Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

The Korean Society of Occupational & Environmental Medicine (대한직업환경의학회)
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Lung Function in Workers at Small Foundries

소규모 주물공장 근로자의 폐기능

  • Kim, Se-Yeong (Department of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Dong-A University) ;
  • Kim, Jung-Il (Department of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Dong-A University) ;
  • Jung, Ji-Hyeon (Department of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Dong-A University) ;
  • Choi, Suk-Hwan (Department of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Dong-A University) ;
  • Jung, Kap-Yeol (Department of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, College of Medicine, Dong-A University)
  • 김세영 (동아대학교 의과대학 산업의학교실) ;
  • 김정일 (동아대학교 의과대학 산업의학교실) ;
  • 정지현 (동아대학교 의과대학 산업의학교실) ;
  • 최석환 (동아대학교 의과대학 산업의학교실) ;
  • 정갑열 (동아대학교 의과대학 산업의학교실)
  • Published : 2011.09.30
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Abstract

Objectives: This study investigated lung function in workers exposed to dusts, fumes and noxious gases at small foundries. Methods: Lung function was measured in 148 male workers from 12 small foundries and 202 unexposed male workers. Pulmonary function tests performed included: forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), percent of FEV1/FVC (FEV1/FVC%), maximum mid-expiratory flow (MMEF), peak expiratory flow (PEF), and forced expiratory flow at 25, 50, and 75% of expired FVC (FEF25, 50, 75) Results: Mean values of all ventilatory indices except FEF25 of foundry workers were significantly lower than those of controls. Specifically, following stratification by smoking habits, all ventilatory indices except FEF25 of foundry workers were significantly lower than those of controls who smoked; however, there were no significant differences observed in any ventilatory indices between nonsmoking exposed workers and controls. The results of multiple linear regression analysis indicated work duration as a significant predictor of a decrease in FVC%. Conclusions: This research indicates that combined occupational exposure to dust, fumes, and gases in small foundries is associated with a reduction in lung function. Smoking may also contribute to respiratory abnormalities. These results suggested that foundry workers should be required to undergo periodic lung function tests and-in addition to not smoking, efficient use of personal protection equipment while at work is recommended.

목적: 분진과 흄, 각종 유해가스에 동시 폭로되는 50인 미만의 소규모 주물공장 근로자들의 폐기능을 평가하였다. 방법: 연구대상자는 상시 5인 이상 50인 미만의 부산지역 12개 소규모 주물작업장에 근무하고 있는 남자 근로자 148명을 노출군으로, 분진 및 유해가스 등에 직업적으로 노출되지 않은 비주물근로자 202명을 비교군으로 하였다. 폐기능 지표로 FVC, $FEV_{1},\;FEV_{1}$/FVC %, PEF, MMEF와 호기 FVC의 25%, 50% 및 75%시점에서의 최대호기기류인 $FEF^{25},\;FEF_{50}$ 및 $FEF_{75}$를 측정하여 주물작업 노출군과 비교군을 비교분석하였다. 결과: 주물작업 노출군이 비교군에 비해 $FEF^{25}$를 제외한 모든 폐기능 측정치가 유의하게 감소하였다. 대상자를 흡연유무로 나누었을 때 흡연군에서 $FEF_{25}$를 제외한 모든 측정치가 노출군이 비교군에 비해 유의하게 낮았지만 비흡연군에서는 모든 폐기능 지표의 유의한 차이가 없었다. 비교군에서 FVC%, $FEV_1$%를 종속변수로 다중회귀 분석을 시행하였을 때 근무년수가 증가함에 따라 FVC% 가 감소하였다. 결론: 소규모 주물공장 근로자는 작업 중 발생하는 분진, 흄, 가스 등의 복합노출로 폐기능이 저하되며, 흡연의 효과가 부가적으로 영향을 미친다고 생각한다. 따라서 폐기능이 저하된 주물공장 근로자에서 주기적인 폐기능 검사가 실시되어야 하며 금연과 효과적인 호흡기 보호구의 착용이 권장된다.

Keywords

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