Respiratory illness in the construction industry. Airflow obstruction among painters.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Baker, Edward L. Jr. ; Schwartz DA
• Description:
  The theory that painters may be at increased risk of developing respiratory impairment was investigated through a comparison of the respiratory status of 118 construction painters to a previously tested population of 314 construction sheet metal workers. While the two groups were of comparable age, the sheet metal workers tended to have been employed longer in their given trade than the painters. More nonsmokers were among the painter population. Work related exposures were documented for painters and included spray paint, asbestos (1332214), and welding fumes. Twenty seven percent of the painters were exposed to silica (7631869). Sheet metal workers had exposures to asbestos, sheet metal dust, and welding fumes. There were more frequent reports of prior respiratory system diagnoses among sheet metal workers including bronchitis, asthma, and emphysema. However, painters noted excess symptoms of cough, wheezing, and dyspnea. The authors conclude that painters are at increased risk for airflow obstruction and that this appears related to the duration of exposure to paint products. Painters who also smoke may be at risk of developing this obstructive process earlier than those who paint but do not also smoke. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Construction Industry Dust Epidemiology Inhalation Exposure Occupational Health Paint Respiratory Function Tests Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety Solvents
• Keywords:
  Construction-workers Dust-inhalation Inhalants NIOSH-Grant NIOSH-Publication Paint-spraying Pulmonary-function-tests Pulmonary-system-disorders Vapors
• ISSN:
  0012-3692
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  134-137
• Volume:
  93
• Issue:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00176396
• Citation:
  Chest 1988 Jan; 93(1):134-137
• Contact Point Address:
  Physiology Department, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
• CAS Registry Number:
  Asbestos (CAS RN 1332-21-4) ; Silica (CAS RN 7631-86-9)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1988
• Performing Organization:
  Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19770930
• Source Full Name:
  Chest
• End Date:
  19940630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:8379a7a9c76f26b07618f6cd59a91323ba36b5f976487e81c2c2ac0bbe2af397fb6c665486beee25325593e13d51e191f829eccf87b2e53eb29a66a7a6f7f983
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/185420/cdc_185420_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 694.86 KB ]