An updated mortality study of workers at a dye and resin manufacturing plant

This investigation evaluated the mortality experience of workers at a dye and resin manufacturing plant in New Jersey. The retrospective follow-up study included 3266 workers employed for at least 6 months at the plant. Plant production areas were South Dyes, where anthraquinone dyes and intermediates were produced; North Dyes, where azo dyes and intermediates were produced; and plastics and additives, where various resins and additives for plastics were made. Analyses used standardized mortality ratio (SMRs) to compare the cohort's cause-specific mortality rates during 1952 to 1995 with the rates of the New Jersey population. There were fewer than expected deaths from all causes combined (728 observed vs 810 expected) and similar numbers of observed and expected cancer deaths (225 vs 232). Statistically significant work area-specific cancer excesses were limited to white men and included an excess of lung cancer in Maintenance workers (40 observed vs 26 expected; SMR, 153; 95% confidence interval [CI], 109 to 208) and in South Dyes workers (32 observed vs 19 expected; SMR, 168; CI, 115 to 237) and an excess of stomach cancer (5 observed vs 1.3 expected; SMR, 386; CI, 125 to 901), bladder cancer (4 observed vs 0.8 expected; SMR, 515; CI, 140 to 1318) and central nervous system cancer (5 observed vs 1 expected; SMR, 517; CI, 168 to 1206) in North Dyes workers. None of these increases was concentrated in work area subgroups with long duration of employment and long potential induction time. It was concluded that the excess of bladder cancer probably was due to exposure to carcinogenic arylamines at another facility, where some employees had worked before coming to the study plant. The other cancer increases may be attributable to chance, to uncontrolled confounding by smoking, or to an unidentified occupational exposure.     

电化作业工人健康状况调查

对某化工厂电化车间作业工人健康状况进行调查。结果显示 ,慢性鼻炎、慢性咽炎等上呼吸道炎症患病率 ,观察组较对照组高 ,差异有显著性(P<0.05) ;肺功能异常率 ,观察组较对照组高 ,差异有显著性(P<0.05)。     

Retrospective cohort study of workers of a synthetic textiles plant in quebec: I. General mortality

This paper presents results from a retrospective cohort study of workers of a synthetic textiles plant in Quebec. This plant has been the subject of a previous case-control study, in which an excess risk of colorectal cancer was observed. The cohort consisted of 7,487 men and 2,724 women who had worked at least 1 year at the plant and who were either working in 1947 or were newly employed between 1947 and 1977. The period of follow-up was from 1947 to 1986, thus yielding 307,278 person-years of observation. Mortality rates for most causes of death were less than expected; the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for all causes of death among men was 0.73 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.70-0.77) and among women it was 0.77 (95%CI: 0.68-0.87). For men, the SMR for all neoplasms was 0.76 (95% CI: 0.69-0.83) and for colorectal cancer it was 0.69 (95%CI: 0.52-0.92). For women, the SMR for all neoplasms was 1.01 (95%CI: 0.83-1.22) and for colorectal cancer it was 1.02 (95%CI: 0.57-1.69). Among men, risks for ischemic heart disease increased with increasing length of service at the plant, even though the SMRs were less than unity (overall SMR = 0.76; 95%CI: 0.70-0.83); no trend was observed for women. SMRs and relative risks were also calculated according to duration of employment in each processing unit. Of the scores of associations tested, very few showed increased risks. Of those showing increased risks, the data were not persuasive in indicating a connection with work at the plant; nevertheless, some of these associations may be worth following up in future studies. The following associations of potential significance were observed: all cancers, liver-and gallbladder cancers, non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. and reticulum cell sarcoma in the cellulose acetate fiber manufacturing unit; all cancers in the polypropylene and cellulose triacetate extrusion unit and in the janitor unit; leukemias in the unexposed unit; ischemic heart disease in the maintenance and janitor units; and cerebrovascular disease in the weaving unit.     

对某化工厂工人实施健康教育干预的效果

目的 探讨健康教育对企业工人防治职业病知识水平和自我保护能力的效果.方法 以某家化工企业452名工人为研究对象,通过健康检查和集中进行教育干预,对实施健康教育前后工人对职业卫生知识的知晓率、一般卫生习惯的变化进行评价.结果 通过健康教育干预措施,职工职业卫生法规知识与职业病防治知识知晓率明显提高,干预前后差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05);一般卫生知识行为均有改善,吸烟、饮酒等不良嗜好下降了29.1％,饭前洗手增加了31.4％,下班后洗澡更衣增加了37.6％.结论 开展职业病健康教育,能提高企业职工的有关职业病防治知识水平与自我保护意识,是预防职业中毒的有效途径之一.     

Longitudinal study of the health of cotton workers.

OBJECTIVES--To follow up a group of newly employed workers in a cotton mill, and to report changes in symptoms over time. METHODS--A group of 110 mill workers at a cotton mill in Shijiazhuang, China, was investigated by questionnaire, skin testing, and spirometric measurements of airway responsiveness through forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). The workers were examined before starting work, at 10 weeks, and at one year. RESULTS--Decreases in FEV1 over shifts were small at 10 weeks and one year, and slightly higher among people with skin reactions to cotton dust extracts. Airway responsiveness, defined as the average decrease in FEV1 after 1.25 mg methacholine was increased at 10 weeks. It remained about the same after one year, except in the workers positive for the skin test, in whom it was further increased. Subjective symptoms of chest tightness and cough with phlegm increased progressively at 10 weeks and one year; nasal irritation remained unchanged and dry cough decreased between 10 weeks and one year. CONCLUSION--The results suggest that the airway inflammation caused by cotton dust increases with increasing exposure time and that the changes are more notable in workers with reactivity to cotton dust extract.     

Physical development and health of children of polyurethane foam plant workers

The paper presents data on poor working conditions at the foam polyurethane (FPU) plant, which cause specific clinical manifestations in workers, indirectly exert their children's health. The children of FPU plant workers have lower physical development, diseases of immune genesis (glumeronephritis, bronchial asthma, allergic manifestations, etc.) more frequently, higher incidence of dental caries, enamel hypoplasia in the presence of altered mineral metabolism.     

某甲醇厂作业人员健康状况调查分析

目的 分析某甲醇作业场所作业人员健康情况,为职业卫生管理提供依据。 方法 选择该厂工龄1年以上,同时接触甲醇和噪声的113名作业人员为接触组,单纯接触噪声的101名作业人员为对照组,比较两组各体检指标的差异。 结果 作业场所空气中甲醇浓度较低,时间加权平均浓度为0.9~18.3 mg/m3,短时间接触浓度为1.7~37.2 mg/m3。甲醇作业人员现场接触噪声的8 h等效声级在57.5~86.3 dB (A)之间,非甲醇作业人员现场接触噪声的8 h等效声级在56.9~89.2 dB (A)之间,两组差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。接触组头痛、视物模糊、头晕、多梦、眼痛咽痛、皮肤瘙痒等自觉症状发生率高于对照组,肝功能异常、脂肪肝的发生率也高于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05或0.01);部分甲醇作业人员出现手部皮肤粗糙现象。 结论 长期低浓度接触甲醇能对接触人员健康造成损害,但本次调查的作业人员体检结果要好于同类文献报道,这与该企业职业卫生管理工作相对到位有关。     

某冷轧厂工人健康检查结果分析

目的了解某不锈钢冷轧厂工人的健康状况,为职业病的防治提供基础资料。方法对某冷轧厂455名男性在岗职工进行职业史采集和健康检查,另选该厂原材料库和技术中心不接触噪声、高温和刺激性气体的男性职工为对照组。体检项目包括:血压测量、内外科常规项目检查、胸部X射线和腹部B超、耳鼻喉科检查、口腔科常规检查以及实验室检查等,其中接触噪声人员增加纯音听力测试、接触高温人员增加血糖检测、接触氢氟酸和硫酸人员增加肺弥散功能测定、接触粉尘人员增加高千伏胸部正位片及肺功能测试。结果冷轧厂工人听力异常、心电图异常和耳鼻喉及口腔科的异常检出率显著高于对照组,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05);而且听力异常、耳鼻喉及口腔科的异常检出率随着工龄的延长而增加,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.01)。结论冷轧作业中的有害因素对工人的心血管系统、听力和耳鼻喉及口腔科的健康有一定影响,且与工龄的延长成正比。