EFFECT OF BITUMEN FUMES ON THE FEV1 AND FVC OF LUNG FUNCTION TEST AND PREVALENCE OF MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDER AMONG THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION WORKERS
Abstract
Objectives: The present study was undertaken to see the changes of pulmonary function along with the posture adopted by road construction workers to analyze the causations of discomfort feelings related with those posture. Workers exposed to emissions from hot bitumen can sometimes experience irritation to the eyes, nose and respiratory tract, headaches, dizziness or nausea
Methods: After selection of site, 22 workers mean age (28.1 ± 2.35 yr.) were randomly selected. All of them had a minimum working experience 2-5 years in their present occupation. The height, weight, body surface area (BSA) and body mass index (BMI) of all the subjects were measured. Forced vital capacity (FVC) and Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) were also computed.
Results: The mean age, BMI, BSA of road construction workers are 28.1±2.35 yrs, 18.46±1.763 kg/m2, 1.439±0.021 m2 respectively. Some of them reported (15%) chest tightness, cough, and breathlessness just after the work schedule. There are significantly decreased FEV1 (P<0.001) and decreased FVC (P<0.001) of about 15.82% and 17.45% respectively.
Conclusions: Road construction workers are generally exposed to bitumen fumes during their working period which may be the cause of their reduced FVC & FEV1. If they wear a gas mask, it will prevent inhalation of bitumen fumes. This precaution may protect them from the lung ailments. Besides this the working environmental posture should be corrected by introducing some mechanical device which may prevent a musculoskeletal disorder.
Keywords: Bitumen, Hydrocarbon vapors, Respiratory problems, Asphalt, PAH.
Downloads
References
Banerjee S, Sen R. Determination of the surface area of the body of Indians. J Appl Physiology 1955;7:585-8.
Boffetta P, Burstyn I, Partanen T, Kromhout H, Svane O, Langard S, et al. Proceedings of the 8th conference on Asphalt Pavement for Southern Africa CAPSA; 2003.
Brandt HCA, Beverwijk CDM, Harrison T. Health Aspect of hot bitumen applications: Eurobitume and EAPA Congress proceedings, Stockholm; 1993.
Chaffin DB, Anderson G. Occupational Biomechanics. John Wiley and Sons: New York; 1984.
Chattopadhyay BP, Alam J, Bandyopadhyay B, Gangopadhyay PK. Study to evaluate the occurrence of byssinosis among jute mill workers by clinical history and acute and chronic changes of forced expiratory volume. Ind J Environ Protec 1993;13:903–8.
Gangopadhyay S, Das B, Das T, Ghoshal G. Prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among pre-adolescent agricultural workers of West Bengal, India. Ergon SA 2004;16:2-14.
Gangopadhyay S, Das B, Das T, Ghoshal G. An ergonomic study on posture related discomfort feeling among the pre-adolescent agricultural workers of West Bengal, India. Int J Occup Saf Ergon 2005;11:315-22.
Gangopadhyay S, Das B, Ghoshal G, Das T, Ghosh T, Ganguly R, et al. The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among prawn seed collcetors of sundanbans. J Human Ergol 2008;37:1-8.
Gokani VN, Doctor PB, Ghosh SK. Isolation and identification of gram negative bacteria from raw baled cotton and synthetic fibres with special reference to environmental GNB and endotoxin concentration of textile mill. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 1987;48:511–4.
Hignett S. Ergonomics. In: Pitt-Brooke J, Reid H, Lockwood J, Kerr K. (Eds.), Rehabilitation of Movement. Theoretical Basis of Clinical Practice. W. B Saunders Company Ltd, London; 1998. p. 480-6.
International agency for research on cancer-IARC: Overall Evaluation of Carcinogenicity: an Updating of IARC Monographs. (IARC Monographs, Vol. 1 – 42, Suppl. 6 and 7). Lyon, France; IARC 1985.
Jarvholm B, Nordstrom G, Hogstedt B, Levin JO, Wahlstrom J, Ostman C, et al. Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and genotoxic effects on nonsmoking Swedish road pavement workers. Scand J Work Environ Health 1999;25:131-6.
Kivi P, Mattila M. Analysis and improvement of work postures in the building industry: application of the computerized OWAS method. Appl Ergon 1991;22:43-8.
Leskinen TPG. Evaluation of the load on the spine based on a dynamic biomechanical model, electromyographic activity of back muscles, and changes in stature. Dissertation, Tampere University of Technology, Publication 112, Tampere; 1993.
Machado ML, Beatty PW, Fetzer JC, Glickman AH, McGinnis EL. Evaluation of the relationship between PAH content and mutagenic activity of fumes from roofing and paving asphalts and coal tar pitch. Fundam Appl Toxicol 1993;21:492-9.
McAtamney L, Hignett S. REBA: a rapid entire body assessment method for investigating work related musculoskeletal disorders. Proceedings of the Ergonomics Society of Australia, Adelaide; 1995. p. 45-51.
Norseth T, Waage J, Dale I. Acute effects and exposure to organic compounds in road maintenance workers exposed to asphalt. Am J Ind Med 1991;20:737-44.
Partanen T, Boffetta P. Cancers risk in asphalt workers and roofers: review and meta-analysis of epidelniologic studies. Am J Ind Med 1994;26:721-40.
Partanen TJ, Boffetta P, Heikkila R. Cancer risk for European asphalt workers. Scand J Work Environ Health 1995;21:252.
Punett L, Fine LJ, Keyserling WM, Herrin GD, Chaffin DB. Back disorder and non-neutral trunk posture of automobile assembly workers. Scand J Work Environ Health 1991;17:337-46.
World Health Organisation Vegetable dust. Dust causing Byssinosis. WHO Task Group meeting held at Copenhagen unpublished document. Environ Health Criteria 1983;81:1–19.
Zhou C, Liu Z, Ho C, Lou J. Respiratory symptoms and lung function in jute processing: a primary investigation. Arch Environ Health 1989;44:370–4.