Environmental Health Science, School of Public Health, University of California, 710 University Hall, Berkeley, CA 94703, USA.
Scand J Work Environ Health. 2018 Sep 1;44(5):547-554. doi: 10.5271/sjweh.3735. Epub 2018 May 31.
Objectives As part of a large epidemiologic study of particulate health effect, this study aimed to report respirator use among total particulate matter (TPM) samples collected in a major aluminum manufacturing company from 1966‒2013 and evaluate the impact of respirator-use adjustment on exposure estimation. Methods Descriptive analyses were performed to evaluate respirator use across facilities and by facility type and job. Protection factors were applied to TPM measurements for recorded respirator use. Estimated TPM exposure for each job ‒ before and after respirator-use adjustment ‒ were compared to assess the impact of adjustment on exposure estimation. Results Respirator use was noted for 37% of 12 402 full-shift personal TPM samples. Measured TPM concentration ranged from less than detectable to 8220 mg/m3, with arithmetic mean, median and standard deviation being 10.6, 0.87 and 130 mg/m , respectively. Respirators were used more often in smelting facilities (52% of TPM measurements) than in fabricating (17%) or refinery facilities (28%) (P<0.01). Sixty-two percent of jobs in smelting facilities were subject to respirator-use adjustment, whereas it was 20% and 70% in fabricating and refinery facilities, respectively. Applying protection factors to TPM measurements significantly reduced estimated job mean TPM exposures and changed exposure categories in these facilities, with larger impact in smelting than fabricating facilities. Conclusions Respirator use varied by time, facility and job. Adjusting respirator use resulted in differential impact in smelting and fabricating facilities, which will need to be incorporated into ongoing epidemiologic studies accordingly.
目的 作为一项大型颗粒物健康效应流行病学研究的一部分，本研究旨在报告 1966 年至 2013 年期间在一家大型铝制造公司采集的总颗粒物（TPM）样本中使用的呼吸器，并评估调整呼吸器使用对暴露评估的影响。
方法 对各设施和各设施类型及岗位的呼吸器使用情况进行描述性分析。为记录的呼吸器使用情况对 TPM 测量值应用保护系数。比较调整前后每个岗位的 TPM 暴露估计值，以评估调整对暴露评估的影响。
结果 在 12402 个全班个人 TPM 样本中，有 37%记录了呼吸器的使用情况。测量的 TPM 浓度范围从低于检测限到 8220mg/m³，算术平均值、中位数和标准差分别为 10.6、0.87 和 130mg/m³。在冶炼厂（52%的 TPM 测量值）使用的呼吸器比在制造厂（17%）和精炼厂（28%）使用的更频繁（P<0.01）。在冶炼厂，62%的岗位需要调整呼吸器的使用，而在制造厂和精炼厂，这一比例分别为 20%和 70%。将保护系数应用于 TPM 测量值可显著降低估计的岗位平均 TPM 暴露量，并改变这些设施的暴露类别，在冶炼厂的影响大于制造厂。
结论 呼吸器的使用因时间、设施和岗位而异。调整呼吸器的使用会对冶炼厂和制造厂产生不同的影响，这需要在正在进行的流行病学研究中相应地纳入。
