[Study on the prevention, control and elimination of pneumoconiosis in fluorite mine].
OBJECTIVE
To prevent pneumoconiosis by strengthening comprehensive dust-proof and controlling its pathogenesis, and to discuss feasibility of pneumoconiosis elimination in our country.


METHODS
Comprehensive dust-proof was used for reducing the concentration of dust. Epidemiological investigation of pneumoconiosis was employed for evaluating the efficiency of pneumoconiosis prevention. Prospective tracking investigation was used for identifying the feasibility of the pneumoconiosis elimination.


RESULTS
The outcomes of dynamic observation of 35 years from 1962 to 1996 and results of prospective thirty years tracking investigation showed that after comprehensive dustp-roof, the average dust concentration and time weighted mean dust concentration in workers' operating conditions decreased from 366.0 mg/m3 and 163.4 mg/m3 to 1.2 mg/m3 and 1.3 mg/m3 respectively, and the declined rates reached 99.7% and 92.1%, respectively. After controlling pneumoconiosis pathogensis, the incidence rate of pneumoconiosis, its prevalence rate and mortality rate decreased from 24.8%, 85.5% and 5.9% to zero respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The thirty years prospective tracking investigation validated that the incidence of pneumoconiosis was zero. So the goal to eliminate pneumoconiosis was achieved.
Zhang
Qifeng
Q
Institute of Industrial and Environmental Hygiene, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310031, China.
Yang
Dali
D
D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004391:Dust; D006801:Humans; D008906:Mining; D011009:Pneumoconiosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D004391:Dust