Suchergebnisse

Abstract

Background
Airborne fumigants and other hazardous chemicals inside unopened shipping containers may pose a risk to workers handling containers.


Methods
Grab air samples from 490 sealed containers arriving in New Zealand were analysed for fumigants and other hazardous chemicals. We also collected grab air samples of 46 containers immediately upon opening and measured the total concentration of volatile organic compounds in real-time during ventilation. Additive Mixture Values (AMV) were calculated using the New Zealand Workplace Exposure standard (WES) and ACGIH Threshold Limit Values (TLV) of the 8-h, time-weighted average (TWA) exposure limit. Regression analyses assessed associations with container characteristics.


Results
Fumigants were detectable in 11.4% of sealed containers, with ethylene oxide detected most frequently (4.7%), followed by methyl bromide (3.5%). Other chemicals, mainly formaldehyde, were detected more frequently (84.7%). Fumigants and other chemicals exceeded the WES/TLV in 6.7%/7.8%, and 7.8%/20.0% of all containers, respectively. Correspondingly, they more frequently exceeded '1' for the AMV-TLV compared to the AMV-WES (25.7% versus 7.8%). In samples taken upon opening of doors, fumigants were detected in both fumigated and non-fumigated containers, but detection frequencies and exceedances of the WES, TLV, and AMVs were generally higher in fumigated containers. Detection frequencies for other chemicals were similar in fumigated and non-fumigated containers, and only formaldehyde exceeded both the WES and TLV in both container groups. Volatile compounds in container air reduced rapidly during ventilation. Some cargo types (tyres; personal hygiene, beauty and medical products; stone and ceramics; metal and glass; and pet food) and countries of origin (China) were associated with elevated airborne chemical and fumigant concentrations.


Conclusion
Airborne chemicals in sealed containers frequently exceed exposure limits, both in fumigated and non-fumigated containers, and may contribute to short-term peak exposures of workers unloading or inspecting containers.

Abstract

Objectives
Previous studies have reported high concentrations of airborne fumigants and other chemicals inside unopened shipping containers, but it is unclear whether this is reflective of worker exposures.


Methods
We collected personal 8-h air samples using a whole-air sampling method. Samples were analysed for 1,2-dibromoethane, chloropicrin, ethylene oxide, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen phosphide, methyl bromide, 1,2-dichloroethane, C2-alkylbenzenes, acetaldehyde, ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde, methanol, styrene, and toluene. Additive Mixture Values (AMVs) were calculated using the New Zealand Workplace Exposure standard (WES) and American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) of the 8-h, time-weighted average exposure limit. Linear regression was conducted to assess associations with work characteristics.


Results
We included 133 workers handling shipping containers, 15 retail workers unpacking container goods, 40 workers loading fumigated and non-fumigated export logs, and 5 fumigators. A total of 193 personal 8-h air measurements were collected. Exposures were generally low, with >50% below the limit of detection for most chemicals, and none exceeding the NZ WES, although formaldehyde exceeded the TLV in 26.2% of all measurements. The AMV-TLV threshold of 1 was exceeded in 29.0% of the measurements. Levels and detection frequencies of most chemicals varied little between occupational groups, although exposure to methyl bromide was highest in the fumigators (median 43 ppb) without exceeding the TLV of 1000 ppb. Duration spent inside the container was associated with significantly higher levels of ethylene oxide, C2-alkylbenzenes, and acetaldehyde, but levels were well below the TLV/WES. Exposure levels did not differ between workers handling fumigated and non-fumigated containers.


Conclusions
Personal exposures of workers handling container cargo in New Zealand were mainly below current exposure standards, with formaldehyde the main contributor to overall exposure. However, as it is not clear whether working conditions of participants included in this study were representative of this industry as a whole, and not all relevant exposures were measured, we cannot exclude the possibility that high exposures may occur in some workers.

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have reported high concentrations of airborne fumigants and other chemicals inside unopened shipping containers, but it is unclear whether this is reflective of worker exposures. METHODS: We collected personal 8-h air samples using a whole-air sampling method. Samples were analysed for 1,2-dibromoethane, chloropicrin, ethylene oxide, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen phosphide, methyl bromide, 1,2-dichloroethane, C2-alkylbenzenes, acetaldehyde, ammonia, benzene, formaldehyde, methanol, styrene, and toluene. Additive Mixture Values (AMVs) were calculated using the New Zealand Workplace Exposure standard (WES) and American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) of the 8-h, time-weighted average exposure limit. Linear regression was conducted to assess associations with work characteristics. RESULTS: We included 133 workers handling shipping containers, 15 retail workers unpacking container goods, 40 workers loading fumigated and non-fumigated export logs, and 5 fumigators. A total of 193 personal 8-h air measurements were collected. Exposures were generally low, with >50% below the limit of detection for most chemicals, and none exceeding the NZ WES, although formaldehyde exceeded the TLV in 26.2% of all measurements. The AMV-TLV threshold of 1 was exceeded in 29.0% of the measurements. Levels and detection frequencies of most chemicals varied little between occupational groups, although exposure to methyl bromide was highest in the fumigators (median 43 ppb) without exceeding the TLV of 1000 ppb. Duration spent inside the container was associated with significantly higher levels of ethylene oxide, C2-alkylbenzenes, and acetaldehyde, but levels were well below the TLV/WES. Exposure levels did not differ between workers handling fumigated and non-fumigated containers. CONCLUSIONS: Personal exposures of workers handling container cargo in New Zealand were mainly below current exposure standards, with formaldehyde the main contributor to overall exposure. However, as it is not clear whether working conditions of participants included in this study were representative of this industry as a whole, and not all relevant exposures were measured, we cannot exclude the possibility that high exposures may occur in some workers.

IntroductionIschaemic Heart Disease (IHD) is a leading cause of death in Western countries. Common occupational exposures such as loud noise, long working hours, and sedentary work have been associated with increased IHD risks, but inconsistently.
Objectives and ApproachThis study examines associations between incident IHD and exposure to long working hours, sedentary work, and loud noise. Individual-level microdata from Statistics New Zealand Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) were extracted for adults (age 20-64 years) with occupation recorded on the 2013 Census. The number of working hours was extracted from the Census, and exposure to sedentary work and loud noise was assessed through job exposure matrices (JEMs). IHD events (from 2013 to end of 2018) were identified using hospitalisations, prescriptions and deaths. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using cox regression adjusted for age, socioeconomic status, and smoking. Results were stratified by sex and ethnicity.
ResultsA total of 20,610 IHD cases were identified from 1,594,680 individuals employed at time of Census. Both short (<35) and long (55+) working hours were associated with an increased IHD risk in crude analyses, but effects disappeared after adjustment for age and socioeconomic status. For females, sedentary work (>90% of the time compared to <50%) was associated with a reduced risk (HR(Non-Māori)=0.86, 95%CI=0.75-0.99; HR(Māori)=0.71, 95%CI=0.44-1.14). For males, exposure to the highest noise category (>90dBA) compared to no exposure (<80dBA) was associated with elevated HRs without reaching statistical significance (HR(Non-Māori)=1.12, 95%CI=0.96-1.29; HR(Māori)=1.25, 95%CI=0.89-1.75). For females exposure to the 80-85dBA category compared to no exposure also showed elevated HRs (HR(Non-Māori)=1.14; 95%CI=1.04-1.26; HR(Māori)=1.16; 95%CI=0.93-1.46), but too few females were employed in jobs with the highest noise exposure.
ConclusionThese preliminary analyses do not support sedentary work or long working hours as IHD risk factors, but do suggest a modest increase in IHD risk associated with occupational exposure to noise.

AbstractObjectivesAlthough cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk has been shown to differ between occupations, few studies have specifically evaluated the distribution of known CVD risk factors across occupational groups. This study assessed CVD risk factors in a range of occupational groups in New Zealand, stratified by sex and ethnicity.MethodsTwo probability-based sample surveys of the general New Zealand adult population (2004–2006; n = 3003) and of the indigenous people of New Zealand (Māori; 2009–2010; n = 2107), for which occupational histories and lifestyle factors were collected, were linked with routinely collected health data. Smoking, body mass index, deprivation, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol were dichotomized and compared between occupational groups using age-adjusted logistic regression.ResultsThe prevalence of all known CVD risk factors was greater in the Māori survey than the general population survey, and in males compared with females. In general for men and women in both surveys 'Plant and machine operators and assemblers' and 'Elementary workers' were more likely to experience traditional CVD risk factors, while 'Professionals' were less likely to experience these risk factors. 'Clerks' were more likely to have high blood pressure and male 'Agricultural and fishery workers' in the general survey were less likely to have high cholesterol, but this was not observed in the Māori survey. Male Māori 'Trades workers' were less likely to have high cholesterol and were less obese, while for the general population survey, this was not observed.ConclusionsThis study showed differences in the distribution of known CVD risk factors across occupational groups, as well as between ethnic groups and males and females.

Abstract

Objectives
This study assessed associations between occupational exposures and ischaemic heart disease (IHD) for males and females in the general and Māori populations (indigenous people of New Zealand).


Methods
Two surveys of the general adult [New Zealand Workforce Survey (NZWS); 2004–2006; n = 3003] and Māori population (Māori NZWS; 2009–2010; n = 2107), with information on occupational exposures, were linked with administrative health data and followed-up until December 2018. Cox proportional hazards regression (adjusted for age, deprivation, and smoking) was used to assess associations between organizational factors, stress, and dust, chemical and physical exposures, and IHD.


Results
Dust [hazard ratio (HR) 1.6, 95%CI 1.1–2.4], smoke or fumes (HR 1.5, 1.0–2.3), and oils and solvents (HR 1.5, 1.0–2.3) were associated with IHD in NZWS males. A high frequency of awkward or tiring hand positions was associated with IHD in both males and females of the NZWS (HRs 1.8, 1.1–2.8 and 2.4, 1.1–5.0, respectively). Repetitive tasks and working at very high speed were associated with IHD among NZWS females (HRs 3.4, 1.1–10.4 and 2.6, 1.2–5.5, respectively). Māori NZWS females working with vibrating tools and those exposed to a high frequency of loud noise were more likely to experience IHD (HRs 2.3, 1.1–4.8 and 2.1, 1.0–4.4, respectively). Exposure to multiple dust and chemical factors was associated with IHD in the NZWS males, as was exposure to multiple physical factors in males and females of the NZWS.


Conclusions
Exposures associated with an elevated IHD risk included dust, smoke or fumes, oils and solvents, awkward grip or hand movements, carrying out repetitive tasks, working at very high speed, loud noise, and working with tools that vibrate. Results were not consistently observed for males and females and between the general and Māori populations.

Abstract

Objectives
Sawmill workers have an increased risk of adverse respiratory outcomes, but knowledge about exposure–response relationships is incomplete. The objective of this study was to assess exposure determinants of dust, microbial components, resin acids, and terpenes in sawmills processing pine and spruce, to guide the development of department and task-based exposure prediction models.


Methods
2474 full-shift repeated personal airborne measurements of dust, resin acids, fungal spores and fragments, endotoxins, mono-, and sesquiterpenes were conducted in 10 departments of 11 saw- and planer mills in Norway in 2013–2016. Department and task-based exposure determinants were identified and geometric mean ratios (GMRs) estimated using mixed model regression. The effects of season and wood type were also studied.


Results
The exposure ratio of individual components was similar in many of the departments. Nonetheless, the highest microbial and monoterpene exposure (expressed per hour) were estimated in the green part of the sawmills: endotoxins [GMR (95% confidence interval) 1.2 (1.0–1.3)], fungal spores [1.1 (1.0–1.2)], and monoterpenes [1.3 (1.1–1.4)]. The highest resin acid GMR was estimated in the dry part of the sawmills [1.4 (1.2–1.5)]. Season and wood type had a large effect on the estimated exposure. In particular, summer and spruce were strong determinants of increased exposure to endotoxin (GMRs [4.6 (3.5–6.2)] and [2.0 (1.4–3.0)], respectively) and fungal spores (GMRs [2.2 (1.7–2.8)] and [1.5 (1.0–2.1)], respectively). Pine was a strong determinant for increased exposure to both resin acid and monoterpenes. Work as a boilerman was associated with moderate to relatively high exposure to all components [1.0–1.4 (0.8–2.0)], although the estimates were based on 13–15 samples only. Cleaning in the saw, planer, and sorting of dry timber departments was associated with high exposure estimates for several components, whereas work with transportation and stock/finished goods were associated with low exposure estimates for all components. The department-based models explained 21–61% of the total exposure variances, 0–90% of the between worker (BW) variance, and 1–36% of the within worker (WW) variances. The task-based models explained 22–62% of the total variance, 0–91% of the BW variance, and 0–33% of the WW variance.


Conclusions
Exposure determinants in sawmills including department, task, season, and wood type differed for individual components, and explained a relatively large proportion of the total variances. Application of department/task-based exposure prediction models for specific exposures will therefore likely improve the assessment of exposure–response associations.