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Health problems among spice grinders.

O Y Chan1, C S Lee, K T Tan

  • 1Department of Industrial Health, Ministry of Labour, Singapore.

The Journal of the Society of Occupational Medicine
|January 1, 1990
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

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Spice grinders experience respiratory irritation and skin sensations, with 21% showing noise-induced hearing loss. While dust and noise levels were significant, severe occupational health issues were not observed.

Area of Science:

  • Occupational Health
  • Industrial Hygiene
  • Environmental Medicine

Background:

  • Spice grinding involves exposure to airborne dust and high noise levels.
  • Potential health risks for spice grinders include skin irritation, respiratory issues, and hearing loss.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the prevalence of skin problems, respiratory symptoms, and hearing loss among male spice grinders.
  • To assess occupational exposure levels to dust and noise in spice grinding factories.

Main Methods:

  • A study involving 61 male spice grinders from 14 factories.
  • Interviews, physical examinations, and audiometric assessments for noise-exposed workers.
  • Measurement of dust and noise levels in the workplace.

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Main Results:

  • 49.2% reported upper respiratory tract irritation (sneezing, runny nose), often transient.
  • 26.2% experienced skin sensations (warmth, burning) when grinding chili or pepper.
  • Noise-induced hearing loss was detected in 21% of examined workers; no severe deafness was found.
  • Dust levels averaged 0.15 mg/m3 (range 0.03–0.82 mg/m3); noise levels ranged from 87–98 dBA.

Conclusions:

  • Spice grinding poses risks of mild respiratory and skin irritation, and some noise-induced hearing loss.
  • Occupational exposure to dust and noise requires monitoring and control measures.
  • No evidence of allergic skin disease or asthma was found in the studied population.