Spirometric surveillance in hazardous materials firefighters: does hazardous materials duty affect lung function?

S N Kales, P J Mendoza, J M Hill, D C Christiani
Author Information
  1. S N Kales: Department of Medicine, Cambridge Hospital, 1493 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. stefokali@aol.com

Abstract

We analyzed spirometry results for 351 male hazardous materials firefighters from 1996 to 1999 who underwent one or more annual medical surveillance/fitness for duty examinations: 276 (79%) technicians and 75 (21%) support members. Support members had a very limited potential for hazardous materials exposure and served as referents. In cross-sectional comparisons, the technicians' average forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 second were either statistically better or not significantly different from that of the support members at all four examinations. Longitudinally, no statistically significant differences were seen for forced vital capacity. The mean percent of predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second decreased by 3% for technicians (P = 0.029), support controls (P = 0.433), and the total cohort (P = 0.014). Although respiratory irritants are the most common type of exposure in hazardous materials releases, the results suggest that hazardous materials technicians do not lose pulmonary function at a more accelerated rate than support team firefighters.

Grants

  1. 0H03729/PHS HHS
  2. ES00002/NIEHS NIH HHS
  3. ES05947/NIEHS NIH HHS
  4. OH00156/NIOSH CDC HHS

MeSH Term

Adult
Analysis of Variance
Cohort Studies
Decontamination
Fires
Follow-Up Studies
Forced Expiratory Volume
Hazardous Waste
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Massachusetts
Middle Aged
Occupational Exposure
Population Surveillance
Registries
Spirometry

Chemicals

Hazardous Waste

Word Cloud

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