Bang B E, Suhr H
Department of Occupational Medicine, Regional Hospital of Tromsø, Norway.
Ann Occup Hyg. 1998 Nov;42(8):557-63. doi: 10.1016/s0003-4878(98)00061-1.
In this study we have measured exposure levels to quartz in different parts of the slate industry in Alta, Northern Norway. Full shift personal samples were collected from the breathing zones of outdoor and indoor workers in the slate quarries and a slate factory. The quartz content of respirable dust was between 7 and 41%. The slate factory had the lower quartz levels although 41% of total and 73% of respirable samples were above the Norwegian TLV for quartz. The average concentration of total quartz in the slate factory was 0.27 mg/m3 and the average concentration of respirable quartz was 0.12 mg/m3. Outdoor in the quarries the average levels of quartz were 0.58 and 0.13 mg/m3 for total and respirable quartz, respectively. From the beginning of the last decade most of the quarry-workers have built quarry halls to protect themselves against a cold winter climate. Inside in these quarry halls the average levels were 1.74 mg/m3 total quartz and 0.46 mg/m3 respirable quartz. Assessment of historical exposure showed that 32 of totally 45 quarry workers with available exposure history had a lifetime inhaled quartz dose of more than 10 g. There is reason to fear that silicosis will be an increasing problem among quarry workers if efforts to reduce quartz exposure are not put into effect.
在本研究中，我们测量了挪威北部阿尔塔板岩行业不同部门的石英暴露水平。从板岩采石场和一家板岩厂的室外和室内工人呼吸区采集了全时段个人样本。可吸入粉尘中的石英含量在7%至41%之间。板岩厂的石英水平较低，尽管总样本的41%和可吸入样本的73%高于挪威石英的职业接触限值。板岩厂中总石英的平均浓度为0.27毫克/立方米，可吸入石英的平均浓度为0.12毫克/立方米。在采石场室外，总石英和可吸入石英的平均水平分别为0.58和0.13毫克/立方米。自上世纪九十年代初以来，大多数采石场工人建造了采石场大厅以抵御寒冷的冬季气候。在这些采石场大厅内，总石英的平均水平为1.74毫克/立方米，可吸入石英为0.46毫克/立方米。对历史暴露的评估表明，在45名有可用暴露史的采石场工人中，有32人的终生吸入石英剂量超过10克。如果不采取措施降低石英暴露，有理由担心矽肺病在采石场工人中将成为一个日益严重的问题。
