referents. Diffusing capacity tended to be lower among the referents. The referents more often had atopy and earlier atopic diseases than the exposed workers. These results indicate the possibility of selection among the exposed workers. CONCLUSIONS: No excess of prevalence of respiratory symptoms in the tobacco workers was found. According to the questionnaire episodes of allergic alveolitis may have occurred in the cigar factory workers. However, in the absence of impairments in lung function and radiological changes it was not possible to distinguish humidifier fever and allergic alveolitis. In exposure conditions that include humidification of the air humidifier, fever and allergic alveolitis constitute a risk for tobacco workers. No effects were shown of exposure to tobacco dust on lung function.       

某厂电焊作业工人职业危害调查分析

目的 调查电焊作业的职业危害因素及其对工人健康的影响.方法 选择某机械厂电焊工人206名为电焊组,选择该厂206名办公室工作人员为对照组.对两组人群进行职业史、呼吸系统、神经系统、听觉、视力及卫生防护知识知晓状况等调查,并进行工作环境、电焊烟尘、噪声和锰烟尘等有害因素检测.结果 通过68个作业点检测发现,电焊尘、锰浓度和噪声超标严重,超标率分别为27.9%、30.9%及54.4%;206例电焊工人患支气管炎19例(9.2%),肺炎13例(6.3%);102例(49.5%)有头痛、头晕症状,111例(53.9%)有失眠、健忘症状;101例(49.0%)听力下降,127例(61.7%)主诉肌肉关节痛;11例患有金属烟热病(5.3%),7例锰中毒(3.4%).与对照组比较,除了锰中毒差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)外,其他症状发生率差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05).结论 电焊作业危害严重,改善电焊作业环境和加强个人防护是防治电焊作业职业危害的根本措施.     

Respiratory diseases in wood workers

A survey was carried out on wood workers and on a group of unexposed, healthy controls. One group of wood workers (group A) were asymptomatic and another (group B) had symptoms either of chronic cough and dyspnoea on exertion (B1) or dyspnoea at work and bronchial hyperreactivity (B2). The control group (group C) was randomly selected from among a population of laboratory workers. No significant differences were found among the groups with respect to the frequency of atopy but the prevalence of a positive skin reaction to wood extracts was significantly higher in the asthmatic subjects. The adjusted FVC and FEV1/FVC% were significantly higher in B1 than in the other groups; the FEV1 was lower in B1 than in B2 and in B2 than in the other groups; TLCO and KCO differed significantly in all four groups. A significant negative correlation was observed between FEV1, MEF50, TLCO and KCO and duration of exposure to wood dusts. The alveolar volumes were not significantly different between the groups and were not correlated with duration of exposure. These results confirm the observation that exposure to wood dust or to some bronchoreactive substances linked with wood working can induce chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD). Some cases of wood dust asthma seem to be related to an immediate allergic reaction, but precipitating antibodies appear to be an index of exposure rather than of disease. The decrease in diffusion capacity can be ascribed to a thickening of the alveolar capillary membranes secondary to an alveolitis like, non-symptomatic, allergic reaction.     

农民工职业卫生行为干预初步研究

目的 探讨职业卫生行为干预对农民工职业危害的预防效果.方法 通过开展现场培训、发放宣传资料、观看职业病防治DVD、张贴职业病防治海报等活动,对1278名农民工进行职业卫生行为干预,并调查干预前后农民工职业病防治的认知和行为状况.结果 行为干预后,农民工对职业病防治知识的认知程度有较大提高,干预前后的差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);除"想知道日常工作中接触什么职业病因素"问题外.农民工对职业病防治知识的渴求、对工作条件的改善等方面的态度均有所改变,与干预前比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);农民工个人防护用晶使用率都有提高,且正确使用率上升幅度较大.结论 实施职业卫生行为干预,对于提高农民工职业卫生知识水平,改变其职业病防治态度和职业行为习惯有重要作用,是一种适宜在农民工中推广应用的职业危害预防措施.     

Prevalence of diseases in shoe factory workers

The paper evaluates the health status of shoe factory workers. Diseases of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, liver, gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts, and thyroid are prominent in the structure of morbidity in the workers.     

机械加工企业职业噪声暴露与高血压关系的流行病学研究

目的探讨机械加工企业职业噪声暴露与高血压的发病关系。方法对噪声作业场所进行现场噪声测定，对噪声从业人员进行现场调查。结果机械加工企业噪声从业人员高血压患病率为12．1％。随着累积噪声暴露量（CNE）的增加高血压患病率逐渐升高（趋势X^2=29．932，P〈0．01），高血压患病率与CNE之间存在明显的剂量反应关系。非条件logistic回归分析结果显示：在校正了年龄、体重指数和高血压家族史等影响因素的干扰后，CNE每增加1dB（A），噪声从业人员其高血压发病的危险增加5％（OR=1．047）。结论噪声暴露可能是高血压发病的一个危险因素，降低作业场所的噪声强度可能是减少机械加工企业噪声从业人员高血压发病的有效措施。     

对某化工机械厂职业卫生预评价分析

采用《工业企业建设项目卫生预评价规范》中的评价指标,对“三同时”竣工验收项目进行劳动卫生学评价,为预防性卫生监督工作的定量评价提供依据。     

Respiratory diseases in wood workers.

A survey was carried out on wood workers and on a group of unexposed, healthy controls. One group of wood workers (group A) were asymptomatic and another (group B) had symptoms either of chronic cough and dyspnoea on exertion (B1) or dyspnoea at work and bronchial hyperreactivity (B2). The control group (group C) was randomly selected from among a population of laboratory workers. No significant differences were found among the groups with respect to the frequency of atopy but the prevalence of a positive skin reaction to wood extracts was significantly higher in the asthmatic subjects. The adjusted FVC and FEV1/FVC% were significantly higher in B1 than in the other groups; the FEV1 was lower in B1 than in B2 and in B2 than in the other groups; TLCO and KCO differed significantly in all four groups. A significant negative correlation was observed between FEV1, MEF50, TLCO and KCO and duration of exposure to wood dusts. The alveolar volumes were not significantly different between the groups and were not correlated with duration of exposure. These results confirm the observation that exposure to wood dust or to some bronchoreactive substances linked with wood working can induce chronic obstructive lung disease (COLD). Some cases of wood dust asthma seem to be related to an immediate allergic reaction, but precipitating antibodies appear to be an index of exposure rather than of disease. The decrease in diffusion capacity can be ascribed to a thickening of the alveolar capillary membranes secondary to an alveolitis like, non-symptomatic, allergic reaction.     

汽车铸造作业工人队列死因研究

目的 分析危害汽车铸造作业工人健康的主要疾病,探讨铸造作业有害因素对工人寿命的影响.方法 采用流行病学队列研究方法,以某汽车铸造厂1980年在册的3529名职工为研究对象,从1980年随访至2005年底,以全国城市居民年龄别死亡率均值为参照,用标化死亡比(SMR)作为统计指标,并计算95%可信区间.结果 随访至2005年底,共计84 999人年,共死亡265人,死亡率3.12‰,累积死亡率为7.51%.铸工队列全死因SMR为0.96(95%CI:0.85～1.08)与全国平均水平持平,随着年龄增长,全死因SMR呈现升高趋势,50岁以上组工人的SMR均大于1.影响铸造工人寿命的主要疾病按累积死亡率从高到低排序分别是:恶性肿瘤(3.43%)、意外伤害(1.16%)、脑血管疾病(1.08%)、心血管疾病(0.79%).恶性肿瘤占总死亡原因的45.7%.铸造工人中死亡率明显升高的疾病有恶性肿瘤(SMR=7.87)、意外伤害(SMR=2.70)、心血管疾病(SMR=2.68)、消化系统疾病(SMR=2.79).一线作业工人恶性肿瘤死亡是辅助丁人的1.95倍(RR=1.95,P<0.05).结论 铸造作业中粉尘等职业危害因素明显影响工人的健康,恶性肿瘤死亡明显增加,应加强防护.     

特种作业职工身体健康状况调查及其管理对策

对985名特种作业工人的职业禁忌证进行了调查。发现有112名（占11．4％）患有职业禁忌证者继续从事着该项工作,说明对特种作业人员的健康管理存在问题,反映了执行国家有关规定不利,为此,提出了做好特种作业人员的健康管理对策。