US EPA

3101233 

Technical Report 

Asbestosis Among Maintenance Workers In The Chemical Industry And In Oil Refinery Workers 

Lilis, R; Daum, S; Anderson, H; Andrews, G; Selikoff, IJ 

1980 

NIOSH/00156008 

IARC Scientific Publication No 

30 

795-810 

Cross sectional field studies of asbestos (1332214) hazards in maintenance workers in a chemical facility and of oil refinery (SIC-2911) workers were conducted. A cohort of 185 chemical facility workers, including welders, carpenters, electricians and pipe fitters, and 137 oil refinery workers were examined. A lifetime occupational history, past medical history, respiratory questionnaire, complete physical examination, standard chest X-ray films, and pulmonary function tests were performed. Chemical maintenance workers had various amounts of asbestos exposure with more than half never having been directly exposed. Of the oil workers, only six had direct asbestos exposure as insulators. Chemical facility maintenance workers had radiological evidence of parenchymal interstitial fibrosis in 24 percent of the workers; in 10 percent, this was the only abnormality. The overall prevalence of parenchymal and pleural thickening abnormalities consistent with asbestos induced changes was 38 percent. Oil refinery workers had interstitial pulmonary fibrosis in 23 percent of the cases; in 15 percent, this was the only abnormality. Pleural fibrosis and calcification occurred in 25 percent of the cases; 17 percent were found in the absence of radiologically detectable parenchymal changes. Pleural abnormalities were more prevalent than parenchymal changes in both groups. The only clinical finding with a higher frequency in workers with radiological abnormalities was dyspnea on exertion. Chronic bronchitis symptoms occurred in 20 percent of the chemical maintenance workers and 235 percent of the oil refinery workers and was significantly higher only in current oil refinery workers who smoked. Pulmonary function tests indicated 5 percent of chemical maintenance workers and 14 percent of oil refinery workers had restrictive dysfunction. The authors conclude that the risk for developing severe disabling asbestosis with asbestos exposure characteristic for maintenance workers and oil refinery workers is unlikely.