Irritative symptoms and exposure to mineral wool

In a cross-sectional study undertaken in 1981 using a postal questionnaire, the prevalence of irritative symptoms was investigated among 2,654 Danish construction workers working with mineral wool. An evaluation was undertaken in a multivariate logit analysis of the relationship between exposure level (measured by hours of exposure to mineral wool per month) and prevalence of symptoms. The analysis controlled for the confounders of age, smoking habits, and exposure to organic solvents. With greater exposure to mineral wool, there was a statistically significant increase in the frequency of irritative symptoms from the eyes, the skin, and the upper respiratory tract. Among construction workers working with mineral wool 160-180 hours per month, two-thirds had these symptoms once a week or oftener. The occurrence was 2-3 times higher compared with the construction workers not working with mineral wool. The relationship between exposure to mineral wool and skin and mucous membrane symptoms may be explained by the irritative action of the fibers that are given off during insulation work.