Sensitization and chronic beryllium disease at a primary manufacturing facility, part 3: exposure-response among short-term workers

Details

• Personal Author:
  Day, Gregory A. ; Deubner, David C. ; Kent MS ; Kreiss, Kathleen ; Park JY ; Schuler, Christine R. ; Sparks R ; Stanton, Marcia L. ; Stefaniak, Aleksandr B. ; Virji, M. Abbas
• Description:
  Objectives: Exposure-response relations for beryllium sensitization (BeS) and chronic beryllium disease (CBD) using aerosol mass concentration have been inconsistent, although process-related risks found in most studies suggest that exposure-dependent risks exist. We examined exposure-response relations using personal exposure estimates in a beryllium worker cohort with limited work tenure to minimize exposure misclassification. Methods: The population comprised workers employed in 1999 with six years or less tenure. Each completed a work history questionnaire and was evaluated for immunological sensitization and CBD. A job-exposure matrix was combined with work histories to create individual estimates of average, cumulative, and highest-job-worked exposure for total, respirable, and submicron beryllium mass concentrations. We obtained odds ratios from logistic regression models for exposure-response relations, and evaluated process-related risks. Results: Participation was 90.7% (264/291 eligible). Sensitization prevalence was 9.8% (26/264), with 6 sensitized also diagnosed with CBD (2.3%, 6/264). A general pattern of increasing sensitization prevalence was observed as exposure quartile increased. Both total and respirable beryllium mass concentration estimates were positively associated with sensitization (average and highest job), and CBD (cumulative). Increased sensitization prevalence was identified in metal/oxide production, alloy melting and casting, and maintenance, and for CBD in melting and casting. Lower sensitization prevalence was observed in plant-area administrative work. Conclusion:s Sensitization was associated with average and highest job exposures, and CBD was associated with cumulative exposure. Both total and respirable mass concentrations were relevant predictors of risk. New process-related risks were identified in melting and casting and maintenance. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Air Pollutants, Occupational Beryllium Cardiovascular System Environmental Monitoring Irritants Lung Microbiology Occupational Exposure Occupational Health Particulate Matter Respiratory Hypersensitivity Respiratory System Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety Workplace

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• Keywords:
  Air-quality-measurement Air-sampling-techniques Airborne-particles Author Keywords: Average Exposure Beryllium Beryllium-compounds Beryllium-disease Beryllium Disease Biological-effects Cardiovascular-system Chronic-exposure Chronic Beryllium Disease Cumulative Exposure Exposure-assessment Exposure-levels Exposure-response Lung-function Manufacturing Mathematical-models Microscopic-analysis Occupational Respiratory Disease Peak Exposure Physical-properties Physiological-effects Physiological-measurements Physiological-response Pulmonary-function Pulmonary-system Quantitative-analysis Respiratory-hypersensitivity Respiratory-irritants Risk-analysis Risk-factors Sensitization Work-environment Worker Workplace-studies

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• ISSN:
  0355-3140
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DRDS - Division of Respiratory Disease Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  270-281
• Volume:
  38
• Issue:
  3
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20039555
• Citation:
  Scand J Work Environ Health 2012 Jun; 38(3):270-281
• CAS Registry Number:
  Beryllium (CAS RN 7440-41-7)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2012
• NORA Priority Area:
  Manufacturing
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:ee234fd9424c61cd911f85dd8a211f7ce50bb1e550f211debe2056c0ebbbeca65741ddb9aaef430c17221799b464b2bf00caccfc7a977565bc16e5bd8a0b4082
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/192750/cdc_192750_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 325.15 KB ]