Objectives: The aim of this study was to estimate occupational exposure to wood dust in the furniture industry in a minor industrial estate in Bursa/Turkey. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted between October 2006 and May 2007. In this study, a total of 656 persons, 328 woodworkers and 328 controls were included. A questionnaire was used in the study. Physical examination and the pulmonary function tests (MIR-Spirobank G) of the workers were performed. A portable Aircheck 2000 pump was used to collect the specimens of wood dust from the workplaces. NIOSH Method 0500 was employed for the gravimetric measurements of dust. Results: The average dust concentration at the workplace was 2.04±1.53 mg/m 3 . It was reported that 176 of workers (53.7%) had blocked nose while working, 141 (43.0%) had redness of the eyes, 135 (41.2%) had itching eyes and 78 (23.8%) had runny nose. No symptoms were observed in the control group while they were working at the workplace. The mean FEV 1 and FVC values of woodworkers, among both smokers and non smokers, were significantly low, although the FEV 1 /FVC value was high (p < 0.05). An increase both in FEV 1 and FVC values was detected among the woodworkers who had a working period less than 10 years and were exposed to wood dust at concentrations over 4 mg/m 3 compared to the woodworkers who were exposed to wood dust at less than 4 mg/m 3 (p < 0.05). Conclusions: As a result, in this study it was pointed out that the exposure to wood dust adversely influenced the workers respiratory functions. Besides, in this study a question associated with the healthy worker effect that can adversely influence health of workers exposed to wood dust at less than (4 mg/m 3 ) is revealed.

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The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the health and respiratory function of residents around the Orhaneli thermal power plant in Turkey. The study was conducted using face-to-face interviews, and respiratory functions were measured with a spirometer. The respiratory functions of 2350 residents, 15 years and older, living in communities near the coal-fired Orhaneli thermal power plant in Turkey were measured. The control group consisted of 469 persons from similar communities without a nearby power plant. The FEV1 (forced expiratory volume after 1 s) and FVC (forced vital capacity) values of the study participants were significantly lower than those of the control group, and residents directly downwind of the plant's smokestack showed greater impairment of respiratory functions compared with residents upwind.