An environmental and medical survey was undertaken in the slate-pencil industry in the central part of India. The industrial hygiene survey revealed that concentrations of free silica dust were very high. The medical survey, involving 593 workers, revealed that the prevalence of silicosis in this industry was 54.6%. Of these, 17.7% of workers had conglomerate silicosis (progressive massive fibrosis, PMF). The radiologic appearance of simple and conglomerate silicosis resembled closely the simple pneumoconiosis and progressive massive fibrosis (PMF) among other occupational groups exposed to free silica and also found in coal workers. The pulmonary lesions were detectable after a relatively short duration of exposure. The short latent period of development and the high prevalence of silicosis observed among these workers are related to exposure to high concentrations of siliceous dust in the work environment.
Urine samples of workers in a small-scale unit manufacturing Direct Black 38 were analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography for the presence of benzidine and mono and diacetyl benzidine. Acetylated metabolites were found in all the urine samples, and benzidine was found in all except two. Two workers excreted very high levels of benzidine and its metabolites in their urine. This study highlights the potential risk of bladder cancer in such units of developing countries where manufacture of benzidine-based dyes is yet to be regulated.
While surveying the hygienic conditions in small to medium ceramic industries, it was noted that an acute thermal stress problem existed in kiln unloading operations being performed manually. A more detailed investigation of this problem in four typical ceramic factories confirmed that the thermal conditions imposed severe stress on the workers with WBGT values ranging between 43 and 54 degree C inside the kiln. However, the physiological strain experienced by even the workers who remain inside the kiln for unloading the saggers for 10 min or more at a tiem before coming out for a spell of rest was not excessive, except in a few cases. This suggests that the workers had fortuitously chosen, perhaps by experience, a work-rest schedule which did not prove too strenuous. It is considered that it would be desirable to regulate this operation in each factory on a systematic manner after necessary studies to rationalize the work-rest procedure.
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