Respiratory hazards among workers in flour milling industry

ABSTRACT

In flour milling industry, respiratory disorders are the main health problems resulting from exposure to grain dust and flour. The aim of this work is to study the prevalence of different respiratory diseases [bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, and asthmatic bronchitis] among workers in South Cairo flour Mills Company, and to detect pulmonary ventilatory impairement among them. In our study, chronic obstructive airway diseases [COAD] especially asthmatic bronchitis were significantly higher among exposed workers than among control group, also among exposed smokers than control smokers. The prevalence of COAD among exposed workers showed a significant positive association with the duration of emlpyement. Ventilatory function measurements showed sinificantly lower values of FEV/FVC% FEV and FVC% for exosed workers than the controls, also exposed smokers than exposed non smokers. All ventilatory function measurements showed a significant inverse relationship with duration of exposure