Spirometric surveillance in hazardous materials firefighters: does hazardous materials duty affect lung function

Details

• Personal Author:
  Christiani, David C. ; Hill JM ; Kales SN ; Mendoza PJ
• Description:
  We analyzed spirometry results for 351 male hazardous materials firefighters from 1996 to 1999 who underwent one or more annual medical surveillance/fitness for duty examinations: 276 (79%) technicians and 75 (21%) support members. Support members had a very limited potential for hazardous materials exposure and served as referents. In cross-sectional comparisons, the technicians' average forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 second were either statistically better or not significantly different from that of the support members at all four examinations. Longitudinally, no statistically significant differences were seen for forced vital capacity. The mean percent of predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second decreased by 3% for technicians (P = 0.029), support controls (P = 0.433), and the total cohort (P = 0.014). Although respiratory irritants are the most common type of exposure in hazardous materials releases, the results suggest that hazardous materials technicians do not lose pulmonary function at a more accelerated rate than support team firefighters. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aging Firefighters Hazardous Substances Lung Lung Diseases Men Occupational Health Respiratory Function Tests Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety Women

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• Keywords:
  Age Groups Decontamination Fire Fighters Hazardous Materials Humans Physical Fitness Pulmonary Function Pulmonary System Pulmonary System Disorders Respiratory Irritants Respiratory System Disorders Spirometry Statistical Analysis Surveillance Programs Vital Capacity

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• ISSN:
  1076-2752
• 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
• Volume:
  43
• Issue:
  12
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20041029
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Med 2001 Dec; 43(12):1114-1120
• Contact Point Address:
  Dr Stefanos N. Kales, Occupational Medicine, Department of Medicine, The Cambridge Hospital, 1493 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02139
• Email:
  stefokali@aol.com
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2002
• Performing Organization:
  Occupational Medicine, Cambridge Hospital, Cambridge, Massachusetts
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19960601
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• End Date:
  19990531
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:85494b8c4d4f268e403308ff591f8d2e29f2068d5420dd675277f59aa03f2dad489dce47460e573273fd445e141a547a35035afc46a78ca5a3462f240b513f45
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/193699/cdc_193699_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 83.35 KB ]