Grouping schemes of welding fume exposure in shipyard welders

Welding fume exposure can increase the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the optimal grouping schemes of welding fume exposure in shipyard welders for future accurate examination of the association between welding fume exposure and COPD. Industrial hygiene records, including welding fume measurements between 2002 and 2009 were collected from a shipyard. A total of 2,360 personal welding fume measurements was compiled with a geometric mean of 1.66 mg/m³ and a geometric standard deviation of 4.02. Welding jobs were categorized into 8 groups. There were 9 working areas. To obtain the optimal grouping scheme, various grouping schemes were created using job, area, and job^*area combination. To compare various grouping schemes, contrast and precision were calculated for each grouping scheme. For all measurement data, group mean ranking method created by ranking geometric means of the job^*area combination into 3 groups (group mean ranking method) showed the best contrast and precision values among various grouping schemes, followed by grouping based on the job. For a subset of the data excluding job^*area combinations with less than 10 measurements, grouping based on the job showed greater contrast than group mean ranking method, while for other subsets, including only repeated measurement data or further excluding job^*area combinations with less than 10 measurements from the repeated measurement subset, group mean ranking method showed greater contrast than grouping based on the job. Our results showed that group mean ranking or grouping based on the job could be a candidate for the optimal grouping schemes in this shipyard. Our efforts for optimal grouping scheme may aid future cohort study to elucidate the association between welding fume exposure and COPD.     

Fiber size and number in workers exposed to processed chrysotile asbestos, chrysotile miners, and the general population

We analyzed chrysotile and chrysotile-associated amphibole (largely tremolite) asbestos fibers in 21 workers exposed to various types of processed (milled) chrysotile ore, 20 long-term chrysotile miners, and 20 members of the general population (controls). Significantly greater amounts of both chrysotile and tremolite were found in processed-ore workers and miners than in controls. On average, the mean fiber lengths and aspect ratios for the mining and processed-ore-exposed workers were similar and were significantly greater than the values seen in the controls; within the processed-ore group, there was a marked variation in these parameters, and some workers appeared to be exposed to fairly long, thin fibers. It was found empirically that the fiber size data, and to a lesser extent the concentration data, could be used to classify workers accurately into those with processed-ore exposure and controls. We conclude that fiber sizes in the lungs of processed-ore-exposed workers are similar to those of chrysotile miners and are considerably longer than those found in the general population; some processed-ore workers have longer fibers which might be responsible for higher disease incidences in certain working groups; tremolite accompanies chrysotile in a variable proportion of workers exposed to processed chrysotile products and might be important in the genesis of mesothelioma in such workers; and mineralogic analysis will usually detect exposure even when chrysotile has largely disappeared from lung tissue.     

某造船厂48年职业病防治工作回顾与评估

[目的]研究某造船厂职业病和职业中毒的发生特点、工种分布、主要原因及发生趋势;了解该企业职业病防治措施及其效果。[方法]通过查阅档案、与工厂职业病医师访谈等方式,收集某造船企业生产环境中各种有毒有害因素的监测数据资料、职业病病例档案,并对资料进行回顾和统计分析。[结果]该企业1960年1月～2007年12月48年间共发生94例尘肺、3例苯中毒、2例锰中毒、200例高温中暑,2000例电光性眼炎。该企业根据相关法律法规,采取建立监管体系、工艺改革、作业点更址、改进防护等措施,完善制度和体系,加强职业病防治,使职业病的发病明显降低。如尘肺由1970～1980年间发病47例下降到2000年以来仅有5例,2000年以来未见有慢性职业中毒和高温中暑病例发生。[结论]该造船企业尘肺和职业中毒等职业病的发生呈下降趋势,职业病防治工作取得了明显的效果;说明积极开展多部门参与的健康促进是全面落实职业病防治的有效途径。     

Lung cancer prevalence among shipyard workers

The prevalence of lung cancer has been ascertained during a survey of 286 shipyard workers all 20 to 45 years from onset of asbestos exposure in shipyard work. Two men had had previous thoracic surgery for lung cancer. In addition, bronchogenic carcinoma was found in five men. One was among the 35 men less than 30 years in the yard; three were in the 191 who had begun work 30 to 39 years before, and one was in the group of 60 men who were 40+ years from onset. The potential usefulness of large-scale surveillance programs for the early detection of lung cancer among current and former shipyard workers is discussed.     

广州市某造船厂工人颈部工作相关肌肉骨骼疾患影响因素分析

目的 调查广州市某造船厂工人工作相关肌肉骨骼疾患(work-related musculoskeletal disorders,WMSDs)患病情况,探讨影响颈部WMSDs的主要因素.方法 以广州市某造船厂工作人员为研究对象,采用《北欧肌肉骨骼疾患问卷(修改版)》调查其WMSDs患病情况,运用多因素logistic回归...     

某造船企业1994-2005年职业伤害流行病学调查

[目的]分析造船企业职业伤害的分布规律和有关危险因素。[方法]收集某造船企业1994年1月至2005年12月间发生并上报的工伤事故个案资料加以整理，用Epidata3．0建立数据库，用SPSS10．0进行统计分析。[结果]11年来总职业伤害事故发生率为3．63％。，轻伤：重伤：死亡比例为70：7．5：1。以〈5年（15．29％）、20．25年（15．92％）、30-35年（18．47％）工龄组发生居多；伤害部位以手指和脚趾为主（31．21％）；事故类型以物体打击最多见（21．66％）；事故原因以个人相关原因为主（54．77％）。[结论]职业伤害是由多种原因造成，其中个人因素和环境因素十分重要，职业伤害的防制应从加强安全教育、改进设备和改善工作环境等方面综合开展。     

Acute high dose exposure to benzene in shipyard workers.

Fifteen degassers were acutely exposed over several days to high concentrations (> 60 ppm) of benzene during removal of residual fuel (degassing) from shipboard fuel tanks. Medical surveillance evaluation mandated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Benzene Standard initially revealed 11 workers (73%) reporting neurotoxic symptoms while degassing. Workers with more than 2 days (16 hours) of acute exposure were significantly more likely to report dizziness and nausea than those with 2 or fewer days of acute exposure. Repeated laboratory analyses performed over a 4-month period after the acute exposure revealed at least one hematologic abnormality consistent with benzene exposure in 9 (60%) of these degassers. One year later, 6 workers (40%) had persistent abnormalities; an additional worker with normal hematologic parameters at the time of our initial evaluation subsequently developed an abnormality consistent with benzene exposure. Numerous large granular lymphocytes were observed on 6 (40%) of the peripheral blood smears. Despite these laboratory findings, there were no significant associations between the presence of hematologic abnormalities and either the number of hours of acute benzene exposure or the duration of employment as a degasser. Volatilization of benzene from the residual fuel was the suspected source of benzene in the headspace of tanks. Confined space exposure to petroleum products may be exposing workers to benzene at levels above the OSHA Short-Term Exposure Limit (STEL). This situation warrants further study.     

Mortality among Coast Guard Shipyard workers: A retrospective cohort study of specific exposures

In a previous analysis of a cohort of shipyard workers, we found excess mortality from all causes, lung cancer, and mesothelioma for longer work durations and in specific occupations. Here, we expand the previous analyses by evaluating mortality associated with 5 chemical exposures: asbestos, solvents, lead, oils/greases, and wood dust. Data were gathered retrospectively for 4,702 workers employed at the Coast Guard Shipyard, Baltimore, MD (1950–1964). The cohort was traced through 2001 for vital status. Associations between mortality and these 5 exposures were calculated via standardized mortality ratios (SMRs). We found all 5 substances to be independently associated with mortality from mesothelioma, cancer of the respiratory system, and lung cancer. Findings from efforts to evaluate solvents, lead, oils/greases, and wood dust in isolation of asbestos suggested that the excesses from these other exposures may be due to residual confounding from asbestos exposure.     

Commentary. Finnish Institute of Occupational Health Asbestos Program 1987–1992

In 1987–1992, the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) implemented a nationwide asbestos program aimed at preventing asbestos-related risks in good cooperation with governmental authorities, industry, trade unions, the health care and insurance systems, and mass media. The goals were to minimize all exposure to asbestos, identify people exposed at work, and improve the diagnostics of asbestos diseases, especially cancers. The program entailed several concrete actions and extensive dissemination of information, training, services, and scientific research. As proposed by the State Asbestos Committee, new use of asbestos products was banned and strict regulations were applied to renovation and inspection of old buildings. The screening study of asbestos-induced diseases included 18,943 current and retired workers from house building, shipyard, and asbestos industries. Pleural and parenchymal changes were found in 4.133 persons (22%), who were referred to further clinical examinations as suspected cases of an occupational disease. It was estimated that past exposure of asbestos among the Finnish population of 5 million causes > 150 mesotheliomas and lung cancers annually, totalling > 2,000 asbestos-induced cancer deaths by the year 2010. Although several major control actions were made or started during the program, the bulk of the preventive work still lies ahead.