Two year follow up of pulmonary function values among welders in New Zealand

• Published in: Occupational and environmental medicine (London, England) England), 1998-12, Vol.57 (5), p.328-333
• Main Authors: Erkinjuntti-Pekkanen, R, Slater, T, Cheng, Soo, Fishwick, D, Bradshaw, L, Kimbell-Dunn, M, Dronfield, L, Pearce, N
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: New Zealand
• ISSN: 1351-0711

To examine whether welding is a risk factor for an accelerated decline in pulmonary function. 2 Year follow up of pulmonary function and respiratory symptoms among 54 welders and 38 non-welders in eight New Zealand welding sites. There were no significant differences in age, height, smoking habits, ethnicity, or total time in industrial work between welders and non-welders. No overall differences were noted in the changes of pulmonary function variables between the two study groups. However, when the comparison was restricted to smokers, welders had a significantly greater (p=0.02) annual decline (88.8 ml) in FEV sub(1) than non-welders, who had a slight non-significant annual increase (34.2 ml). Also, welders without respiratory protection or local exhaust ventilation while welding had a greater annual decline both in forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV sub(1)) than welders with protection (p=0.001 and 0.04, respectively). Among welders a significant association was found between the acute across shift change and the annual decline in FEV sub(1). Chronic bronchitis was more common among welders (24%) than non-welders (5%). Only one welder (2%) but eight non-welders (21%) reported having asthma. Welders who smoked and welders working without local exhaust ventilation or respiratory protection have an increased risk of accelerated decline in FEV sub(1).