Cherrie John W, Brosseau Lisa M, Hay Alastair, Donaldson Kenneth
Research Division, Institute of Occupational Medicine, Research Avenue North, Riccarton, Edinburgh EH14 4AP, UK.
Ann Occup Hyg. 2013 Jul;57(6):685-91. doi: 10.1093/annhyg/met038. Epub 2013 Jul 8.
Exposure to low-toxicity dusts, which have previously been viewed as 'nuisance dusts', can cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or other nonmalignant respiratory disease. In Britain, the 'de facto' airborne exposure limits for these dusts have remained unchanged for >30 years; currently, they are 10mg m(-3) for inhalable dust and 4mg m(-3) for respirable dust. During this time, exposures in industry have decreased and although in the past, many occupational dust exposures may have exceeded these limits, today this is less likely. However, there is good evidence from epidemiology and toxicology studies that current dust exposures may still present a risk to workers and that for some of those who are affected, there are devastating health consequences. Numerous researchers and others have drawn attention to the necessity to control dust exposures to levels lower than are currently accepted in Britain. It is proposed that until regulators agree on the safe occupational exposure limits for low-toxicity dusts, health and safety professionals should consider 1mg m(-3) of respirable dusts as a more appropriate guideline than the value of 4mg m(-3) currently used in Britain.
接触低毒性粉尘（这些粉尘以前被视为“无害粉尘”）可导致慢性阻塞性肺疾病或其他非恶性呼吸道疾病。在英国，这些粉尘的“实际”空气暴露限值30多年来一直未变；目前，可吸入粉尘的限值为10毫克/立方米，可呼吸粉尘的限值为4毫克/立方米。在此期间，工业中的暴露量有所下降，尽管过去许多职业粉尘暴露可能超过了这些限值，但如今这种情况不太可能发生。然而，流行病学和毒理学研究有充分证据表明，当前的粉尘暴露仍可能对工人构成风险，而且对于一些受影响的人来说，会产生严重的健康后果。众多研究人员及其他人士已提请注意，有必要将粉尘暴露控制在低于英国目前认可水平的程度。建议在监管机构就低毒性粉尘的安全职业暴露限值达成一致之前，健康与安全专业人员应将可呼吸粉尘1毫克/立方米视为比英国目前使用的4毫克/立方米更合适的指导值。
