Assessment of Post-work Peak Expiratory Flow Rate of Workers in Cement Company

SUMMARY: Exposure to cement dust has been linked to lung function impairment. However, there are few such studies in Nigeria. The main aim of this study was to assess the post-work Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) of workers in a cement company. Sixty workers in a cement factory were randomly selected; thirty were regarded as workers exposed to cement dust and the remaining as unexposed workers. Both groups were non smokers, had no cardiopulmonary diseases or symptoms during the time of study. Wrights Peak Flow Meter was used for measuring lung functions before and after work for the exposed and unexposed workers. A statistical package, SPSS 16.0 was used for the analysis. There were no significant differences between the pre-work and post-work PEFR between the exposed and unexposed workers though there were differences. The exposed workers had reduced PEFR compared with their unexposed counterparts. However, there were significant differences between the pre-work and post-work PEFR for both the exposed and unexposed workers with the pre-work values lower than the post-work values. It was found that all workers in the cement industry are exposed to cement dust which reduces the lung volume and results in lung function impairment. It is suggested that efforts should be geared towards cleaner production by recognizing where and when cement dust is generated and by planning ahead to eliminate, control or recycle the dust at the source.