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Document ID (ISN)100879
CIS number 02-1714
ISBN(s) 0-7176-2560-5
Year 2002
Convention or series no. HSE Research Report RR 022
Author(s) Hoyle J., Cherry N., Pickering C.A.C., Burgess G., Smedley J., Dippnall M., Niven R.M.
Health and Safety Executive
Title Occupational lung disease in ferrous foundry workers
Bibliographic information HSE Books, P.O. Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2WA, United Kingdom, 2002. iv, 26p. 4 ref. Price: GBP 10.00.
Internet access http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr022.pdf [in English]
Abstract In a study of workers in ten ferrous foundries, it was found that the 509 men exposed to chemical binders were more likely (16.1%) to complain of chest tightness than the 402 non-exposed men (7.7%), an odds ratio of 2.32 after allowing for confounders. Of the 170 exposed men complaining of at least one chest symptom, 144 underwent histamine challenge testing. 20 were positive in the exposed group, while in the non-exposed group, only eight were positive. No difference was seen between exposure groups in the small number of cases diagnosed as occupational asthma. No evidence of major differences in health were found between exposed and non-exposed ex-employees. The most notable finding was the low reactivity in the histamine challenge test of workers with symptoms from both the exposed and non-exposed cohorts. Although there was only weak evidence of respiratory ill health associated with foundry work in this study, the potential exists where exposures to chemicals binders are high.
Descriptors (primary) occupational diseases; respiratory diseases; core binders; iron and steel industry; foundries
Descriptors (secondary) United Kingdom; report; glossary; asthma; case-control study; histamine
Document type E - Books, reports, proceedings
Country / State or ProvinceUnited Kingdom
Subject(s) Metal production and metalworking
Broad subject area(s) Occupational medicine, epidemiology
Industries and occupations
Browse category(ies) Diseases of the respiratory system (except for pneumoconiosis & similar)
Foundries, metalcasting and forging operations
Iron and steel industry