Liu Youcheng, Stowe Meredith H, Bello Dhimiter, Sparer Judy, Gore Rebecca J, Cullen Mark R, Redlich Carrie A, Woskie Susan R
Department of Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, 121 Washington Avenue, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
Ann Occup Hyg. 2009 Jan;53(1):33-40. doi: 10.1093/annhyg/men070. Epub 2008 Nov 14.
Isocyanate skin exposure may play an important role in sensitization and the development of isocyanate asthma, but such exposures are frequently intermittent and difficult to assess. Exposure metrics are needed to better estimate isocyanate skin exposures. The goal of this study was to develop a semiquantitative algorithm to estimate personal skin exposures in auto body shop workers using task-based skin exposure data and daily work diaries. The relationship between skin and respiratory exposure metrics was also evaluated.
The development and results of respiratory exposure metrics were previously reported. Using the task-based data obtained with a colorimetric skin exposure indicator and a daily work diary, we developed a skin exposure algorithm to estimate a skin exposure index (SEI) for each worker. This algorithm considered the type of personal protective equipment (PPE) used, the percentage of skin area covered by PPE and skin exposures without and underneath the PPE. The SEI was summed across the day (daily SEI) and survey week (weekly average SEI) for each worker, compared among the job title categories and also compared with the respiratory exposure metrics.
A total of 893 person-days was calculated for 232 workers (49 painters, 118 technicians and 65 office workers) from 33 auto body shops. The median (10th-90th percentile, maximum) daily SEI was 0 (0-0, 1.0), 0 (0-1.9, 4.8) and 1.6 (0-3.5, 6.1) and weekly average SEI was 0 (0-0.0, 0.7), 0.3 (0-1.6, 4.2) and 1.9 (0.4-3.0, 3.6) for office workers, technicians and painters, respectively, which were significantly different (P < 0.0001). The median (10th-90th percentile, maximum) daily SEI was 0 (0-2.4, 6.1) and weekly average SEI was 0.2 (0-2.3, 4.2) for all workers. A relatively weak positive Spearman correlation was found between daily SEI and time-weighted average (TWA) respiratory exposure metrics (microg NCO m(-3)) (r = 0.380, n = 893, P < 0.0001) and between weekly SEI and TWA respiratory exposure metrics (r = 0.482, n = 232, P < 0.0001).
The skin exposure algorithm developed in this study provides task-based personal daily and weekly average skin exposure indices that are adjusted for the use of PPE. These skin exposure indices can be used to assess isocyanate exposure-response relationships.
异氰酸酯皮肤暴露可能在致敏和异氰酸酯哮喘的发展中起重要作用，但此类暴露往往是间歇性的，难以评估。需要暴露指标来更好地估计异氰酸酯皮肤暴露情况。本研究的目的是开发一种半定量算法，利用基于任务的皮肤暴露数据和日常工作日记来估计汽车车身修理店工人的个人皮肤暴露情况。同时还评估了皮肤暴露指标与呼吸道暴露指标之间的关系。
先前已报道呼吸道暴露指标的开发及结果。利用通过比色皮肤暴露指示剂获得的基于任务的数据和日常工作日记，我们开发了一种皮肤暴露算法，以估计每个工人的皮肤暴露指数（SEI）。该算法考虑了所使用的个人防护装备（PPE）的类型、PPE覆盖的皮肤面积百分比以及PPE内外的皮肤暴露情况。计算每个工人一天内的SEI总和（每日SEI）以及调查周内的SEI平均值（每周平均SEI），并在不同职别类别之间进行比较，同时与呼吸道暴露指标进行比较。
来自33家汽车车身修理店的232名工人（49名喷漆工、118名技术人员和65名办公室工作人员）共计算了893人日的数据。办公室工作人员、技术人员和喷漆工的每日SEI中位数（第10 - 90百分位数，最大值）分别为0（0 - 0，1.0）、0（0 - 1.9，4.8）和1.6（0 - 3.5，6.1），每周平均SEI分别为0（0 - 0.0，0.7）、0.3（0 - 1.6，4.2）和1.9（0.4 - 3.0，3.6），差异有统计学意义（P < 0.0001）。所有工人的每日SEI中位数（第10 - 90百分位数，最大值）为0（0 - 2.4，6.1），每周平均SEI为0.2（0 - 2.3，4.2）。每日SEI与时间加权平均（TWA）呼吸道暴露指标（微克NCO立方米⁻³）之间发现相对较弱的正Spearman相关性（r = 0.380，n = 893，P < 0.0001），每周SEI与TWA呼吸道暴露指标之间也有相关性（r = 0.482，n = 232，P < 0.0001）。
本研究开发的皮肤暴露算法提供了基于任务的个人每日和每周平均皮肤暴露指数，并针对PPE的使用进行了调整。这些皮肤暴露指数可用于评估异氰酸酯暴露 - 反应关系。
