<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The health status of 1515 workers employed in heat production was investigated. The subjects studied were divided in four groups according to occupation and occupational risk factors: vibration, noise, dust, metal aerosols, overloading of the musculoskeletal and peripheral nervous system, and organic solvents. The control group included 152 administrative staff members. High prevalence of socially significant diseases – cardiovascular, endocrine and metabolic was detected in all the groups surveyed. The frequency of diseases of the cardiovascular system and the respiratory system was 2.7 times higher than that in the control group. Statistically reliable higher prevalence of lung diseases in the studied risk groups was found, especially in the group of welders and chemists: 45.3% и 17.4% respectively, as compared to 4.3% in the controls. These finding corresponded to the occupational risk. The following occupation diseases were diagnosed: pneumoconiosis in 26.6% and toxic pneumofibrosis in 5.1% of electric welders. As regards the group of chemists, toxic pneumofibrosis was found in 6.5%. toxic effects of irritants - in 6.5 %, and chronic intoxication with organic radicals - in 0.7 % of them. Occupational auditory neuritis was diagnosed in 1% of the turbine operators and crane operators. The relative share of workers with peripheral nervous system pathology (radiculopathies, polyneuropathies, distal sympathetic neuropathy, mononeuropathy) was reliably higher than that in the control group, and the frequency increased among the workers with more than ten years of service and older than 40.</p></abstract>

The health status of 1515 workers employed in heat production was investigated. The subjects studied were divided in four groups according to occupation and occupational risk factors: vibration, noise, dust, metal aerosols, overloading of the musculoskeletal and peripheral nervous system, and organic solvents. The control group included 152 administrative staff members. High prevalence of socially significant diseases – cardiovascular, endocrine and metabolic was detected in all the groups surveyed. The frequency of diseases of the cardiovascular system and the respiratory system was 2.7 times higher than that in the control group. Statistically reliable higher prevalence of lung diseases in the studied risk groups was found, especially in the group of welders and chemists: 45.3% и 17.4% respectively, as compared to 4.3% in the controls. These finding corresponded to the occupational risk. The following occupation diseases were diagnosed: pneumoconiosis in 26.6% and toxic pneumofibrosis in 5.1% of electric welders. As regards the group of chemists, toxic pneumofibrosis was found in 6.5%. toxic effects of irritants - in 6.5 %, and chronic intoxication with organic radicals - in 0.7 % of them. Occupational auditory neuritis was diagnosed in 1% of the turbine operators and crane operators. The relative share of workers with peripheral nervous system pathology (radiculopathies, polyneuropathies, distal sympathetic neuropathy, mononeuropathy) was reliably higher than that in the control group, and the frequency increased among the workers with more than ten years of service and older than 40.

Occupational Risk And Health Status Of Workers In The Production Of Heat

Clinic of Occupational Diseases, University Hospital “St. Iv. Rilski”, Sofia

Journal of Biomedical and Clinical Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Occupational Risk And Health Status Of Workers In The Production Of Heat"}

The health status of 1515 workers employed in heat production was investigated. The subjects studied were divided in four groups according to occupation and...

Occupational Risk And Health Status Of Workers In The Production Of Heat

Publié en ligne: 10 déc. 2015

Pages: 116 - 122

Reçu: 30 oct. 2014

Accepté: 19 déc. 2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jbcr-2015-0136

Mots clés
occupational risk, occupational diseases, toxic pneumofibrosis, hepatitis

© 2014 Tanja P. Kuneva et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Occupational Risk And Health Status Of Workers In The Production Of Heat

Publié en ligne: 10 déc. 2015

Pages: 116 - 122

Reçu: 30 oct. 2014

Accepté: 19 déc. 2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jbcr-2015-0136

Mots clésoccupational risk, occupational diseases, toxic pneumofibrosis, hepatitis

© 2014 Tanja P. Kuneva et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Mots clés
occupational risk, occupational diseases, toxic pneumofibrosis, hepatitis