pulmonary problems among quarry workers of stone crushing industrial site at umuoghara, ebonyi state, nigeria

background: respiratory problem is one of the major health hazards in dust-exposed workers; it is a major cause of morbidity and mortality all over the world. objective: to determine the prevalence of respiratory problems and lung function impairment among quarry workers in ebonyi state, nigeria. methods: respiratory problems and lung function were studied in 403 quarry workers aged 10–60 years. respiratory problems were investigated with a questionnaire based on international models adapted for the study population. lung function was assessed by spirometry and chest roentgenography. results: the respiratory problems found were chest pain (47.6%), occasional cough (40.7%), occasional shortness of breath (6.5%) and wheezing (5.2%). the mean±sd fev 1 and fvc values were significantly decreased with length of exposure—respectively, 3.52±0.77 and 3.91±0.72 l for <5 years; 2.79±0.68 and 3.09±0.87 l for 5–10 years; and 2.03±0.92 and 2.86±0.83 l for >10 years of exposure. moreover, the mean±sd fev 1 and fvc values of smoker (3.37±0.81 and 3.56±1.02 l, respectively) were significantly (p<0.05) lower than that of non-smokers (3.68±1.02 and 3.89±0.99 l, respectively) working in the quarry site. conclusion: chronic exposure to dust due to stone quarrying may increase the risk of respiratory problems and impaired lung function—cigarette smokers are at higher risk.