A study on respiratory problems and pulmonary function indexes among cement industry workers in Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

Background: The respiratory system is the most vulnerable system in the cement industry. This study was conducted to determine the effects of occupational exposure to cement dust on the respiratory system more thoroughly. Material and Methods: In this cross sectional study an interviewer-administered questionnaire on socio-demographic characteristics and respiratory symptoms was completed and pulmonary function tests were carried out on 100 exposed and 120 non-exposed workers at the cement factory in Mashhad, Iran. The data was statistically analyzed by SPSS 16. Results: The mean of age and work duration in the exposed group was 37.5±6.3 and 10.7±5.4 years compared with the non-exposed group that was 36.1±7.1 and 10.1±5.7 years, respectively. Levels of exposure to inhalable cement dust in the exposed group were 23.13 mg/m 3 (higher than national occupational exposure limits for such particles). Among the exposed group, respiratory symptoms as cough (6% vs. 0.8% of the non-exposed) and sputum (7% vs. 0.8% of the nonexposed) were significantly more prevalent (p < 0.05). Forced expiratory flow 25-75% (FEF 25-75% ) was significantly lower in the exposed workers compared with non-exposed ones (p < 0.05). Also forced expiratory volume in 1 s / forced vital capacity (FEV 1 /FVC) and FEF 25-75% had a reverse correlation with the length of employment (p = 0.000 and p = 0.003, respectively). Conclusions: The findings of this study showed that occupational exposure to cement dust could be a significant factor of respiratory system dysfunction. Strict implementation of a respiratory protection program is recommended in cement industries. Med Pr 2015;66(4):471-477

Effects of Airborne Particulate Matter on Respiratory Health in a Community near a Cement Factory in Chilanga, Zambia: Results from a Panel Study

“…Cough is the most basic response to airway irritation; nearly any type of irritation would induce cough compared to other symptoms. These findings are similar to other reports [ 8 , 25 , 39 , 40 ] and have also been demonstrated by epidemiological research in occupational settings [ 13 , 14 , 41 ]. Another symptom that was commonly reported in both communities was nasal irritation.…”

“…Evidence in literature shows that excessive exposure to PM, either acute or chronic effects (in a 24-h period or prolonged period), is associated with increased respiratory symptoms such as cough, phlegm, acute and chronic bronchitis, nasal irritation and reduced lung indices [ 14 , 15 , 34 , 35 , 36 ]. In this study, concentrations of PM were higher in the exposed community compared to control in all seasons.…”

“…Both long term (reductions in lung functions) and short term (cough, wheeze, phlegm and shortness of breath) respiratory effects due to exposure to PM have been reported globally [ 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. The most commonly reported respiratory symptoms include cough, wheeze, dyspnea, sneezing and phlegm [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ]. Additionally, lung function measured as forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), ratio of forced expiratory volume in one second and forced vital capacity (ratio of FEV1/FVC), peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) and peak expiratory flow (PEF) has also been shown to be reduced [ 10 , 12 , 15 , 16 ].…”

Socioeconomic conditions and health hazards of brick field workers: A case study of Mymensingh brick industrial area of Bangladesh

“…The estimates of the symptoms observed in the present study are also quite similar to the previous studies done on workers exposed to dust and smoke in brick kilns and other occupations (Neghab and Choobineh, 2007;Fidan et al, 2005;Croitoru and Sarraf, 2012;Rafeemanesh et al, 2015;AlNeaimi et al, 2001;Vikrant et al, 2016;Shewale et al, 2013;Das, 2015b;Patil et al, 2017;Inbaraj et al, 2013). Majority of brick kilns in Bangladesh burns not only wood and coal but also plastic and tires for baking the bricks which makes the brick kiln workers susceptible to high exposure of air pollution and health related problems.…”

Respiratory Health of Artisanal Miner of Lwisha in Katanga/DR Congo

“…The prevalence of wheezing and the crisis of shortness of breath after effort were lower than in relation to the results of the studies made by Singh [17], Abdel-Rasoul [18], Singh [19], and Nurul [20] in the middle of the dust due to metals. But it was superior to the prevalence found by Ehsan [21] among the workers of the cement plant in Iran. In addition, the prevalence of asthma found in this work was 24% in the exposed, far exceeding that reported by Bonny [22], Chun-Yang [23], Laraqui [24] and Hafiz [25]; this suggests that asthma as pathology is far from being a rare condition among artisanal miners and could constitute a major public health problem among the miners, in particular in the city of Lubumbashi.…”