Korean J Prev Med.  1991 Mar;24(1):37-44.

Formaldehyde exposure in the plywood manufacturing factory

• Ha MW
• Kim D
• Lim HS
• Park SH

Abstract

In the plywood manufacturing factory established in 1979, female 3 workers who had exposed to adhesives containing formaldehyde for more than 48 months of duration suffered from eye, nasal, oral, throat and skin irritation and dyspnea as chief complaints. The actual level of the exposure to formaldehyde were not estimated when the exposed workers started to have above symptoms. The environmental monitoring of workplace was measured on April 25, 1990, and the concentration of formaldehyde revealed 0.2 ppm, however the exhaustive ventilatory system was already installed at that time. Twenty six subjects from entire factory were examined by questionnaire, physical examination and spirometry, etc. on August 22, 1990. Significant difference was observed in symptoms and signs of nasal, oral and throat irritation between teh exposed group with longer duration and that with short duration. When the exposed group with longer duration was compared to the group of nonexposed, symptoms and signs of nasal, oral, throat and skin irritation, chest tightness and dullness were significantly increased in the former group. The results of the spirometric test showed that the forced vital capacity and the forced expiratory volume at 1 second were decreased amont the exposed group with longer duration but not significant.

Keyword

plywood; formaldehyde; adhesives; irritation; spirometry

MeSH Terms

Adhesives
Dyspnea
Environmental Monitoring
Female
Forced Expiratory Volume
Formaldehyde*
Humans
Pharynx
Physical Examination
Surveys and Questionnaires
Skin
Spirometry
Thorax
Vital Capacity
Adhesives
Formaldehyde