%0 Journal Article %T Mortality from nonmalignant respiratory diseases among male workers in Norwegian ferroalloy plants %A Hobbesland, Å %A Kjuus, Helge %A Thelle, D. S. %J Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health %D 1997 %8 October 23 %N 5 %@ 0355-3140 %F Hobbesland1997 %X '

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OBJECTIVES ': 'This study examined mortality from nonmalignant respiratory diseases among ferroalloy workers.'

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METHODS ': 'The cohort comprised 14 730 men employed for the first time in 1933--1990 and for at least 6 months in 1 of 12 plants. The duration of work in specific departments and exposure to amorphous silica in the ferrosilicon/silicon-metal (FeSi/Si-met) plants, estimated from a job-exposure matrix, were the main exposure variables. Deaths were observed during 1962--1990. The mortality was analyzed with the use of standardized mortality ratios (SMR) and internal comparisons of rates.'

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RESULTS ': 'Overall mortality from nonmalignant respiratory diseases was not increased, but mortality from bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma combined was significantly increased among the men with at least 3 years of FeSi/Si-met furnace work (SMR 1.82, 16 deaths). A Poisson regression analysis of the mortality from these causes among 6359 employees in the FeSi/Si-met plants showed a significant increase of 0.06 per unit of amorphous silica exposure observed 10--20 years after the exposure. Six men died of pneumonia while still employed in a ferromanganese/silicomanganese (FeMn/SiMn) plant. No corresponding deaths occurred among employees in FeSi/Si-met plants. Only 2 deaths from pneumoconiosis were observed in the total cohort.'

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CONCLUSION ': 'Among employees in FeSi/Si-met plants increased mortality from bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma may be associated with previous exposure to amorphous silica. Deaths from pneumonia among FeMn/SiMn workers may be associated with manganese exposure.

%K amorphous silica %K asthma %K bronchitis %K emphysema %K ferrosilicon %K lung disease %K manganese %K pneumonia %R 10.5271/sjweh.230 %U https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=230 %U https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.230 %P 342-350