ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Although asphalt fume is a recognized irritant, previous studies of acute symptoms during asphalt paving have produced inconsistent results. Between 1994 and 1997, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) evaluated workers at seven sites in six states. METHODS: NIOSH (a) measured exposures of asphalt paving workers to total (TP) and benzene-soluble particulate (BSP), polycyclic aromatic compounds, and other substances; (b) administered symptom questionnaires pre-shift, every 2 hr during the shift, and post-shift to asphalt exposed and nonexposed workers; and (c) measured peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) of asphalt paving workers when they completed a symptom questionnaire. RESULTS: Full-shift time-weighted average exposures to TP and BSP ranged from 0.01 to 1.30 mg/m(3) and 0.01 to 0.82 mg/m(3), respectively. Most BSP concentrations were <0.50 mg/m(3). Asphalt workers had a higher occurrence rate of throat irritation than nonexposed workers [13% vs. 4%, odds ratio (OR) = 4.0, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2-13]. TP, as a continuous variable, was associated with eye (OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.12-1.60) and throat (OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.06-1.85) symptoms. With TP dichotomous at 0.5 mg/m(3), the ORs and 95% CIs for eye and throat symptoms were 7.5 (1.1-50) and 15 (2.3-103), respectively. BSP, dichotomous at 0.3 mg/m(3), was associated with irritant (eye, nose, or throat) symptoms (OR = 11, 95% CI: 1.5-84). One worker, a smoker, had PEFR-defined bronchial lability, which did not coincide with respiratory symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Irritant symptoms were associated with TP and BSP concentrations at or below 0.5 mg/m(3).
Subject(s)
Air Pollutants, Occupational/analysis , Eye Diseases/epidemiology , Hydrocarbons , Inhalation Exposure/analysis , Occupational Exposure/analysis , Respiratory Tract Diseases/epidemiology , Acute Disease , Analysis of Variance , Environmental Monitoring , Epidemiological Monitoring , Eye Diseases/etiology , Female , Humans , Logistic Models , Male , National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S. , Particle Size , Respiratory Function Tests , Respiratory Tract Diseases/etiology , United States/epidemiologyABSTRACT
A solicitud de la OPS, NIOSH condujo un estudio de la exposición ocupacional a metales pesados y anhídrido sulfurosos(SO2) en la Empresa Metalúrgica Vinto (ENAF), Oruro, Bolivia. Se seleccionaron quince trabajadores para el estudio que parecían haber tenido una alta exposición a los metales. Los resultados de las muestras de aire y análisis de sangre y de orina demuestran que la exposición al arsénico, cadmio, plomo, antimonio y anhídrido sulfuroso son un peligro para la salud de algunos de los empleados de ENAF. La mayoría de los 15 trabajadores fueron expuestos a niveles peligrosos de arsénico en la orina, lo que indica que se deben mejorar los controles a la exposición. Cinco de los 15 trabajadores tenian altos niveles de plomo en la sangre. Se han hecho recomendaciones a ENAF para un control mejor de los peligros de salud identificados, incluyendo un estudio más profundo de las exposiciones, implementación de controles de ingeniería, instalaciones mejores de higiene, implementación de un programa de observación médica y mejoras en el programa de protección respiratoria
