Respiratory parameters at varied altitudes in intermittent mining work
Journal Title: International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health - Year 2018, Vol 31, Issue 2
Abstract
Objectives: Workers in the mining industry in altitude are subjected to several risk factors, e.g., airborne silica and low barometric pressure. The aim of this study has been to assess the risks for this work category, evaluating single risk factors as airborne silica, altitude and work shift, and relating them with cardiovascular and ventilatory parameters. Material and Methods: Healthy miners employed in a mining company, Chile, working at varied altitudes, and subjected to unusual work shifts, were evaluated. Cardiovascular and respiratory parameters were investigated. Exposure to airborne silica was evaluated and compared to currently binding exposure limits. Results: At varied altitudes and work shifts, alterations emerged in haemoglobin, ventilation and respiratory parameters, related to employment duration, due to compensatory mechanisms for hypoxia. Haemoglobin increased with altitude, saturation fell down under 90% in the highest mines. The multiple linear regression analysis showed a direct relationship, in the higher mine, between years of exposure to altitude and increased forced vital capacity percent (FVC%), and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1). An inverse relationship emerged between forced vital capacity (FVC) and years of exposure to airborne silica. In the workplace Mina Subterrànea (MT-3600), statistically significant inverse relationship emerged between the Tiffeneau index and body weight. Conclusions: The working conditions in the mining industry in altitude appeared to be potentially pathogenic; further investigations should be realized integrating risk assessment protocols even in consideration of their undeniable unconventionality. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2018;31(2):129–138
Authors and Affiliations
Alessandro Bacaloni, Margarita Cecilia Zamora Saà, Federica Sinibaldi, Alessia Steffanina, Susanna Insogna
Trends in smoking among secondary school and high school students in Poland, 2009 and 2011
Objectives: To determine the age and the most common circumstances for smoking initiation along with smoking rates and to evaluate smoking trends for secondary and high school students in Poland during 2009 and 2011. Mat...
Development and validation of the Polish version of Colquitt’s Organizational Justice Measure
Objectives: Organizational justice is an important predictor of employees’ well-being and job performance. Colquitt’s Organizational Justice Measure (OJM) was designed to assess four aspects of justice – distributive, pr...
Immunological and genotoxic effects of occupational exposure to α-cypermethrin pesticide
Objectives: The aim of this work has been to find out the occupational oxidative stress, immunological and genotoxic health hazards among α-cypermethrin (CYP) pesticide-exposed workers. Material and Methods: A cross-sect...
Spatial and temporal variability of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis cases in Silesian Voivodeship in years 2006–2010
Objectives: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) (J84.1 by the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision – ICD-10) is a rare disease of unknown cause. Among many risk...
Association between metabolic syndrome and disability due to low back pain among care workers
Objectives: To elucidate the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and disability due to low back pain (LBP) among care workers. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 656 care workers having e...