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 Province | USA |
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
|