Journal article
Respiratory symptoms and lung function abnormalities among machine operators in automobile production
American journal of industrial medicine, Vol.31(4), pp.403-413
04/1997
DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0274(199704)31:4<403::AID-AJIM5>3.0.CO;2-W
PMID: 9093654
Abstract
This cross-sectional study was designed to assess differences in prevalence of respiratory symptoms and lung function between machine operators exposed to semisynthetic or soluble metal-working fluids (MWFs) and unexposed assemblers and to assess exposure-response relationships with MWF type, total aerosol, endotoxin, culturable bacteria and fungi. We evaluated 183 machine operators and 66 assemblers from one large automobile transmission plant using questionnaires, spirometry data, and cross-shift assessment of both lung function and respiratory symptoms. We found that airborne exposures to total aerosol, endotoxin, culturable bacteria and fungi were higher in machine operations than in the assembly area. There was a correlation between bulk and airborne culturable bacteria, but not between bulk and airborne culturable fungi. Machine operators had significantly more usual cough, usual phlegm, work-related chest tightness and post-shift symptoms of chest tightness, throat irritation, and cough compared with assemblers. We found exposure-response relationships between respiratory symptoms and total aerosol, as well as culturable fungi and bacteria. Associations with endotoxin were not strong or consistent, possibly because airborne levels were generally low. Cross-shift lung function decrements did not differ between machine operators and assemblers and there were no associations with MWF or specific exposures. The finding of respiratory symptoms at low levels of exposure in this study suggests the need to re-assess total aerosol thresholds. Associations between airborne fungal exposures and respiratory symptoms need further study to characterize sources of exposure other than MWF in machining operations.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Respiratory symptoms and lung function abnormalities among machine operators in automobile production
- Creators
- Nancy L Sprince - University of Iowa, Occupational and Environmental HealthPeter S Thorne - University of Iowa, Civil and Environmental EngineeringWilliam Popendorf - Division of Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IACraig Zwerling - University of IowaElizabeth Ruth Miller - University of IowaJeannine A DeKoster - Division of Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- American journal of industrial medicine, Vol.31(4), pp.403-413
- Publisher
- John Wiley & Sons, Inc
- DOI
- 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0274(199704)31:4<403::AID-AJIM5>3.0.CO;2-W
- PMID
- 9093654
- ISSN
- 0271-3586
- eISSN
- 1097-0274
- Number of pages
- 11
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 04/1997
- Academic Unit
- Civil and Environmental Engineering; Occupational and Environmental Health
- Record Identifier
- 9983557692502771
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