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Document ID (ISN)68273
CIS number 97-184
ISSN - Serial title 0002-9262 - American Journal of Epidemiology
Year 1996
Convention or series no.
Author(s) Rosenman K.D., Reilly M.J., Rice C., Hertzberg V., Tseng C.Y., Anderson H.A.
Title Silicosis among foundry workers: Implication for the need to revise the OSHA standard
Bibliographic information Sep. 1996, Vol.144, No.9, p.890-900. Illus. 21 ref.
Abstract The incidence of pneumoconiosis in 1,072 current and retired workers of an American automotive foundry was investigated. Approximately half of these workers had worked at the foundry for 20 or more years. Sixty workers had radiographic evidence of pneumoconiosis. Twenty-eight workers had radiographs consistent with silicosis. The asbestos-related changes were not associated with increasing exposure to silica, but rather with being in the maintenance department. An increased risk of 1.45 was found for having a radiograph consistent with silicosis after 20 years of work at the current US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard, and an increased risk of 2.10 after 40 years of work. The data show that the current OSHA standard (0.1mg/m3) is not sufficiently low to protect workers against the development of radiologic evidence of silicosis. Exposures at the NIOSH recommended exposure limit of 0.05mg/m3 already result in a lower prevalence (0.3-0.8%) of radiographic evidence of silicosis, suggesting that the OSHA standard is set at too high a value.
Descriptors (primary) USA; asbestos; asbestosis; chest radiography; permissible levels; motor vehicle industry; foundries; silicosis
Descriptors (secondary) comment on standard; cohort study
Document type D - Periodical articles
Country / State or ProvinceUSA
Subject(s) Occupational pathology
Broad subject area(s) Chemical safety
Browse category(ies) Pneumoconioses
Occupational exposure limits
Asbestos
Motor vehicle manufacturing industry
Foundries, metalcasting and forging operations