Effects of occupational exposures on respiratory health in steel factory workers

Sajjad Mozaffari; Behzad Heibati; Maritta S Jaakkola; Taina K Lajunen; Safa Kalteh; Hadi Alimoradi; Mahsa Nazari; Ali Karimi; Jouni J K Jaakkola

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1082874

Effects of occupational exposures on respiratory health in steel factory workers

Front Public Health. 2023 Feb 14:11:1082874. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1082874. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Sajjad Mozaffari¹, Behzad Heibati^{2

3}, Maritta S Jaakkola^{2

3}, Taina K Lajunen^{2

3}, Safa Kalteh⁴, Hadi Alimoradi⁵, Mahsa Nazari⁶, Ali Karimi¹, Jouni J K Jaakkola^{2

3

7}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Occupational Health and Safety, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
² Center for Environmental and Respiratory Health Research, Research Unit of Population Health, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
³ Biocenter Oulu, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
⁴ Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁵ Esfahan Steel Company and Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Yazd, Iran.
⁶ Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Yazd, Iran.
⁷ Atmospheric Composition Research Unit, Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland.

Abstract

Background: The steel factory work environment contains various chemical exposures that can affect indoor air quality and have impact on respiratory health of the workers.

Aims: The objective of this study was to assess potential effects of occupational exposures in steel factory workers in Iran on the respiratory symptoms, occurrence and the lung function levels.

Method: This was a cross-sectional study of 133 men working in a steel factory forming the exposed group and 133 male office workers forming the reference group from a steel company in Iran. The participants filled in a questionnaire and underwent spirometry. Work history was used both as dichotomous (exposed/reference) and a quantitative measure of exposure, the latter measured as duration of exposure in the specified work (in years) for the exposed group and zero for the reference group.

Results: Multiple linear regression and Poisson regression were used to adjust for confounding. In Poisson regression analyses, an increased prevalence ratio (PR) of all respiratory symptoms was observed in the exposed group. Lung function parameters were significantly reduced in the exposed group (p < 0.001). There was a dose-response relation between duration of occupational exposures and reduction in the predicted value of FEV1/FVC level (0.177, 95% CI -0.198 to -0.156) in all models.

Conclusion: The results of these analyses showed that occupational exposures in steel factory work increase the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and reduce lung function. Safety training and workplace conditions were found to need improvement. In addition, use of proper personal protective equipment is recommended.

Keywords: air quality; epidemiological; pulmonary function (PF); respiratory symptom; steel industry.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cross-Sectional Studies
Humans
Iran / epidemiology
Linear Models
Male
Occupational Exposure* / adverse effects
Steel

Substances

Steel

Grants and funding

This study was not funded by the industry itself or by any governmental agency. BH was funded by Biocenter Oulu, Finland. TL was financially supported by the Ella and Georg Ehrnrooth Foundation and by Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation. JJ and MJ were supported by the Academy of Finland (grant no. 310372).