Reproducibility of Shift Decrements in FEV(1) in Textile Workers

B. Boehlecke and R. Jacobs


 
ABSTRACT

Pre- and post shift spirometry and questionnaires were administered to workers in a small textile mill on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of one week and the following Monday. Airborne cotton dust concentrations were measured in 22 work areas on the same days and workers' exposures estimated using the time they reported spending in each area during the workshift. There was no difference in the mean change in FEV(1) over the workshift between the days of the study. Essentially the same proportion of workers showed a 5% drop in FEV(1) each day (16-20%). The correlation between FEV(1) decrement on the two Mondays was poor (r=.32) and was not improved by adjusting for dust exposure. Only 40% of workers who showed a 5% or greater decrement in FEV(1) on the first Monday showed such a decrement again on the second Monday. The study suggests that a 5% decrement in FEV(1) on Monday is an inefficient screening criterion.



Reprinted from 1985 Proceedings: Ninth Cotton Dust Research Conference pp. 88 - 90
©National Cotton Council, Memphis TN

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Document last modified Sunday, Dec 6 1998