Page 1 Health Hazard Evaluation Report 2009-0131-3171 Evaluation of Sensitization and Exposure to Flour Dust, Spices, and Other Ingredients Among Poultry Breading Workers Report No. 2009-0131-3171 April 2013 Elena H
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- Page 3
- Second site visit
- Inhalable flour dust
- Inhalable soy
- Episodes of coughing
- 1.69 (1.12, 2.58)
- Rhinitis symptoms
- 1.49 (1.06, 2.10)
Page 3 Health Hazard Evaluation Report 2009-0131-3171 Results First Site Visit Previous sampling by the plant found employee exposures to total dust (comprised mainly of flour) at concentrations that exceeded the OSHA PEL of 15 mg/m 3 for particulates not otherwise regulated. In addition to flour dust, other ingredients used in the plant have been reported in the medical literature to cause asthma including garlic, onion, soy, and corn. Spicy flour used in the plant contained paprika and capsaicin, which can cause mucous membrane and respiratory irritation. Our review of the OSHA Logs revealed one employee diagnosed with baker’s asthma in 2005. We interviewed 47 of more than 400 production employees. Twelve of the 47 were identified from a list provided by the union of 18 employees who had reported work-related symptoms; the other six on the union list were not at work at the time of our visit. The remaining 35 interviewed employees were serially selected from job categories with the greatest potential for flour dust exposure. Twenty-five reported no work-related symptoms. Of the remaining 22, six reported using an inhaler for work-related respiratory symptoms, and four reported being Table 1. Employee exposure groups* Lower exposure Higher exposure Clerk in office Bread and batter Fork lift operator Lay-on
Bagger operators Oven operators Trash dock and trash removal Marination Receiving employees Foremax operators Scale operators Line leader Box makers Quality assurance technicians Frozen shipping employees Bone checker Tub washers Utility Temperature checkers Checker/sorter Stackers
Quality assurance production and support
Packers Cups
Warehouse ingredient handlers Graders
Pallet jack operators *Employees were classified on the basis of a review of work processes, historical sampling data, and the professional judgment of NIOSH investigators. Page 4 Health Hazard Evaluation Report 2009-0131-3171 diagnosed with breathing problems due to flour dust. Eleven of these 22 employees reported work-related shortness of breath, 10 reported work-related cough, 9 reported work-related nasal symptoms, 8 reported work-related sneezing, 6 reported work-related eye symptoms, 5 reported work-related wheezing, and 3 reported work-related chest tightness. Second site visit We collected 100 personal breathing zone air samples throughout the plant. Table 2 summarizes the air sampling results for inhalable flour dust, wheat, and soy by exposure group. Tables A1–A3 in Appendix A list these personal breathing zone results by the job category observed on the day of sampling. Median airborne inhalable flour dust, wheat, and soy concentrations were higher for the higher-exposure group than the lower-exposure group, but there was overlap, and exposures were documented in all areas of the plant (Table 2). Concentrations of inhalable wheat (r = 0.89, P < 0.01) and soy (r = 0.79, P < 0.01) were positively correlated with the inhalable flour dust concentrations. Of 402 employees present during the site visit, 375 (93%) completed the questionnaire. Of these, 242 (64%) allowed their blood to be drawn. Table 3 lists the prevalences of work-related symptoms comparing the higher-exposure group to the lower-exposure group, showing both the statistically significant (bolded) and the nonsignificant differences. Participants in the higher-exposure group were significantly more likely to report episodes of coughing, rhinitis symptoms, and rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms in the last 12 months than lower-exposure participants. Table 4 lists the prevalences of work- related symptoms comparing those currently in the higher-exposure group and those who previously held jobs in the higher-exposure group to the lower-exposure group, showing both the statistically significant (bolded) and the nonsignificant differences. Participants Table 2. Summary of air sampling results by exposure group as observed on the day of sampling Higher-exposure group Lower-exposure group # of PBZ samples 65 35
Median 8.21 mg/m 3 1.03 mg/m 3 Range
0.59 to 93 mg/m 3 0.22 to 15 mg/m 3 Inhalable wheat Median
0.188 mg/m 3 0.00321 mg/m 3 Range
ND to 1.8 mg/m 3 ND to 0.44 mg/m 3 Inhalable soy Median
0.341 µg/m 3 ND Range ND to 7.2 µg/m 3 ND to 0.32 µg/m 3 Page 5 Health Hazard Evaluation Report 2009-0131-3171 either currently in the higher-exposure group or who had previously held jobs in that group were significantly more likely to report asthma symptoms in the last 12 months, including wheezing or whistling in the chest and attacks of asthma, than employees in the lower- exposure group. Of the 244 participants who reported having held other jobs at the plant, 45 reported having changed jobs for health reasons. Significantly more participants reported changing jobs for health reasons in the lower-exposure group than in the higher-exposure group (24% vs. 12%,
mucous membrane problems. Twelve of 375 participants reported having been diagnosed by a healthcare professional with allergy to flour. Table 3. Prevalence of work-related symptoms in the last 12 months* by current exposure group Work-related symptom Higher-
exposure group n=158–161† Number (%) Lower-exposure group n=212–213† Number (%) Prevalence ratio (95% confidence interval) Episodes of coughing 43 (27)
39 (18) 1.46 (1.00, 2.15)‡ Asthma symptoms§ 54 (34)
55 (26) 1.29 (0.94, 1.77)‡ Wheezing or whistling in chest 41 (25)
32 (15) 1.69 (1.12, 2.58)‡ Woken up with feeling of tightness in the chest 24 (15)
22 (10) 1.42 (0.83, 2.46)‡ Attack of asthma 11 (7)
12 (6) 1.24 (0.55, 2.76)‡ Currently taking medicine for breathing problems or asthma 22 (14) 19 (9)
1.53 (0.86, 2.77)‡ Rhinitis symptoms Problem with sneezing or a runny nose or a blocked nose when did not have a cold or flu 71 (44) 65 (31)
1.45 (1.11, 1.90) Rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms Rhinitis symptoms accompanied by itchy watery eyes 51 (32)
46 (22) 1.49 (1.06, 2.10) *Or since beginning current job if in that job for less than 12 months †Denominators vary because of missing information ‡Controlled for smoking status §Work-related asthma symptoms based upon a positive answer to one or more of four questions below it in table Yüklə 252,84 Kb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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