Chlorine gassing episodes and obstructive pulmonary disease among chemical pulp mill workers

Details

• Personal Author:
  Henneberger, Paul K.
• Description:
  Workers in chemical pulping processes are normally exposed to relatively low levels of irritant gases like chlorine. Occasionally, accidental releases of gases cause the exposure levels to be very high for brief periods of time. In a study of older workers from a pulp and paper production facility in Berlin, New Hampshire, chronic decreases in the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and the ratio of the FEV1 to forced vital capacity (FVC) were associated with these episodic, high-level exposures to irritant gases. Since most of the subjects were older and had worked when ambient exposure levels were higher, it was unclear whether the findings could be generalized to younger employees. Therefore, a cross-sectional study of current workers from the same plant was initiated. The subjects were selected from employees who were first hired after a major cleanup of the factory in the early 1960's. Three-hundred white male subjects from the pulp and paper production facility were tested in 1992. Each participant completed both a pulmonary function test and a questionnaire. The mean age was 40.4 years and the mean tenure with the company was 18.5 years. A total of 105 of the 300 subjects (or 35%) reported experiencing at least one episode of high exposure to chlorine or chlorine dioxide while working at the pulp and paper company. Controlling for both cigarette smoking and years of pulp mill work, the gassed subjects were over six times more likely to have obstructive pulmonary disease than were the non-gassed subjects (p<.05). Despite the improvements in background levels of irritant gases, high-exposure episodes continue to occur and are still associated with decreased pulmonary function. Hence, additional controls are needed to minimize the number of gassing events in this and other chemical pulp mills. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Aging Chemistry Chlorine Environmental Exposure Lung Lung Diseases Men Occupational Health Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety Surveys And Questionnaires Workplace

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• Keywords:
  Age Groups Chemical Properties Chlorine Dioxide Exposure Levels Gases Humans Pulmonary Function Pulmonary Function Tests Pulmonary System Pulmonary System Disorders Pulp Industry Questionnaires Risk Factors Work Environment Workers

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• ISSN:
  1073-449X
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Abstract or Summary
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; 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
• Volume:
  149
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20048577
• Citation:
  Am J Respir Crit Care Med 1994 Apr; 149(Abstract Issue):A398
• CAS Registry Number:
  Chlorine (CAS RN 7782-50-5) ; Chlorine dioxide (CAS RN 10049-04-4)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1994
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine
• Supplement:
  Abstract Issue
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:36860384c73ee91731a1a0cff9d7649354036d99d26f8c80708bc270020623c918e756efab6ed1adf875841a2a334ca4c9a2f7ab4d94b4fd5d096596391670be
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/203300/cdc_203300_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.31 MB ]