电力行业工人接触空气中石棉的回顾性暴露评估。
Retrospective exposure assessment to airborne asbestos among power industry workers.
机构信息
Institute of Occupational and Social Medicine, Medical Faculty, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
出版信息
J Occup Med Toxicol. 2010 Jun 25;5:15. doi: 10.1186/1745-6673-5-15.
BACKGROUND
A method of individually assessing former exposure to asbestos fibres is a precondition of risk-differentiated health surveillance. The main aims of our study were to assess former levels of airborne asbestos exposure in the power industry in Germany and to propose a basic strategy for health surveillance and the early detection of asbestos related diseases.
METHODS
Between March 2002 and the end of 2006, we conducted a retrospective questionnaire based survey of occupational tasks and exposures with airborne asbestos fibres in a cohort of 8632 formerly asbestos exposed power industry workers. The data on exposure and occupation were entered into a specially designed computer programme, based on ambient monitoring of airborne asbestos fibre concentrations. The cumulative asbestos exposure was expressed as the product of the eight-hour time weighted average and the total duration of exposure in fibre years (fibres/cubic centimetre-years).
RESULTS
Data of 7775 (90% of the total) participants working in installations for power generation, power distribution or gas supply could be evaluated. The power generation group (n = 5284) had a mean age of 56 years, were exposed for 20 years and had an average cumulative asbestos exposure of 42 fibre years. The occupational group of "metalworkers" (n = 1600) had the highest mean value of 79 fibre years. The corresponding results for the power distribution group (n = 2491) were a mean age of 45 years, a mean exposure duration of 12 years and an average cumulative asbestos exposure of only 2.5 fibre years. The gas supply workers (n = 512) had a mean age of 54 years and a mean duration of exposure of 15 years.
CONCLUSIONS
While the surveyed cohort as a whole was heavily exposed to asbestos dust, the power distribution group had a mean cumulative exposure of only 6% of that found in the power generation group. Based on the presented data, risk-differentiated disease surveillance focusing on metalworkers and electricians from the power generating industry seems justified. That combined with a sensitive examination technique would allow detecting asbestos related diseases early and efficiently.
背景
对个体石棉纤维暴露情况进行评估是实施风险差异化健康监测的前提条件。我们研究的主要目的是评估德国电力行业空气中石棉纤维的既往暴露水平，并提出健康监测和早期发现与石棉相关疾病的基本策略。
方法
在 2002 年 3 月至 2006 年底期间，我们对曾接触过石棉的 8632 名电力行业工人进行了一项基于问卷调查的回顾性队列研究，内容涉及职业活动和空气中石棉纤维暴露情况。暴露和职业数据被输入到一个专门设计的计算机程序中，该程序基于环境监测空气中石棉纤维浓度。累积石棉暴露量表示为 8 小时时间加权平均值与暴露纤维年数（每立方厘米纤维数-年）的乘积。
结果
我们评估了 7775 名（总人数的 90%）在发电、配电或供气装置工作的参与者的数据。发电组（n=5284）的平均年龄为 56 岁，暴露年限为 20 年，累积石棉暴露量的平均值为 42 纤维年。职业组“金属工人”（n=1600）的累积石棉暴露量最高，平均值为 79 纤维年。配电组（n=2491）的相应结果为平均年龄 45 岁，平均暴露年限 12 年，平均累积石棉暴露量仅为 2.5 纤维年。燃气供应工人（n=512）的平均年龄为 54 岁，平均暴露年限为 15 年。
结论
尽管整个调查队列都曾大量接触石棉粉尘，但配电组的平均累积暴露量仅为发电组的 6%。基于所提供的数据，针对发电行业的金属工人和电工进行差异化风险疾病监测似乎是合理的。结合敏感的检查技术，可以早期、高效地发现与石棉相关的疾病。
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