engleski

Respiratory Function in Shoe Manufacturing Workers

A study of respiratory findings was performed on 376 female workers employed in a shoe manufacturing plant. The mean age of the workers was 32 years and a mean duration of their employment was 12 years. These workers were predominantly nonsmokers. Acute and chronic respiratory symptoms were recorded for each worker, and lung function was measured before and after the work shift. Maximum expiratory flow-volume (MEFV) curves were performed on which forced vital capacity (FVC), I-second forced expiratory volume (FEV1)), and flow rates at 50% and the last 25% (FEF50, FEF25) were measured. Significantly higher prevalences of all chronic respiratory symptoms were recorded in exposed compared to control workers. Among the shoe workers, there was also a high prevalence of acute symptoms that developed during the work shift, being most pronounced for nose and throat irritation (61.4%). The prevalence of acute and chronic respiratory symptoms increased with duration of employment. Statisticaly significant across shift reduction were recorded for all ventilatory capacity tests for the group as a whole. In comparison to predicted, the measured ventilatory capacity parameters were significantly lower for all workers (p<0.01). Lung function abnormalities increased with duration of emplyment. Environmental measurements demonstrated that benzene, fur, and synthetic fibers were found at higher than allowable maximal concentration. The date suggest that work in the shoe manufacturing industry may be responsible for the development of acute and chronic respiratory impairment.

hoe workers; respiratory symptoms; lung function

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