Acute symptoms associated with asphalt fume exposure among road pavers.
BACKGROUND
Although asphalt fume is a recognized irritant, previous studies of acute symptoms during asphalt paving have produced inconsistent results. Between 1994 and 1997, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) evaluated workers at seven sites in six states.


METHODS
NIOSH (a) measured exposures of asphalt paving workers to total (TP) and benzene-soluble particulate (BSP), polycyclic aromatic compounds, and other substances; (b) administered symptom questionnaires pre-shift, every 2 hr during the shift, and post-shift to asphalt exposed and nonexposed workers; and (c) measured peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) of asphalt paving workers when they completed a symptom questionnaire.


RESULTS
Full-shift time-weighted average exposures to TP and BSP ranged from 0.01 to 1.30 mg/m(3) and 0.01 to 0.82 mg/m(3), respectively. Most BSP concentrations were <0.50 mg/m(3). Asphalt workers had a higher occurrence rate of throat irritation than nonexposed workers [13% vs. 4%, odds ratio (OR) = 4.0, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2-13]. TP, as a continuous variable, was associated with eye (OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.12-1.60) and throat (OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.06-1.85) symptoms. With TP dichotomous at 0.5 mg/m(3), the ORs and 95% CIs for eye and throat symptoms were 7.5 (1.1-50) and 15 (2.3-103), respectively. BSP, dichotomous at 0.3 mg/m(3), was associated with irritant (eye, nose, or throat) symptoms (OR = 11, 95% CI: 1.5-84). One worker, a smoker, had PEFR-defined bronchial lability, which did not coincide with respiratory symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Irritant symptoms were associated with TP and BSP concentrations at or below 0.5 mg/m(3).
Tepper
Allison L
AL
Hazard Evaluations and Technical Assistance Branch, Division of Surveillance, Hazard Evaluations and Field Studies, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, NIOSH, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226, USA. atepper@cdc.gov
Burr
Gregory A
GA
Feng
H Amy
HA
Singal
Mitchell
M
Miller
Aubrey K
AK
Hanley
Kevin W
KW
Olsen
Larry D
LD
D000208:Acute Disease; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000032:analysis*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009314:National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S.; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D010316:Particle Size; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D006838:Hydrocarbons; C006647:asphalt