OBJECTIVES The welding process produces metal fumes and gases which may affect respiratory health. Technetium-99m diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Tc-99m DTPA) dynamic lung scanning is an easy, noninvasive method to assess disorders of alveolar-capillary barrier permeability secondary to epithelial damage. We aimed to investigate the alveolar clearance by Tc-99m DTPA radioaerosol inhalation ...

Metals cause nephrotoxicity with acute and/or chronic exposure; however, few epidemiological studies have examined impacts of exposure to metal fumes on renal injury in welding workers. In total, 66 welding workers and 12 office workers were recruited from a shipyard located in southern Taiwan. Urine samples from each subject were collected at the beginning (baseline) and end of the work week (...

background: this paper describes the common hazards in the metal industry – chemicals and noise. the aim of the study was to get an overview of risk levels of mentioned occupational hazards and examine the implementation of adequate safety measures. methods: measurements of noise and chemicals were performed, self-reported exposure and usage of personal protective equipment from workers were us...

Objectives: To investigate cardiorespiratory and inflammatory responses in male workers following exposure to welding fumes and airborne particles in actual workplace conditions. Materials and Methods: We measured blood leukocytes and their differential counts, platelet count, hemoglobin, sensitive C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, E-selectin, IL-(interleukin)1β, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor...

BACKGROUND Workers chronically exposed to manganese in welding fumes may develop an extra-pyramidal syndrome with postural and action tremors. OBJECTIVES To determine the utility of tremor analysis in distinguishing tremors among workers exposed to welding fumes, patients with Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease (IPD) and Essential Tremor (ET). METHODS Retrospective study of recorded tremor in s...

OBJECTIVES This study examined the association between certain paternal occupational exposures during the periconceptional period and the risk of congenital malformations. MATERIALS AND METHODS A case-control study was carried out from December 2009 to April 2010; on 242 congenital malformation cases and 270 controls. Paternal occupational exposure to certain workplace hazards was assessed by...

BACKGROUND Welding can produce dangerous fumes containing various metals especially carcinogenic ones. Occupational exposure to welding fumes is associated with lung cancer. Therefore, welders in Gas Transmission Pipelines are known as a high-risk group. This study was designed to determinate the amounts of metals Cr, Ni, and Cd in breathing zone and urine of welders and to assess the possibili...