Silicosis in a grey iron foundry. The persistence of an ancient disease.

Landrigan, Philip J.; Cherniack, Martin G.; Lewis, F A; Catlett, Larry; Hornung, Richard

doi:10.5271/sjweh.2181

Cited by 34 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…This figure is low compared to other studies of foundry workers: 7.6% annual prevalence from 1950 to 1960 at an English steel foundry (14) , 5.4% for those with more than 10 years of tenure among Finnish foundry workers (15) , 9.6% in a U.S. foundry (16) , and 10.3% in a South African foundry (17) . Less than half of those employees who were away from work because of lay-offs, injuries or other reasons were evaluated.…”

Section: Medicalcontrasting

confidence: 45%

“…During the period of January [14][15][16][17][18]1991, environmental samples were collected during typical work shifts (day, evening, night) in the foundry in an attempt to evaluate the workers' exposures to total particulate, respirable silica, metals, isopropyl alcohol, carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide. Personal breathing zone samples were obtained for a number of foundry job titles, including molders, furnace tenders, and maintenance.…”

Section: Industrial Hygienementioning

confidence: 99%

“…On January [14][15][16][17][18]1991, medical and environmental surveys were conducted. All Blaw Knox foundry employees were invited to complete a medical questionnaire and were offered lung function testing and chest x-ray examination.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Health hazard evaluation report: HETA-90-0249-2381, Blaw Knox Rolls, Inc., Wheeling, West Virginia.

1994

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Environmental samples were collected during typical working shifts (day, evening, night) in the foundry in an attempt to evaluate the workers' exposures to total particulate, respirable silica, metals, isopropyl alcohol, and sulfur dioxide. Personal breathing zone samples were obtained on a number of foundry occupations, including molding, furnace tending, and maintenance. Area samples were also placed throughout the foundry near jobs thought to have excessive exposures.The environmental results indicate that one of the major health hazards at the Blaw Knox Rolls foundry is exposure to free crystalline silica. To summarize, 22 (42%) of all (personal and area) samples collected exceeded the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Level (REL) of 50 :g/m 3 for respirable quartz and 13 (23%) exceeded the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 100. It was also determined that a health hazard exists from employee overexposure to nickel, lead, chromium, sulfur dioxide and isopropyl alcohol. The metals chromium and nickel were found in excess of the NIOSH RELs of 0.001 mg/m 3 and 0.015 mg/m 3 , respectively. Lead exceeded the OSHA PELs of 0.05 mg/m 3 . Concentrations of sulfur dioxide ranged from 0.40 to slightly above 7 ppm, with the highest concentrations measured near the furnaces in Bay M and the horizontal spin spray coater in Bay J. Three sulfur dioxide samples exceeded both the NIOSH REL and the OSHA PEL of 2 ppm time-weighted average (TWA) exposure, with many more at or above the 1 ppm action level. A personal breathing zone sample for isopropyl alcohol showed an exposure of 708.2 ppm. This concentration exceeded both the NIOSH REL and the OSHA PEL of 500 ppm for a short term exposure limit (STEL) to isopropyl alcohol.A medical survey was conducted which focused on the respiratory health of the exposed workers. The survey included a chest x-ray, a lung function test, and a self-administered respiratory questionnaires.Of the 183 current workers, 129 (70%) participated in the medical survey. The mean age of those who participated was 43 years and the average tenure was 17 years. Pneumoconiotic changes with a median profusion reading of 1/0 or greater on the 12 point International Labor Organization (ILO) scale were considered to be present on the chest x-rays of two (1.6%) of the workers. Such x-ray markings can result from the inhalation of silica dust and other dusts. Obstructive lung function abnormalities were observed in 23% of the participants. Seventy-five percent of participants were current or former smokers and more than 10% had worked in other dusty trades prior to their Blaw Knox employment. No workers were determined to have restrictive lung function abnormalities.This Health Hazard Evaluation (HHE) report and any recommendations made herein are for the specific facility evaluated and may not be universally applicable. Any recommendations made are not to be considered as final statements of NIOSH policy or of any agency or individual involved.Additional HHE reports are available at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/...

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Section: Medicalcontrasting

confidence: 45%

Section: Industrial Hygienementioning

confidence: 99%

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Health hazard evaluation report: HETA-90-0249-2381, Blaw Knox Rolls, Inc., Wheeling, West Virginia.

1994

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“…Health surveys of active foundry workers have demonstrated a high prevalence of silicosis, as well as chronic bronchitis [Frost, 1972;Kärävä et al, 1976;Frost et al, 1979;Hahn and Beck, 1986;Landrigan et al, 1986;Finkelstein, 1994].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A cohort mortality study of foundry workers

Hansen

1997

Am. J. Ind. Med.

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“…The absence of a relationship between smo king and pneumoconiotic smallrounded opacitie s has also been reported by Landrigan et al (4) of cumulative respirable dust exposure on the profusion score is consistent with the finding of mainly rounded opacities. The pneumoconiosis prevalence was low in comparison with that of studies of other workers exposed to siliceous dust (4,5). Table I also shows the pneumoconiosis to be mild, most of the cases being of profusion score 5 (1/1) or less.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 70%

Respiratory health of brickworkers in Cape Town, South Africa. Radiographic abnormalities.

Je¹,

Garisch²,

Sj³

1989

Scand J Work Environ Health

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MYERS JE, GARISCH D, LOUW SJ. Respiratory health of brickworkers in Cape Town, South Africa: radiographic abnormalities. Scand J Work Environ Health 1989; 15:195-197. A cross-sectional study utilizing internal controls based on dust exposure determinations was performed on 268 brickworkers. Smoking, age, and other information from a detailed respiratory questionnaire and results from a physical examination and pulmonary function tests were investigated in relation to radiographic abnormality. The prevalence of pneumoconiosis was near 4 0J0 . The roles of smoking, workplace dust exposure, and age as factors predicting radiographic abnormality are discussed.

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Silicosis in a grey iron foundry. The persistence of an ancient disease.

Cited by 34 publications

References 14 publications

Health hazard evaluation report: HETA-90-0249-2381, Blaw Knox Rolls, Inc., Wheeling, West Virginia.

Health hazard evaluation report: HETA-90-0249-2381, Blaw Knox Rolls, Inc., Wheeling, West Virginia.

A cohort mortality study of foundry workers

Respiratory health of brickworkers in Cape Town, South Africa. Radiographic abnormalities.

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