Difficulties of attribution of effect in workers exposed to fiberglass and asbestos

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · American Journal of Industrial Medicine; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.4700200605· OSTI ID:5374247

Kilburn, K H; Warshaw, R H ^[1]

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1. University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles (United States)

Man-made mineral fibers have many properties of asbestos that raise concern about their safety. We studied 175 fiberglass production workers, using chest radiographs, measurement of total lung capacity, chest examinations, and occupational and medical histories. Pulmonary volumes and flows were calculated as percent of predicted, adjusted for height, age, ethnicity, and cigarette smoking. Thirty-one men with radiographically evident small irregular opacities of profusion of 1/0 or greater and/or pleural abnormalities were observed. Eight of 38 men with such changes said they had been exposed only to fiberglass; the other 23 with radiologically detectable pleural and/or pulmonary changes were among the 137 whose histories indicated that they had been exposed to asbestos and to fiberglass. Pulmonary function measurements as group means were reduced in the 175: FVC was 94.8% predicted, FEV1 was 91.3% predicted, FEF25-75 was 80.7% predicted, FEF75-85 was 73.1% predicted and FEV1/FVC was 0.73. Total lung capacity (TLC) was elevated to 114.2% predicted (mean) and RV/TLC (mean 0.46) was also elevated. Although only 78% of fiberglass production workers gave histories of asbestos exposure, all had shared the air in a manufacturing plant where ovens insulated with asbestos were continuously cleaned, repaired, dismantled, and rebuilt. It appears that attribution of the effects of their exposure to fiberglass could not be estimated independently of the effects of asbestos exposure.

• OSTI ID: 5374247
• Journal Information: American Journal of Industrial Medicine; (United States), Journal Name: American Journal of Industrial Medicine; (United States) Vol. 20:6; ISSN 0271-3586; ISSN AJIMD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ASBESTOS
BODY
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
DISEASES
FIBERGLASS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INHALATION
INTAKE
LUNGS
MATERIALS
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PERSONNEL
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM