Longitudinal pulmonary function losses in Vermont granite workers. A reevaluation

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Pulmonary Medicine
• Environmental Health

Background:

• Previous studies indicated excessive lung function loss (FVC and FEV1) in Vermont granite workers.
• These losses occurred despite mean quartz levels being below the OSHA standard of 100 µg/m³.
• This prompted a re-examination of pulmonary function trends in the industry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To re-examine longitudinal losses in forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) in Vermont granite workers.
• To determine if occupational dust exposure, job type, or years employed correlate with pulmonary function decline.
• To assess the effectiveness of current OSHA standards in protecting worker respiratory health.

Main Methods:

• A biennial spirometry testing of granite workers (stone shed, quarry, office) from 1979 to 1987.
• Longitudinal loss estimates based on 711 workers participating in at least three surveys.
• Analysis of covariance used to adjust for age, height, initial lung function values, and smoking status.

Main Results:

• Average annual FVC loss was 0.018 L and FEV1 loss was 0.030 L.
• After adjusting for covariates, pulmonary function losses were not correlated with years employed in the granite industry.
• No significant differences in FVC or FEV1 loss were found across different worker categories (office, quarry, stone shed) or dust exposure levels.

Conclusions:

• The observed annual losses in pulmonary function were significantly smaller than previously estimated.
• Dust levels in the Vermont granite industry, conforming to OSHA limits, do not appear to accelerate pulmonary function loss.
• The findings suggest that current occupational exposure limits are protective for granite workers' respiratory health.