Cummings Kristin J, Deubner David C, Day Gregory A, Henneberger Paul K, Kitt Margaret M, Kent Michael S, Kreiss Kathleen, Schuler Christine R
NIOSH, Morgantown, West Virginia 26505, USA.
Occup Environ Med. 2007 Feb;64(2):134-40. doi: 10.1136/oem.2006.027987. Epub 2006 Oct 16.
A 1998 survey at a beryllium oxide ceramics manufacturing facility found that 10% of workers hired in the previous 6 years had beryllium sensitisation as determined by the beryllium lymphocyte proliferation test (BeLPT). In response, the facility implemented an enhanced preventive programme to reduce sensitisation, including increased respiratory and dermal protection and particle migration control.
To assess the programme's effectiveness in preventing sensitisation.
In 2000, the facility began testing newly hired workers for beryllium sensitisation with the BeLPT at time of hire and during employment. The sensitisation rate and prevalence for workers hired from 2000 to 2004 were compared with that for workers hired from 1993 to 1998, who were tested in the 1998 survey. Facility environmental conditions for both time periods were evaluated.
Newly hired workers in both cohorts worked for a mean of 16 months. Of the 97 workers hired from 2000 to 2004 with at least one employment BeLPT result, four had abnormal results at time of hire and one became sensitised during employment. Of the 69 workers hired from 1993 to 1998 and tested in 1998, six were found to be sensitised. The sensitisation rate for the 2000-4 workers was 0.7-2.7/1000 person-months of employment, and that for the 1993-8 workers was 5.6/1000 person-months, at least 2.1 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.6 to 8.4) and up to 8.2 (95% CI 1.2 to 188.8) times higher than that for the 2000-4 workers. The sensitisation prevalence for the 2000-4 workers was 1% and that for the 1993-8 workers was 8.7%, 8.4 (95% CI 1.04 to 68.49) times higher than that for the 2000-4 workers. Airborne beryllium levels for production workers for the two time periods were similar.
A comprehensive preventive programme reduced beryllium sensitisation in new workers during the first years of employment, despite airborne beryllium levels for production workers that were similar to pre-programme levels.
1998年对一家氧化铍陶瓷制造工厂进行的一项调查发现，在之前6年雇佣的工人中，有10%通过铍淋巴细胞增殖试验（BeLPT）检测出铍致敏。作为应对措施，该工厂实施了一项强化预防计划以减少致敏情况，包括加强呼吸和皮肤防护以及控制颗粒迁移。
评估该计划在预防致敏方面的有效性。
2000年，该工厂开始在新雇佣工人入职时及工作期间用BeLPT检测铍致敏情况。将2000年至2004年雇佣工人的致敏率和患病率与1993年至1998年雇佣且在1998年调查中接受检测的工人进行比较。对两个时间段的工厂环境条件进行了评估。
两个队列中的新雇佣工人平均工作16个月。在2000年至2004年雇佣的97名至少有一次工作期间BeLPT结果的工人中，4人入职时结果异常，1人在工作期间致敏。在1993年至1998年雇佣并在1998年接受检测的69名工人中，有6人被发现致敏。2000 - 2004年工人的致敏率为0.7 - 2.7/1000人月工作时间，1993 - 1998年工人的致敏率为5.6/1000人月工作时间，至少比2000 - 2004年工人高2.1倍（95%置信区间（CI）0.6至8.4），最高达8.2倍（95%CI 1.2至188.8）。2000 - 2004年工人的致敏患病率为1%，1993 - 1998年工人的致敏患病率为8.7%，比2000 - 2004年工人高8.4倍（95%CI 1.04至68.49）。两个时间段生产工人的空气中铍水平相似。
尽管生产工人的空气中铍水平与计划实施前相似，但一项综合预防计划在新工人就业的头几年降低了铍致敏率。
