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RESPIRATORY HEALTH DISORDERS AMONG WORKERS IN ASPHALT MIXING PLANTS

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Last updated: 22 Jan 2023

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Abstract

Introduction: Asphalt mixing plants' workers are exposed to different types of chemicals at the work place that may affect their respiratory system. Aim of Work: To study the respiratory health disorders among asphalt mixing plants' workers and to assess the workplace environment. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in 2 asphalt mixing plants, Menoufia Governorate and 100 asphalt mixing plants' workers have been included in the study during the period from the February 1st, 2020 to December 31th, 2021. An equal number of control subjects were chosen at random from workers' family members with the same socio-demographic characteristics and who had never been exposed to such risks. A predesigned questionnaire was used for interviewing all participants followed by physical examination and spirometric measurements. Assessment of the work environment was also done. Results: The average concentration of airborne particles was (3.872 0.307 mg/m3), which was higher than the Egyptian Environmental Law 4 Decree 1095, (2011) permitted threshold of (3 mg/m3). Furthermore, the total accumulation of crystalline silica in airborne particles was (45.58 2.531mg/m3), which was less than the acceptable amount established by Egyptian Environmental Law No. 4 Decree 1095, 2011 and Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) of NIOSH, 2005 for free crystalline silica level (50 μg/m3 = 0.05 mg/m3). Respiratory symptoms such as rhinitis, cough, productive cough, dyspnea, wheezes, and asthma were more common among workers exposed to free crystalline silica (60%, 62%, 35%, 67%, 31% and 24%; respectively), as well as spirometric measurements were statistically significantly lower compared to the controls (p < 0.05). Significant negative correlation between work duration and FVC% and FEV1% were detected (p ≤0.05). Conclusion and Recommendations: Working in asphalt mixing plants with exposure to free crystalline silica has been found to affect the respiratory system and induce decline in spirometric measurements. It's recommended that personal protective equipment should be regularly used with proper ventilation of the workplace and continuous monitoring of the work environment to maintain the exposure levels below permissible values. Also, all workers should be subjected to periodic medical examination.

DOI

10.21608/ejom.2022.118662.1264

Keywords

Asphalt, Free crystalline silica, Spirometric measurements, respiratory manifestations

Authors

First Name

Abdel Rasoul

Last Name

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Affiliation

Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt.

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First Name

Abu Salem

Last Name

E

MiddleName

M

Affiliation

Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt.

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First Name

Gabr

Last Name

M

MiddleName

H

Affiliation

Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt.

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First Name

Badr

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N

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Affiliation

Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt.

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First Name

Zaghloul

Last Name

F

MiddleName

A

Affiliation

Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt.

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Orcid

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First Name

Allam

Last Name

K

MiddleName

H

Affiliation

Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt.

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Volume

46

Article Issue

3

Related Issue

36495

Issue Date

2022-09-01

Receive Date

2022-02-04

Publish Date

2022-09-01

Page Start

35

Page End

46

Print ISSN

1110-1881

Online ISSN

2357-058X

Link

https://ejom.journals.ekb.eg/article_257810.html

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https://ejom.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=257810

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3

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Original Article

Type Code

577

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

Egyptian Journal of Occupational Medicine

Publication Link

https://ejom.journals.ekb.eg/

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Article

Created At

22 Jan 2023