Employment Status and Lung Function Among Coal-Powered Electrical Plant Workers: A 5-Year Follow-up Study

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Environmental Medicine
• Pulmonary Medicine

Background:

• Coal-powered electrical plant workers face significant coal dust exposure.
• Subcontractor employees in South Korea often perform tasks with higher hazardous substance exposure.
• Coal dust is linked to serious health issues including pneumoconiosis, lung cancer, and reduced lung function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of coal dust exposure on lung function in coal-powered electrical plant workers.
• To examine differences in lung function changes based on employment status (contractor vs. subcontractor).

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 1,108 coal-powered electrical plant workers underwent lung function tests between 2013 and 2018.
• Workers were categorized into contractor operators, subcontractor operators, and subcontractor maintenance workers.
• Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to analyze changes in lung function over time, considering exposure indices.

Main Results:

• Subcontractors exhibited higher exposure indices (4.5) compared to contractors (1.7).
• Significant decreases in lung function indicators, including forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 second, were observed in subcontractor groups over 5 years.
• The decline in pulmonary function varied significantly by employment status, with a statistically significant interaction between time and employment (P < 0.01).

Conclusions:

• A clear association exists between occupational coal dust exposure and lung function deterioration.
• Disparities in workplace exposure levels contribute to differing health outcomes among workers in the same industrial setting.