A new study shows that long-term exposure to cement dust may cause a decline in lung volumes.
The research, published in the European Respiratory Journal, is the first study to assess whether differing levels of exposure have a different level of impact on lung health.
Over 61,000 workers in the EU are employed in the cement production industry. During the production of cement, workers may be exposed to airborne particulate matter (dust) generated from cement and raw materials. Previous studies have linked inhalation of dust among this group of workers to airway symptoms and changes in the airflow in the lungs, but this is the first to find that the risk of ill-health was increased when the level of exposure increased.
A total of 4,966 workers from eight different countries were included in the study in 2007 and 2009. Researchers analysed air samples from cement production plants, measured lung function of the workers and collected data from questionnaires taken at the start of the study and at the follow-up time in 2009 and 2011-2012.
The results showed that a decline in lung function over time was consistently associated with increasing exposure to dust from cement production.
Dr Karl-Christian Nordby, from the National Institute of Occupational Health in Norway and lead author of the study, commented: “Our results found that declines in lung volume are consistently associated with increases in exposure to cement dust. More than half of the study population was exposed to dust levels that induced statistically significant excess lung function decline. It is important that preventive measures beyond respiratory protection are implemented in order to reduce exposure and prevent lung function decline. The substantial differences between exposure levels in the plants suggest that this should be possible.”
