Respiratory Ill-Health and Welding Exposures: A Canadian Cohort Study

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Environmental Medicine
• Respiratory Medicine

Background:

• Respiratory ill-health is common in welders, but specific causative exposures remain unclear.
• Previous studies have documented respiratory issues among welders without pinpointing responsible agents.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify specific occupational exposures responsible for respiratory ill-health in welders.
• To investigate the relationship between cumulative exposure to particulates, chromium, and nickel and respiratory outcomes in welders.

Main Methods:

• A Canadian cohort study followed welders and electrical workers for up to 5 years, collecting self-reports of respiratory symptoms.
• Physician diagnoses of asthma and COPD/bronchitis were extracted from administrative health data.
• Task-specific exposure data for welders were collected, and cumulative exposure estimates for dust, chromium, and nickel were calculated.

Main Results:

• Welders had a higher risk of physician-diagnosed COPD/bronchitis and self-reported asthma/wheezing and rhinitis compared to electrical workers.
• Cumulative exposure to total dust and chromium was associated with increased risk of COPD/bronchitis.
• Cumulative nickel exposure was linked to increased risk of asthma and self-reported rhinitis.

Conclusions:

• Welders are at increased risk for COPD/bronchitis, with dust and chromium exposures being significant factors.
• Nickel exposure is associated with a higher risk of developing asthma and rhinitis in welders.
• The use of local exhaust ventilation was found to reduce the risk of both asthma and COPD/bronchitis.