Lacca G, Provenzani A, Mangiapane N, Verso M G, Picciotto D
Sezione di Medicina del Lavoro, Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica e delle Patologie Emergenti, Università degli Studi di Palermo.
G Ital Med Lav Ergon. 2007 Jul-Sep;29(3 Suppl):598-9.
Wood is a system of vegetable tissues chemically formed by biopolymers (90-99%) and phenolic substances, alkaloids, glucosides and saponins (1-10%). There are two botanical groups of wood: hardwood and softwood. Aim of present study was the research of possible work related diseases with professional exposure to hardwood about 25 joiners of Palermo in 2006; in fact wood dust inhalation is very dangerous for workers health because it is cancerogenous for nasal and paranasal sinus (1 IARC). We studied beech and fraxinus dusts (hardwood) and mahogany and teak dusts (exotic hardwood) in the environmental air of joiners during wood cutting and finishing touch. We also analysed exposed workers registry to know joiners duties, exposure values to wood dust, inhalatory exposure, wood type, chemical components, individual protection safety devices, environmental protection means. Then we examined workers medical case and risk histories. At the end we noticed that particle material in environmental air was regular according law reference values (D.Lgs. 66/2000: TLV-TWA 5 mg/m3); but although environmental dust values were normal, we found nasal haemorrhages in 3 workers and vasomotory headache in other 3; we also diagnosed one paranasal sinus polypus and then irritative contact dermatitis in 3 workers. So there is an answer: "can current TLV-TWA be protective and sure? And can it guarantee health of hardwood exposed workers?".
木材是一种由生物聚合物（90 - 99%）以及酚类物质、生物碱、糖苷和皂苷（1 - 10%）化学构成的植物组织系统。木材有两个植物学类别：硬木和软木。本研究的目的是在2006年对巴勒莫约25名细木工因职业接触硬木而可能引发的与工作相关疾病进行研究；事实上，吸入木尘对工人健康非常危险，因为它对鼻腔和鼻窦具有致癌性（国际癌症研究机构第1组）。我们在细木工进行木材切割和最后打磨时，对其工作环境空气中的山毛榉和白蜡树粉尘（硬木）以及桃花心木和柚木粉尘（外来硬木）进行了研究。我们还分析了接触工人登记情况，以了解细木工的工作职责、木尘接触值、吸入性接触、木材种类、化学成分、个人防护安全设备、环境保护措施。然后我们检查了工人的病历和风险史。最后我们注意到，环境空气中的颗粒物含量符合法定参考值（意大利共和国法律66/2000：时间加权平均阈限值5毫克/立方米）；但尽管环境粉尘值正常，我们还是发现3名工人出现鼻出血，另外3名工人出现血管舒缩性头痛；我们还诊断出1例鼻窦息肉，以及3名工人出现刺激性接触性皮炎。所以有一个问题：“当前的时间加权平均阈限值是否具有保护性且可靠？它能否保证硬木接触工人的健康？”
