26-year radiographic follow-up of workers in a diatomite mine and mill
Chest roentgenograms of 473 employees of a California diatomite plant were reviewed as part of periodic reevaluation of the efficacy of the dust control program. The plant's processing of diatomite included flux-calcination, which provided opportunities for exposure to cristobalite. The films examined were those of workers with at least five years of service. Only 11 films were interpreted as showing changes consistent with pneumoconiosis, i.e., small opacities of profusion categorized as 1/1 or greater. Only six were classified as 1/2 or more. All who developed categories 1/1 or higher during their employment had more than 25 years of service. No large opacities were reported. The low prevalence of abnormalities and the absence of definite pneumoconiosis in employees with fewer than 25 years of service was in striking contrast with findings in 1953. At that time more than 25% of those with five or more years of employment had roentgenographic evidence of pneumoconiosis and over 10% had confluent changes producing large opacities.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Southern California Medical Center, Los Angeles
- OSTI ID:
- 6498117
- Journal Information:
- JOM, J. Occup. Med.; (United States), Vol. 26:6
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
CRISTOBALITE
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
DUSTS
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
PERSONNEL
X-RAY RADIOGRAPHY
PNEUMOCONIOSES
DIAGNOSIS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DIATOMACEOUS EARTH
HEALTH HAZARDS
MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE
MILLING
MINING
TIME DEPENDENCE
CHALCOGENIDES
CONTROL
DISEASES
HAZARDS
INDUSTRIAL RADIOGRAPHY
MACHINING
MINERALS
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION CONTROL
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
SURVEILLANCE
560306* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)
500200 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
550602 - Medicine- External Radiation in Diagnostics- (1980-)