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Carbon monoxide exposure in blast furnace workers.
Aust J Public Health. 1992 Sep; 16(3):262-8.AJ

Abstract

This study investigated the occupational exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) of a group of blast furnace workers from an integrated steelworks, compared to a control group having no significant occupational CO exposure from other areas in the same works. The study was undertaken in 1984 at Port Kembla, New South Wales. Carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb) levels before and after an eight-hour work shift were measured in 98 male steelworkers: 52 from two CO-exposed iron blast furnaces and 46 controls from production areas in the same steelworks. The sample was stratified by smoking habits. Environmental air CO levels had been found to be consistently higher on one furnace than on the other. Absorption of CO from the working environment occurred in workers on the blast furnace with higher CO levels, regardless of smoking habits. On this blast furnace, some readings of COHb levels after a workshift in nonsmokers approached the proposed Australian occupational limit of 5 per cent COHb saturation. Overall, workers with the highest occupational exposure who smoked most heavily had the highest absorption of CO over a work shift. Biological monitoring gives an accurate measure of individual worker 'dose' of CO from all sources. Both environmental monitoring and biological monitoring need to be included as part of a program for controlling occupational CO exposure.

Authors+Show Affiliations

Lewis S
Lidcombe Workers' Health Centre, Sydney.
Mason C
No affiliation info available
Srna J
No affiliation info available

MeSH

Breath TestsCarbon MonoxideCarboxyhemoglobinEnvironmental MonitoringHumansMaleMetallurgyNew South WalesOccupational ExposureSmokingSurveys and Questionnaires

Pub Type(s)

Journal Article

Language

eng

PubMed ID

1482718

Citation

Lewis, S, et al. "Carbon Monoxide Exposure in Blast Furnace Workers." Australian Journal of Public Health, vol. 16, no. 3, 1992, pp. 262-8.
Lewis S, Mason C, Srna J. Carbon monoxide exposure in blast furnace workers. Aust J Public Health. 1992;16(3):262-8.
Lewis, S., Mason, C., & Srna, J. (1992). Carbon monoxide exposure in blast furnace workers. Australian Journal of Public Health, 16(3), 262-8.
Lewis S, Mason C, Srna J. Carbon Monoxide Exposure in Blast Furnace Workers. Aust J Public Health. 1992;16(3):262-8. PubMed PMID: 1482718.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Carbon monoxide exposure in blast furnace workers. AU - Lewis,S, AU - Mason,C, AU - Srna,J, PY - 1992/9/1/pubmed PY - 1992/9/1/medline PY - 1992/9/1/entrez SP - 262 EP - 8 JF - Australian journal of public health JO - Aust J Public Health VL - 16 IS - 3 N2 - This study investigated the occupational exposure to carbon monoxide (CO) of a group of blast furnace workers from an integrated steelworks, compared to a control group having no significant occupational CO exposure from other areas in the same works. The study was undertaken in 1984 at Port Kembla, New South Wales. Carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb) levels before and after an eight-hour work shift were measured in 98 male steelworkers: 52 from two CO-exposed iron blast furnaces and 46 controls from production areas in the same steelworks. The sample was stratified by smoking habits. Environmental air CO levels had been found to be consistently higher on one furnace than on the other. Absorption of CO from the working environment occurred in workers on the blast furnace with higher CO levels, regardless of smoking habits. On this blast furnace, some readings of COHb levels after a workshift in nonsmokers approached the proposed Australian occupational limit of 5 per cent COHb saturation. Overall, workers with the highest occupational exposure who smoked most heavily had the highest absorption of CO over a work shift. Biological monitoring gives an accurate measure of individual worker 'dose' of CO from all sources. Both environmental monitoring and biological monitoring need to be included as part of a program for controlling occupational CO exposure. SN - 1035-7319 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/1482718/Carbon_monoxide_exposure_in_blast_furnace_workers_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -